April 10, 2020

Holy Week Lessons Learned From Jesus–Extend Grace and Love, Especially in Crisis

Ironically called Good Friday, it is the most somber day of the year for Christians.

It was before 9am that morning when Jesus was brought to Pontius Pilate. Pilate’s wife knew Jesus was innocent.

“‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the Jews?’ They shouted back, ‘No, not him! Give us Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.” –John 18:38-40 NIV

Pilate thought Jesus would go free. Guess what Barabbas means in Aramaic? “Son of Abba.” Barabbas means “Son of the Father.”

Friend, each of us is a son (or daughter) of the Father. That means all of us. We are Barabbas. Like Barabbas, Jesus was our substitute. He died for you. He died for me.

Sadly the same people who waved palms of the crowd singing “Hosanna!” were the same peer pressured crowd who cried “Crucify!” on Good Friday morning, resulting in the pierced palms of Jesus’ hands. May we not be as fickle in how we treat people.

Pilate then handed the badly beaten and scourged Jesus over to be crucified. Jesus began the agonizing climb to Calvary or Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.

“Here they crucified him, and with him two others–one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: ‘JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS…’ (John 19:18-19 NIV).

The criminal on one side of Jesus threw insults at Him asking if He were Christ, why didn’t He save Himself and them? The other criminal feared God and rebuked the other criminal, saying Jesus had not done anything wrong. The criminal humbly said,

“Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.’ Jesus answered  him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise. ‘ “ (Luke 23:42-43 NIV).

As the excellent Leader Jesus is with profound discernment, He appreciated the thief’s humility and extended amazing, matchless grace and love to the thief. He gave Him the gift of eternal life, moments before they both breathed their last breaths on this earth.

Like the two thieves, one on each side of Jesus, we are given a choice. Perhaps that’s why there were two criminals being crucified beside Him– not one, not five, but two–because of THE choice.

To accept Jesus as our King of King and Lord of Lords or not.

To ask Jesus to remember you in His Kingdom or not.

To hurl insults at Jesus or honor Jesus with humble praises.

Have you humbly asked for Jesus to remember you as His and to join Him in the paradise of eternal life? Friend, if not, there’s a simple prayer at the bottom to pray and make the most important decision of your life.

“…Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, He bowed his head and gave up His spirit.” –John 30b NIV

The Greek word “Tetelestai” means “It is finished.” During New Testament times the word “Tetelestai” would have been stamped or written on business documents or receipts to indicate that a bill had been “Paid in Full.” The connection between this common business transaction stamp and the Ultimate Transaction Jesus accomplished on the cross was conveyed crystal clear in the Gospel of John with Jesus’ words.

Sweet friend, you are so loved. Jesus extended tremendous grace and love to us all. He paid a sin debt He did not owe because we owed a sin debt we could not pay.

Friday’s here, but Sunday’s comin’! Happy Resurrection Day!

Recharge:

If you would like to welcome Jesus as the King of your life, pray with me this simple prayer:

Dear God, I need You. I am humbly calling out to You. I’m tired of doing things my own way.

Help me to start doing things Your way. I invite You into my life to be my Lord and my Savior.

Fill the emptiness in me with your Holy Spirit and make me whole.

Lord, help me to trust You. Help me to love You.

Help me to live for You. Help me to understand Your grace, mercy and peace.

Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen. 

Congratulations! Send me an email to danya.jordan777@gmail.com, and I’ll send you a free devotional book to encourage you in your new faith journey! 🙂

Reflect:

–What influence does a crowd make on decisions? Is the majority always right?

–How are we like Barabbas?

–Which crucified criminal beside Jesus do you relate to?

–How have you received Jesus’ amazing grace and love recently?

Renew:

–Please read Psalm 22 and compare it to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John story of Jesus death and resurrection.

–“All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations…They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn–for He has done it.” –Psalm 22: 27, 28, 31  (written hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection).

–“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” –Isaiah 53:5-6 (written 700+ years before Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection).

–“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect.” –1 Peter 1:18-19

April 8, 2020

Holy Week Lessons Learned from Jesus–Bend Low

As we quarantine this Easter week during this COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to let ourselves become fearful. As I focus on the Bible passages from Palm Sunday to Jesus’ death and resurrection, Jesus modeled so many courageous leadership lessons for all of us. One is the example Jesus demonstrates of His humility as He bends lower and lower.

It’s easy to focus on Palm Sunday. The crowd celebrated Jesus as Messiah, waving palm branches and singing “Hosanna.” (Matthew 21:1-11). Jesus rode in on a donkey, the symbol of humility prophesied in Zechariah 9:9. You would think the Messiah would have ridden in on a stallion. Not our wonderful Messiah, not Jesus.

Right after Palm Sunday’s sweet welcome, though, Jesus demonstrated righteous anger at the Temple in Jerusalem. He was upset that the money changers were charging people money for animals for sacrifices. Jesus showed righteous anger and overturned the tables of the money changes. “‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'” (Matthew 21:12-13).  He cleansed the Temple and wants us to keep ourselves pure as well. 

Fast forward to Thursday night. Jesus wanted to celebrate Passover with His disciples. During His ministry, including the last days before His horrible death and glorious Resurrection,  Jesus optimized every moment trying to teach, train and empower his dense, yet teachable disciples. What a Leader, the best Leader of all time. Jesus wanted to ensure He conveyed all He could. In His mind and heart, He knew it was the Last Supper.

In our minds and hearts, it was the First Communion, the first Lord’s Supper. He taught His disciples that the bread is

“My body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19b) That the wine is His “blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28).

How do you feel when you take communion?   If you’re like me, I admit I sometimes take it for granted.  As we quarantine in our homes this Easter, let’s take communion. May we prayerfully savor the bread and cup with deep gratitude each time we are blessed to take communion.

That same Thursday night, in a poignant scene in John 13 of unconditional love and humility, Jesus stooped down low to wash His disciples’ feet. They didn’t want Him to, mind you. Feet are gross. He was teaching them, sweetly, softly, tenderly, what it means to be a servant leader. To bend low to raise others high.  The upside-down leadership pyramid.

“Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” (John 13:16 ESV)

 Reflect:

 

–How would you imagine Jesus riding into Jerusalem as our Messiah?

–Have you considered symbolically washing others’ feet? Are you a servant leader?

Renew:

–“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” –John 3:!6 KJV

Recharge:

–What leadership lessons may we learn from Jesus?

March 17, 2020

And It Was So.

As much of the world is hunkered down with precautions around COVID-19, the Coronovirus, my heart is reflecting on God’s sovereignty. He is in control. He is the Prince of Peace. As we follow protective guidelines, may we also turn our focus on God’s beauty all around us instead.

We welcome the onset of Spring this month. If thrills my soul to see the daffodils, dogwoods, and azaleas budding and blooming. This is my favorite season. To watch life come from death in nature and spiritually with Lent and Easter is exhilarating.

This resurrection inspires my own dreams and what I pray comes to fruition in my own life.

As I read the familiar passage in Genesis 1 and 2 of the Creation, four words pop off the onion-skin pages of my Bible. “And it was so.” I had not noticed these words repeated before now, so prominent. So refreshing. Six times during the six days God created everything, He said it, “And it was so.”

“And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters….’ And it was so.” –Genesis 1:6,7b

“And God said, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dray land appear.’ And It was so.”—Genesis 1:9

“And God said, ‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding see, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind on the earth.’ And it was so.” –Genesis 1:11       

“And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years…’ And it was so.”  –Genesis 1:14, 15b

“And God said, ‘Let the earth broth forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.’ And it was so.” –Genesis 1:24

“And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life. I have given every green plant for good.’ And it was so. And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” –Genesis 1:29-31a.

From the heavens and earth, to creating land and seas, seed-producing plants and trees, sun, moon, and stars, and the animals, God said it into being, “And it was so.”

The same God who spoke the whole world into existence is the same God for you and me today. Isn’t that so refreshing?

What are the dreams you are praying for God to create “and it was so”?

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