INSPIRATIONAL Blog

The Week of the Cross – Unavoidable Truth that Jesus is the Messiah

Jesus has been both instructing and illustrating about greatness in the Kingdom and great crowds began to follow him.  Most recently he has, for the third time, specifically predicted his death and resurrection, though most did not understand this was the redemptive fulfillment of His life. What is coming is a sham trial, public beating and mocking, and the death of a condemned criminal among criminals. We are now in the last week of Jesus’ life. His entry into Jerusalem, his final instructions to the crowds and to the disciples, and the courage to face the cross contrary to his will but in obedience to the heavenly Father.  The link is now made from the lineage of David – the royal lineage – to Jesus not only as the Son of David but David’s Lord, namely the Savior of the world.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[a]

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.  Matthew 22:43-46.

1. Jesus’ Instruction Proceeding from the Known to the Unknown.  This is the last public dialogue between Jesus and his critics.  Begrudgingly, they have to admit Jesus' lineage in the line of David, which is itself royalty.  Not Messianic but royalty.  And to that they admit.  This is known in the community and not deniable. This becomes the foundation for Jesus' affirmation that He is from God, doing the work of the Father, and proceeding back to heaven.

2. Jesus’ Logic Affirming his Deity.  Jesus now, on multiple occasions, has predicted his death and resurrection, to his disciples, and to the crowds.  But to his critics, no acknowledgment was made.  Now they are directed to the logic that not only is Jesus the son of David, which they admit, but from Psalms 110, a Psalm written by David, even David admits that the One who comes after him, as predicted, will be the Messiah.

3. Applying the Psalms to Jesus’ Instruction.  The enemies of Jesus instantly knew that they were biblically and logically wrong – that they were hoisted, as it were, on the horns of the dilemma where they could not affirm Jewish heritage in David and deny that Jesus was the application of the Son of David – the Messiah. 

Psalms 110 says about this One from David – your enemies shall be your footstool; the Lord will extend your mighty scepter; you will rule in the midst of your enemies; your troops … will be arrayed in holy majesty; you are a Priest forever; the Lord is at your right hand, He will crush kings on the day of wrath; he will judge the nations; crushing the rules of the whole earth.

No wonder of Jesus' enemies, it was said: from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

We are in a crazy world right now.  The newly appointed Justice of the Supreme Court does not have the moral courage to define a woman. USA Today calls a man ‘Woman of the Year’.  A recent witness in our congress advises that men can get pregnant and have an abortion. All absurdities. Where will it end?  Well, our text from Psalm 110 said, evil has its season, but God will have the final say.  Be encouraged that our world is not out of His control.  We follow in faith and trust that, in our lifetime or after, all matters will be set right, in righteousness and justice, both in the heavens and in our world.  Best to you this week. 

May 30, 2022 at 12:09 PM Permalink

How to be Great in the Kingdom

Jesus has been both instructing and illustrating about greatness in the Kingdom, and great crowds began to follow him.  Most recently he has, for the third time, specifically predicted his death and resurrection, though most did not understand this was the redemptive fulfillment of His life. What is coming is a sham trial, public beating and mocking, and the death of a condemned criminal among criminals. We are now in the last week of Jesus’ life. His entry into Jerusalem, his final instructions to the crowds and to the disciples, and the courage to face the cross contrary to his will but in obedience to the heavenly Father.  Final instructions for the disciples include inheriting eternal life and greatness in the Kingdom

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:34-40.

1. Greatest of the Commandments.  For all the 513 commands and laws of the Old Testament, the greatest commandment is not what we do, but what we are. We are to be lovers of God. We are designed for that, we are made in His image, and our greatest joys come in restoration of relationship – first beginning in salvation through Jesus and then in obedience, in loving God and His people because of the grace and mercy given to us. No wonder 1 Corinthians affirms: Now remains, faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

2. Loving my Neighbor [Rather] than Myself. This is often misunderstood as permission to become self-absorbed, self-indulgent, and selfish toward my needs and interests before others. After all, if we don’t love ourselves, how can we love others? Now it is true that we need to care for ourselves, and that fundamental care will impact those around us. But it is contrary to everything about the New Testament, and particularly the Good Samaritan of Luke 10 that we are to indulge ourselves, contrary to the life of serving and caring for others. The ‘more religious’ priest and Levite ignored the wounded traveler.  The Samaritan took him in, cared for him, made provision for his added care.  And when asked by Jesus, who was the one acting toward his neighbor, the answer was ‘the one who took pity on him’.  My neighbor is one whose need I see, and whose need I can meet.  That is greatness in matters of eternity.

No wonder the early instruction in James is as follows: my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?  James 2:5. 

Blessings on you as you make this week count in matters that count the most.

- John Moore

May 23, 2022 at 12:04 PM Permalink

The Week of the Cross – Part 3 – God’s Patience Toward His People

Jesus has been both instructing and illustrating about greatness in the Kingdom and great crowds began to follow him.  Most recently he has, for the third time, specifically predicted his death and resurrection, though most did not understand this was the redemptive fulfillment of His life. What is coming is a sham trial, public beating and mocking, and the death of a condemned criminal among criminals.   We are now in the last week of Jesus’ life.  His entry into Jerusalem, his final instructions to the crowds and to the disciples, and the courage to face the cross contrary to his will but in obedience to the heavenly Father, and as such, in the parable of the King and the wedding feast, showing us the patience of God to those He has chosen and called.

8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.  Matthew 22:8-10.

1. Salvation First to Israel and Sons of Abraham.  In understanding the Bible, we start with the foundation, ‘Christianity is Jewish’.  From the fall in the Garden, to the promises made to Abraham and his generations (Gen 12, 15, 22) , the promise of salvation started in God’s chosen people, Israel.  Yet the Old Testament is filled with the repeated grace of God and rejection of his instructions by Israel.  While in the OT the promise of salvation was also to be extended to the non-Jew, the message of Jesus repeated this message of the failure of Israel and the invitation to those of us outside Israel.  Such is now the case with the parable.

2. The King’s repeated offer to His guests to enjoy the wedding feast / the life of God’s people with Him in heaven.  The event is ready.  The wedding is set.  The guests are invited twice.  Not only do they refuse the King’s invitation, but they kill the messenger servants who brought the invitation.  No clearer message of the deserving loss of salvation to those who reject the invitation of the King.  And the introduction to this passion week, where the Jews and Romans will reject the message of Jesus and put him to death.

3. The Main Point of the Parable:  As symbolized by the king. God is patient.  It is God who first calls, and then invites those who have been previously called.  It is God who, when His offer is rejected, does not immediately pour out His wrath.  But makes a further urgent appeal, and takes in those who did not deserve to come to the feast – all those who are good and bad. 

For many are invited but few are chosen.  Matthew 22:14.  How can we go past this season without again our gratitude to God for His drawing us to Himself, and giving us what we do not deserve.  Best to you this week.

- John Moore

May 16, 2022 at 9:14 AM Permalink

The Week of the Cross – Part 2 – True Repentance

Jesus has been both instructing and illustrating greatness in the Kingdom, and great crowds began to follow him.  Most recently he has, for the third time, specifically predicted his death and resurrection, though most did not understand this was the redemptive fulfillment of His life. What is coming is a sham trial, public beating and mocking, and the death of a condemned criminal among criminals. We are now in the last week of Jesus’ life. His entry into Jerusalem, his final instructions to the crowds and to the disciples, and the courage to face the cross contrary to his will but in obedience to the heavenly Father, and as such, modeling the true nature of salvation.

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this,  and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]? 43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”[b]   Matthew 21:42-44.

1. The Promises of the Sermon on the Mount to Be Accomplished.  At the beginning of Jesus’ first ministry in Galilee, he promised, that to those who were poor in spirit, who would mourn, the meek, who would hunger and third for righteousness, to the merciful, to the pure in heart, to the peacemaker, and to those who were persecuted for righteousness – to them, they would receive the kingdom of heaven, would be comforted, would inherit the earth, would be filled, would be shown mercy, would see God, would be called the sons of God, would have the kingdom of heaven.  Now, because of the rejection of Jesus by Israel, the non-Jews – the Gentiles – would be grafted into the church, would become part of the foundation of the church, upon which the message of Jesus and the resurrection would expand.

2. Looking at Loss in Perspective.  There is no question that the Christian life is looking at the eternal, not the temporary, the spiritual, not the physical, the eternal residence in heaven with God, not the temporary presence as aliens and strangers in this world.  No better illustration than the thief on the cross, who upon his request to "remember me." received the promise, "Today you will be with me in paradise."  As Christians, because we have chosen to believe in Jesus and follow Him, we have exchanged the temporary for the permanent, the mortal for the immortal, the things we cannot keep for the life we cannot lose, and as such, we continue to persevere.  By the grace of God, th promise of salvation from the Garden of Eden, through Abraham and Israel, is now our full portion as well.

3. From Ashes to Glory.  In the midst of the condemnation to those who rejected Jesus, do you see the promise – GIVEN TO A PEOPLE WHO WILL PRODUCE ITS FRUIT (21:43).  It is true that Christianity is Jewish, but it doesn’t stop there.  Even to the Samaritan woman with the demon possessed daughter, who argued that the dogs (the non-Jews) received the crumps of the bread given to Israel – Jesus both healed her daughter and commended her faith!  Matthew 15:21-28.

53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[a]55 “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”[b]  56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  1 Corinthians 15:53-58.

We will continue to see the promise of God in Jesus during this passion week of the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.  Stay well.

- John Moore

May 2, 2022 at 9:00 AM Permalink