Listen Carefully

Do you believe in conspiracy theories? Are you continually looking for a hidden meaning in what someone says? Or do you fail to look beyond the surface? Do you only hear what you want to hear? Are you seeking truth? Or are you merely looking for what you want?

We don’t have to look hard to find people who espouse conspiracy theories. They believe everything is a conspiracy. Others will dismiss every potential conspiracy theory as a hoax. They take everything at face value and will not look beyond the surface.

There is often a happy medium between these two extremes. There will be times when face value is all there is to it. There will be times when there is a hidden meaning. There are times when people are careful to use words that do not reveal everything. They speak in code or innuendo or allusion. They may be trying to say something by hinting at it rather than saying it bluntly.

Jesus used metaphors and parables at times in His teaching. When He told the disciples to be wary of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He was not talking about bread but their teaching. We, too, must be careful when listening to some people. There are some who will purposely lead us astray. There are others who will speak just enough truth to make themselves believable.

When Jesus spoke plainly to the disciples about the Pharisees and Sadducees, I’m sure they were caught off guard. The disciples were brought up to trust them. Jesus is now telling them their teaching was not fully true. Their teaching was misleading and included misunderstanding.

When we desire to hear truth, we need to listen closely and discern if what we are hearing is truth, allusion to truth, or falseness. In seeking truth, we may find ourselves overwhelmed, dumbstruck, hurt, joyous, or confused. When we seek the truth, we must prepare ourselves to receive it openly, setting aside our perspective and our feelings.

I pray we all seek truth. I pray we listen closely and understand the meaning. I pray each one of us will seek truthful counselors and conduct our own research to find truth. Seek the truth. Be aware of hidden meanings. Know who you can trust. Do your research. Know you can trust Jesus.

Matthew 16:11 “How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Do Not Be Led Astray

What have you heard about Jesus? What teachings about Him are you listening to? Are you verifying the teachings are true? Have you heard someone teaching something other than the gospel message? Are you reading the Bible? Do you know the good news of Jesus?

There are many teachers of the Bible among us. There are many who will simply repeat a story they have heard without verifying it. Believing what someone is teaching or repeating can be dangerous. We need to know the story of Jesus and verify what others are saying.

Being led astray is not something we can afford to let happen. We need to know the story of Jesus, at least enough to not be led astray. We need to know that He is God, He was born of a virgin, He walked this earth teaching, He performed miracles, He died on a cross, He was buried, He rose on the third day, and He appeared to hundreds after His resurrection.

Sometimes we get sidetracked in the minutiae. We argue over whether there was one woman at the empty tomb or many. We argue over whether we drink from one cup or many. We argue over how many hymns should be sung in worship and how long the worship service should be. What does this tell us? We’ve missed what is important. What is important is we agree on who Jesus is.

Jesus is our Savior. He died so we may be forgiven of our sins. He rose on the third day to give us hope and salvation. He lived among us to show us what it means to have a personal relationship with God. He taught us who God is so we would accept Him as Lord. When we accept Jesus as our Savior and follow Him as our Lord, knowing who He is deep within our hearts, we will not be led astray.

I pray we all know who Jesus is. I pray we verify the teachings we hear so as not to be led astray. I pray each one of us accept Jesus as both Savior and Lord, following His teachings. Know who Jesus is. Know God’s Word. Verify the teachings you hear. Do not be led astray. Accept Jesus as Savior. Follow Jesus as Lord.

Galatians 1:6-8 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!

Rejoice Always

Do you rejoice in your knowing that Jesus has risen from the dead? What does rejoicing mean to you? Is rejoicing only the feeling of happiness? Does rejoicing include making a choice? Would you believe it means both?

We often think of rejoicing as experiencing happiness or gladness. When something occurs that makes us happy, we rejoice. When we or a family member achieves a significant accomplishment, we rejoice.

But the rejoicing we often see within the gospels and letters of the New Testament also includes a choice. We can choose to rejoice. In fact, we are encouraged to rejoice in the Lord. This means we must choose to rejoice in Him, even when things do not go our way.

The disciples rejoiced in seeing Jesus after His resurrection. They rejoiced with Him in their presence. Yet, they learned not long afterward that they were to rejoice even when He left them. They were to rejoice because of what He had accomplished for them.

Therefore, we are also to rejoice. We are to rejoice by remembering that Jesus died and rose again for us. We are to rejoice in His promises. We are to rejoice in His teachings. We are to rejoice in knowing we will spend eternity with Him. As Paul states in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

I pray we all rejoice in the Lord. I pray we choose to rejoice even when things do not go our way. I pray each one of us remembers what Jesus has done for us and rejoices. Rejoice in the Lord. Choose to rejoice. Remember Jesus. Know that He loves you. Know that He lives for you.

John 20:6-7 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 

Be a Blessing

Do you bless others? Have you spent time thinking how you can bless someone else? Have you thought about blessing someone in need? Have you thought about blessing someone with a disability? Do you only bless others if you think you are getting a reward?

Blessing others may come natural to some of us. However, most of us will think about being repaid for it. We live in a transactional society. We often operate in a “you wash my back; I’ll wash your back” mindset. Few people in our society will give to help others without thinking about what we get in return.

We may give to charities. It is easy to do. It doesn’t require us to interact with those in need. It is transactional. We tell ourselves we are giving to people in need, but we are often simply getting rid of stuff we no longer want. It’s not to say we are not helping others. But we are distanced from those we help.

Jesus espouses inviting people in need into our homes or going to where they are. He intimates that we should interact with those in need. It is to be up close and personal. It means talking, fellowshipping with them. It means showing genuine interest and care for them. And doesn’t that make sense? After all, if we were a person in need or had a disability, wouldn’t we want someone to pay attention to us and treat us as an equal?

When we interact with others, especially those in need, we are a blessing to them. But it requires a personal interest, a personal touch. So, let’s all look for opportunities to bless others. Let’s look for opportunities to sit down to a meal with someone in need. Let’s look for opportunities to serve someone with a disability. And…let’s treat them like a friend.

I pray we all look for opportunities to be a blessing to someone. I pray we bless someone in need or with a disability. I pray each one of us will follow Jesus’ suggestion to help others. Be a blessing. Bless someone in need. Bless someone with a disability. Make a personal investment. Know that your reward will come in eternity.

Luke 14:13-14 “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Blessed

Do you feel blessed? Do you want to be blessed? What kind of blessing are you looking for? Is it a physical blessing? Is it a financial blessing? Is it a mental blessing? Is it a relationship blessing? Have you considered the blessings you have already received and are currently receiving?

Desiring to be blessed is something we all experience. We have a variety of needs or perceived needs we ask blessings for. These cross many areas of our lives, including those mentioned above. Being blessed can mean different things to different people.

Jesus tells the disciples they are blessed. They are getting to see and experience what the prophets of long ago longed to see and hear. They were hearing God, in the form of Jesus, speak to the people of Israel. He was not only speaking to prophets or kings but was speaking to the common person. He was speaking to whomever came to hear His teachings.

They were watching Jesus perform miracles of healing, curing diseases, casting out demons, and raising people from the dead. They were witnessing Him rebuke the Jewish leadership for putting an excessive burden on the common person. They were experiencing God in human form. They were blessed far more than they recognized in the moment.

Though we have not had the same experiences as the disciples who followed Jesus in those days, we are often far more blessed than we recognize. It is only through reflection that we see our blessings. We are blessed in one way the disciples were not at the time Jesus tells them they were blessed—we have the gift of the Holy Spirit living inside us. Are we listening and following his guidance? Do we recognize that blessing?

I pray we all recognize that we are blessed richly. I pray we reflect on the blessings we have. I pray each one of us choose to listen to the Holy Spirit and experience more blessings because of it. Know that you are blessed. Reflect on your blessings. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Be blessed through him.

Matthew 13:16-17 “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Seeing is Believing

What does it take for you to believe? Do you need to see it to believe it? Do you like to touch and feel things? Do you like the sensory interaction? What will it take for you to believe in Jesus? Are you waiting for a personal interaction? Do you think it is all make believe?

Believing can be challenging at times. It can especially be difficult to believe in something as amazing as the resurrection. After all, who of us has seen someone raised from the dead? We can wrestle with it, try to believe, maybe believe it a little, and continue to have a little doubt.

The disciples who first discovered the empty tomb were troubled. Mary Magdalene and the other women with her thought someone had stolen the body. Peter and John likely thought the same thing. They gathered in fear that they might be the next ones to be hauled to the gallows by the Jewish leadership.

We can experience the same doubts. We may wonder if the story of Jesus’ resurrection is true. We may think it is impossible for anyone to be raised from the dead. We know intellectually that God can do anything, yet we may not have experienced him doing amazing things. Without seeing or experiencing something that only God can do, we can believe a little, but still have doubts.

The disciples had witnessed Jesus perform healings and raising people from the dead. They had heard His teachings and His claims to be the Son of God. They had heard Him state He would die and raise again on the third day. And they still did not understand it until He appeared to them. Even nearly two-thousand years later, knowing the whole story, we can find ourselves having the same doubts, even with eyewitness accounts.

I pray we all believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I pray we wrestle with the knowledge and allow it to sink in. I pray each one of us believe the eyewitness accounts and experience God’s awesome power. Eliminate your doubts. Believe Jesus rose from the dead. Believe the eyewitness accounts.

Luke 24:37-39 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Peace of Christ

What does peace mean to you? Do you view it as a ceasing of fighting between two nations? Does it mean getting along well with others? Are you seeking peace, a harmonious relationship with someone in your life? Have you considered that peace can mean more?

We hear of peace talks between nations, especially during times of conflict or war. He may hear of two people or groups of people seeking to come to a peaceful solution. Our goal may be to get along with everyone. We may desire our workplace be a peaceful environment.

The Greek word used in the New Testament that is translated as peace, is equivalent to a Hebrew word many of us have heard of—shalom. It means to have a harmonious relationship between people or nations. It also can be used as a greeting or farewell and means “be well.”

When Jesus tells His disciples that He is leaving His peace with them, that He is giving His peace to them, there is a double meaning. Jesus is giving His disciples the ability to get along with others. He is giving them the ability to bring calm to a tumultuous situation. He is also bidding them farewell. He knows His time is coming soon to go to the cross.

Jesus grants us His peace as well if we ask Him for it. He will grant us the ability to bring calm to tumultuous situations. He will grant us the ability to remain calm when everyone around us is panicking. He will give us the peace He had when He walked this earth. How do we seek it? By first putting our trust in Him, if only just a little. Much like all other gifts Jesus can and will give us, peace and trust are gifts that will grow as our relationship and experience with Him grows.

I pray we all seek the peace of Jesus Christ. I pray we put our trust in Jesus. I pray each one of us accept the peace of Christ in our lives to both be calm and to welcome Him into our lives. Seek the peace of Jesus. Ask Jesus to grant you peace. Put your trust in Jesus. Accept His peace.

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Be On Guard

How well can you spot a liar? How well can you spot a pretender? Can you identify a person who has pulled the wool over someone’s eyes? Can you identify a person is attempting to fool you into believing they are someone they are not? Are you on your guard for these types of people?

We all know there are people who lie about many things. Some people seem to lie nearly every word they speak. We also know people who pretend to be someone they are not. They are attempting to fool people, and maybe us, into believing they are who they think we want them to be.

We have seen people in our workplaces who act one way when the boss is around and another when the boss is away. We may have experienced our immediate supervisor take credit for something we have done so as to gain a promotion.

How do we feel when we discover we are lied to or someone else is taking credit for our work? Generally, we are upset, angry, feel betrayed, frustrated, and may even feel helpless. What do we do when we discover the falseness? We may distance ourselves from that person or start looking for a new job.

Jesus warns His disciples to be on guard for false messiahs. They will attempt to lead us astray. They may even perform acts that appear to be miraculous. Their sole purpose is to lead us away from our faith in Jesus. They desire fame, fortune, and power. They desire to have a large following and control over those people.

How do we be on our guard? We need to know the Scriptures. We need to evaluate people critically, especially those who appear to be “to-good-to-be-true”. We need to seek counsel from someone close to us whom we trust. None of us know everything, but working together we can identify the pretenders and liars.

I pray we all are on our guard for pretenders. I pray we especially guard ourselves against those who will lead us away from Jesus. I pray each one of us seek to be knowledgeable about God’s Word. Be on guard. Identify falseness. Remove yourself from pretenders. Seek counsel from someone you trust. Know God’s Word. Hold on to your faith in Jesus.

Mark 13:21-23 “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.”

Compiling Data Into Knowledge

What is the most important bit of knowledge you have learned? Is it discovering a scientific fact no one else knew? Is it something you learned about another person? Does it change as you live and learn more? Have you considered you may know the most important fact there is to know?

We learn something new every day, whether we think we do or not. Much of what we learn has little impact on us. For instance, we learn each day what the weather is for the day. It may have little or no impact on us, at least on the surface. But there are other things we learn that are significant.

As adults, much of our learning comes from life experiences. Those experiences come through relationships, on the job training, or continuing education. Our experiences can teach us many things. However, we do not always pay attention to what we are learning and do not always put the pieces together to fully understand what we have learned. Sometimes, what we learn are merely data points to us and we do not compile them into true knowledge. Without putting them together as knowledge, we cannot adequately act upon them.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul lays out a handful of data points. We must put them together, understand what they mean individually, then understand what they mean when compiled into a whole. Jesus died for our sins. He was buried. He rose from the dead. He appeared to several people after rising from the dead.

Each data point can stand on its own. On their own, they have one meaning. But when we compile them into a single piece of knowledge, they take on a more profound meaning. It is the fulfillment of God’s promises. It is the fulfillment of Jesus’ statements to His disciples. It can be the genesis of our believing His other teachings. It provides us with not just forgiveness but hope and salvation. It becomes the most important bit of knowledge we can learn in our lives.

I pray we all know that Jesus’ story is true. I pray we understand what it means for us. I pray each one of us will compile the data points of Jesus’ life and teaching into knowledge we can use. Compile the data into knowledge. Understand Jesus’ story. Be in awe and amazed at what He has done. Trust He will fulfill His promises.

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

Empty Grave

Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Yes, Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. He left the grave empty, with the exception of the grave clothes. The linen wrappings and the face cloth were left behind. But Jesus was no longer there.

Mary, Peter, and John were all amazed. Peter and John returned to where the other disciples were staying. I’m sure they were excited and ready to pass the news along that Jesus had risen from the grave. There was likely a very lively conversation.

Mary hung around. She was thinking someone had moved His body. She was about to receive an even bigger surprise. Jesus was about to make a personal appearance to her. He was about to comfort her and show her that her belief in Him was not in vain.

How do we encounter the risen Savior? Do we receive Him with excitement? Does that excitement continue? The risen Christ is the most wonderful reason for excitement. Believing in Him with joy, hope, and faith is an awesome experience.

Because He has risen, we have the hope of eternity spent with Him. We have been promised that we will live because He lives. Jesus has paved the way for us. Our belief that He is risen is the first step we take in our faith and following Him.

I pray we all believe in the risen Christ. I pray we accept the hope Jesus provides when we put our faith in Him. I pray each one of us will choose to follow the risen Savior. Believe Jesus has risen. Be joyous about it. Experience Him. Put your faith in Jesus. Trust that you will live with Him.

John 20:6-7 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.