Good Friday: Finished

Our Scripture today is John 18:1-19:42
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+18%3A1-19%3A42&version=NIV

Reflect on a time when you have done all you could do and you know your work is finished. When you reflect on this time, ask yourself, did you really do all you could do, Or all you had to do? There is a difference. Often times we do just enough to get by. We do just enough to get a job done emphasizing the product more than the process. Jesus, has given it all, and when he says, “It is Finished”, his entire being can be at peace, without wondering could he have done more.

In our text, we see the lengths people will go through to maintain their false sense of power and superiority. We see how humanity can stoop to its darkest level in the presence of its brightest light. In our text we find, betrayal, denial, deception, and depravity. Judas, a disciple and follower of Jesus, for what ever reason, betrays Jesus into the hands of those who sought to harm him. Once Jesus is taken into custody, Peter who is lingering to see how things turned out, denies three times that he too was one of the disciples. We find the Chief Priests, the religious Jewish leaders deceive the Roman government bringing Jesus in on trumped up charges, and finally we see the depravity of humanity in the method of ending another humans life called crucifixion. This all plays out in less than 24 hours. Humans can be cruel, and far too often we shrink in the presence of fear and uncertainty. We often are willing to only go as far as we can see, and when we are up against the unknown, we can allow fear to overtake our faith. Humanity can choose to let a killer go in Barabbas and have an innocent man executed. Barabbas was a known entity, yet the implications of allowing Jesus to continue was far more frightening. If Jesus were to continue, people would no longer be able to be comfortable in their mess. People could no longer deceive without conscious. Liars would be confronted with their lying, and a whole way of being would have to be learned. A way that called humans to love each other unconditionally. A way that changed governments and economies, and legal structures, and religion. A way that highlighted relationship with GOD without having to go through middle men. We humans chose Barabbas. Barabbas makes us feel good about ourselves because we can at least say, “well I am better than him”. But we are not better.

It is finished. I don’t know what you will do today, but one thing i suggest is commit to doing the best you can, all the time, every time. When you do this, like Jesus you will be able to say, “It is Finished” and know you have given your all. #livebig

PRAYER: Divine Creator, today we recognize your extreme sacrifice and expression of love. It is through your pain and shame that we receive eternal gain. Thank you for giving your all. Thank you for choosing to stand up for humanity by laying down your life. May we forever give you the glory and honor you deserve.

Point To Ponder: What will be the legacy you leave? What are you willing to sacrifice to leave it? What did Jeshua save you from and save you to?

Lent Day 7 Blessed Despite Our Mess

 

^{Deuteronomy 9:5-6} It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ⁶ Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

It’s day 7 of our Lenten journey. For one week of our lives we have been focused on drawing closer to GOD. Hopefully we have been a blessing to others as we have journeyed on. Becoming more aware of the presence of GOD in our daily lives and not translating that awareness to the benefit of others, I believe would be to miss the mark. The text today is from Deuteronomy 9:4-12.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+9%3A4-12&version=NIV

This text serves as a reminder to all of us, that the blessings of GOD we may receive are not because we have been so much better than everyone else around us. Now this can be a bitter pill to swallow for those of us who have grown up in a competitive culture. We have been taught things like, “to the victor goes the spoils” and “Nobody remembers who came in second”. Conditioned by this mindset we assume that when good things happen to us,we have in some way done something to earn this favor from GOD. Our text spoken by Moses to the children of Israel as they were preparing to enter the promised land was a sobering reminder to the Israelites that they, “weren’t all that”.

GOD instructs Moses to tell the soon to be possessors of the promised land not to get cocky and think their victories were because of their righteousness or their integrity. I believe this is an important lesson for believers of any and every age. As we look introspectively during our 40 days of Lent, we must keep it real with ourselves. Keeping it real we must acknowledge that we have been the recipients of grace. We have a tendency to be naughty by nature. We have fallen too easily, quit too readily, and strayed too obliviously. And yet in spite of it all GOD is willing to grant us another chance to experience more than we deserve. GOD is willing to bless us in spite of us. Along with this GOD is willing to give us a warning. This warning for me is implied in the text, that if you are being blessed to dispossess nations greater and stronger than you because of their wickedness, and you recognize there is some wickedness in you, then if you don’t check yourself, you could end up in the same situation.

We are blessed, and there are more blessings in store, but we must not become lackadaisical in our spiritual disciplines. Knowing ourselves and how easily we can make a golden calf to satisfy the selfish longings we have, we must remain intentional. Our ability to maintain the blessings after we have received them, depends on our spiritual discipline.

Today I am grateful for grace. I am so glad that we cannot be so bad GOD stops loving us. Conversely we cannot be so good that we don’t require grace. On the way to the promised land, the greatest enemy may be the “inner me”. Knowing this be steadfast unmovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD.

Hebrews 3:1-11

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+3%3A1-11&version=NIV

John 2:12-22

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+2%3A13-22&version=NIV

Prayer: LORD help me to recognize the gaps in my life. Those places where I may have been seduced into a false sense of self-righteousness. Forgive me of all my sins. Please deliver me from the evil within myself, and the evil all around me. Cleanse me of sins residue, so that I will give you all the glory, and remain humbly committed to doing your will. AMEN.

Good Friday “It is Finished

Our Scripture today is John 18:1-19:42
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+18%3A1-19%3A42&version=NIV

Reflect on a time when you have done all you could do and you know your work is finished. When you reflect on this time, ask yourself, did you really do all you could do, Or all you had to do? There is a difference. Often times we do just enough to get by. We do just enough to get a job done emphasizing the product more than the process. Jesus, has given it all, and when he says, “It is Finished”, his entire being can be at peace, without wondering could he have done more.

In our text, we see the lengths people will go through to maintain their false sense of power and superiority. We see how humanity can stoop to its darkest level in the presence of its brightest light. In our text we find, betrayal, denial, deception, and depravity. Judas, a disciple and follower of Jesus, for what ever reason, betrays Jesus into the hands of those who sought to harm him. Once Jesus is taken into custody, Peter who is lingering to see how things turned out, denies three times that he too was one of the disciples. We find the Chief Priests, the religious Jewish leaders deceive the Roman government bringing Jesus in on trumped up charges, and finally we see the depravity of humanity in the method of ending another humans life called crucifixion. This all plays out in less than 24 hours. Humans can be cruel, and far too often we shrink in the presence of fear and uncertainty. We often are willing to only go as far as we can see, and when we are up against the unknown, we can allow fear to overtake our faith. Humanity can choose to let a killer go in Barabbas and have an innocent man executed. Barabbas was a known entity, yet the implications of allowing Jesus to continue was far more frightening. If Jesus were to continue, people would no longer be able to be comfortable in their mess. People could no longer deceive without conscious. Liars would be confronted with their lying, and a whole way of being would have to be learned. A way that called humans to love each other unconditionally. A way that changed governments and economies, and legal structures, and religion. A way that highlighted relationship with GOD without having to go through middle men. We humans chose Barabbas. Barabbas makes us feel good about ourselves because we can at least say, “well I am better than him”. But we are not better.

It is finished. I don’t know what you will do today, but one thing i suggest is commit to doing the best you can, all the time, every time. When you do this, like Jesus you will be able to say, “It is Finished” and know you have given your all. #livebig