Myriads of Myriads

What is the largest crowd you have ever been a part of? Have you been to a sporting event with several thousand? Have you been to a concert with several thousand? How large is the city you live in? Are there thousands living there? How many do you think are in heaven?

Being in large crowds can cause anxiety for some folks, but I’m not one of them. I have been the NFL Football games with approximately seventy-five thousand people. I was at the very first stadium show done by Garth Brooks and there were approximately eighty thousand people at it.

However, I have never been in a crowd of thousands of thousands. Think about the number of people that is. Just one thousand times one thousand is one million. Therefore, a crowd of thousands of thousands would be millions. John tells us that in his revelation there were myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands. Myriad can mean countless. Imagine countless upon countless people!

Why is this important to us? That is the number of people, according to John’s revelation given to him by Jesus Himself, who will be with us in heaven and for all eternity. If we for some reason think there will be a select few who are accepted by God, we are grossly mistaken. There will be countless people with whom we will spend eternity. Only God knows how many that will be.

So, rather than judging others and thinking there is no way they are getting to heaven, perhaps we should instead look at them as one who just might be there with us. Maybe if we look at them as though we might spend eternity together, we will look at them a little differently. Maybe we will begin to treat one another with love, just as Jesus treated people with love.

I pray we all realize there will be countless people with us in heaven and eternity. I pray we see others as people we may spend eternity with. I pray each one of us will love others as Jesus loves us. You will spend eternity with myriads of people. Love others as Jesus loves.

Revelation 5:11-12a Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,

One Body, One Spirit

How many differences do you notice on a daily or weekly basis? Do you note the differences in people? Their hair color? Whether they are short or tall? What about the language they speak? Do you notice their style of clothing? How do you feel about those differences?

There are differences in all of us. We see those differences every day, if we merely take a moment to notice. We can point out the differences among every person we meet, even identical twins. Yet, we are called into unity through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Does coming together in our differences seem odd? Let’s look at an example we all are familiar with. Take the car you drive. How many parts do you think it consists of? On average, a vehicle consists of approximately 30,000 parts. Each part is designed for a specific purpose. Such is the case with each of us.

God has uniquely created each of us for a purpose. It is only as we come together in unity through Jesus, becoming His body here on earth, that we can serve the larger ministry God desires of us in the world. No one person can do it all. No one local church can do it all. It requires all of us working together, using our gifts, to carry out the mission God has given us. The more we meld together our gifts, the more effective we can be in reaching people for Jesus, and thereby transform the world.

I pray we all realize we cannot do it all on our own. I pray we recognize our gifts and our purpose in this life. I pray each one of us commit to coming together to share our gifts so that we can better carry out the ministry God has given us. See the differences. See the possibilities. Unify to carry out God’s plan.

Ephesians 4:4-6 there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Life Altering

Have you ever heard something you thought was too good to be true? Have you heard someone claim to have witnessed something that you think is impossible? What did you do? What did you say? Did you ask them if they were playing a joke on you?

We hear people make claims that we can’t believe are true. We may think they are trying to pull one over on us. We hear promotions of products that we are sure is an exaggeration. There is no way anything can be that good. And of course, there are the scams we hear today.

We have heard and maybe said it ourselves, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Thomas operated in this way. So, when the other disciples told him they had seen Jesus, he balked at their claim. He knew there was no way Jesus was alive. He knew Jesus had died on the cross. Though he had seen Jesus raise people from the dead, he could not comprehend anyone raising Jesus from the dead.

It is true that Thomas had heard Jesus say He would rise on the third day. But like the other disciples, he did not understand it. It is likely Thomas believed in the resurrection, just as most Jews of his time did. Yet, their understanding was that the resurrection would come at the end of time.

The question we must wrestle with is much the same as Thomas wrestled with. Will we believe Jesus rose on the third day? If we do, how does it change us? Or does it? The resurrection should change us immensely. It should cause us to call Jesus Lord and Savior. It should be a life altering belief.

I pray we all wrestle with believing the resurrection. I pray we believe Jesus rose on the third day. I pray each one of us has a life altering belief in the resurrection that results in a strong faith. Wrestle with the question. Believe Jesus rose on the third day. Have a life altering belief.

John 20:24-25 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A Joyful Scare

Have you ever had someone quietly sneak up on you and scare you? Have you walked around a corner and be scared because someone was standing there? Were you trembling for a few minutes after that? Have you thought about how the disciples felt when Jesus just appeared?

When people sneak up on us or we simply turn a corner and there they are, it can be a bit unnerving. I typically walk quietly, thanks to my training in the Marine Corps. More times than I can count, I have unintentionally scared my wife or a daughter by being where they didn’t expect me.

What Jesus did was something else entirely. He just appeared. He wasn’t there, then suddenly He was. They were likely sitting and talking about what had happened. They may have been discussing how they were going to get out of Jerusalem with their lives. Suddenly, Jesus is standing in the room with them.

If you have every been scared by someone unexpectedly, you can imagine how the disciples felt. Think about it for a moment. Imagine sitting in your living room having a discussion. Suddenly someone is standing there. We might jump right out of our skin. We might scream. We might be trembling for more than a few minutes.

But Jesus came to comfort them and to let them know He had risen from the dead, just as He told them He would. He greeted them with peace. Though it is not recorded, I can only imagine the joy they felt when they recovered from their fright and the questions they asked. I’m sure there were a lot of smiles and laughter. Perhaps we should smile more when we talk about Jesus. I think it would make Him a lot more attractive to the people we are telling the gospel to.

I pray we all are joyful when we think about Jesus. I pray we think about what it would have been like to be a disciple in that room. I pray each one of us smile more when we are telling others about Jesus. Be joyful. Think about Jesus often. Smile when telling others about Jesus.

John 20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

Rightful Response, Part 2

As we continue from yesterday, Peter continues his rightful response to the high priest. He explains what happened in a distinct, short message. Peter is merely explaining why he and the other apostles must continue to preach the gospel to the people.

Peter states only the facts. Though it may seem as though he is accusing the high priest, he is really stating a fact—one the high priest knows all too well. As part of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council of leaders), the high priest was there when they condemned Jesus.

Peter goes on to state what he and the other apostles know—that Jesus was exalted and is at the right hand of God the Father. He states that because of Jesus’ sacrifice and exaltation, He is our Savior, and we have forgiveness through Him. To the high priest, this would have been blasphemy. The only way the Jews knew to be forgiven was through sacrifices on the altar in the temple.

Peter turns the high priest’s world upside down, much like Jesus turned the world upside down. It is through the humble that God works. Jesus was a humble servant who obeyed the Father’s will, went to the cross for the redemption of the world, and through Him all people may be forgiven. But Peter says Jesus came to call Israel into repentance. Unfortunately, their leaders did not repent and would not follow Jesus.

Peter wraps up his response by stating they were witnesses to it all. They saw Him arrested. Peter saw the sham trial. They saw Jesus taken away to be beaten. They saw Him trudging down the street with the cross. They saw Him die. They saw the empty tomb. They saw Him in His resurrected body. They talked to Him after He was resurrected. They saw Him taken up to heaven. They were the best witnesses.

Ultimately, Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, convinced the high priest to let them go. His reasoning was this—if it is of human origin, it will die; if it is from God, it cannot be stopped. Imagine what we could do if we worked within God’s will, obeying him in all we do.

Acts 5:30-32 “The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Rightful Response, Part 1

Have you had a response for every accusation? Was it a rightful response or just an excuse? Peter and the apostles with him had a rightful reason and response. Though we are not told how many were with Peter, we know there was at least one other apostle with him.

The high priest was upset with them for performing miracles and preaching about Jesus. In fact, he had them captured and put in prison. Yet, God had freed them from prison by directing an angel to open the doors of the prison. They were once again preaching in the temple.

This infuriated the high priest. His orders were being disobeyed. The apostles were continuing to do what he had told them to cease and thrown them in prison for. The captain of the temple police apprehended the apostles and brought before the high priest again. The high priest is less worried about the blood of Jesus and more worried about his own. Isn’t that how it typically goes? The accusers are always worried about themselves.

However, Peter boldly states that they must obey God rather than human authority. Now, let’s be careful about our interpretation of what Peter did. True, he disobeyed human authority. Yet, he did not break laws in doing so. All he did was preach the gospel. He did not protest, cause a riot, destroy property, nor rebuke the authorities. What did he do? He continued to preach the gospel. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Perhaps we would do well to worry less about human authorities and concern ourselves with obeying God. Maybe, just maybe, we should spend more time telling others about Jesus and less time worrying about what human authorities are doing. Doing so would make us more like Peter and less like the rest of the world.

We will continue with Peter’s response tomorrow.

Acts 5:27-29 When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

Gate of Righteousness

What does being righteous mean to you? It can mean different things to different people. For some, it can mean perfection, never doing anything wrong. For others, it can be the process of moving toward perfection, even if never achieved. What if righteousness did not depend on us?

In the strictest sense, righteousness is perfection. Yet, we all know that only God is perfect. We also know that only one person who walked this earth did so perfectly, that being Jesus. Through His perfection, God’s grace, and God’s love for us, we are considered righteous.

As the Psalmist writes, Jesus is the gate of righteousness. Because of Jesus dying on the cross and being raised on the third, the gate of righteousness is opened to all. It is our decision to walk through the gate or remain on the outside. When we walk through the gate of righteousness, by the waters of baptism and accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become righteous by the blood of Jesus.

As we realize the amazing grace of God that allows us to be righteous, we naturally give thanks to God. Our eyes are opened, and we understand that we could never be righteous on our own. It is Jesus who is the gate by which we enter righteousness. It is in Him that we are washed clean of our sin. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that changes us into the person God made us to be.

Therefore, give thanks to the Father for his wondrous plan to redeem us. Give thanks to Jesus for obeying the will of the Father. Give thanks to the Holy Spirit for working in our lives to make us into the person we were created to be. Give thanks for the righteousness of Jesus that covers us when we walk in Him.

Psalm 118:19-20

Open to me the gates of righteousness, 

that I may enter through them 

and give thanks to the Lord. 

This is the gate of the Lord; 

the righteous shall enter through it.

Salvation Has Come

How are you feeling today? Are you holding on to Jesus Christ? Are you holding on to God? Do you attribute your salvation to him? Do you know you are strengthened by him? Have you taken stock of your standing with God? Will you give him the credit due him?

How we feel can change day-to-day. It can be very drastic, if we do not hold on to Jesus. It is Jesus who has set us free and who has guaranteed our salvation. It is through His sacrifice that we are forgiven. It is because of His resurrection that we can confidently believe we will be resurrected.

The power of God was on full display when raising Jesus on the third. Our celebration of that power is warranted. We cannot celebrate enough. Our celebrations can heighten our awareness of the power of God and that awareness can give us strength. For if God can raise Jesus from the dead, there is nothing beyond his power.

As we lean on God for his strength, he provides what we need. The more we experience his strength being passed on to us, the deeper our belief and faith. We learn to trust God for all things in every situation. God does not always remove us from the situation, but he will be with us throughout the situation. As Jesus promised, we will never be left alone.

We celebrate Jesus on Easter, the most power Sunday of the year. We celebrate His resurrection. We praise God for his awesome power. We give thanks for our salvation that was achieved when Jesus was resurrected. The power of the resurrection cannot be overstated. We cannot give enough thanks and praise to God for his loving sacrifice and reconciliation for us.

I pray we all lean on God for our strength. I pray we know that our ability to withstand and overcome is from God. I pray each one of us knows it is Jesus’ resurrection that guarantees our salvation. Lean on God. He will give you strength. Celebrate the resurrection. Thank God for your salvation.

Psalm 118:14

The Lord is my strength and my might; 

he has become my salvation.

Mistaken Identity

Have you ever mistaken someone you see to be someone else? Have you seen someone you know but did not recognize them? Has either of those situations caused you to be embarrassed? What if you were to meet someone you knew well and did not recognize them?

When Mary was sitting outside the empty tomb, she did not recognize Jesus. Her first thought was that He was the gardener or caretaker of the tombs and their surrounding area. We might think of them as someone who maintains a cemetery today.

Why didn’t Mary recognize Jesus? There are a number of valid reasons. First, we often do not see what we have no expectation of seeing. This very reason is often how criminals walk among us in broad daylight. Second, she may not have actually looked up into His face. She may have merely turned her head slightly and seen Him from the waist down.

We may wonder why she didn’t recognize His voice. The first reason is the same as above. She didn’t expect to hear Him speaking. Second, in her grief and feeling of complete loss now that the body was gone, she may not have had the capacity to recognize His voice between sobs.

The lesson for us is not that we should judge Mary. No, we should learn to keep our eyes and ears open, searching for additional possibilities rather than only what we expect. It is in those other possibilities that we will see God working, just as Mary did.

I pray we all understand why Mary may not have recognized Jesus. I pray we keep our eyes and ears open. I pray each one of us searches for possibilities outside of our normal expectations. Keep your eyes and ears open for Jesus. Look for possibilities outside what is normal.

John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).

The Day In Between

It’s Saturday. We wait. Jesus has been crucified. He has been put in the tomb. We ponder. We wonder what is next. We remember the dreams of God’s kingdom coming to earth. We remember the darkness that fell over the earth from noon until three in the afternoon.

Perhaps one of the most amazing things was that when Jesus breathed His last the curtain of the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, rocks split, tombs were opened, and many of the dead arose and walked through Jerusalem. What do we make of all of that?

So, we sit with the apostles in a locked room in fear of the Jewish leaders, wondering if they will come after us next. We think about and talk about what to do next. How long do we wait until we feel safe enough to return home? We ask questions about the signs seen by many people throughout Jerusalem as well as those who were at the cross.

It’s the Sabbath. We are not supposed to be out roaming the streets. We are not to do any work. We are fidgety. Our minds are racing. We start to say something, then stop, thinking it is silly or nonsensical. We just can’t seem to make sense of what has happened over the past couple days. We retrace the events from the time Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey until He was laid in the tomb. Confusion, doubt, and fear have all crept in.

I pray we all remember the events of the last week of Jesus’ life. I pray we mourn His death for our sake. I pray each one of us wrestle with what happened over a twenty-four hour period that saw Jesus have His last supper until He was laid in the tomb.

John 19:40-42 They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.