Promises

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 10-11

POETRY: Psalm 148

NEW TESTAMENT: John 20:10-18

Promises. 

I started learning about our cultural acceptance of the flexibility of “promises” when I was young: the revocability of a promise made with little crossed fingers, the lack of sincere meaning behind most promise rings given between teens, the recurring empty assurance that I could be Mario instead of Luigi the next time my friend and I would duel on her original Nintendo. 

Promises matter, from a pledge on the playground, to a contract with a company, to sacred words at a wedding. Unfortunately, we live in a shattered world laden with insincere, neglected, and forgotten promises. 

In Nehemiah, the Israelites came together to commit once again to following God. “The rest of the people…now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our Lord.” (Neh 10:28-29) As we discussed yesterday, throughout history, the Jewish race had been in a wild, cyclical, on-again, off-again relationship with God. That which began with Jacob/Israel as a beautiful tapestry of covenant between Almighty God and his chosen people became interwoven with heartache, death, defeat, and slavery. But they vowed that, this time, they would follow God! (Spoiler alert: they would disobey yet again before this book even ends.)

God’s love to his people was a covenant, not a contract. A contract is a promise that one party will uphold their end of the agreement as long as the other side fulfills their responsibilities, while a covenant is a promise no matter what. God remained faithful even when his people were unfaithful, but they still had to face the consequences of their behavior. This covenant, originally for the Hebrews, has been renewed through Jesus to include the Gentiles as well. I am so grateful that we can all share in the hope God offers through Jesus! 

Our family strives to emphasize the importance of keeping promises. My husband Dan can often be heard reciting, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no” (Matthew 5:37). My 7 year old, when feeling slighted by an unmet expectation from his older brother, will object, “But your word is your promise!” Even children can understand the potential detriment of dishonored vows. 

As my son Gideon and I read from the Jesus Storybook Bible every night, he echoes the beautiful phrase that describes God’s covenant love in many of the stories: God’s “never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love.”

Today, may you rest in the promise of God’s covenant love while you continue to seek Him in all you do. 

Similarities in today’s other readings: 

Psalm 148:6b: “God made a law that will not be broken.” God is a faithful God! 

John 20: Mary met the resurrected Jesus for the first time! His death and resurrection are amazing fulfillments of God’s prophecies and promise! 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections: 

* Create your own phrase to describe God’s covenant love, like the one I included from a children’s Bible above. Praise God for his covenant love! 

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Stop the Slow Fade!

SEEK & SHARE

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 9

POETRY: Psalm 148

NEW TESTAMENT: John 20:1-9

“Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction… it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation…”

~ President Ronald Reagan. 

Reagan spoke these famous wise words during his inaugural address. It was a call for the country to not take our freedom for granted, to continue fighting to keep our freedom alive.

That reminds me of the instructions following the Shema, a major tenet of Jewish faith and our faith, found in Deuteronomy 6. The Shema states: “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” 

Those words are super important, but is that the end? Is that all we need to know and do? A big, resounding NO! Immediately following these core words, we are instructed to pass along our faith deeply to the next generation and embed it into our daily rhythms: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

If I am interpreting this scripture correctly, it seems like we are supposed to be thinking and teaching about God, like, all the time, right? We need to be in a state of constant communion with God not only in our own hearts, but also sharing that with our children and others around us. 

Nehemiah 9 describes Israel’s repentance, return to faith, and reinstallment of their covenant in a religious and legal document. Throughout the chronicle of their rebellion, they remember God’s covenantal love: “You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (v 17). They realize, though, that it is because of their sin that they are presently enslaved under Persia. 

We can’t let the next generation forget! This happened too many times in Israel’s history, and it continues to happen with us. Oh, sure, we don’t intend to not grow our relationship with God and teach our kids to do the same, but there’s just so much vying for our attention: school and work and sports and sleep and Netflix. It’s a slow fade, a side effect of busy-ness and forgetfulness and complacency, but ultimately it’s an abdication of our responsibilities as followers of Jesus. However, it is vitally important, in our farm-out-all-our-chores-to-someone-else culture, that we don’t assume someone else will teach our children about Jesus, someone else will share the love of God with our restaurant server, someone else will volunteer to meet the needs of our local church and community, someone else will…

We are called to be seeking and sharing about God from the time we wake up until the time we go to bed, whether we are at home or in another place. We are especially commanded to teach “them” to our children. (“Them” refers to commandments, but I think it means even more than that; I think it includes knowing and loving God enough to WANT to follow his commands, and passing that depth of understanding and passion onto the next generation.) 

In Nehemiah 9, with the Feast of Tabernacles fresh on their minds, the people were still  remembering their history of being slaves in Egypt, then finding freedom, and then following a cycle of rebellion and enslavement… rinse, lather, repeat. After their work with Nehemiah, they were hungry to return to God and understand the scriptures. Again, this is why the Shema and the instructions following the Shema are important – we can’t let the next generation forget who God is and what He has done in our lives! 

If we really peer outside our Christian bubbles, we will see a hurting and perverse world that is far from God. But it doesn’t have to stay that way! You can greatly influence your existing circle. Evangelist Gypsy Smith shared the secret to revival: “Go home. Take a piece of chalk. Draw a circle around yourself. Then pray, ‘O Lord, revive everything inside this circle.’” Start with yourself; renew your own relationship with God. Teach your family, and learn to follow Him better together. Then you won’t be able to keep it all inside! 

Connections to the other readings: 

In John, the disciples discover the empty tomb, but they seem confused about the whole event. Though Jesus had told them he would rise again, they didn’t fully understand until it really happened. Like the nation in Nehemiah longed to be free from Persian rule, Jesus’ peers wanted to be free from Roman rule. When Jesus didn’t save them in the way they wanted, they turned on him because they did not understand that Jesus was saving them in an even better, eternal way! 

Psalm 148 is a song of praise! The people in Nehemiah praised God for his faithfulness throughout this chapter. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections: 

*Listen to this encouraging song. Be intentional to start a revival in your home and community today! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlQQcQc0eHU

*Read the Psalm as a prayer of praise and gratitude to God. 

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Joy to the World!

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 8

POETRY: Psalm 148

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:38-42

Joy to the World! The Lord is come. Merry Christmas!

I never really considered Nehemiah as a Christmas devotional, but today’s reading actually fits in quite nicely! We read today about the Israelites finally being reintroduced to the Scriptures after completing the wall. They had forgotten who they were, and as the Torah was read to them, they cried – perhaps they were sad that they had not known this all of their lives? The Levites asked them to stop mourning and instead go celebrate by eating and drinking together. “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Neh. 8:10). 

As the people heard and understood more of the scriptures, they learned about the Feasts: God-ordained parties that had long been ignored or forgotten! Realizing that they were near the appointed time to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (also known as Sukkot or Feast of Booths) and eager to reconnect with their roots and their God, they quickly gathered branches to create temporary shelters. The booths/sukkahs that they created to remember their ancestors’ wilderness wanderings following their escape from Egyptian slavery were also a tangible reminder of their recent history living in a tumbledown city, which caused a renewed appreciation for their newly rebuilt Jerusalem. I can only imagine the overwhelming feeling of God’s faithfulness they experienced! The restoration of the wall led to a restoration of the Jewish people and their faith. 

A few months ago on a pleasant autumn evening, my family huddled with hearty bowls of soup under a makeshift tent (ok, so it was really just old bedsheets haphazardly pinned to the clothesline in the shape of an A by my Littles, but it’s the thought that counts!) in our backyard while we retold the story of Moses leading his people out of slavery only to wander in the desert and sleep in sukkahs – temporary dwellings – for 40 years until they were ready to enter the Promised Land. This God-ordained fall Feast of Tabernacles, which has been celebrated for centuries among the Jewish people, is a rich way to remember God’s faithfulness in the past (providing literal and metaphorical shelter for his people until they entered their Promised Land) and His promised hope for the future (the Kingdom). Through burps, unrelated laughter, and all the other chaos that occurs when doing almost anything with a small mob of children, we briefly discussed the parallels between Moses awaiting the Promised Land and Jesus awaiting the Kingdom through my best novice attempt to honor some of the traditional celebrations. (I encourage you to look more into the feasts and celebrate them, even at a basic level, with your family and friends!). 

Through my studies of this feast, I learned that Jesus was likely born around the time of Sukkot, which could be another reason why (in addition to the census) the area near Jerusalem was so full with travelers. As the Jewish nation celebrated their humble past, our Savior and King was born nearby in a humble dwelling, ushering in a new beginning. As many of us celebrate CHRISTmas today, we thank God for the gift of His son, Jesus. Merry CHRISTmas! 

Notes about the other passages:

In Psalm 148, the writer begs everyone and everything, large and small, to praise the LORD! The people of Jerusalem were definitely praising God for the completion of the wall and the restoration of their faith. 

John 19:38-42: Jesus was born around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, but he died just before Passover, another important feast in which the Jewish people celebrate God’s provision when He led them out of slavery in Egypt. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

  • Consider ways to renew your relationship with God and Jesus, such as celebrating the feasts, to help revive your joy and faith. 
  • During what times in your life has the joy of the LORD sustained you with supernatural strength? 

This is a music video of one of my favorite songs about JOY. How will you let God’s true joy be your strength in spite of whatever you’re facing

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Knowing God

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 6-7

POETRY: Psalm 147

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:28-37

What is one thing that you just adore, something that, when people see it, they think of you? For me, it’s manatees or anything cheery yellow (preferably not a yellow manatee!); when my kids draw a picture for me, their masterpieces regularly feature one or both of those things. When I see libraries, LEGO, monkey bars, and giraffes, I automatically think of my four children, respectively. And I can almost always predict what my husband will choose from a menu before I even hear his order: the most diverse combination of tastes ever imagined in one entree, or anything pumpkin – preferably together. 

My family is my tribe. We know each other so well that, when given choices to make for one another, we often don’t even need to ask the other which they would choose. 

Nehemiah knew God well. He was in such deep communion with God all day long for much of his life that sometimes he didn’t even need to take time to think about how to respond in tricky situations. Prayers are woven into the narrative of his book, nonchalantly immersed within the historical account; Nehemiah’s heart was so aligned with the heart of God that the next step was clear and he was able to answer quickly and confidently.

Sanballat and Tobiah, who had been conspiring to sabotage the wall-erecting project all along, attempted a new approach – requesting a “friendly” meeting in another town. Four times they invited Nehemiah to join them, and four times, suspecting a sinister scheme, Nehemiah replied, “I am doing a good work and I cannot come down!” (6:3) When that attempt failed, they made false accusations against him, threatening his reputation and leadership. Nehemiah prayed that God would strengthen his hands (verse 9). Then the antagonists hired a prophet – a spiritual leader – to give contrary advice to Nehemiah, but guess what? Nehemiah was so in tune with the One True God that he didn’t even need to pray about it or stew in confusion about this prophet’s words; he was so confident in God’s laws and the work God had called him to do that he already knew what God’s response would be. This potentially confusing situation did not derail him; he saw right through the deception and kept focused on God’s instruction. 

I want to be so in tune with God on a regular basis that I can confidently make the right choice when trials and confusion come my way! 

Here are correlations between our other passages and Nehemiah: 

Psalm 147:2  “The Lord loves the righteous, and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” The plans of the wicked were definitely frustrated in today’s Nehemiah story! 

In the John reading today, Jesus died and was buried – a very sad day for his followers. But we now know that was the beginning of something much more wonderful: the fulfilling of a promise, the forgiving of sins, the saving of humanity! Likewise, the residents of Jerusalem who have experienced the death of their faith, dreams, and security, will be experiencing renewed joy, faith, and wonder with the rebuilding of their city.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection: 

  • How well do you know God? Do you know HIM, or know ABOUT Him? What steps can you take to know him better today? 
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Fight Song

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 4 & 5

POETRY: Psalm 147

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:17-27

I never grow tired of hearing my children belt out uplifting lyrics from the back of our van! I especially appreciate the passion in their voices reverberating throughout the vehicle every time we play Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” :

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I’m alright song

My power’s turned on

Starting right now I’ll be strong

I’ll play my fight song

And I don’t really care if nobody else believes

‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

While I’m encouraged by the song’s positivity, I can’t help but think of how little fight I feel I have left in me some days. I doubt I’m the only one who is burdened under anxiety, societal pressures, responsibilities at work and home, fear of the future, difficult decisions, sickness and death of loved ones, mysterious health issues, spiritual warfare, and a plethora of other emotional and physical plagues. I often feel like I just. can’t. do. it. The fight requires too much of me sometimes, and there is little motivation or strength left with which to fight. Can you relate? 

Nehemiah’s construction team could relate! Sanballat and Tobiah were relentlessly hurling insults, threats, and discouragement at the builders. Not only was there oppression from outside their walls, but there was turmoil with them as well. The motley crew was trying to fix the wall – a monumental aspiration! – while also dealing with the other negative issues of daily life, which seemed to be compounding. And it was wearing on them. They already felt defeated, but the work was not yet complete. They were nearing the ends of their metaphorical ropes, anticipating the last symbolic straw that would break the camel’s back.

Nehemiah took action to provide defense for the workers, but most of all, he encouraged them to keep going! “… I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes… Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” (4:14, 20)

Not only did Nehemiah help resolve some of the immediate burdens of the people and foil the plans of their enemies, he also helped them remember the reason for their work so they could be filled with the mettle needed to recommence this noble work . 

Not long after I prayed for God to revive the fighter’s soul within me, a new-to-me song by Rend Collective called “Shackles” rang through my speaker on autoplay. I paused in awe when I heard the chorus: 

You’re my deliverer

My anthem through it all 

When my strength and my fight is gone

I know You will come through 

As I soaked in the life-giving lyrics, I was humbled by God’s gentle reminders of His provision. When my strength and my fight are gone, God will be my strength. He will fight for me (see Exodus 14:14). He will give us the strength and courage to do what he has called us to do. Remember your God; He will fight for you. 

These verses from our poetry reading apply to the Nehemiah story:

Psalm 147:2-3, 10-11: 

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

    He gathers the exiles of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted

    and binds up their wounds…

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,

    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

the Lord delights in those who fear him,

    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

  • Think back on some of the dark times in your life. How was God faithful to encourage you and bring you through it? 
  • Keep a journal of ways God has answered prayers and provided in big and small ways so you can look back on it during times of doubt.
  • Watch this powerful music video and remember that God is carrying you through your darkest times. 
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Walls

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 1-3

POETRY: Psalm 147

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:1-16

The Berlin Wall. 

The Wailing Wall. 

The Troy Wall (famous for the Trojan horse fiasco in Homer’s mythological “The Odyssey”)

The Wall of Jericho. 

The Great Wall of China. 

Seattle’s Gum Wall. 

These famous walls from history were built primarily to keep enemies out of the territory and protect the residents – with the exception of the touristy Gum Wall, of course. If you live in the USA or are in tune with any of our news, you have probably heard about our Wall, too. The Wall in recent American history refers to a literal wall that was planned to line the entirety of the USA’s southern border with Mexico, and it has been the topic of many a political rant from both political parties. 

Those of us who are far removed from the concept of once-prevalent city walls and who are not residing near country borders probably don’t comprehend the significance of a wall. Historically, though, city walls were gravely important to the safety of the residents, as they provided a barrier for defense against enemies. The state of the wall often reflected the state of the people who lived within it. In Nehemiah, we read about The Wall of Jerusalem being in shambles, and God’s people were quite broken as well. 

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the King of Persia, a very important position; the king quite literally trusted Nehemiah with his life! After Nehemiah received word that the walls of Jerusalem were in major disrepair, he committed himself to prayer; still, the sadness was evident on his face as he went to work. Though Nehemiah was fearful that being sad in the presence of the king could cost his head, King Artaxerxes took pity on Nehemiah and allowed him to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. Not only did the king send Nehemiah with his blessing, but he provided Nehemiah with many provisions for the journey.

(Interestingly, the text mentions the queen being with the king when he noticed Nehemiah’s unusually melancholy demeanor. Many scholars believe that this queen is none other than Queen Esther! The book of Esther occurred before the book of Nehemiah; the stories are not in chronological order in our Bible. While God definitely used Esther to save his people in the biblical book bearing her name, she was probably also instrumental in allowing Nehemiah to rebuild the wall.)

I can’t help but think of how comfortable Nehemiah likely had been in his position. He worked in the palace, which allowed for a lifestyle much more posh than the vast majority of the people in the territory of Persia and definitely more comfortable than his relatives in the rubble of Jerusalem. And yet, he was willing to give up everything in order to meet a deep need for God’s people. I just can’t help but wonder if I – if we – would be inclined to do the same? We have an abundance of possessions and time-saving resources: I’ll be the first to admit that I love how my house heats itself on chilly winter days, Walmart grocery pickup is my favorite modern convenience, and Amazon next-day delivery has saved the day on many occasions. Lights, indoor plumbing, DoorDash – we have so much more even than Nehemiah had. Would I be willing to forgo it for a long period of time so I could instead take on a very difficult and dangerous task? 

And yet Nehemiah ventured into the unknown to lead the charge to repair the wall, knowing that he was forgoing so much comfort, yet unable to settle his soul until he completed the assignment to which God had called him. Nehemiah chose to leave everything so he could rebuild the wall, embracing the burden that God had placed on his heart for his people. He accepted the sins of his people and asked God’s forgiveness on behalf of everyone. Nehemiah stayed focused and kept in touch with God despite adversaries trying to distract him and spoil his plans. 

Nehemiah focused on the bigger picture – helping his people for years to come. Similarly, we too must have an eternal perspective. One day, there will be a New Jerusalem which will have a wall with 12 gates that will never be shut. Praise God for the hope of the Kingdom! 

Interesting connections from Nehemiah to the other readings: 

Psalm 147:2, 13 – “The LORD builds up Jerusalem… He has strengthened the bars of your gates.” 

In the John passage, the leaders have turned Jesus over to be crucified, which would lead to the fulfillment of Jesus’ words from John 2:19 in which he called himself the temple. (The temple was in Jerusalem). 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

*What burdens has God placed on your heart that might require you to figuratively or literally leave your comfort zone? 

*Are there any “walls” (boundaries) you need to put into place to protect your family or yourself? 

*Pray this prayer (attributed to Sir Francis Drake) to ask God to help to venture out of your comfort zone and be ready to do the work he has called you to do. 

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One King One Lord

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 13-14
POETRY: Psalm 146
NEW TESTAMENT: John 18:28-40

Zechariah 14:4-9 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. 5 You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all his holy ones with him.
6 On that day the sources of light will no longer shine, 7 yet there will be continuous day! Only the LORD knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light.
8 On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter.
9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one LORD—his name alone will be worshiped.

Psalm 146:5-10(NLT) But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.
6 He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
7 He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
The LORD loves the godly.
9 The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
10 The LORD will reign forever.
He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the LORD!

John 18:33-37(NLT) Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him.
34 Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?”
36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?”
Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

The amount of prophecy and it’s meaning in these passages we read are amazing.  We don’t begin to have the space and time here to do them any justice.  The pictures of Jesus standing with the authority of the king and also the priest which intercedes for us is amazing.  The picture of the water going over the earth is life giving and symbolic of God’s love.  Jesus’ kingdom is one of worship of the God Yahweh and His love and light which comes to all the earth and it’s people.

Look also at the section of the Psalms from 146:7-9:

7 He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
The LORD loves the godly.
9 The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

Where else in the Word do we see these wonderful words of promise of life in Christ Jesus?

Luke 4:16-19(NKJV) So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

This is a quote from the scroll of Isaiah found in chapter 61 but also in chapter 49.  Please read these today if you have time. 

Our prayer today:  Father God we thank you for your love and mercy bringing us to this time and place.  Let the truth of your Word go out to all the earth today and always.  Give us the bread of our need this day to keep us strong.  Show us your paths of righteousness to give direction to all we do.  In the wonderful name of Jesus Christ we pray.

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions:

Who are the blind, the captives or the broken hearted of today?

How does our gospel change the equation for those we witness to?

What are the truths we need to tell the world?

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30 Pieces of Silver

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 11-12
POETRY: Psalm 146
NEW TESTAMENT: John 18:12-27

Zechariah 11:10-13(NLT) Then I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, showing that I had revoked the covenant I had made with all the nations. 11 That was the end of my covenant with them. The suffering flock was watching me, and they knew that the LORD was speaking through my actions.
12 And I said to them, “If you like, give me my wages, whatever I am worth; but only if you want to.” So they counted out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent sum at which they valued me! So I took the thirty coins and threw them to the potter in the Temple of the LORD.

Zechariah 12:10(NLT) Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.

Psalms 146:1-4 (NLT) Praise the LORD!
Let all that I am praise the LORD.
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
3 Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.
4 When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
and all their plans die with them.

John 18:19-23(NLT) Inside, the high priest began asking Jesus about his followers and what he had been teaching them. 20 Jesus replied, “Everyone knows what I teach. I have preached regularly in the synagogues and the Temple, where the people gather. I have not spoken in secret. 21 Why are you asking me this question? Ask those who heard me. They know what I said.”
22 Then one of the Temple guards standing nearby slapped Jesus across the face. “Is that the way to answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 Jesus replied, “If I said anything wrong, you must prove it. But if I’m speaking the truth, why are you beating me?”

What an intense experience Jesus Christ has that we are reading this week.  The tears come to my eyes when I read what they do to him and what they say about him.  Jesus all through this ordeal keeps his eyes and heart steadfast on the truth of what God is planning to do.  God is the author of salvation, which is to make people whole or healed.  Jesus many times in his ministry corrects the Jews in their thinking about earthly kingdoms and power with what God really wants from people. 

Once again in this reading today we see two significant prophecies which are fulfilled in the passion of Christ.  Zechariah prophecies the payment of the thirty pieces of silver as the price for the life of Jesus.  Judas goes to the authorities and makes the arrangements to betray Jesus to them.  He demands that they pay him and they agree.  The price which is set is the thirty pieces of silver.  This price is the amount that would be paid for a slave.  The most precious Son of God who is without price has his life sold for the common price of a slave.  Judas then when things don’t go well comes back to the temple and throws the thirty pieces to floor.  The money is used to buy the potter’s field and used for a burial ground for poor people.

The other prophecy that we see in this section is that “we will look on him who is pierced” which foretells the spearing of Jesus at the end of the crucifixion.  

John 19:37(NKJV) And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

His bones are not broken, foretold in Psalms, but he is pierced with a spear and blood and water come out, which is an indicator of heart failure.  Jesus dies of a broken heart on the cross for you and for me.  What love God has to let Jesus who knew no sin be the sacrifice for us today. 

Christmas is coming soon and our thoughts in this season are on his birth.  But here we see greater evidence again of who he was, and what is accomplished on the cross.

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions:

What is the value of a man’s soul?

Who can we tell this good news gospel message to today?

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Jesus Christ Our King

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 9-10
POETRY: Psalm 145
NEW TESTAMENT: John 18:1-11

Zechariah 9:9-10(NLT) Rejoice, O people of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!
Look, your king is coming to you.
He is righteous and victorious,
yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.
10 I will remove the battle chariots from Israel
and the warhorses from Jerusalem.
I will destroy all the weapons used in battle,
and your king will bring peace to the nations.
His realm will stretch from sea to sea
and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah 10:2(NLT)  Household gods give worthless advice,
fortune-tellers predict only lies,
and interpreters of dreams pronounce
falsehoods that give no comfort.
So my people are wandering like lost sheep;
they are attacked because they have no shepherd.

Psalms 145:8-13 (NLT) The LORD is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, LORD,
and your faithful followers will praise you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom;
they will give examples of your power.
12 They will tell about your mighty deeds
and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.

John 18:4-9(NKJV) Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”
5 They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?”
And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”

It is so amazing and uplifting to read the OT prophecies and then see those prophecies fulfilled in the NT record of the life of Christ.  The sections we are reading this morning have a “golden nugget” of God’s Word shown to us.  Zechariah says that our King will come to us riding a donkey’s colt.  This prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 21 as we read.

Matthew 21:1-5(NKJV) Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

Who is this king that is riding on a lowly donkey?  Kings and rulers of that time rode the tallest, strongest horses that the country could provide for them.  Why does God have Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a humble donkey and not a strong horse?  The following verses 9:10-10:12 are a prophetic description of the second coming of Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom here on earth.  The OT in many places show Christ’s first coming and his second coming as being one event and the Jews read it that way.  That is why the disciples ask Jesus in the first chapter of Acts this question.

Acts 1:6(NLT)  So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

Even after Christ’s resurrection and the time he spends instructing them on what is going to happen they still see the message of the kingdom through the lens of their OT understanding.  This would definitely include this passage from Zechariah.  God answers our questions about what is to occur in the future with the words from Acts 17:7  He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know”.  This truth is explained also in our reading from Psalms in verse 13 where the psalmist says “For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.”.  We see this same truth when Jesus answers the question from Pilate in John. 

John 18:36(NLT) Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

From the Revised English Version Bible commentary:

“Actually, there are many Scriptures in the Old Testament that speak of the coming of Christ and God’s vengeance on the wicked as if they were going to happen at the same time (cp. Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-9; 61:1-3; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 9:9-10; Mal. 3:1-3; 4:1-3). Those many Scriptures, along with the fact that there are no clear Scriptures that portray the two comings of Christ, are the reason that at the time of Christ people did not think that Christ would die (cp. Matt. 16:21-22; Luke 18:31-34; 24:19-21, 44-46; John 12:34; 20:9).”

We are able to see now that God planned a time between the two comings of Christ and we know that this is the wonderful church of God that we are a part of today.  The Bible calls this the revealing of the “mystery” or better translated as “sacred secret”.  This is revealed to the apostle Paul, and he tells us what God has revealed to him in Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:1-6(NKJV)  For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

Jesus Christ is king of our hearts today and coming king of all the earth in the future.  We are part of this body of Christ church which is the mystery revealed and is no longer hidden to us.  Our goals should be to live out the truth and grace of what we have received and to give this truth to others to draw them to our “sacred secret”.  Have a great day walking in God’s grace and power!

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions

What changes the apostles from their OT understanding to the NT revelation?

What is the gospel (good news) that we can reveal to others?

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Become One in Purpose

OLD TESTAMENT: Zechariah 7-8
POETRY: Psalm 145
NEW TESTAMENT: John 17:20-26

Zechariah 8:14-17(NLT)  For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: I was determined to punish you when your ancestors angered me, and I did not change my mind, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. 15 But now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. 17 Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the LORD.”

Psalms 145:3-7(NLT)
3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.
4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.
5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

John 17:20-26(NLT)  I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Father God we pray that we will be one in purpose with your Son just as he is one in purpose with You.  We are so in awe of your great love that you have loved us with.  Give us the knowledge and wisdom to tell your Word to the world and to help to reach those You have chosen.  We declare your faithfulness to our children, our friends and to all those with whom we have the opportunity to share.  In Jesus’ wonderful name we pray this day.

Our reading this day takes us through a strong admonition from God in Zechariah to walk in God’s truth with each other.  We need to deal honestly and truthfully with all, using the measure of truth that God has given us to judge and deal with all.  Our speaking the truth should bring peace to each situation.  This is many times very difficult to achieve.  Most people will see as a good verdict one that only gives them what they want.  God calls us to make peace which is to speak the truth – but in the love which we see as the standard for our conduct and thinking from our reading in John 17.  The Christ in us is our strength to speak the words which will give grace to the hearers and bring resolution to situations where we find ourselves.  Our witness is not to prove that we are right but to show the grace and love of God to people.  The goodness of God brings people to repentance and salvation.  Make our message one that is positive and uplifting giving grace to the hearers. 

Jesus Christ is one with the Father??  What does this mean??  Some trinitarians like to use these verses to demonstrate that Jesus is God the Son.  But then it says that he desires that we would be one with them also.  Does this make us part of the godhead?  We must read the Word of God as it is written.  The purpose of asking for us to become one with Christ and one with God is that we must become one in purpose with them.  God is the originator of salvation; Jesus Christ is the way that God brings salvation to us.  We are the way that others will hear and believe to come to righteousness also.  This is what it means to be one in purpose.  Other people are going to see Christ through our lives and speech.  When we see Christ, then we come to a larger understanding of who our Father God is.  God has revealed Himself through His Word but especially through the life of Christ.  It is God who is in Christ who is in you today.  This should give us confidence and power in this world to do good, especially to reconcile people back to the Heavenly Father. 

2 Corinthians 5:19-20(NLT) For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Have a great day walking and talking with your Father and His Son.  Hear the words of knowledge and wisdom He speaks in your ears to bring His message of hope alive for you and all you meet.  True peace is to bring back together that which is apart.

2 Timothy 1:9-10(NLT) For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

-Tom Siderius

Reflection Questions

How do we grow in our spiritual relationship with the Father and His Son?

Who can you minister peace to today?

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