Tag: Jesus’ crucifixion

Oops

Old Testament: Haggai 1-2

Poetry: Psalm 141

New Testament: Matthew 27

Yesterday’s devotion was written to those with a strong faith.  Today’s devotion is written for everybody else.  Perhaps, some of you are a bit wobbly in your faith and have drifted away from God.  Some of you may not have decided yet to live for God instead of yourself.  I suppose it is possible some of you have no interest in becoming a Christian, but I am guessing most of those folks wouldn’t be reading this.  In Matthew 27, we read about the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross and the crazy events that happened right after he died.

Strangely enough, it was the religious leaders that schemed to find Jesus guilty so they could put him to death.  It’s not easy finding someone guilty when they never have done anything wrong in their life, but they managed to concoct a way to make it happen.  They believed in the Old Testament scriptures, but somehow ignored the many writings about a messiah that would be coming.  They also saw miracles, or at the very least heard about them from many others.  All the signs were there for them to easily accept the fact that Jesus was indeed God’s son, but they chose not to believe.

In verse 50, Jesus cried out and then died.  At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, rocks split, and the tombs broke open.  Here is the craziest part of all:  bodies of holy people who had died were raised to life and started walking around town where many people saw them.  Can you imagine what that scene must have been like?  I’m sure there were people flipping out all over the place, including those who had put Jesus to death.  In verse 54, the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened.  It says they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”  Oops.  Just minutes after they had crucified Jesus, they realized they had made a big mistake, but there was no going back at that point.  There was no do-over; they were clearly warned, but they chose to not believe.  I’m sure they felt terrible about their decision.

So, what does any of this have to do with you?  Well, you have a decision to make as well.  You must decide if you are going to live for God or live for yourself.  It’s a big decision so don’t take it lightly.  You can choose to ignore the signs if you would like, the same way the religious leaders ignored the signs 2,000 years ago.  Look at the incredible masterpiece called creation and try to justify that it happened completely randomly.  Read the Bible and try to convince yourself that all the ways the Bible has been proven to be accurate are just a coincidence.

Maybe you actually do believe in God, but you are putting off the decision until later.  Risky, risky.  You may die today, losing your chance.  Moreover, Jesus says he is going to come back like a thief in the night, meaning a lot of people are going to be surprised when that day happens.  In fact, on that day, I think the most said word of that day will be ‘Oops’.  A lot of people are going to regret they blew their chance.  Don’t let that be you.

Reflection Questions:

If you are not saved, what is holding you back from making that decision?

If you find yourself on the outside looking in after Christ returns, what thoughts will be going through your head at that point?

-Rick McClain

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Crying Out to God

Old Testament Reading: Exodus Introduction Below
Psalms Reading: Psalm 28
New Testament Reading: Matthew 27

In today’s reading, I couldn’t help but see some parallels between David and Jesus. In both of these passages, we see a crying out to God in a time of true despair or suffering.  

In Psalm 28, we read David’s heartfelt words:

1 ​​To you, Lord, I call;

    you are my Rock,

    do not turn a deaf ear to me.

For if you remain silent,

    I will be like those who go down to the pit.

2 Hear my cry for mercy

    as I call to you for help,

as I lift up my hands

    toward your Most Holy Place.
(NIV)

The words, “For if you remain silent” stood out to me. Up until that point, David clearly felt that God had been silent. He wanted to be reminded that God was on his side and actively fighting for him. 

In Matthew 27:46, Jesus also cried out to God in distress:

46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). NIV

To me, that sentence contains some of the most poignant words in scripture. Jesus is truly taking on the weight of the world at this moment by bearing all of humanity’s sins. The weight of it must have been crushing. It must have felt so terribly dark and cold. In this case, he alone had to pay the price and it was not the plan for God to rescue him from death; however, we know how the story ends. We know God did not forsake him in the grave. We read in Acts 2:31: 

31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. (NIV)

When we are in the depths of despair or metaphorically running from danger, it can seem like God is silent and turning a deaf ear to us. However, His word assures us in Romans 8:28 that He is not turning His back to us. 

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

In the latter portion of Psalm 28, we read David’s recognition that God came through for him.  

6 Praise be to the Lord,

    for he has heard my cry for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

    and with my song I praise him. (NIV)

Notice the words from verse 7: “my heart trusts in him.” How do we cultivate trust in God? One of the best ways is to learn about Him through His word. His character radiates beautifully all throughout scripture. One aspect of God’s character that really spoke to me in today’s reading is His tenderness. In Psalm 28:9 we read: “Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.” (NLT)

Isaiah 40:11 gives us more insight into how He shepherds His flock: 

He tends his flock like a shepherd:

    He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

    he gently leads those that have young. (NIV)

God carries us close to His heart. Now that’s an amazing image! Where we are might feel very cold and alone in the moment, but God is there holding us close to His heart. Unlike Jesus on the cross, we never have to bear the weight of our burdens alone. He is working things out for the good for those who love Him. It might not look like how we imagined, but it will be beautiful in the long run. Trust His timing. Trust His goodness. 

-Kristy Cisneros

Kristy is married to Pastor Andy Cisneros who pastors Guthrie Grove Church in Pelzer, SC. This May they will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary! They are the proud parents of two awesome children: Brooke and Logan. 

Reflection Questions:

  1. Do you feel that you trust in God’s timing and goodness? If not or maybe not as much as you should, make it an intentional prayer that God will help you grow in these areas.
  2. How can you use this year’s Bible reading plan to grow further in your appreciation of God’s timing and goodness? Remember this year’s plan is focused on reading with a lens for understanding God’s character more richly.

And tomorrow we will begin reading in the book of Exodus for our Old Testament reading. So, here is our introduction to the book of Exodus…

Exodus Introduction

The book of Exodus continues the story from Genesis of God’s creating a nation of His own from the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  These people would be different from the rest of the people on Earth.  It tells of the oppression His people faced as slaves in Egypt.  It then tells how God raised up a deliverer (Moses), and miraculously rescued His people from slavery – to eventually bring them to the promised land.  

Many times throughout Exodus, we can recognize parallels to the way God rescued us from slavery to sin by raising up a deliverer (Jesus), so we can eventually inherit the Kingdom of God.

There are incredible parallels between God’s sparing the Israelites at Passover by the blood of a lamb, and the way we are spared death by the blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus).

The Israelites were figuratively baptized when the Red Sea parted so they could walk through on dry ground.

As if all this weren’t exciting enough, God, through Moses, led the people to Mount Sinai, where the people saw the mountain engulfed in flame, and heard the physical voice of God, as he gave them the 10 commandments.  (See a parallel of this to us in Hebrews 12: 18-29.)

The Israelites were so terrified they begged Moses to talk with God, and then bring word back to the people.  They thought they would die if they heard God speaking anymore.  God agreed that this was a good idea, and promised to later send a spokesman, raised up from among his brothers – like Moses, who would represent God to the people.  This was ultimately fulfilled by Jesus.

The rest of Exodus, as well as all of Leviticus, and part of Numbers, takes place at Mount Sinai – as God gave His laws to His people.  As you read, you’ll find out that His people had difficulty obeying God’s laws.  

In 1 Peter 2:9, we’re told that God has chosen us, just like he originally chose Abraham’s descendants.  And He expects us to be different – to declare the praises of God.  How well are you obeying?

-Steve Mattison

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Betrayal, Regret, Beating, Condemning, Tearing and the Grace of God.

Matthew 27

January 27

Quite a long title, but Matthew 27 is quite a long chapter. So much happens; more than we will have the space to touch on here. 

Betrayal and Regret

Yesterday, we read about the two betrayers of Jesus. I want to finish that story thread. In the first portion of Matthew 27, we see Judas regret betraying Jesus. But Peter also regretted what he did. He went out from the courtyard and wept bitterly. However, it is not in the betrayal that these men were different, but in trusting the grace of God. 

Judas, in an act of cowardice and pain, hung himself. For those of us who have been harmed by a friend or family member taking his or her own life, we all know that the act is coming from a place of pain, hurt, and torment. In some more clear moments, we also see the selfishness of the act, the self-centered-ness of it. I know this is a painful topic, but please hear this with all love and grace : Judas is at his worst in this act. All Judas focuses on is his own pain, his own hurt, his own shame, his own betrayal, and therefore takes his own life. He acts in a way to stop what he did and the consequences acting upon him. Not every suicide is like this, but Judas’s suicide clearly was. His regret cost him everything. 

Peter, on the other hand, does not focus on himself. Peter sees the pain of his master Jesus, the hurt Jesus is enduring, the shame Jesus is feeling, the fact that Jesus is being betrayed. Peter regrets his choice, but he also trusts in the grace of God. That grace is not free. It costs Peter everything, even his own life. But it gives so much more. Grace is Jesus sitting across the fire from Peter after breakfast and saying “Peter, do you love me?” Grace restored Peter to a place of leadership among his brothers. Grace is what led Peter all the days of his life. Grace is what will raise Peter in the last days, and will say to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Peter believed, in his worst moment, in the moment of his greatest weakness, that the grace of God could reach him even there. 

Beating and Condemning

It is the grace of God that pushed Jesus to be condemned. The crowds shout for his death, though they cannot even find a compelling case against him even among the liars. The crowds get a prisoner back free for appeasement and they want the insurrectionist Barabbas rather than Rabbi Jesus. Pilate washes his hands of the matter, but he is as guilty as those who claim the blood of Jesus on their heads. 

But we stand in no better place. The blood of Jesus covers our heads. We circle the King enrobed in scarlet, asking him to prophesy and speak who hit him. But he remains silent. But it is the grace of God that he remains silent. He knows that the blood on the heads of the Jews, the blood on the hands of the soldiers, the blood that covers each one of us as we stood condemning him, is the same blood that will wash away their sins. He could call twelve legions of angels to rescue him (Matt. 26:53) but instead he remains silent so that his death might save the world. It is the grace of God that held Jesus to the cross, not the nails, nor the Romans or Jews. Grace.

Tearing the Veil

At the death of Jesus one of the immediate effects was the tearing of the veil. This seems like a minor detail; of course in the midst of darkness, earthquakes, and storms there will be some torn tapestries. But this is not a small thing. This is the veil in the heart of the Temple in Jerusalem. In the temple was the holy place. Inside the holy place, behind the veil, was the holy of holies, where at one point the Ark of the Covenant sat. When the Jews would sacrifice, the priest would go into the Holy Place and sprinkle the blood of the bull before the veil. 

The death of Jesus brings about the end of sacrifices. There is no need to continue to sacrifice and have the blood sprinkled before the veil. The veil is torn. But even more glorious and gracious, the Holy of Holies is no longer kept away from people. The center point of the dwelling of God on the Earth was in the Holy of Holies. But because of Christ, God dwells in us. We, the collective church, have become the temple as we are built together in love. (1 Cor. 3:16, Eph. 2:21) It is by the grace of God that the Veil was torn and the dwelling place of God is now in the hearts of people, just as one day the dwelling of God will be upon the earth. 

In the midst of earthquakes, darkness and storm, some may think it was the terror, or madness, that drove the Roman soldier to say, “Surely this man was the Son of God.”

But I don’t. I think it was the grace of God.

-Jake Ballard

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

  1. To be very clear: if you are struggling with mental issues, especially thoughts of suicide, get help today. You are loved, you are cared for, and no one wants you to go that way. During the pandemic, anxiety, depression, and self harm levels have also risen. You are not alone! Your church family and pastor love you, as do your brothers and sisters here on SeekGrowLove. If you do not have a safe person to contact in your family or church, please reach out to the national suicide prevention hotline : 800-273-8255 or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org OR you can call or text the crisis text line : https://www.crisistextline.org
  2. There was strain of the devotion today that implied we were guilty of the crucifixion of Jesus. While we weren’t there, and it may not be our ancestors (because guilt isn’t passed from parent to child that way), it is because of our sins that Christ died. Have you ever considered your actions worthy of this kind of ignoble death? Do you recognize that the love of Christ FOR YOU kept him on the cross? Do you see the grace of God FOR YOU that allow his son to be a sacrifice? 
  3. While those questions are difficult, do you also see the grace of God in tearing the veil? Do believe that God himself dwells IN YOU and especially in US as we gather as believers? What amazing grace we see from God in being and becoming his temple. Have you said along with the Roman Centurion by the grace of God, that Jesus truly is the Son of God?
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The Veil Torn

Mark 15

            God never does anything by accident, and what we read in Mark 15 is no exception. To me, one of the most incredible events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus is the temple veil being torn. This is what Mark 15:37-39 says about the event, “And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’”

            There is a great significance in the veil being torn. To understand how important this is, we first need to understand the temple layout. Moving from outside the temple in, the first thing upon entering is the outer court. This is where the altar was kept for offering sacrifices. After walking into the temple, is the holy place. This is where the showbread, incense altar and lamp stands would be. Only priests were allowed in this part of the temple. The next and most precious part of the temple is called the holy of holies. This was the innermost part of the temple and it was cut off from the rest of the temple by a giant veil. The veil would have been thirty feet long and thirty feet high. Talk about a big piece of cloth. The holy of holies was cut off from the rest of the temple because it was the place God dwelled. Only the high priest, once a year, was allowed to go into the holy of holies. This veil was the literal barrier keeping God separate from the tainted and sinful world. So when Jesus dies, why is this veil torn?

            The simple answer is this, when Jesus died he removed the barrier between God and man. God no longer needed to be separate from His people because Jesus covered that sin and washed it away. This means that those who put their faith in Jesus could now have access to the father like never before seen in history.  Look at what 1 Timothy 2:5 has to say, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”. We no longer have to bring sacrifices to the temple because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that paid for sin once and for all. We no longer need a high priest to enter the holy of holies for us because Jesus is now our high priest serving as a mediator between us and God. Thereby, giving us full access to the father. We no longer have to gaze from outside the temple wondering what it is like to be in the presence of God because now, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are being made into a spiritual temple where God resides in us. The church, which is us, is now where God dwells. Do you see now the significance of the veil being torn? It is a representation of one the biggest shifts in history. The veil being torn is a mile marker of a new age, the church age, where God is no longer is hidden in the holy of holies, but has poured His Spirit out upon the church.

            We now have the great pleasure of living a life of freedom and access because of what Jesus did that day. When the veil was torn, everything changed. The next time you’re in trouble, hurting or wanting to rejoice, remember that you have access to the Father. There is no veil separating you from God.

-Josiah Cain

Links to today’s Bible reading – Exodus 35-36 and Mark 15

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Formula

Numbers 21-22

Numbers 21 7 NIV

In today’s reading, the Israelites needed a spiritual “blood transfusion.” Their sinful and rebellious attitude had shown itself in impatience, complaints about hardships, ingratitude for manna, and a lack of faith in God’s leader, Moses. This faithlessness resulted in a deadly plague of snakes that were killing the people.
The Israelites repented and asked Moses to intercede for them. God’s response required them to show their repentance by a simple act of faith. Moses made a bronze serpent and lifted it up on a pole. To be healed, people had to look at the serpent. If they didn’t believe God’s words, they wouldn’t look up and would therefore die. Only through faith could they be saved.
Homeopathic medicine is the practice of curing likes with likes. The patient receives diluted doses of substances that, at full strength, cause the same symptoms the patient already has.
This type of medicine is used in many parts of the world, though it remains controversial among medical experts. In this instance, God prescribed a similar remedy for Israel, treating snake bites with a replica of a snake. Going a step further, God undid the effects of the plague through an image of the curse itself.
Today’s story begins with the people grumbling … again. It was the same old story: we’re dying, we’re starving, we don’t like the miraculous food, and we’re sorry we ever left Egypt. But this incident is unique; this time, the people repented.
In past events, Moses had asked God for mercy on behalf of the Israelites, but on this occasion, his prayers were prompted by a recognition of their sin that Israel hadn’t shown before. They realized on their own why the snakes were sent, and they confessed their sin. In that way, this was a spiritual breakthrough for Israel!
If God had followed the formula we’ve seen so far, we might expect Him to demand a sacrifice of some kind, like a lamb without defect. But the Lord told Moses to put a bronze snake, a picture of judgment, on a pole for all to see. He directed the people’s eyes, not to an image of purity, but to a symbol of wrath.
For healing to take place, the people had to close the loop of repentance. They sinned, confessed, and asked for mercy. The last step was to accept God’s remedy by faith and follow His instructions.
We often picture Christ as the perfect sacrifice, and that he is. But He also took upon Himself the shame of sin and the full penalty of wrath. In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus compared His upcoming crucifixion to the lifting up of the serpent in the desert. Let’s confess our sins, seek His mercy and turn our eyes to him, who not only gave his life but also received our punishment. Thank Him in word and in deed today.
Andy Cisneros
Today’s Bible passage can be read or listened to at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+21-22&version=NIV
Tomorrow’s reading will be Numbers 23-25 as we continue the 2020 Chronological Bible Reading Plan

Between the Darkness and the Dawn

John 19

John 19 30 b

Last night, Christians worldwide, celebrated and lamented Good Friday. We do not call it Good because we are happy or rejoice at what took place with Jesus on the cross, but because in the crucifixion of Jesus, we are bought and redeemed. Jesus went to the hill of Calvary, in the area known as the Place of the Skull, carrying a cross down the Via Dolorosa for us; Jesus knew that if he did not walk that path, to that place, and march up that hill, all people would be stuck in darkness. We would be forever covering our sins, and never removing them. We would be forever wishing to be better, but never having a Counselor to teach us truths and transform our hearts.
Can you imagine what it was like that first Good Friday and Holy Saturday? Jesus hangs limply from a cross; his disciples had abandoned him, denied him, betrayed him. On either side, two criminals, now with two fates, both die laboriously. Women, who followed this man they called Messiah, crowned with thorns, now lifeless. All creation waits with baited breath for what comes next. Sitting in cosmic darkness, existence waits for Light to dawn.
In our area, sister churches gathered together to commemorate this moment. One thing we tried to experience together was silence. Silence and solitude are twin spiritual disciplines; tragically, they are both neglected in modern Christianity. As you today, sit in the space between Crucifixion and Resurrection, find some space for silence and solitude.
Turn off the phone
Power down the computer
Turn off the background Netflix
Enter into silence, find a place of solitude.
We may find we are sitting in darkness. Don’t be afraid to admit that. Darkness comes, and after that, the Dawn.
Silence can be awkward and uncomfortable. Most of us run from it at the first chance. But when we calm ourselves, when we take a moment to appreciate the silence and the stillness, we come to find that our souls have more to say than we previously thought. Our souls may weep at a chance to speak, having been pent up for so long. As Nicodemus and Joseph leaped at the opportunity to serve the rabbi they followed from a distance, so our souls, in silence and solitude, leap up to tell us their deepest desires. But we must allow them.
And when they speak, we will find that they desire the one who died on the cross, the one who will set them free.
In this time of cosmic twilight, we are betwixt our darkest moment and the brightest day, let us do well to remember the words of Christ.
It
Is
Finished.
-Jake Ballard