His Last Time

 N.T.#241 "His Last Time"

Feb. 9, 2024  

Matthew 21

LET IT GLOW

I often think about the last trip I made home to visit with my parents. Mom had surgery and I stayed several days with her in November. It was the last time I visited with Dad. I cooked for him and my sister, who came later. He was surprised in my ability. We three looked through old pictures and talked of old times. How precious are those memories. I didn't know it would be my last time to talk with him. I regret not telling him that I love him.

I suppose as we get older, into our golden years, we have questions about our "last times." Do you wonder what the circumstances will be surrounding your last trip to see your children and grandchildren? Our last time to worship with the saints in your home church? The last family get together with extended family? What will our life say to them? Will they see our faithfulness to Jesus? Will they be encouraged by our love for them that we showed? Will our words give the hope of eternal life? Will we spend eternity with them in heaven? 

Jesus is making His final journey from Jericho to Jerusalem beginning with this chapter. The Triumphal Entry was on what we call Palm Sunday. It was 4 days before the Last Supper, 5 days before the Crucifixion, and 1 week before the Resurrection. This day kicked off the series of events that Christians traditionally call Holy Week.  (Swindoll)

All 4 Gospels take their time writing about the dramatic events leading up to His passion and crucifixion, and account of His death itself during the Holy Week. So we will take our time as we walk with Jesus on His final days of His earthly life. 

First, this journey was 18 miles from Jericho to Jerusalem. It was a fairly steep uphill climb. That alone would have discouraged the half-hearted curious ones who joined the crowd. Jericho is north of the Dead Sea and east of Jerusalem. The crowd of Jews were going to the Passover Celebration, which was yearly. They came to the town of Bethany, which was about 2 miles from the walls of Jerusalem.

LET IT GROW

What happened at Bethany?

• John tells us that Jesus had supper with Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. 
• That was when Mary anointed Jesus' feet with costly oil and dried them with her hair. (This may have been from India and worth a yearly wage.) What a sacrifice Mary made for her Savior to be comfortable. (Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit.) How soothing it would have been due to the long walking trip. 

• Walking on to Bethphage a little farther up, it small village lay between Bethany and Jerusalem. 
• Currently, there are no villages of Bethany and Bethphage. 
• Then Jesus and his followers ended up on the Mt. of Olives. 

My tour group took a picture above the Mt. of Olives on a hill. Behind us is Jerusalem, what is left of the Old Testament Wall, There is a group of trees in this section. The Eastern or Golden Gate is sealed up by the Muslims. They don't want the returning King Jesus to enter there. In front of the Gate is a cemetery, so surely a Jew would not walk through it. This valley is called the Kidron Valley. It runs east and south of the city. (You will recall that waste was deposited there.)

Jesus would return to the Mt. of Olives for privacy to pray before His beatings. Keep in mind that it is on a steep hill to wal down to the Kidron Valley. We had to walk slowly so as not to fall down. What a blessing it is to have made a trip to visit the Holy Land! I never dreamed of it in my earlier years. It makes the Bible come alive for me. Folks, it is not just a story book. These are actual places and those were real people who lived during its times.

God had Jesus' final trip to the area of Jesus' beloved city planned out. Do you think He has our last years planned out for us? Are we following the path He has for us to walk? Are we accomplishing His will for us in our final years?

I, for one, want to finish well. I want to do my Heavenly Father's will, be His witness, and love people to Jesus through salvation He has provided. How About you?

LET IT GO

Jesus, help us let go of hurt feelings and words so we can forgive others.

Help us let go of resentments and bitterness and love others today.

May we count our days and make the best of them.

I want to leave a legacy of faith and obedience and love  to my Savior Jesus.

 Feb. 8, 2024

Please pray for my granddaughter, Addi this morning. She is having her gall bladder removed. She has been in the hospital since Monday. They finally found the problem. 

The thing is, I have been sick since Friday with a virus and can’t see her. My husband went. Praying all goes well and a speedy recovery. 

Hopefully, I will feel like posting tomorrow. Going to the doctor this morning for medication. 

Have a blessed day. 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not in your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path. 

In His service,

Linda

Are We Blind?

 N.T.#240 "Are We Blind?"

Feb. 7, 2024 

Matthew 20-Part 6

... Have mercy on us, O Lord, Thou son of David. (verse 30b)

LET IT GLOW

Who are we serving? Is it a spouse, a child, a friend, an employee, a beggar?

Jesus and His disciples left Jericho on their way to Jerusalem, the final trip together. Along their way, they encountered two blind men who were sitting by the way side. Jesus was passing by them. Then the two were rebuked by the crowd, they yelled louder. 

What were the two blind men saying?

• They made a true confession of faith. They believed Jesus was the Son of David, the long-awaited Messiah. Obviously, they knew enough of the prophecies concerning the Messiah to recognize Jesus as the One.
• They called Jesus "Lord," which acknowledged His sovereignty.
• They asked for mercy, admitting their unworthiness, their miserable condition in this fallen world, and Jesus had the ability to relieve them of their suffering. 

don't let others keep us from crying out to Jesus. Don't we need mercy too? He can deliver sinners from their sin, so He can deliver us from our strongholds. 

LET IT GROW

What will ye that I shall do unto you?  (verse 32)

What a simple confession-the blind men wanted to see. (verse 33)

How did Jesus respond? He was moved with compassion. (verse 34) He touched the eyes of the blind and they saw Him. Jesus' deep love fueled His desire for service. One moment they saw darkness and the next moment they were looking into Jesus eyes. What a Savior! It does not matter if we are poor, lonely, undone. Jesus can meet our needs.

When Jesus touched the eyes of the two blind men, immediately they received sight. (verse 34)

Are we willing to serve others today with the love of Jesus?

Do others keep us from hearing from Jesus?

Are we seeing with our eyes the needs of others? Or are we expecting to be served? 

LET IT GO

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see You high and lifted up, and rightfully adorned.

Praise to the Father, the Spirit, and the Son.

Show us our need for You, Jesus.

Consume us.

Are You Serving Today?

 N.T.#239 "Are You Serving Today?"

Feb. 6, 2024 

Matthew 20-Part 5

Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many. (verse 28)

LET IT GLOW

How are you doing in the realm of being a servant/slave for Jesus? It can be hard to put others before ourself. Also, we are not to lord it over others when we are in authority. 

If we are on Jesus' leadership team, there is no place for self-serving ambition, personal promotion, shameless nepotism, presumptuous arrogance, or unbridled narcissism. (Swindoll)

Shall we take a closer look at what Jesus said in our featured verse?

• Jesus came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. both words are the same in the Greek. They mean to be an attendant; wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or teacher); serve; act as a deacon.
• Jesus demonstrated to His disciples and to us how to attend to the needs of others and how to serve others. How many did Jesus heal of physical and spiritual infirmities? 
• Jesus was given the name above all names, but He attained this greatness by humbling Himself as a servant and suffering unto death to save others. (Phil. 2:5-11

The Son of God chose the way of sacrificial service, so why would we expect a different path for us?

When I think of an attendant, I think of those who serve snacks and drinks on an airplane. Sometimes they pass out blankets, too. They also pick up trash. Aren't they an example for us?

LET IT GROW

Jesus gave His life as a ransom for many Ransom is a redemption price (attonement). For means in the place of.

A ransom is a price paid to redeem a slave or a prisoner. the ransom is offered to God to satisfy His justice and wrath against sin. The price paid is Christ's own life as a blood atonement. (Lev. 17:11) the meaning of the Cross, then, is this: Christ subjects Himself to the divine punishment against sin on our behalf. (MacArthur)

Doesn't Jesus deserve our all. 

LET IT GO

Jesus, Lamb of God, worthy is Your name of praise and glory!

You bore my cross, my sin, my shame. such love cannot be compared to.

Show us someone to serve today.

Want to Be Great?

N.T.#238 "Want to Be Great?"

Feb. 5, 2024 

Matthew 20-Part 4

LET IT GLOW 

So Aunt Salome, the mamma of James and John, asked a favor of Jesus-command that her boys be given a place to sit on Jesus' right hand and left hand in His kingdom. Those were the place of honor. Did the guys put her up to it? Jesus did not answer yes or no, but it wasn't His place to grant such a thing. Father God is in charge and it is already determined. 

Were James and John able to drink of the cup (a lot or fate) from which He would drink? Were they able to suffer and die for Him? They answered that they were able and they did in fact did remain faithful disciples and martyred for the kingdom work. Are we able and willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel to be spread? Are we willing to endure whatever comes our way?

The other ten disciples heard that conversation and how did they react? They were moved with indignation. 

Indignation means to be greatly afflicted; be much (sore displeased.

How dare these guys think their kingdom work was more important than the others! They were not loved more by the Savior than they were. What made them think they were more special? 

Jesus handled the situation in a great manner like He always did. He called the disciples together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. But among you it will be different. (verse 25-26a, NLT)

Following Jesus as a disciple means that suffering comes before significance, brokenness before usefulness, humility before authority, the bitter cup of pain before the sweet glories of promotion. (Swindoll)

The high position in the kingdom isn't something earned or can be inherited. God had already assigned those places according to His plan and purpose. No need to squabble, guys. God's kingdom is not like the kingdoms of this world, but not one of His followers got it.

LET IT GROW

In God's kingdom, whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. (verse 26)

In the Greek language, minister means to run errands; attendant; teacher, deacon. 

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.

Chief refers to the high priest; a type of Jesus. 

Servant means a slave; in a sense of subjection; bond.

In a dog-eat-dog world of earthly success, you reach greatness by stepping on others. In the kingdom of God, you reach greatness by serving others in love. Ask God how you can use your skills and talents to make the biggest possible kingdom impact. When it comes to the people of God, servants-not celebrities-are on top. (Tony Evans)

I think we can sum this teaching up by saying: Love Jesus and love others; serve Jesus by serving others. Are we doing this?

LET IT GO

Help us let go of self being most important.

Fill us with Your love, Master.

Use us to show Your love as we serve others.

To You be the glory forever and ever.

Special Seats

N.T.#237 "Special Seats"

Feb. 2, 2024 

Matthew 20-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Do we sometimes think we deserve special treatment or privileges? Then we are not alone. So did two of Jesus' disciples. Read on.

Really guys, here we go again. This time James and John were the instigators and originators of the request their mother made of Jesus. (I didn't realize Salome was Mary's sister, the two sons of Zebedee. That made James and John to be Jesus' cousins.) They put their mother up to asking Jesus to grant that they sit on the right and left in Jesus' kingdom. However, it was not a position for Jesus to grant. His kingdom was not of this world. God already had it planned out, anyway. they just did not understand as of yet.

What was Jesus' answer?

• First, James and John didn't know what they were asking. They didn't get it.
• Could they drink from the cup He was about to drink and be baptized with the baptism He was? Jesus was going to suffer greatly, beaten and hung on a cross to die.
• They were able was their answer. They know not what they say.

James was the first of the 12 disciples to lose his life in martyrdom when King Herod had him put to death with a sword. (Acts 12:2) Then about 60 years later John was sent in exile to toe island of Patmos. John previously lived through persecution, imprisonment, torture, and almost boiled alive in oil. Yes, James and John had suffering to ahead of them because they were servants of Jesus, the Mesiah.

Do we sometimes get sidetracked and think we've had enough suffering for the kingdom work? Are we ready to get our rewards in heaven today? Do we think we are deserving of better treatment?  

LET IT GROW

In Luke 18:31, Jesus said they were going up to Jerusalem to fulfill what the prophets foretold. Have we gone to our own city with the purpose of fulfilling God's purpose and not our own? What seems a failure from man's standpoint was a tremendous triumph from God's because His purpose is never man's purpose. 

If we think we are failing in doing God's will, maybe you actually are. We tend to evaluate according to the world's standards, not God's. Witnessing to the lost, to our family, showing love and serving others is a great accomplishment.

LET IT GO 

Help us stay faithful to Your will for our life.

Glory to God in the highest.

Are We Tuned In or Tuned Out?

N.T.#236 "Are We Tuned In or Out?"

February 1, 2024 

Matthew 20-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Are you one of the called or the chosen? 

Do you find yourself on the wrong page, not in sync with the person trying to teach us? Likely we give up instead of getting help. It's easier to tune out than tune in. When it is of great importance, we have to make great effort to listen closely. When it is a teaching that requires so much more of us than we are willing to give, we turn away, right?

Well, here we go again with the disciples not understanding what Jesus was trying to each them and prepare them for what lay ahead. They were walking on the rod to Jerusalem, Jesus' last trip. The 12 had been with the Master for almost 3 years. Yet, they were not on the same page as the Savior. 

Jesus took his guys aside by themselves so they wouldn't be distracted by the crowds of people as He told them about the plan. (verse 17) It was a personal time where Jesus could answer any questions they might have. He could make it crystal clear what was ahead.

In verses 17-19, we read of Jesus predicting His death a third time. Jesus was on His way to the cross.

1. The first time Jesus informed the disciples, Peter rebuked Him. (16:21-23)
2. The second time, the disciples were deeply grieved. (17:22-23)
3. Now, the third time, the guys understood none of these things, and the meaning of this was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said. (Luke 18:34)

[Resource: Swindoll's Living Insights on Matthew16-28]

Don't you know after Jesus died on the cross, the disciples reflected on His words spoken to them prior to it?

Are we listening to our Master/Savior? Is He the center of our life, working out things for our good and His glory. Will we hear Him in the details? When we are low, will we go to the One who controls all for His glory? He can change hearts. Keep praying for our loved ones. What is impossible for us is possible for God. He never forsakes us. 

LET IT GROW

His disciples did not want to hear what was about to happen to their friend. Jesus was going to be betrayed, arrested, suffer, and crucified. They had given up careers, walked away from financial security, and spent most of their time away from their wives and children. 

What did Jesus tell was going to happen to Him?

• He would be betrayed (deliver up, given over, put in prison.)
• They would condemn (to judge against, sentence) Him to death.
• He would be deliver to the Gentiles to be mock (to jeer), scourge (to war, to quarrel, fight), crucify (to impale on the cross, to extinguish, subdue, passion or selfishness).
• Then on the third day Jesus shall rise again.

Jesus wanted His disciples to understand it as His mission-the reason He had come. This would be the basis for their future ministry and message. Paul told this as he spread the Gospel in 1 Cor. 15:3-4) 

Friend, are we willing to crucify our fleshly desires, wants, dreams, to follow Jesus? Will we listen to His directions daily for our life? Will we obey His leadings? What a blessed life when we do deny ourself, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. 

LET IT GO

 What a glorious Savior is Jesus my Jesus and Lord!

Show us who we can minister to today, share Your love and encouragement and hope with, for Your glory.

Keep us tuned in to the Holy Spirit.