TRIUMPH IN TRAGEDY

Luke 23:26-56

When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him. Luke 23:33

We call it “Good Friday,” but no one standing there that day would have called that Friday “good.” The best man that history ever knew was nailed to a Roman cross and murdered. For His enemies it was a victory of sorts; for the Soldiers it was simply another day’s work; for His followers it was the death of their brightest hopes and greatest dreams. But no one would have called that Friday “good.”

That is true of many “bad Fridays” if you consider them apart from Resurrection Sunday. They make life seem futile—without purpose and meaning. But God’s most striking victories rise out of the graves of apparent defeats.

In his book Idols for Destruction, Herbert Schlossberg wrote, “We are not the lords of history and do not control its outcome, but we have assurance that there is a Lord of history and He controls its outcome. We need a theological interpretation of disaster, one that recognizes that God acts in such events as captivities, defeats, and crucifixions. The Bible can be interpreted as a string of God’s triumphs disguised as disasters.”

Face each day with trust in Jesus Christ. God’s greatest victories often come disguised as defeats. —hwr

The purposes of God are right, although we may not see just how He works all things for good and transforms tragedy. —sper

God’s most striking victories rise out of the graves of apparent defeats.

EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE

Luke 23:1-25

[Pilate said,] “I have found no fault in this Man …. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Luke 23:14, 21

Some of the Jews who gathered to witness Jesus’ trial had only a few days earlier been so favorably impressed by His words and deeds that they hailed Him as their Messiah (Luke 19:28-40). Then, as the tide of public opinion shifted, they heard their religious leaders claim that He was an imposter and a blasphemer. Although they also heard the Roman governor say he could find no fault in Him, they rejected Pilate’s declaration of Jesus’ innocence and joined in the call to crucify Him.

If only they had reflected on the facts. They had heard Jesus speak, had seen Him perform miracles, and had observed His goodness. A Roman governor, an expert in civil law, could find no fault in Him. Furthermore, their religious leaders could not present a single shred of evidence to support their charges.

Today, we have the New Testament witness of the disciples of Jesus. They were men of great credibility who died for their faith. Equally convincing is the change for good that Christ is making in our own lives. Those who reject Jesus can present no legitimate case against Him, yet they still live as slaves to their sins.

Examine the evidence! Whom will you believe? —hvl

Jesus is standing on trial still—You can be false to Him if you will, you can faithful through good or ill: what will you do with Jesus? —simpson

To know Christ is to know the truth.

THE WRONG GOD

1 Timothy 6

Command those who are rich in this present age not. . .to trust in uncertain riches. 1 Tmothy 6:17

A missionary had been witnessing faithfully to a certain who was an idol worshiper. One day the man placed a small statue and a silver coin on the table in front of the missionary. Then he took two slips of paper and wrote something on each. On the note by the idol he wrote the words heathen god. On the sheet next to the silver coin he wrote the words Christian god.

From what that man had observed in the lives of some people from so called Christian nations, he had concluded that money was the main object of their adoration and the source of their confidence.

Many people today choose to worship the god of money. They make it the object of their trust, love, and service. But how foolish! Jesus warned, “How hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:24).

Who or what is the object of your worship? The psalmist advised, “Put your trust in the Lord” (Psalm 4:5). Moses commanded, “You shall love the Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:5), and Joshua told his people, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Be sure that your confidence is not in the wrong god. Place your trust in Christ. —rwd

True joy comes from loving Jesus not from things that we amass; he alone brings joy and gladness, peace and love that really last. —pasch

Never let gold become your god!

NAIL HOLES

2 Samuel 12:1-14

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. —Psalm 32:5

All sin carries a price tag. Its consequences may range from minor to major, but the bill always comes due. Somebody always pays.

There’s a story about a boy whose father pounded a nail in the barn door every time the boy did something wrong. Soon there were many nails. Then one day the boy accepted Christ as Savior and began living for Him. To impress upon his son the wonder of being forgiven, the father took him to the barn and pulled out every nail from the door. “That is what it means to have all your sins forgiven,” he said. “They are gone forever.”

The boy was deeply impressed. Then looking at the door, he asked, “But Father, how can I get rid of the holes?” I’m sorry,” said the father, “but they will remain.”

The psalmist David paid clearly for committing adultery with Bathsheba and engineering her husband’s death to cover up his sin. Guilt sapped his strength (Psalm 32:3-4). Even though he confessed his sin, and God “removed the nail,” David carried with him a deep sorrow (2 Samuel 12:15-17). But this did not rob him of the blessedness of forgiveness.

Even though we may have to live with the consequences of sin, we who have trusted in Christ as the sacrifice for our sins can rejoice in His complete forgiveness. —djd

How blest is he whose trespass has freely been forgiven, whose sin is wholly covered before the sight of heaven. —psalter

Although God heals the wounds of sin, scars may remain.

SINNING IN MODERATION?

Matthew 5:27-30

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Matthew 5:29

A magazine advertisement for the MTV special The Seven Deadly Sins carried this line: “Lust: Where would we be without it?” A popular radio and television personality said that greed can be good because it makes capitalism work well. An MTV commentator said, “A little lust, pride, sloth, and gluttony—in moderation—are fun, and that’s what keeps your heart beating.”

Gluttony in moderation? That’s doubletalk. How can we practice excess in moderation? Moderation is a virtue, but it can never apply to an action that is immoral.

There may be nothing wrong with eating some goodies, especially those marked “lite,” “cholesterol free,” or “low calorie.” But there is no such thing as “light lust” or “low-calorie greed.” Lust, greed, or sin of any kind and in any amount is always wrong.

Christians who are serious about pleasing the Lord will continually examine and judge their inner thoughts and motives. They’ll confess and repent of greed as a motive for making more and more money. And they’ll work at disciplining their thoughts and actions.

Enjoy a few “lite” desserts. But don’t fall for the idea that a little sinning is all right if done in moderation. —hvl

O Lord, help us to recognize when we begin to compromise; and give us strength to follow through with what we know is right and true. —sper

Moderation in sin is no more possible than moderation in death.

THE WAY TO PRAISE HIM

Luke 19:28-38

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Luke 19:38

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem a few days before His death focused attention on Christ as Lord. When Jesus sent His disciples to get the colt He was to ride, He instructed them to tell its owners, “The Lord has need of it” (Luke 19:31). And when the crowds shouted their praise, they quoted Psalm 118:26, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38).

Jesus is Lord. His is “the name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). As part of Christ’s title, the word Lord refers to His sovereighnty. He is the King, and every believer in Him is a member of His kingdom.

We made Jesus the Lord of our lives by bowing to His authority as King. This means that we live in obedience to Him. We can’t be like the man who claimed to be a Christian and yet chose to use illegal substances and live in an illicit relationship. When his minister confronted him, he glibly replied, “Don’t worry, pastor. It’s okay. I’m just a bad Christian.”

It’s not okay. Not at all! Not for a member of Christ’s kingdom (Luke 6:43-49).

Everyday, make sure you are honoring Him with your deeds as well as with your words. Then you can join with others in proclaiming, “Jesus is Lord!” —dce

Worthy is Christ of our worship, worthy is He of our praise, magnify Him with thanksgiving, gladly our voices we raise. —anon

If you adore Christ as Savior, you won’t ignore Him as your Lord.

AGAINST THE FLOW

1 peter 4:1-5

Do not be conformed to this world. Romans 12:2

Two university students in Moorhead, Minnesota, painted a mural on the wall outside their dormitory room. According to USA Today, it showed a school of fish all swimming in the same direction except for a single fish heading the opposite way.

The one fish was intended to be the age-old symbol for Christ. Printed on the picture were the words “Go against the flow.” University officials, arguing that the mural might offend non-Christians, ordered the students to paint over it.

In obedience to our Master we must be willing to go against the flow of society. As we follow Jesus, our motives, values, and habits are bound to be different from those who are not Christians. That’s the way it was in the first century when the pagans were puzzled and convicted by the lifestyle of Christians. Peter wrote, “They think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you” (1 Peter 4:4).

When we are marching to the beat of a different drummer, of course we will be out of step with people around us. This takes conviction, courage, and courtesy. But by God’s enabling grace we can be disturbingly different—and effectively different too.—vcg

Some will hate you, some will love you; some will flatter, some will slight; cease from man and look above you, trust in God and do the right. —macleod

When we walk with the Lord, we’ll be out of step with the world.

JUST ASKING A QUESTION?

If you are someone who has real trouble in this area, then I would like to also refer you to this page as well:

http://www.propheciesofrevelation.org/commentaries10.php

Dre

Job 1:1-12

Do not speak evil of one another. James 4:11

Slanderers slaughter reputations. Sometimes they attack with the bold strokes of a butcher. At other times they do their evil work with the finesse of a surgeon.

Satan is an expert in subtle slander. Knowing the power of a well-placed question to destroy a reputation, he simply asked, “Does Job fear God for nothing?” (Job 1:9).

Satan’s question is shrewd because it evades the dangers of an outright lie. An accusation flirts with the embarrassment of being proven wrong. But no one can call you a liar or a slanderer if you merely as a question.

A question also avoids punishment. It’s difficult for someone to attack you if you have simply asked a question. It’s unlikely that you can be sued or pulled into court. Yet, Satan’s query savaged a good man’s motives by implying that all of the good Job did was a coverup for selfishness.

When we are inclined to ask a malicious question, let’s stop and remind ourselves that we will be playing the devil’s game. Our tongues were not given to us to rip people apart; they were given to us to build people up. We ought to speak well of others not only to their face but also behind their back. —hwr

The tongue can be a blessing or the tongue can be a curse; say, friend, how are you using yours: for better or for worse? —anon

Our words have the power to build up or to tear down.

ONLY A SCARECROW

Numbers 13:17-33

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Like the children of Israel in today’s Bible reading, Hannah Hurnard, author of Hinds’ Feet on High Places, was once paralyzed by fear. Then she heard a sermon on scarecrows that challenged her to turn her fear into faith.

The preacher said, “A wise bird knows that a scarecrow is simply an advertisement. It announces that some very juicy and delicious fruit is to be had for the picking. There are scarecrows in all the best gardens. . .

If I am wise, I too shall treat the scarecrow as though it were an invitation. Every giant in the way which makes me feel like a grasshopper is only a scarecrow beckoning me to God’s richest blessings.” He concluded, “Faith is a bird which loves to perch on scarecrows. All our fears are groundless.”

Hannah testified that this humble parable has encouraged her to walk along some frightening but fruitful pathways more times than she could number.

What is your scarecrow today? Difficult circumstances? Personal inadequacy? Uncertainty? The enemy of your soul wants to keep you away from the place of God’s blessing. Perch on your scarecrow by faith, start singing, and expect an abundant feast! —jey

So let us trust Him in our troubles, for He is loving, kind, and wise; and most often trials and troubles are but blessings in disguise. —jarvis

When you fix your eyes on God, your fears will vanish.

IS IT IT’s OR ITS?

Psalm 119:57-64

I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. Psalm 119:59

If enough people believe that a wrong thing is right, does that make it so? For instance, if people from all educational levels persist in writing it’s when they mean its, does that make it correct?

From executive memos to newspaper articles to billboard ads, the misuse of it’s goes on. To be correct, you would use it’s for a contraction of it is. (It’s a nice day.) And you would use its to denote a possessive of it. (The dog wagged its tail.)

It seems that more people use this construction incorrectly than correctly. Does that mean we should condone its improper use? I hope not.

The same is true of biblical teachings that are twisted so often we might consider not making such a big deal about them.

For instance, what if people continually suggest that hell is not a real place and that people without Jesus are not really lost? (Matthew 5:22; Luke 12:5). Should we reconsider the accuracy of what Scripture teaches about hell? Or what about the common practice of lying? Should we redefine biblical teaching about honesty? (Psalm 51:6; Proverbs 19:5).

Do we live by majority rule, setting life patterns by what we see others doing, or do we live by God’s standards? It’s a question that answers itself if we want to please Him. —jdb

When reading God’s Word, take special care to find the rich treasures hidden there; give thought to each line, each precept clear, then practice it well with godly fear. —anon

Trust God’s authority—not man’s majority.