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.

False Piety

The Jewish leaders condemn Jesus. They state He must die. But they don’t have authority under Roman rule to conduct executions. So, they must take Him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea. Early in the morning on Friday, they present Him at the Governor’s Palace.

The Jewish leaders were concerned about their purity for the Passover and therefore do not enter the palace. If they had entered the home of a gentile, they would have been considered unclean and could not eat the Passover. How ironic?! Jesus becomes the Passover sacrifice for all.

Yet, we must ask ourselves if we do the same thing today? We get up on a Sunday morning, take a shower, put on clean clothes, and head off the worship services. But what did we do on Saturday night? Did we purposely go about doing something against God’s commands or God’s will for us? If so, how can we condemn the Jewish leaders?

Please do not misunderstand. Jesus died so that our sins may be forgiven, even those we purposely commit. But we cannot have a holier than thou attitude when looking at others knowing we are doing the same thing. We may not get caught. We may not make it public. But God knows what we are doing, saying, and thinking.

The fact of the matter is, Jesus was in control throughout the entire process, just as God is still in control. He only spoke when He wanted to. He knew their hearts and allowed them to do what they wanted to do. He did nothing to force anyone along the path. Yet, He followed the path that was previously laid out for Him to follow.

I pray we all give up our holier than thou attitudes. I pray we know that Jesus was and is in control. I pray each one of us know that Jesus gave Himself up for our forgiveness. Give up bad attitudes. Trust Jesus is in control. Know that Jesus forgives you. Allow Him to change your heart.

John 18:28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover.

Divine Power

We often hear that Jesus knew all that was going to happen as He was betrayed, faced a false trial, and went to the cross. How do we know that? John tells Jesus knew. Not only did Jesus know but He was in control of the situation. He met His betrayer with dignity.

As Judas was coming with the soldiers, Jesus went to meet them. In that meeting, Jesus continued to care for His disciples. Though He knew they would desert Him in this time of trouble, He wanted to ensure they were not harmed. He had a plan for their future.

When Jesus asks the soldiers who they are looking for, they tell Him they are looking for Him. When He says, “I am he,” they step back and fall to the ground (John 18:6). Why might that be? The statement Jesus speaks could simply be interpreted simply as “I am.” This is the same name God gives Moses when he asks what to tell the Israelites if they ask the name of God. Jesus uses several “I am” statements throughout John to describe who He is.

The soldiers and others fall in reverence and even in worship, though they may not have fully understood why. When in the presence of divine power, there is no other option than to bow down. This is just a glimpse of what will happen when Jesus returns.

Jesus asks a second time who they are looking for and again tells them He is the one they are looking for. They finally gain the courage to take Him into custody and lead Him off for the false trials before the Sanhedrin and Pontius Pilate. I can only imagine the soldiers were wary of their task after having encountered Jesus’ divine power. Yet, they were doing what they were instructed to do and ultimately following God’s plan.

I pray we all know that God is in control. I pray we understand Jesus is the great I Am. I pray each one of us willingly bow down to Jesus and recognize His divine power in all situations.  Know that God is in control. Know that Jesus is the great I Am. Bow down to Jesus. See His divine power.

John 18:4-5 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.

Disciple of Jesus

A lot happens in the last week of Jesus’ life before going to the cross. One of the more well-known commands of Jesus was given during those last days. As He is teaching His disciples and preparing them for Him to leave them, He tells them to love one another.

Was it necessary to tell them that? We could assume that command was included in the command to love your neighbor. Yet, Jesus adds one more statement to this command. It is by loving one another that everyone else will know that we are Jesus’ disciples.

How does that affect us today? Sometimes, it seems it is like water rolling off a duck’s back. It goes in one ear and out the other. In other words, we act more like the world, sniping at one another, pointing fingers, blaming, and sometimes cursing one another. That certainly is not what Jesus told us to do.

Please understand, loving does not mean we do not correct one another. However, the language, tone of voice, and attitudes we use will indicate whether we are doing so in a loving way or not. When we love one another from deep within our hearts, we do everything different than the world does. We treat one another with respect. We serve one another. We help one another. We communicate with one another. We even correct one another with gentleness and kindness.

Yes, Jesus rebuked Peter. But that was because Peter was not thinking as God thinks, not because Peter had a different opinion of how-to fish. Getting wrapped around the things of this world and allowing them to get in the way of loving one another is not following Jesus’ command. We need to love one another so that everyone else will know we are Jesus’ disciples.

I pray we all give up taking our cues from the world. I pray we choose to change our hearts to be more like Jesus. I pray each one of us will choose to love one another and show the world we are Jesus’ disciples. Stop following the world. Change your heart. Love one another. Be a disciple of Jesus.

John 13:34-35 “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Mystery of God

We hear it said that Jesus was both fully human and fully God when He walked this earth. Though we may not completely comprehend what this means, we can see glimpses of it in the gospels. We understand the miracles of healing and casting out demons required the power of God.

We also see the power of God in today’s passage. Jesus knew Judas was going to betray Him. It wasn’t because Jesus had followed Judas or overheard his conversation with the Jewish leaders. He knew because God sees everything, at all times, everywhere.

We cannot fully comprehend the concept of seeing all history in a single moment. Yet, that is exactly what God does. He has seen every choice we will make. He has seen the day we were born and the day we will pass from this world and everything in between. Since we live within time, it is difficult for us to understand how this is possible. But God lives outside of time.

The comforting portion of this passage is that Jesus knows who He has chosen. Being one of His chosen gives us comfort. We have been chosen as His brothers and sisters. We have been chosen as His servants. We have been chosen to continue His work on this earth. He is the Good Shepherd. We are to listen for His voice for He continues to speak to us today.

Jesus told the other disciples what was going to happen before it happened so they would believe He was who He said He was. As we read the words John recorded, we, too, should believe. There is mystery about God, but that does not mean we should not believe. In fact, it is the mystery, the unexplainable, of God that should deepen our faith.

I pray we all know we are chosen by God. I pray believe Jesus is both fully human and fully God. I pray each one of us allow the mystery of God to deepen our faith, trusting that one day we will understand. You are chosen by God. Jesus is fully human. Jesus is fully God. Deepen your faith by the mystery of God.

John 13:18-19 “I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe that I am he.”