AN ANGUISH SO GREAT

MISSING - November 30, 2018

AN ANGUISH SO GREAT

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Mark 14:12-17
Killing the Passover lamb was customary on the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The disciples asked Jesus, "Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?" He sent two of his disciples and told them, "Go into the city. You will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him. When he goes into a house, tell the owner that the teacher asks, 'Where is my room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?' He will take you upstairs and show you a large room. The room will be completely furnished. Get everything ready for us there." The disciples left. They went into the city and found everything as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the twelve apostles.

"You will meet a man carrying a jug of water." With these words Jesus sent two of his disciples into the city to find a place to prepare the Passover feast. A man carrying water would most likely be a servant bringing water to ritually clean the space in which the feast could be prepared. At this late day for preparation it would most likely be a room for rent to the many coming to Jerusalem for the holy days.

Several questions come to my mind here. First among them is, why go to a stranger's house for the feast of unleavened bread? He had friends and followers in Jerusalem (Mark 11:8-10*) why not feast with them? Perhaps it was because he knew that his enemies would be watching those places and didn't want to further endanger them. Maybe it was because he desired to spend this holy day with his closest friends.

We just recently celebrated Thanksgiving and most of us gathered with those closest to us. It is a very human thing to do. And Jesus was very human at this point in time. He knew that very shortly he would be beaten nearly too death an then would be publicly executed in a horrendous manner. In Matthew 26:38-39 we read as he confessed to his friends, "My anguish is so great that I feel as if I'm dying. Wait here, and stay awake with me." After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, "Father, if it's possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine." Is it any wonder that he desired to eat this meal with them? He said in Luke 22:15, "I've had a deep desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." And he then instituted what we now call Holy Communion.

Remember the next time you partake of the grape and the grain how much this meal meant to him want was about to die for us.

*Mark 11:8-10
Many spread their coats on the road. Others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them on the road. Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is our ancestor David's kingdom that is coming! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

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THE LONG ANSWER - PART 6

MUSINGS - November 27, 2018

THE LONG ANSWER - PART 6

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Mark 13:3b-4
Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him (Jesus) privately, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?"

Mark 13:24-27
"Now, after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken. "Then people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. He will send out his angels, and from every direction under the sky, they will gather those whom God has chosen.

Matter, antimatter, dark matter, quantum mechanics, string theory, unified theory, gravity, light, and all the physical properties that humans have worked so hard to understand will be shaken. Everything that we think we know about our world and universy will become null and void. The One True Power, God, while intervene as he hasn't since creation. people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power. This is when Jesus will call his own from everywhere and everywhen. This is not the beginning of the end. This is the end of the beginning.

Jesus said in Mark 13:23
Be on your guard! I have told you everything before it happens. Be prepared for that transformational moment when history ceases and everything is made new. By "be prepared" I don't mean have food and water stored in an underground bunker. I mean prepare your soul. Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn't ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly. (2 Timothy 2:15)

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THE LONG ANSWER - PART 5

MUSINGS - November 26, 2018

THE LONG ANSWER - PART 5

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Mark 13:3b-4
Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him (Jesus) privately, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?"

Mark 13:21-23
"At that time don't believe anyone who tells you, 'Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!' False messiahs and false prophets will appear. They will work miraculous signs and do wonderful things to deceive, if possible, those whom God has chosen. Be on your guard! I have told you everything before it happens.

Jesus cautions his followers to Be on your guard! The false messiahs that I know of in my time on this Earth seem to me to be easier to spot than the false prophets. Jim Jones , David Koresh, Charles Manson, Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, L. Ron Hubbard, and Sun Myung Moon. Are just a few that come to mind. I'm sure there are many more lesser known "messiahs" out there it seems a quick way to gain power and wealth. As a matter of fact the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard is wired as saying, “If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” Though these other cut leaders never said it publicly, I'm sure it was a big motivatingq factor.

As I said I think that modern day prophets are harder to spot. The bookshelves in any bookstore are filled with Prophets. And the only true way to judge a prophet it's after their predictions come true. And if there predictions are for the end time, well at the true end time the predictions no l longer matter.

Again I say, immerse yourself in the Bible and be on guard. Those who deceive the people of God will receive a terrible punishment ... but so will those who are lead astray.

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THE LONG ANSWER- PART 4

MUSINGS - November 25, 2018

THE LONG ANSWER - PART 4

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Mark 13:3b-4
Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him (Jesus) privately, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?"

Mark 13:14-20
"When you see the disgusting thing that will cause destruction standing where it should not (let the reader take note), those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. Those who are on the roof should not come down to get anything out of their houses. Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats. "How horrible it will be for the women who are pregnant or who are nursing babies in those days. Pray that it will not be in winter. It will be a time of misery that has not happened from the beginning of God's creation until now, and will certainly never happen again. If the Lord does not reduce that time, no one will be saved. But those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen.

These now are signs of the end times. When you see the disgusting thing that will cause destruction standing where it should not. I'm not a prophet nor a great theologian but I see that where stood the Temple in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site Al-Aqsa Mosque, that to me could be fulfillment of this prophesy. The final Temple was destroyed by the Romans within forty some years s after Christmas predicted it. That effectively destroyed the Jewish nation until 14 May 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the head of the Jewish Agency, declared "the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel. By then the mosque, which was built between 1168 and 1174, had been on the site of the Temple for 774 years.

As I said many others have tried to understand this prophesy and interpreted it many different ways. However, whatever else is true we have Christ's word that those days will be reduced because of those whom God has chosen. We read in Ephesians 1:4-6
Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence. Because of his love he had already decided to adopt us through Jesus Christ. He freely chose to do this so that the kindness he had given us in his dear Son would be praised and given glory.

We know that the end will not come until the Gosple has reached everyone (Mark 13:10) so it is our duty, as those chosen by God, to shorten the time by sharing it with everyone.

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THE LONG ANSWER - PART 3

MUSINGS - November 23, 2018

THE LONG ANSWER - PART 3

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Mark 13:3b-4
Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him (Jesus) privately, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?"

Mark 13:11-13
When they take you away to hand you over to the authorities, don't worry ahead of time about what you will say. Instead, say whatever is given to you to say when the time comes. Indeed, you are not the one who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit will. "Brother will hand over brother to death; a father will hand over his child. Children will rebel against their parents and kill them. Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me. But the person who endures to the end will be saved.

Some of what Jesus foresees sounds like the nightly news. And yet it isn't new news. These horrible things have gone on since Cane killed Able. Christ's followers have been persecuted since he called the twelve apostles to follow him. In some parts of our world people are literally dieing for processing their faith. In America the mistreatment of Christians is more subtle but our rights to express our Christian beliefs are slowly eroding. The good news is But the person who endures to the end will be saved.

The apostle Paul wrote to the
Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil's strategies. This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world. For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground. (Ephesians 6:11-13) as a matter of fact, read all of chapter 6 as a lesson in how to ensure until the end.

Immerse yourself in the word.

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THE LONG ANSWER - PART 2

MUSINGS - November 23, 2018

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THE LONG ANSWER - PART 2
Mark 13:4
"Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?"

Mark 13:7-10
"When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don't be alarmed! These things must happen, but they don't mean that the end has come. Nation will fight against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes and famines in various places. These are only the beginning pains of the end. "Be on your guard! People will hand you over to the Jewish courts and whip you in their synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings to testify to them because of me. But first, the Good News must be spread to all nations.

Jesus said, wars, earthquakes, and famines are not signs of end times. They have been happening nearly from the beginning of time. Christ's followers have been and will continue to be persecuted. These again are not signs of the end times but part of the human condition since the fall from Grace in the garden of Eden.

The good news is that the Gosple will be spread to every nation before the end comes. By God's continuing grace everyone will have the opportunity to hear the Good News.
As of October 2017 the full Bible has been translated into 670 languages, the New Testament alone into 1,521 languages and Bible portions or stories into 1,121 other languages. And we still have not reached the entirety of humanity.

Are you doing your part in spreading the Good news to those to those around you?

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THE LONG ANSWER - PART 1

MUSINGS - November 22, 2018

THE LONG ANSWER - PART 1

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Mark 13:1-6
As Jesus was going out of the temple courtyard, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look at these huge stones and these beautiful buildings!" Jesus said to him, "Do you see these large buildings? Not one of these stones will be left on top of another. Each one will be torn down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives facing the temple buildings, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will this happen? What will be the sign when all this will come to an end?" Jesus answered them, "Be careful not to let anyone deceive you. Many will come using my name. They will say, 'I am he,' and they will deceive many people.

Mark behind this narrative with Jesus prophesying the destruction of the temple. The disciples then asked, "When?" The answer is not a simple date And time. His answer goes on from Mark 13:5 to 13:37. Today we are going to address the destruction of the temple.

The Romans Destroy the Temple

at Jerusalem, 70 AD

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In the year 66 AD the Jews of Judea rebelled against their Roman masters. In response, the Emperor Nero dispatched an army under the generalship of Vespasian to restore order. By the year 68, resistance in the northern part of the province had been eradicated and the Romans turned their full attention to the subjugation of Jerusalem. stronghold. By the year 70, the attackers had breached Jerusalem's outer walls and began a systematic ransacking of the city. The assault culminated in the burning and destruction of the Temple approximately 35 years after Jesus predicted it. This is confirmation of his ability to foresee the future. His word is true.

Tune in tomorrow for part two of the Long Answer.

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FAITH OR FATALISM

MUSINGS - November 21, 2018

FAITH OR FATALISM

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Mark 12:41-44
As Jesus sat facing the temple offering box, he watched how much money people put into it. Many rich people put in large amounts. A poor widow dropped in two small coins, worth less than a cent. He called his disciples and said to them, "I can guarantee this truth: This poor widow has given more than all the others. All of them have given what they could spare. But she, in her poverty, has given everything she had to live on."

For years I have heard sermons on the great faith this woman had. Only I'm not sure that faith was what drove her motives.

Jesus observed this woman putting in the last of her money and his only comment was that she had given everything that she had to live on.

I find it interesting that he didn't say something like, " Her faith will be richly rewarded." Indeed his only comment was that she had given more than the others. He said nothing at all the praise her faith for doing this nor did he condemn her for her foolishness in giving everything she had to the temple.

So I'm left wondering why she did what she did. Was she giving up? Did she realize that these two coins weren't going to sustain her so she might as well give them away. Was it fatalism that drove her actions like the widow in 1Kings 17:12 who told Elijah, "I solemnly swear, as the LORD your God lives, I didn't bake any bread. I have one handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I'm gathering wood. I'm going to prepare something for myself and my son so that we can eat it and then die." She was resigned to die. That is not seem act of faith.

On the other hand perhaps the woman with the two coins really believed Malachi 3:10 which said,
"Bring one-tenth of your income into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way," says the LORD of Armies. "See if I won't open the windows of heaven for you and flood you with blessings. Perhaps all those sermons were correct and this woman's faith was greater than all the rest. And by the way, the woman who fed Elijah was rewarded,
The jar of flour never became empty, and the jug always contained olive oil, as the LORD had promised through Elijah. (1 Kings 17:16)

How is your faith?

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FINALLY!

MUSINGS - November 19, 2018

FINALLY!

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Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes went to Jesus during the argument with the Sadducees. He saw how well Jesus answered them, so he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of them all?" Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. So love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second most important commandment is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." The scribe said to Jesus, "Teacher, that was well said! You've told the truth that there is only one God and no other besides him! To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as you love yourself is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus heard how wisely the man answered, he told the man, "You're not too far from the kingdom of God." After that, no one dared to ask him another question.

Jus1areligious leaders are all arrogant, self-important, and foolish, this scribe comes to Jesus. He comes with no tricky questions. He does not offer empty flattery. He was on the sidelines when Jesus was confronted by the Sadducees.* He saw how wisely Jesus had seen through their intentions. Now he comes with sincere respect and asks his question, knowing that Jesus will give a truthful, well thought-out answer. And he is not disappointed. He asked, Which commandment is the most important of them all?"

Jesus instead, of picking one of the comments, summarized them all. Jesus was impressed by this scribe and told him, You're not too far from the kingdom of God."

I'm sorry that Mark's narrative ended there. I'd like to know if this scribe took the next step. Did he recognized Jesus as the Messiah? Did he become a follower? Or did he remain not to far, so close but not yet there?

What a wonderful place to be ... not far from the Kingdom. What a terrible place to be if he stopped there. I'm reminded of the the hymn Almost Persuaded. One verse is so terrifying to me:
Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last;
“Almost” cannot avail;
“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad that bitter wail—
“Almost—but lost!”

It was that hymn that led me to take that final step. I had been standing just outside the kingdom, looking in, but afraid to take that final step. I was afraid to let go of my self-will and accept God's will

If you find yourself not too far from the Kingdom, I encourage and urge you to move forward. Take that last step! Place your life in the hands of the one who created you** and loved you as no other can.***

*Mark 12:18-27

**Psalm 139:13-16

***John 3:16

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KITS, CATS, SACKS, WIVES

MUSINGS - November 18, 2018

KITS, CATS, SACKS, WIVES

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Mark 12:18-27
Some Sadducees, who say that people will never come back to life, came to Jesus. They asked him, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother should marry his widow and have children for his brother.' There were seven brothers. The first got married and died without having children. The second married her and died without having children. So did the third. None of the seven brothers had any children. Last of all, the woman died. When the dead come back to life, whose wife will she be? The seven brothers had married her." Jesus said to them, "Aren't you mistaken because you don't know the Scriptures or God's power? When the dead come back to life, they don't marry. Rather, they are like the angels in heaven. Haven't you read in the book of Moses that the dead come back to life? It's in the passage about the bush, where God said, 'I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' He's not the God of the dead but of the living. You're badly mistaken!"

As I was going to St. Ives,
I met a man with seven wives, Each wife had seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats, Each cat had seven kits: Kits, cats, sacks, and wives, How many were there going to St. Ives?

This nursery rhyme riddle has been around for a very long time but people are still fooled by the misdirection of it. It sounds like it is a math problem with the number of kits, cats, sacks, and wives. However, the answer is in the first line, "As I was going to St. Ives." Only one person was going to St. Ives.

The Sadducees attempted to trick the Lord using a similar method. They tried to bury their true intent in a long drawn out example with seven brothers who each consecutively married the same woman. The true question was not about marriage it was about resurrection. But Jesus was not fooled and answered their true question by explaining what they had missed in Moses's teachings.

In yesterday's Musings we had the story of the Pharisees trying to entrap Jesus and how they failed. One of the points of doctrine that the Pharisees and Sadducees disagreed on was life after death. Pharisees believed in it and the Sadducees did not. So their test was designed not only to entrap Jesus but also to confirm their belief that death was final.

Once again be careful of those who wish to debate with you about your beliefs. Ask yourself why they are asking the question. Are they seeking the truth or are they just trying to justify their beliefs? Be wise. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidence.

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TRUTHFUL LIES

MUSINGS - November 17, 2018

TRUTHFUL LIES

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Mark 12:13-17
The leaders sent some of the Pharisees and some of Herod's followers to Jesus. They wanted to trap him into saying the wrong thing. When they came to him, they said, "Teacher, we know that you tell the truth. You don't favor individuals because of who they are. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not? Should we pay taxes or not?" Jesus recognized their hypocrisy, so he asked them, "Why do you test me? Bring me a coin so that I can look at it." They brought a coin. He said to them, "Whose face and name is this?" They told him, "The emperor's." Jesus said to them, "Give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and give God what belongs to God." They were surprised at his reply.

Here is a riddle for you, when is the truth not the truth? When it is not believed. These leaders came to Jesus faining belief when they said, "you teach the way of God truthfully." Though it was true, it was a lie in their hearts. Jesus heard their words but he also knew their hearts.

They wanted to trap him. But he saw their intent and turned it around on them. He told them a truth that they had not expected.

Beware those who flatter you, as they may have evil intentions. Jesus warmed his followers, "I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. So be as cunning as snakes but as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) So beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.

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YOUR CHOICE

MUSINGS - November 16, 2018

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YOUR CHOICE

Mark 12:1-12
Then, using this illustration, Jesus spoke to them (the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders*). He said, "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, made a vat for the winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to vineyard workers and went on a trip. "At the right time he sent a servant to the workers to collect from them a share of the grapes from the vineyard. The workers took the servant, beat him, and sent him back with nothing. So the man sent another servant to them. They hit the servant on the head and treated him shamefully. The man sent another, and they killed that servant. Then he sent many other servants. Some of these they beat, and others they killed. "He had one more person to send. That person was his son, whom he loved. Finally, he sent his son to them. He thought, 'They will respect my son.' "But those workers said to one another, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' So they took him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. "What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the workers and give the vineyard to others. Have you never read the Scripture passage: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is amazing for us to see'?" They wanted to arrest him but were afraid of the crowd. They knew that he had directed this illustration at them. So they left him alone and went away.

These were learned men who were familiar with the scriptures. When Jesus began his illustration with, "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it," the immediately knew that the planter was God and the vineyard was Israel.* They knew that the servants were the prophets of the LORD. And they knew that Jesus was claiming to be the son in this story. Which meant he was claiming to be the son of God. They also knew that Jesus was casting them in the role of the murderous renters (the priests could not own any land.***)

They were very angry with Jesus for casting them in the role of the villains. But they were enraged by his claim to be the rightful owner of the land, the Messiah, the anointed King of Israel. And it was, in their eyes, blasphemy for him to lay claim to be the son of God. And it would have been blasphemy if it were not true. And the crime of blasphemy carried the punishment of death.****

Jesus left them only two choices: believe he was who he claimed to be or kill him.

Each of us must also choose: believe it deny. Your choice.

*Mark 11:27

**Isaiah 5:1-7

***Deuteronomy 10:9

****Leviticus 24:13–16.

WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT

MUSINGS - November 15, 2018

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WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT

Mark 11:27-33
Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple courtyard, the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders came to him. They asked him, "What gives you the right to do these things? Who told you that you could do this?" Jesus said to them, "I'll ask you a question. Answer me, and then I'll tell you why I have the right to do these things. Did John's right to baptize come from heaven or from humans? Answer me!" They discussed this among themselves. They said, "If we say, 'from heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'from humans,' then what will happen?" They were afraid of the people. All the people thought of John as a true prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Jesus told them, "Then I won't tell you why I have the right to do these things."

Finally, the chief priests had asked Jesus the right question. For years they have asked questions to entrap him. And it had never worked. Now they had, at last, asked the core question about Jesus. What gives you the right to heal, to teach new truths about God's kingdom, and to prophesy?

People were calling him Rabbi. But he had not gone through the years of training to become a Rabbi. He hadn't even gone online to www.themonastery.org to become legally ordained. Though he wasn't recognized by the religious authorities as a Rabbi, the people recognized his teaching as powerful and as one who had authority.

And if that wasn't bad enough, there people were starting to call him Messiah, the truly anointed King of Israel. And he had not been truly anointed by the ruling hierarchy.

In short, he was taking away their power over the people. So they asked the question that they should have asked from the beginning.

However, Jesus knew their hearts. He knew that they couldn't handle the truth. And they certainly would not accept the truth that he was God incarnate.

It still goes back to the question that Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" Who do you say Jesus is?

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DEAD TREE AND MOVED MOUNTAINS

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MUSINGS - November 13, 2018

DEAD TREE AND MOVED MOUNTAINS

Mark 11:12-14
The next day, when they left Bethany, Jesus became hungry. In the distance he saw a fig tree with leaves. He went to see if he could find any figs on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves because it wasn't the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "No one will ever eat fruit from you again!" His disciples heard this.

Mark 11:20-24
While Jesus and his disciples were walking early in the morning, they saw that the fig tree had dried up. Peter remembered what Jesus had said, so he said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has dried up." Jesus said to them, "Have faith in God! I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn't doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to lthis mountain, 'Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,' and it will be done for him. That's why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours.

I believe in the power of prayer to perform miracles. I believe that the Holy Spirit can and does intercede on our behalf when we ask, believing without doubt. I also strongly believe that we need to put legs to our prayers.

As I drive through the Texas Hill country, I see places where mountains have been moved by belief. Huge amounts of rock have been cut away to make way for a road. Yes it is true that it was moved by muscle and machine and not done a mystical force, but those who made it happen believed without doubt that a highway could be placed there.

Read the story of Gideon* and see how good answered Gideon's prayer by putting him to work.

Powerful prayers are energized by belief and action.

*Judges 6:11-8:32

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HOSANNA

MUSINGS - November 12, 2018

HOSANNA

Mark 11:1-11
When they came near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of him. He said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there. No one has ever sat on it. Untie it, and bring it. If anyone asks you what you are doing, say that the Lord needs it. That person will send it here at once." The disciples found the young donkey in the street. It was tied to the door of a house. As they were untying it, some men standing there asked them, "Why are you untying that donkey?" The disciples answered them as Jesus had told them. So the men let them go. They brought the donkey to Jesus, put their coats on it, and he sat on it. Many spread their coats on the road. Others cut leafy branches in the fields and spread them on the road. Those who went ahead and those who followed him were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is our ancestor David's kingdom that is coming! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" Jesus came into Jerusalem and went into the temple courtyard, where he looked around at everything. Since it was already late, he went out with the twelve apostles to Bethany.

Jesus arrived in Jerusalem just before the beginning of Passover and the people saw him and began to shout, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is our ancestor David's kingdom that is coming!"

Our choir often sings hymns with the word hosanna in it. But what does this word actually mean? If you do a Google search you will find, "The word hosanna(Latin osanna, Greek ὡσαννά, hōsanná) is from Hebrew הושיעה־נא, הושיעה נא hôšîʿâ-nā and related to Aramaic אושענא (ʾōshaʿnā) meaning "save, rescue, savior". In the Hebrew Bible it is used only in verses such as "help" or "save, I pray" (Psalms 118:25)."

The people were welcoming Jesus because they thought he was coming to restore David's kingdom. They wanted Israel to dominate the Middle East as it had in David's time.

They were looking for the wrong kingdom and the wrong Savior. Jesus said, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world." (John 18:36)
Indeed, the Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost." (Luke 19:10) That doesn't sounds like the duty of an early King.

What do you expect of Jesus? In one of my favorite restaurants there hangs a sign that reads, "Before you complain about my work, make sure it's my job! If you are praying for Jesus to give you an A on your homework, or the promotion at work ... It's not his job. Make sure that your expectations are in line with the scriptures. And you can only know that by studying the Bible.

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DO US A FAVOR

MUSINGS - November 09, 2018

DO US A FAVOR

Mark 10:32-41
Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. Jesus was walking ahead of them. His disciples were shocked that he was going to Jerusalem. The others who followed were afraid. Once again he took the twelve apostles aside. He began to tell them what was going to happen to him. "We're going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him. But after three days he will come back to life." James and John, sons of Zebedee, went to Jesus. They said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do us a favor." "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked them. They said to him, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." Jesus said, "You don't realize what you're asking. Can you drink the cup that I'm going to drink? Can you be baptized with the baptism that I'm going to receive?" "We can," they told him. Jesus told them, "You will drink the cup that I'm going to drink. You will be baptized with the baptism that I'm going to receive. But I don't have the authority to grant you a seat at my right or left. Those positions have already been prepared for certain people." When the other ten apostles heard about it, they were irritated with James and John.

Talk about bad timing! Jesus had just told his friends that he is going to be arrested condemned, humiliated, tortured, and killed. And James and John are so self centered that they say, "Do us a favor," Really? Had they not been listening? We're they do counted with the desire to be granted special positions above the other apostles that the didn't hear him? It were they that child hearted?

When the other ten apostles heard about it, they were irritated with James and John. Why were the others upset? Was it because of their callousness of asking for a favor when Jesus had just said he would die? It was it because they had asked for a special positions of power over them?

We call them Saint James and Saint John. They and the other apostles are regarded as saintly. Yet they are so human, so much like us. Their faults and flaws are recorded in the Bible along with the good they accomplished.

Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters* but how often do we just "visit" with him? All too often we go to him with our list and say, "Do us a favor."

*Matthew 12:50

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LAW VERSES REDEMPTION

MUSINGS - November 04, 2018

LAW VERSES REDEMPTION

Mark 10:1-12
Jesus left there and went into the territory of Judea along the other side of the Jordan River. Crowds gathered around him again, and he taught them as he usually did. Some Pharisees came to test him. They asked, "Can a husband divorce his wife?" Jesus answered them, "What command did Moses give you?" They said, "Moses allowed a man to give his wife a written notice to divorce her." Jesus said to them, "He wrote this command for you because you're heartless. But God made them male and female in the beginning, at creation. That's why a man will leave his father and mother and will remain united with his wife, and the two will be one. So they are no longer two but one. Therefore, don't let anyone separate what God has joined together." When they were in a house, the disciples asked him about this. He answered them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman is committing adultery. If a wife divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery."

Jesus continued in his travels teaching and healing. He had returned to this area of Judea where he had previously attracted crowds of listeners. Once again the crowds have come to him. And once again the religious authorities have come to argue with him. They come with a question do designed to be a share to trap him.

They could have posed a question about any of the finer points of the law of Moses, because they came not looking for an answer but for a way to dispute him. Which ever way he answers they hope to trap him by his words. They asked, "Can a husband divorce his wife?" Jesus, however, doesn't answer their questions until they have answered his. They answer tells him how they interpret the law. Rather than argue with them, he agreed that the law does indeed allow for divorce under certain circumstances. But he expands on that by saying that God's perfect will is that marriage be until by death they are seriated. The law was given because of the hardness of humanities heart. Without the law of divorce, the only way to be rid of an unfaithful spouse would be to have them stoned to death. "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife or with his neighbor's wife, both he and the woman must be put to death for their adultery (Leviticus 20:10)

Jesus did not refute the law but said only that it was because of man's sinful nature that the law was given at all. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Galatia, "No one receives God's approval by obeying the law's standards since, "The person who has God's approval will live by faith." Laws have nothing to do with faith, but, "Whoever obeys laws will live because of the laws he obeys." Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that God's laws bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, "Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed." Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:11-14)

The law can only exposed our sins and condemn us. Jesus took that condemnation upon himself and saves us from all our sin through faith

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GOD FIRST, SELF LAST

MUSINGS - November 03, 2018

GOD FIRST, SELF LAST

Mark 9:42-50
"These little ones believe in me. It would be best for the person who causes one of them to lose faith to be thrown into the sea with a large stone hung around his neck. "So if your hand causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life disabled than to have two hands and go to hell, to the fire that cannot be put out. If your foot causes you to lose your faith, cut it off! It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. If your eye causes you to lose your faith, tear it out! It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. In hell worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how will you restore its flavor? Have salt within you, and live in peace with one another."

Jesus gives many parables about the kingdom of God. This is a rare passage where he speaks about hell. He tells his listeners that it would be better to live life maimed than to go to hell where worms that eat the body never die, and the fire is never put out.

I've said it before and I'll repeat myself here. I don't believe that Jesus is being literal here. I believe that he is giving figurative examples of giving up the things that cause us to sin. I believe this because our eyes, hands, and feet do not cause us to sin. Sin is, at its most basic a choice to choose our own desires over the will of God.

No matter how much we desire the object of our sin we must remove it from our life. Anything that we love more than God must be abandoned. In Luke 14:26 Jesus said, "If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples."

I was a boy scout and was taught the Boy Scout Way: God, country, other people, and self. On our list of priorities God must be first and we must be last.

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SMALL ACTS, BIG REWARDS

MUSINGS - November 02, 2018

SMALL ACTS, BIG REWARDS

Mark 9:41
I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."

Until today I've always thought that this teaching was oddly placed in Mark's narrative. It is sandwiched between the disciples trying to stop someone else from casting out demons in Jesus's name and teachings about escaping hell. However, as I consider it today, I see that it is related to the former teaching where Jesus tells the disciples, "Whoever isn't against us is for us." Both the grander (in human thinking) act of casting out demons, and the giving of a drink of water, will earn rewards, if done in Jesus's name.

I remember a man I knew many years ago. He had several brothers who were missionaries to foreign lands. He owned and operated a small printing company. His brothers had the grander (in human thinking) acts of discipleship. However, I heard him once say, "I also serve by keeping their stuff." While his brothers were away, he would store their household belongings until they returned. They all earned their reward.

Those who do these "small" acts of kindness will indeed hear the Master say, "Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34)

Matthew 25:31-46 really expands on this idea of relatively small acts of kindness earning great rewards.

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NOT COOKIECUTTER CHRISTIANS

MUSINGS - November 01, 2018

NOT COOKIECUTTER CHRISTIANS

Mark 9:38-40
John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us." Jesus said, "Don't stop him! No one who works a miracle in my name can turn around and speak evil of me. Whoever isn't against us is for us.

"He was not one of us." Us or them? Them or us? Someone not of the twelve apostles was using the power of Jesus name.

John was, in affect, saying, "The 12 of us have the Jesus brand exclusively copyrighted and trademarked. How dare someone cast out demons in the name of Jesus? He didn't pay the franchise fee."

My salvation didn't give me exclusive rights and privileges. My salvation journey was different than yours. I know this because God didn't make Cookiecutter Christians. God came to us as individuals and through his grace granted us pardon for our sins. Then he laid out individual paths and individual jobs for us.*

God's grace is inclusive not exclusive. Jesus died for all of humanity. There is no Them. We are all Us. My path and my gifts may differ from yours but we serve the same God. Remember, "Whoever isn't against us is for us."

*Read 1 Corinthians chapter 12

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