Walking Through The New Testament

The human eperience…

Mark 12:18-27
18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection[c] whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’[d]? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

We have a tendency to worry and toil over the mundane and meaningless. However, it seems to be a good question, particularly if you have had many wives or husbands. Who will be married in Heaven?

About the only thing good in this question is that at least the person asking the question is asking a Kingdom question. The problem is that the question involves worldly titles and gain in Heaven from what is not done for the Father here on earth.

The answer is that it doesn’t matter. When you get there all of the worldly nonsense will slip away, and chances are you will want to praise the Lord for all of eternity in His presence.

What matters is what God wants you to do in your life, not what you can do with it. Give it to Him. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Jesus is fair and righteous!

Mark 12:13-17
13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax[b] to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

And they were amazed at him.

Awe and wonder is the very first steps of belief. True belief if you are not moved to awe when you read of not only Jesus’ miracles,  but His teachings and answers, then a major part of faith is missing. You must be amazed. Even the Pharisees who sought to discredit Him were amazed.

Time and time again our Creator has shown us that even as man, as mortal man, the miraculous is possible when faith is present. The answer given to those who were intent on trapping Him is nothing short of amazing. He told them not to quarrel about worldly things. To do so would only detract from your faith and assured growth with the Father. And growth is promised once you seek Him. It’s guaranteed and promised.

Let’s do something today for Him. Find somebody closest to you and tellbthem one thing about Jesus. Tell them that He amazes you every time you hear of Him. Tellbthem a story about how he told those who had never sinned to cast the first stone, or how he told those that sought to ensnare Him to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. In doing so, you will have shared your faith. Then ask them if they know Jesus. Then tellbthem how you know Him, and ask how they know Him.

That sounds like a fantastic lunch conversation. It’s the perfect season for it. The birth of our Lord and Savior is upon us. God be with you today as you share Him with others. Do not be afraid. #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

This is Jesus letting them know that He knows…

The Parable of the Tenants
12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

6 “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

7 “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.

9 “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
11 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?”
12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

Fear of man… That is what the Pharisees were afraid of…man! Wow! I’m not saying that they should’ve killed Him immediately, after all Jesus knew by the direction of the Father what was to happen.

So, Jesus let’s them know that He is the cornerstone rejected. That is the message that we need. We all need to know that when He came, legalists rejected Him. He then became not just the Messiah for the Jews, but the Savior of the entire world. It opened the door for us.

When I first read the the Gospel, I was mad at the Pharisees, but now I feel like I owe them a huge thank you. What they did by not listening and not believe ung is provide access to all of us. All Gentiles now had access to all the gifts originally reserved for the Jews. Jesus changed it all. He came for all of us. #JesusSaves

Amen.
DK

Jesus was a man, but with an extraordinary ability to see what was coming. Every move carefully planned by the Father…

Mark 11:27-33
27 They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. 28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

29 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”

31 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’ …” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

In this amazing question and answer session with the legalists Pharisees, Jesus ask them a question about the last Old Testament prophet to come.

In this way Jesus was able to flip the very question they asked Him back to them. Believe it or not He was teaching. Teaching all of those legalists that were questioning Him, teaching His followers, and now teaching us. For if Jesus were to tell this who He was publicly, He knew that the reason He was sent would not happen. The temptation to do so must have been great.

Thank you Jesus! #JesusSaves

Amen
DK

Note the specifics…

Mark 11:1-11
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”

4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna![a]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b]
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

As I feel that I have been called into ministry, I find myself trying to figure out where He is calling me into ministry specifically. I imagine lots of things, from leaving my current job as coach and teacher, to my be “applying” for ministry positions around the world. However, the more I read His words in the Bible, and the more He begins to take possession of my heart,  the more I realize that He is in control.

I am exactly where He wants me to be right now. This is it. A place where I can learn and grow in life and in spirit. An “uncomfotable” and sometimes very painful place growth. I am in a state of growth, and just like my mother soothed my legs through my growing pains, His word is here to comfort me and get me through.

I now know that His call to me will be the most clear call that I have ever heard. His plan for my life will be the most amazingly perfect and orchestrated plan to ever take shape.  It will be flawless. And as in this passage Jesus was welcomed with Raya treatement, all this who are called and chosen will be greeted in the same way in Heaven.

It is at that time that I hope and pray that God will gaze upon me and say, “Well done my faithful son.” #JesusSaves

Amen. Maranatha.
DK