He is Coming.

It’s faint, in the distance, the group falls silent. How far, is hard to tell. Yet, it is distinct like the sound of one walking a trail in a thick forest. The sound brings with it a feeling, and it inspires the senses. A smell of pine in the air along with falls crisp morning. Even in the house one feels as if their very souls were as dew settling on the grass. It is both comforting and alarming. Sitting around the table a hush has fallen as they search each others eye’s and yet look past them. It’s hard to think about. It’s wonderful, yet it is also unknown. Silence is broken as one musters up the strength, in a quiet breath, just slightly above a whisper, “He’s coming.”

This is not a new scene. It has played out before. Once in a garden, once in a stable, and now. The feeling of what is to come has been here before and all along. He walked in the garden and we hid in our shame. Later, He was birthed in a stable covered in blood. Then a man He would hang on a tree, bloody, bearing no shame of His own but ours, willingly. He approaches again, to settle accounts, who has enough to pay the debt? No one. Yet, no one need pay anything. The debt has already been paid. Only receive it by faith through repentance. Time whispers, “He’s coming.”

As the foot steps grow louder, you can feel the earth shake with anticipation as it longs for restoration. Nature shifts, the waves roar, the storms rage, but man misses His approach, consumed by self, what must we do? Surely we must do something. Nature becomes humanities focus even while nature whispers, “He’s coming.”

The noise is deafening. It is hard to think clearly. Life consumes, the destroyer wages war on the soul of humanity, whom the destroyer hates, with distraction after distraction. The destroyer knows how, having studied the likeness of He who is coming, the destroyer lays out traps as only the destroyer can do. The destroyers time is running out, with every footstep heard, the noise doesn’t deaden the sound for the destroyer knows all too well his fate. The destroyer hesitant to acknowledge, whispers, “He’s coming.”

Most are unprepared. Many are without understanding. Lost in their perceived reality, devoid of the impending doom. Few have enough oil to get through the night. Night is coming. Do you have enough oil for your lamp? Go and buy oil without money. Put out the distractions from your mind. Sit in silence. Be still. Listen. Get ready. Every soul willingly or unwillingly, whispers, “He’s coming.”

He is coming.

You are loved,

cj

Jude (Part 1)

Jude (Part 1)

Let me start here: if you have not read Jude (an introduction), stop now and go read it . . . it will make more sense that way. However, as a reminder to those who did read it let me refresh your memory. Jude is one of four brothers of Jesus and at some point led the Church in Jerusalem. He came to faith after Jesus’ resurrection. This same Jude then pens this letter and it is powerful! As a call to repentance, as a reminder of judgment, and as a warning to stay alert as we contend for the faith.

He doesn’t waste time with small talk, antidotes, or gibber, he is very matter-of-fact. In the verses, we will look at this week, we will see his heart, and his understanding as the brother of Jesus and leader of the Church. Let’s look at verse 5, “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.” Here is an interesting point, there are a couple manuscripts out there as well as a few versions of the Bible that use “Jesus” in place of “the Lord”. Could these early manuscripts be more accurate to Jude’s point? i think so. Jude had come to an understanding of who Jesus was and was not ashamed of it.

We love grace, i love grace. We preach grace, i preach grace, and it is glorious! However, we mustn’t lose sight of Jesus. Jesus, actively a part of the Old Testament, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, saves us by His cross. He leads us free from the chains of sin, out of bondage and into freedom. As the Israelites out of Egypt and still, subsequently (lit. the second time) He destroys those who did not believe. Folks, there is judgment. There is a hell and it has been preached since the formation of the Church. Do not be led astray. We must continue to contend for the faith in a world that would pervert the grace of God, even some in the Church.

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that [e]the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, [f]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after [g]strange flesh, are exhibited as an [h]example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (NASB)

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved[c] a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire,[d] serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (ESV)

Pray with me for insight, for understanding, for fresh revelation into God’s Word. Let the Spirit of God speak to our hearts through these words written by Jude inspired by the Spirit. May we grow in wisdom and faith, as we seek to walk humbly with Jesus, contending for the faith. Until next week . . .

you are loved,

cj

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

The shortest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 117, it is just two verses. Yet these two verses are immensely profound in their simplicity. You want to boil things down to the minimum and just look at the core of human existence? Then here you go:

“Praise the Lord, all you nations! Worship Him, all you peoples! Because God’s faithful love towards us is strong, the Lord’s faithfulness lasts forever! Praise the Lord!”

It doesn’t get much simpler than this, Praise the Lord. Worship Him. Because, He is faithful. His love is strong towards us and He is forever faithful. Thus, we should, Praise the Lord! No matter what you are facing, no matter what difficulties or trials befall you, Praise the Lord! In the good and in the bad, Praise the Lord! In the sun and in the rain, Praise the Lord! In life and in death, Praise the Lord! In sickness and in health, Praise the Lord! In the hardest of times and in the best of times, Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord,

you are loved,

cj

Question #3 (Pilate’s Plight)

Question #3 (Pilate’s Plight)

“So you are a King?” Pilate desperate for answers, any answer really. His own questions running through his head, answerless, while the religious leaders wait for his ruling, his answers to their questions.  Jesus, His resolve now firm after His prayer in the garden, responds; “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify of the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

Pilate, seemingly confused and lost in thought with questions and answers that seem to lead no where is only more befuddled with Jesus latest answer. We all have questions, and plenty of answers. Yet, even still there are mysteries that won’t be answered in my or your lifetime (unless of course Jesus returns in our lifetime). Let’s look at what Paul writes to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 13:10-13

10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.

11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

Jesus is the revelation of every answer to every question ever asked…we may not fully understand but we can rest assured in the Truth of Jesus…

You are Loved,

cj

Question #2 (Pilate’s Plight)

Question #2 (Pilate’s Plight)

Last week we took a look at Pilate’s first question to Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” So rich in its context and with Pilate’s next question we find that Pilate was a man of deep thought and subtle conviction. In response to Pilate’s first question Jesus replied, “Are you speaking for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning Me?” A question answered by a question answered by a question….

Pilate, in response to Jesus asks, “Am I a Jew?” The idea of the “KING OF THE JEWS” and His love for all humanity has been around for 2000 years. Can the King of the Jews mean anything to anyone other than a Jew? Can the long awaited Jewish Messiah have any meaning for a gentile? The questions just seem to continue from here over the generations since the first recorded question from a gentile to Jesus, “Am I a Jew?” i don’t know but perhaps Pilate’s heart was trying to grasp something greater and even completely unaware begin to bring the message of Hope to all humanity.

Jesus, rises above the question. He presents a new reality to the religious that later is addressed in the letter to the Church in Rome this way, “Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.” a few verses down Paul continues, “But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree-some of the people of Israel-have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a  wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also received the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment form the root of God’s special olive tree.” (Romans 11:11-12,17)

Jesus, in His response to Pilate laid the foundation for what Paul writes here to Rome when He said, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My Kingdom is not from here.” In other words, Jesus was simply stating that there is something greater going on here and that redemption is available for all of humanity…God’s love is greater than boarders. Not to say that Israel doesn’t have a sweet spot in God’s heart, we read that in the letter to the Romans but God’s love transcends boarders and is extended to all that believe!

Pilate’s inner turmoil played out for us here delivers a message of eternal hope that regardless of our nationality God is the redeemer of all. And that if Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world neither is ours

You are Loved,

cj