Kenneth Winter's Blog, page 4

Who Gave Jesus the Right?

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It was Tuesday.(1) Jesus had made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Sunday and had cleared out the temple on Monday. The leading priests, teachers and elders were all still stinging from His rebukes the day before. Indignant and combative, there was no question they were out for Jesus’ blood. Up until Monday, they had been fearful of what Jesus was doing and had viewed Him as a challenger to their authority. But His actions on Monday had completely undermined their authority. By shutting down their financial enterprise, Jesus had demonstrated a flagrant disregard for their position. Their fear was now overshadowed by unadulterated hatred. They were now singularly focused on His destruction, trailing Him like bloodhounds driven by hate.

A sticking point for them had always been that Jesus didn’t respect their official authority as the leaders and interpreters of Jewish law and practice. He had never once come to them seeking their prior approval for anything He had done. They had never delegated any authority to Him, and they felt He had been running roughshod over them for far too long. Of all of the things Jesus had said and done, this was His major offense. So, it’s no wonder that as He returned to the temple that morning, their first question—or should i say their first accusation—was a challenge to His authority. “Who gave You the right to do what You are doing?”(2)

Jesus did not demean Himself by directly answering their question. He knew their motive. He knew they did not desire to follow Him; they now sought to crucify Him. They were not seeking truth but were looking for anything they might use to destroy Him. Jesus never rebutted sincere questions from genuine seekers; He always provided genuine answers to sincere inquiries. However, there was nothing sincere about what these men were asking. It was just a part of their plot. Instead, Jesus deftly countered their question with another question, exposing their hypocrisy and their hard-heartedness.

He asked, “I’ll tell you by what authority I do these things if you answer one question. Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human? Answer Me!”(3)

Why did Jesus ask them about John the Baptist? Because John had been the forerunner that the Father had sent to speak His truth to His people. Remember, there had been silence for over 400 years. God had not spoken to His people during that time—until John arrived on the scene to prepare the way for Jesus. And the religious leaders rejected the truth that John spoke.

There is a principle here we need to grasp: God will not teach us new truth if we have rejected the truth He has already given us. The leaders would never accept the truth of Jesus because they had rejected God’s truth through John. If they had received God’s message through John, they would have submitted to the authority of Jesus and the accounts of the Gospels would have looked VERY different. But God knew how they would respond – long before He sent John!

Now the Pharisees had another dilemma. How should they respond to Jesus’ question? They weren’t considering “what is true?” or “what is right?” but rather, “what is safe?” The Pharisees knew that whichever way they answered Jesus, the crowd would turn on them, and their authority, position, and prestige would be lost. So, they refused to answer by pleading ignorance.

In an environment of ever-increasing political correctness, that has become an operative strategy in our day and time as well. Too often, we compromise “what is true” and “what is right” in favor of “what is safe.” How often do we follow the way of the Pharisee instead of following the way of our Master?

God has given us His Word, His gospel and His truth. We have a choice. Do we accept it, or do we reject it? And if we accept it, we cannot compromise it for what is “safe”. His truth is what sets sinners free.(4)Compromised truth is not truth; it has been distorted into a lie. That was true with the Pharisees, and it’s just as true today.

Jesus said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations…. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.”(5) Jesus never required any authority from the religious leaders; He had been given all authority by the Father. The Father gave Jesus the right—it was His “birthright” as the eternal Son of God! And as His followers, we have “the right” as children of God. We have the right—and the mandate—to go and make disciples of all peoples.

We cannot step back. We must press forward under His authority—under His right. And we must proclaim His truth boldly and rightly, which, my friends, will probably not be “safely”. After all, He called us to take up the cross and follow Him, and there wasn’t anything safe about His journey.

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You can read about this interaction between Jesus and the Pharisees in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of Mark.

This post is taken from chapter 5 of my book, Taking Up The Cross. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Mark 11:27-33

(2)  Mark 11:28 (CEV)

(3)  Mark 11:29-30 (NLT)

(4)  John 8:31-32

(5)  Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by LUMO-The Gospels for the visual age on Lightstock

 

Who Dared to Anoint Jesus?

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Our actions are often an accurate reflection of our thoughts about Jesus and the nature of our relationship with Him. But an even more telling indicator is our inaction or our failure to act. Such was the case one night in the home of Simon the Pharisee, who had invited Jesus to dine with him.(1)

We’re not told Simon’s purpose for inviting Jesus into his home. We don’t know if Simon was a sincere seeker like Nicodemus—wanting to truly get to know Jesus, or whether he had some ulterior motive in mind. Regardless, he extended an invitation to Jesus, and Jesus chose to accept. Remember, nothing about Jesus’ journey was random; it was a part of the Father’s plan for Jesus to dine with Simon that night.

In those days, it was customary for outsiders to hover around a banquet in order to watch the “important people” and listen in on their conversations. The dinner did not take place behind closed doors, making it easy for anyone to gain access. However, it is important to note that Jewish rabbis did not speak to or dine with women in public. No woman would have been invited to the banquet, especially not one of ill repute.

We read that the woman knelt behind Jesus at His feet.(2) For those of us accustomed to dining at a table as we sit in a chair, it may be difficult to envision this. However, it makes more sense if we understand that Jesus would have been reclining on a couch, leaning on His arm with His feet sticking out in back. The woman had positioned herself there, kneeling at Jesus’ feet as she wept.

She had brought an offering to Jesus. Not a financial gift—it was far more valuable than money. It was a “beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume.” But of even greater value were her tears. The perfume and her tears mingled as a sweet expression of repentance and thanksgiving to the One who had enabled her to lay down her heavy burden of sin and receive forgiveness. Her weight had been lifted by the only One who could lift it. There she knelt, expressing her gratitude and joy, offering her tears mixed with perfume and kissing His feet as an act of worship.

When Simon saw what was happening, “he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, He would know what kind of woman is touching Him. She’s a sinner!’”(3) Simon’s action was one of revulsion toward the woman and criticism of Jesus. How could she, an immoral woman, dare to do what she was doing? And how could Jesus dare to permit her to do so?

But Jesus knew exactly what Simon was thinking. After all, Jesus never entrusted Himself to any man, “because He knew all people and… He knew what was in man.”(4)

Jesus told Simon this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”

At this point, Jesus acknowledges the woman at His feet for the first time. However, His remarks are directed not to her but to Simon. Jesus reminds Simon that although he had invited Jesus into his home, he had not truly welcomed Him. Simon had not provided water for Jesus to wash His feet, a common courtesy. He had not greeted Jesus with a kiss on the cheek or anointed His head with oil, customary greetings for a guest. Simon, who had the most to offer, offered nothing.

The woman, who had the least to give, gave all that she had. She knew she had much for which to be forgiven and had released that heavy burden to Jesus. Now she offered all that she had in worship and thanksgiving. In contrast, Simon mistakenly believed he had nothing for which to be forgiven, remaining blind to the Savior in his midst. Consequently, he gave nothing; there was nothing in his heart to give. He didn’t give out of thanksgiving and love, nor did he even give out of common courtesy.

And when Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven”, all Simon and his other guests could say among themselves was “Who is this Man, that He goes around forgiving sins?”(5)

The evening ended very differently for the woman and Simon. The woman, who had dared to anoint the feet of Jesus and give all that she had out of a repentant, forgiven heart, walked away in peace, saved by her faith. In contrast, Simon, with his cold, indifferent heart, remained unchanged and dead in his sin.

As we walk with the Master, let us take care not to walk as Simon did—being with Jesus but unaffected by Him. Let us ensure that we’re not merely going through the motions of following Jesus without a repentant and surrendered heart. We must make certain that we’re not just giving the outward appearance of following Jesus when there has been no inward change in our lives. Rather, let us dare to anoint the One who has forgiven our sins and paid our sin debt. Let us dare to show Him the worship, thanksgiving, and love He is due—with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and possessions. Let us not remain unchanged. Instead, let us dare to walk with Him in peace.

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You can read about this interaction in the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

This post is taken from chapter 26 of my book, Walking With The Master. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Luke 7:36-50

(2)  Luke 7:38

(3)  Luke 7:39

(4)  John 2:24-25 (NLT)

(5)  Luke 7:48-49 (NLT)

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Image by Kevin Carden on Lightstock

An Unlikely Witness

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The hour had come. It was very late. Jesus had led the disciples to a garden called Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives so He could pray … and they could pray with Him. Well, He had led almost all His disciples. Earlier that night, Judas had abruptly gone out from the upper room while Jesus was still speaking … apparently sent on an errand by the Master. There had been no sign of him since then.

They had all feasted well—perhaps too well—on the delicious Seder meal they had eaten earlier. Throughout the meal and the hours that followed, Jesus had taught them a lot! It was almost as if He was endeavoring to prepare them something … but they weren’t quite sure what that was. They were tired from listening and from trying to make sense of what He had said. So when they sat down on the luscious green grass in the garden in the stillness of the night, their bodies gave in to their need for rest. One by one they fell asleep.

The disciples were unaware that a teenage boy had secretly followed them to the garden and was hiding in the bushes. Here is his account of the night:

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“I was jolted awake by a loud commotion. Concerned, I peered through the bushes surrounding my hiding spot. It was still pitch black, but I could make out a large group of men with torches advancing up the path from the city.

“‘There they are, just up ahead!’ one of them yelled.

“Surely, this boisterous crowd was not seeking Jesus or His disciples at this time of night! As they drew closer, I realized the throng included Roman soldiers, temple guards, priests, and other men carrying clubs. Then, the face of the man who appeared to be the leader came into focus. It was Judas Iscariot!

“What did they want? Was Judas leading these men to come protect Jesus? And if so, why did he need protecting?

“I did my best to stay hidden as they passed by. If word got back to my mother I had spent the night in the Garden of Gethsemane, she would certainly be angry. I hadn’t really planned to stay this long. I was just curious about what Jesus and His disciples were going to do, so I followed them. Unfortunately, I fell asleep.

“Apparently, Jesus’s disciples had been sleeping too, but they quickly roused as the soldiers unsheathed their swords. Fear crossed the disciples’ faces when temple guards threatened them with their spears and other men brandished their clubs. It became obvious this mob was not here to protect Jesus!

“‘Centurion, tell a few of your men to remain here with these,’ Judas called out. ‘Jesus is farther up the hill. The rest of you follow me as I approach Him.’

“I glanced up the knoll and spotted Peter, James, and John standing a short distance from Jesus.

“Judas walked up to Him and loudly exclaimed, ‘Rabbi!’(1) He greeted Jesus with a kiss—as if he hadn’t seen the Master in a long time—though they had been together earlier that night at supper. Judas was extending a formal greeting for a respected teacher and mentor in contrast to the way Jesus and the disciples usually greeted one another.

“‘Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’(2) Jesus responded.

“Betray! I couldn’t believe my ears! Judas was one of Jesus’s closest disciples. He had been entrusted with managing the treasury of Jesus and the disciples—as meager as it was. Surely he wasn’t seeking to harm the Lord!

“But what happened next confirmed my worst suspicions. The captain of the guard told the temple guards to arrest Jesus. A man standing near the Lord acted like he was going to swing his club at the Master. Peter immediately drew his sword against the man and struck him on the right side of his head. I’ll never forget the sound of that man’s blood-curdling scream.

“Jesus looked at His disciples and shouted, ‘No more of this! Put away your sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask My Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and He would send them instantly?’(3)

“Then I witnessed the most miraculous sight. Jesus reached out and touched the wounded man’s ear. Immediately, the man felt the side of his head and realized Jesus had healed him. He dropped his club and knelt before the Lord.

“The disciples began to scatter in different directions. Peter and John ran up the mount, while the rest scurried down the hill away from the city. I couldn’t believe the disciples were abandoning Jesus! What should I do? How could I possibly help Jesus? I looked around and discovered I was the only one left on the mount with Him.

“What would the mob do if they spotted me? Would they arrest me? I panicked and decided to run. But in my haste, I failed to see the Roman soldier standing nearby and crashed right into him.

“‘What have we here?’ he asked with a menacing snarl as he grabbed me by the back of my tunic. ‘A boy hiding in the bushes! Where do you think you are going, boy? The others seem to have gotten away, but you’re not going to escape so easily!’

“A burst of adrenaline gave me additional strength, and I kicked the soldier in the shin as hard as I could. Caught by surprise, he momentarily loosened his grip, providing me with an opportunity to escape. With the soldier still holding on, my tunic ripped at the seam, and I literally ran out of my clothes. I did not care I was running naked down the hill. All I knew was I needed to get far away from that place and that mob.

“Eventually, I realized no one was pursuing me; Jesus must be the only one they were interested in. I was immediately overwhelmed by the reality of what I had done. Just like His trusted disciples, I also had deserted Jesus. I had followed Him up the hill because I wanted to be one of His disciples. But instead of standing by His side, I had run away in fear.

“I fell to my knees and wept in shame. After a while, I realized I needed to get home before the sun came up. I decided to sneak back up the hill to look for my clothing. The garden was abandoned except for my torn tunic lying in the path.

“I quickly put it on as best I could and headed home. I may have escaped the soldiers, but I would not escape my mother’s wrath. However, that was the least of my concerns at the moment. Jesus’s followers must quickly be alerted to what had taken place, and my mother would know what to do. The religious leaders had not hidden their hatred for Jesus. There was no imagining what they were planning to do next!”

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Many of us are like this unlikely witness. Perhaps we’ve been drawn to Jesus out of curiosity. We haven’t followed Him to the garden where He was betrayed and arrested, but perhaps we too have watched from a “safe” distance trying to figure out what to do next.

God had great plans in store for this young man. He eventually went on to write a Gospel that bears his name—the Gospel of Mark. He has great plans for you as well. Most often, God chooses to use ordinary men and women to accomplish His extraordinary work. That teenage boy had no clue that night how God was going to eventually use him … and i would venture, neither do we. All we need to be is surrendered to Him and willing to be used … just like that unlikely witness.

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You can read about this teenage boy in the fourteenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark.

 

A major portion of this post is taken from chapter 1 of my newest book, A Follower Called Mark, which released yesterday on Amazon. i invite you to read the rest of his story, some of which you may know, and the remainder that could have been. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Mark 14:45

(2)  Luke 22:48

(3)  Luke 22:51; Matthew 26:52-53

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Image by OnTheRoad on Lightstock

A Covenant Renewed

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Does it seem like God is directing you to do something at a time which you believe is most inopportune? Has that still, small voice (the Holy Spirit within you) directed you to do something now that is contrary to what your conventional wisdom is telling you to do?

For thirty-eight of the forty years the Israelites spent in the wilderness, no Israelite male was circumcised.And yet, 470 years earlier, God had entered into a covenant with Abraham and his descendants saying, “I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan …  to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God…. Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised.”(1) God had given a promise to that first generation of Israelites and had entered into a covenant with them. Their part of the covenant was to obey the terms and seal it through the circumcision of every Israelite male.

But something had occurred the second year after the Israelites embarked on their exodus from Egypt. The people broke covenant with their God and rebelled against Him.(2) As a result, a generation died in the wilderness, never experiencing, due to their faithlessness,  the promise God had given them. And God permitted a generation of Israelite males to be raised up in the wilderness without bearing the seal of that covenant. Their wandering in the wilderness was God’s reproach for their faithlessness; now, having just crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land, they were reminded of God’s faithfulness.

As they entered into the land, God’s judgement for their disobedience was now over. He was fulfilling His promise to this second generation.(3) And now God would have the men and boys circumcised as a seal of His continuing covenant with them and the generations that would follow – and theirs with Him. With the first generation, it had been a promise that was given; with this generation, it was a promise that was now being granted. Given, granted and sealed.

But … was now a good time to renew the covenant? Was now a good time to place every Israelite male – age thirty-eight and younger – out of commission for a few days, while their circumcision healed? They had just arrived in Canaan the day before. The eyes of their enemies were watching closely from the hilltops and from behind the trees. The imposing walls of Jericho were only a short march away.

The Israelites knew what had happened over 300 years earlier when two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, came against the Shechemites right after every male in their town was circumcised.(4) The Shechemites did not live to tell about it! Surely it would be best now to heed the outcome of that experience and wait for a “more opportune” time to do this. Why not delay until their enemies had been overcome and the people were settled in the land?

Because God said – NOW was the time!(5)

i should tell you that it was VERY timely for me to be writing the chapter from which this post is excerpted. At the time, i was able to relate with the Israelite men on a VERY minor level. i was preparing to have a minor medical procedure that would most likely result in extreme discomfort. It wasn’t going to be a circumcision – but still it would be a significant interruption! And i was working on a deadline to finish the book which contains this chapter. So i would have preferred not to have the interruption or distraction of my medical procedure. Though it was certainly not on the magnitude of renewing a covenant with God, i knew He had ordered my steps both in having the procedure done – and in writing the book. Therefore, i knew I needed to trust His sovereignty in the timing – and in the intersection of the timing – of both.

Back on point – why would God choose the very day after He led the people into Canaan to renew this covenant through circumcision? Because God in His wisdom knew that this was the very BEST time!

First, He would establish that His people were not governed by ordinary rules of conventional wisdom; rather, they were to function under His direction. Allowing the people to be exposed to a dangerous moment magnified the reality that they were under the protection of His power and His might. The fact of the matter was that the kings of the Amorites and Canaanites were far more fearful of the God of Israel than they would ever be of the men of Israel. And the inability of the people to protect themselves while they healed, magnified His divine care. It was a clear signal and message to their enemies that their security was in God, not in their own strength!

Second, God knew the battles they were facing. He knew the road ahead. He knew that confirming the covenant with them now would provide them the assurance of victory and success that they would need for the days ahead.

Third, unquestionably, it was a teaching moment, that in every aspect of their life – in everything they would do – they must first look to their Lord. Jesus said it – “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”(6) It was a matter of doing first things first!

Lastly, it was a picture of offering themselves, as what the apostle Paul would later describe, as a living sacrifice. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”(7) They knew that even their bodies were not their own. And like their ancestor Isaac, they knew they must be willing to lay down their lives on the altar and walk in holiness and complete obedience to their Lord.(8)

So what about you and i? Are we at a moment in our journey that God is calling us to renew our covenant with Him? More than likely, nothing as severe as a circumcision will be required – but perhaps, He is calling you to do something just as meaningful. Bear in mind, the people didn’t choose the timing, God did. If a renewal needs to take place, it won’t be at your initiation, it will be at His. Remember the lesson of the covenant renewed – if He says now is the time – do not delay! Now is the very BEST time. Allow Him to draw you closer – and make the adjustment to draw closer to Him.(9)

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You can read about the covenant renewed in the fifth chapter of the Book of Joshua.

This post is taken from chapter 11 of my book, Possessing the Promise. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Genesis 17:7-10 (NLT)

(2)  Numbers 14

(3)  Numbers 14:31

(4)  Genesis 34:24-26

(5)  Joshua 5:2-9 (NLT)

At that time the LORD told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites.”

(6)  Matthew 6:33 (NKJ)

(7)  Romans 12:1-2 (NKJ)

(8)  Genesis 22:1-19

(9)  James 4:8

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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On To Our Paran

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After having camped at Mount Sinai for almost a year, the cloud lifted and the Israelites set out on their three-day journey to the wilderness of Paran.(1) (You may recall that the wilderness of Paran is where Hagar and Ishmael found refuge when Sarah had Abraham send them away.(2)) The wilderness of Paran was bounded to the north by southern Canaan, otherwise known as the Promised Land. They were in the fourteenth month of their exodus from Egypt and they were now closing in on the prize that was before them – the Promised Land!

The people that left Sinai were much different from those who had arrived a year earlier. They arrived as a ragtag multitude bound together by the promises of God; they left as an ordered people, united in the presence of God. Prior to Sinai, they had experienced God’s provision and protection, but at Sinai they had experienced His Person and His presence dwelling in their midst. They arrived in Sinai with a self-centered view of God, His promises and His purpose. They left Sinai as the recipients of His Law and His covenant, now having a better understanding of His purpose and His plan for their lives. The Israelites left Sinai, not only having experienced God’s presence, but also having experienced His wrath and His judgment following their errant worship of the golden calf. Prior to Sinai they had witnessed God’s power directed toward their enemies, but now they had seen His power directed toward them and their disobedience—and they had learned to live in reverence and awe of the Almighty God.

As they set out from Sinai, the Mount was behind them, but the Ark of the Lord’s covenant was before them. Though the people would never return to the Mount of the Lord; the Lord of the Mount would continue to go before them. The ark, which had been crafted while they were at Sinai, contained the two stone tablets of the Law—God’s covenant with His people; as well as the golden pot of manna—a testimony to future generations of God’s faithful provision. On the top of the ark was the mercy seat, the place where God spoke to Moses in the wilderness tabernacle—the visible symbol of His gracious presence. The Ark represented the presence and the promises of God that went before His people.

They arrived in Sinai carrying riches from Egypt. While there, God transformed those riches into His wilderness tabernacle—the earthly dwelling place of God. The tribe of Levi arrived in Sinai as one of many. They left Sinai having been consecrated as the servants and priests of a Holy God.

Picture this: the Ark of God’s Covenant goes before them, the Mount of the Lord lies behind them, the Tabernacle of the Lord travels in their midst and the Cloud of the Lord covers them. They arrived in Sinai led by God; they now left Sinai enveloped in His presence—shaded, protected and bounded by His limitless power and grace.

Being positioned in such a way in the presence of God gave them a posture of confidence in the power of God. Sadly, their confidence would be short-lived due to their subsequent disobedience. But now, as they advanced closer to God’s Land of Promise for them, and the ever-closer reality of the enemies that stood before them, they confessed a confidence in the power of God to accomplish His purpose by defeating and scattering those enemies and giving His people rest.

As we journey on to the Paran in our path, we, too, can do so in the confidence that we are enveloped in His presence. We are shaded, protected and bounded by His limitless power and grace. We can be confident that He goes before us to direct our steps, He goes behind us as our rear guard, and He walks beside us to draw us close to Him. He will scatter the enemies before us and yes, He will give us rest.

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You can read about the Israelites’ journey from Mount Sinai to the wilderness of Paran in the tenth chapter of the Book of Numbers.

This post is taken from chapter 8 of my book, TThe Wandering Years. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Numbers 10:11-12, 33-36 (NLT)

One day in midspring, during the second year after Israel's departure from Egypt, the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle of the Covenant. So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on in stages until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran…. They marched for three days after leaving the mountain of the LORD, with the Ark of the LORD's covenant moving ahead of them to show them where to stop and rest. As they moved on each day, the cloud of the LORD hovered over them. And whenever the Ark set out, Moses would cry, "Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!" And when the Ark was set down, he would say, "Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel!"

(2)  Genesis 21:10-21

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Ontheroad on Lightstock

Bread That Is Sufficient

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The day God provided a ram to be sacrificed in the place of his son Isaac, Abraham called that place Jehovah Jireh, meaning “The Lord will provide.”(1) That day was to be a reminder to all generations that the Lord will provide. He will be faithful to provide just what is needed at the exact time it is needed. He is seldom early; but He is never late! He seldom provides in the manner we anticipate; but He always provides in a way that is sufficient. That was true for Abraham and Isaac, it was true for Moses and the Israelites, and it is true for us today.

God promised Moses and the Israelites that each morning He would provide bread that would be sufficient for every person for the day – everyone would have their fill.(2) After the people had gotten over the shock that this “white, flaky stuff” was God’s bread for them, they set about the process of gathering what was needed for their household. God’s provision, though “packaged” in a very unexpected way, came with very specific instructions.

He gave them a specific quantity to collect for each person. Each household was not to collect the same quantity – it would vary based upon the size of their family, but they would receive the same proportion. God reiterated through Moses’ instruction that as each household followed His instruction their need would be fully met – they would have just enough.

God promised that His provision would be unending (until He said otherwise) and would be sufficient for each day – He would meet today’s need today, and tomorrow’s need tomorrow. His provision was assured – not because of what He had provided in the past, but because of what He had promised for the present and the future. And as they followed His instruction, each family had just what they needed, and all that they needed.

Lest there be any confusion, Moses admonished them, “Do not try and horde God’s provision. Do not try and keep any of it overnight.” God’s provision was predicated on His promise and their obedience to His instruction.

There were some who would not listen; some whose trust was in themselves and their own abilities to collect more, consume less and conserve for tomorrow. Are those abilities or actions wrong? No, not unless they are in direct disobedience to God. They were placing their faith and trust in their own ability and not in God, and they were directly disobeying His command. In essence, they were saying, “God, You were able to provide today, but You may not be able to provide tomorrow, so I’m going to help You out.” And the result was the same that occurs whenever we disobey God today – maggots and malodor – the fruit of death and decay.

Wherever you are in your journey – if you are following Him (which incidentally is a VERY important “if”) – God has promised to provide ALL you will need to accomplish the journey. (If, however, you have decided to go your own way, the promise no longer holds true.) But if you are following Him, He has promised to provide in a way that you will know – as will those who are watching you – that He is Jehovah Jireh – the Lord who provides. His provision is a part of His purpose that will lead to His glory. There was no denying the ram caught in the bush, the manna appearing each morning, or the countless ways you and i have seen Him supply just what is needed at just the right time.

If you are His child, He has chosen you to be a vessel though whom He makes His Name known. Therefore, heed the instruction He has given you. Be obedient in all that He has set before you to do. Do not take matters into your own hands. God never said that He helps those who help themselves. That’s the lie that leads to maggots and malodor.

Do not slack from what He has told you to do. Heed His instruction – be faithful and diligent. Remember that His provision is assured – not because of what He has provided in the past, but because of who He is and what He has promised. And if you will trust Him, you, too, will once more find that His provision will be fully sufficient for the day.

* * * * *

You can read about the bread that God provided the Israelites in the sixteenth chapter of the Book of Exodus.

This post is taken from chapter 15 of my book, The Journey Begins. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1) Genesis 22:14

(2) Exodus 16:12, 15-20 (NLT)

"I have heard the people's complaints. Now tell them, 'In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'" …And Moses told them, "It is the food the LORD has given you. The LORD says that each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person." So the people of Israel went out and gathered this food -- some getting more, and some getting less. By gathering two quarts for each person, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any of it overnight." But, of course, some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. By then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell.

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Prixel Creative on Lightstock

Chosen to Serve

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There is no such thing as a perfect church. That statement does not come as a shock to any of us, whether we are a part of a church … or not. However, i do believe that those of us inside the church often tend to want everyone to believe we have it all together. We have a tendency to hide the “real me” behind a mask and cover up the things, the hurts, the doubts, and the imperfections that we don’t want anyone else to see. (It’s similar to the way most of us – believers and non-believers alike – tend to portray ourselves on social media.)

i also believe that those outside the church often project that false impression – that we think we’re perfect – upon the church, and enjoy highlighting the downfall of those within the church when they fall.

No, the church isn’t perfect, but then again, it never has been! But we endeavor to worship, follow, and follow the example of the only One who is and ever was perfect.

Two thousand years ago, the church, at its very beginning, was experiencing amazing growth. In three years, it is estimated that the church had grown to twenty-five thousand men and women. It was a supernatural movement, but it was not pure. The apostles were casting nets into the sea of the world as fishers of men empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Not all of the “fish” who were drawn in were Spirit-filled believers. They all had been gripped by the power of God, but they were not all truly born again. They were all touched by the Spirit of God, but not all were transformed. They were all excited about the supernatural power they were witnessing, but not all had truly been crucified in their flesh. They were all caught up in the movement, but not all had experienced true brokenness for sin or passion for holiness.

There were the likes of the deceitful Ananias and Sapphira in the Jerusalem movement,(1) the power-hungry magician Simon in the Samaritan movement,(2) the doctrinally confused Apollos in the Asian movement,(3)the professing Christians in Ephesus who for some time concealed their black magic,(4) and so on. But none of that should come as a shock to us, since the same is true today.

We also need to be mindful that Satan was never able to defeat Jesus!! So, he turned his attention on trying to defeat His bride – the Church. Satan was never going to sit idly by while a movement of God was taking place. He began his effort by stirring up rumblings of discontent within the body, which then grew into complaints and accusations of discrimination.

At the time, the apostles were doing absolutely everything.  Everyone turned to them for everything, and they realized that they could no longer handle the demands at the level that was needed.  The demands were not being adequately met. And the apostles knew that they could not neglect the Word of God in order to meet the demands.

The conflict initially came to a head in the matter we will delve into this week(5) – between the Hellenists (the Greek-speaking Jews) and the Hebrews (the Hebrew- or Aramaic-speaking Jews), and the failure of the church to properly nurture the Greek-speaking widows. It was a two-fold threat to the movement of the gospel.

First, the system the emerging church had developed(6) to take care of the needs within the body was not working for the Hellenist group. If that failure to properly care for the Hellenist widows continued, the church would fail in loving and caring for one another, the glory of Christ would be diminished in the eyes of the world, and the movement of the gospel would experience a serious reversal.

The second threat to the movement would be if the apostles left their primary calling to the ministry of the Word in order to serve those needs. The felt needs would be met but the advance of the gospel would suffer. The “best” was being threatened by the “good,” not something “bad.” And that is usually the case.

The Spirit of God led the apostles to respond immediately so that Satan could not use the issue to gain a foothold in the growing church. He led the apostles to respond in a way that brought unity rather than further division within the church. The apostles instructed the church to appoint seven Hellenistic leaders (their Greek names tell us their ethnicity), who were trustworthy and full of the Spirit and wisdom, to take care of the need. They delegated the responsibility, enabling the apostles to keep on devoting themselves to the ministry of the Word and prayer. The widows were cared for and the ministry of the Word of God was not forsaken. Both were utterly crucial. Either threat could have undermined the church and ended its amazing growth. The issue was resolved by utilizing the full diversity of gifts and abilities that God had already placed within the church.

Everyone agreed with the solution, and seven men were chosen as the precursors of those who would soon become known as deacons. It is interesting to note that six of the seven men were subsequently used by God in the spread of the gospel throughout Jerusalem, Samaria and the uttermost parts. The exception was Nicolas of Antioch, who later demonstrated that his understanding of the gospel was more syncretistic, being caught up in the fusion of religious beliefs instead of truly entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Of the six who became passionate evangelists, all but Philip were subsequently martyred for their faith, the first of whom was Stephen.

The result of the selection of these seven men was that “God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem….”(7) Attention to the Word of God and the mission of God was not forsaken or diminished. The apostles and the church did not become so inwardly focused that they forsook the mission of Christ, but they also remained faithful to the ministry to the saints. The outcome was a new breakthrough in evangelistic power. Now, even priests, who had been heretofore hostile to the gospel,(8) were responding to the Word of God and choosing to follow Jesus. It is estimated that there were eight thousand priests attached to the Temple in Jerusalem – and now “many” of them were responding. The church had been tested. She had passed the test by nurturing the widows and guarding the Word. And God honored this triumph with new power and fruitfulness.

So, what is the application for us today? First, let us be mindful that our priorities as followers of Jesus have not changed from two thousand years ago. We must never lose sight that we have been charged by our Lord to be His witnesses – to make disciples. It is easy for us to allow other activities to consume our attentions and our energies. However, we must be as passionate as the apostles to stay rightly focused.

And second, we must never lose sight of the ministry opportunities God continues to place before the body today. The same Holy Spirit who placed within the early church seven men who were uniquely equipped to carry out their specific ministry function has also equipped the body today to carry out His ministry purposes. We must remain watchful and obedient to His direction.

God has uniquely equipped each one of us for His purpose, and He has chosen us for His service. God raised up those seven men, including Nicolas, for that hour. We must pray that there are no obstacles – inside our lives or inside the church – that will hinder the work of the Spirit of God through the Word of God in each of our lives and in and through the churches in which we serve, and that the same power that brought thousands into the family of faith two thousand years ago will do the same today – until He returns – in our Jerusalem and throughout the world.

* * * * *

You can read about the selection of these men in the sixth chapter of the Book of Acts.

This post is taken from chapter 18 of my book, Until He Returns. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Acts 5:1-11

(2)  Acts 8:13-24

(3)  Acts 18:24-28

(4)  Acts 19:17-20

(5)  Acts 6:1-7 (NLT)

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

(6)  Acts 4:34

(7)  Acts 6:7 (NLT)

(8)  Acts 4:1, 4

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Water color image by Jacob Abshire on Lightstock

Perilous Times

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We live in a day filled with upheaval, confusion, and uncertainty. It therefore comes as no surprise that the rates of depression, anxiety, and fearfulness about the future continue to reach new highs  among adults in the U. S. according to a Gallup poll published in May 2023.(1) But as followers of Christ, we can take heart that the perilous times in which we find ourselves are also indicative of the days to come that Jesus described two thousand years ago. We can embrace the hope we have through the promises and assurance He gave to His disciples—and through them, to us.

Jesus was sitting on the slopes of the Mount of Olives with His disciples telling them about the perilous times that would signal the end of the age and His return.(2) The disciples, in turn, asked Him three questions:

1.    When will all this happen?

2.    What sign will signal Your return?

3.    What sign will signal the end of the world?

In answering their questions, Jesus provided them (and us) with knowledge that should lead to an understanding and a holy fear regarding the coming judgement of God. There should be a terror that rightfully grips the human heart when it contemplates God’s judgment on sin. The apocalyptic revelations are a warning to all mankind about the end result of sin and that we had better be prepared for the Lord’s return. It is a warning to non-believers to repent or they will suffer God’s judgment, and it is a warning to those of us as followers of Christ to live our lives in a worthy manner.

As He talked through those events, Jesus subsequently came to the most perilous of those times which are triggered by what He and the prophets called “the abomination of desolation”.(3) As Matthew made note, the prophet Daniel recorded the coming event as follows:

“The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”(4)

The event will occur halfway through the seven year period of the Great Tribulation that will immediately precede Christ’s return. At the beginning of that period, a man portraying himself to be a man of peace (the anti-Christ) will rise to a position of power across the entire world. His arrival and the resulting abominations are being restrained until their proper time by the Spirit of God. But in His time, He will remove His hand of restraint. During the first half of the anti-Christ’s seven-year reign, he will establish a treaty of global peace and will blindly be accepted by most. But halfway through, his true nature will be revealed. He will set himself up to be worshipped and destruction will be poured out across the earth. The apostle Paul wrote:

… on that day “… a great rebellion against God {will arise} and the man of lawlessness {will be} revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. … And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the One who is holding it back steps out of the way.”(5)

The “abomination of desolation” will herald a time of danger for those who live in Judea that will occur so quickly that as soon as one hears of it, they should flee immediately without stopping to make any preparation. The ramifications will be global as the world enters into a time period of three and a half years of unprecedented destruction and desolation, so severe that it ‘has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”(6)

Daniel described it further: “Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come. The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed, but only until the time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place. He will have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god loved by women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses—a god his ancestors never knew—and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and expensive gifts. Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward.”(7)

And this false Christ and his “false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”(8) But Jesus warns for His elect not to be deceived by signs and wonders, for they are but counterfeit imitations of God’s power. When Jesus returns, there will be no question that it is Him! At the appropriate time, according to the Father’s timetable, He will return in all majesty and power. “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”(9)

But before He returns, “all the rulers and their armies {will gather} to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.”(10) And the awful carnage that results from this battle will result in a massive field of death that Jesus depicts when He says, “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”(11)

At this point, let me stop and take a moment to talk about why i have included this posting as a part of a series of postings that talk about the truths we need to know to live out our lives as followers of Jesus. The reality is that it has everything to do with it!

We follow a Living Savior who has promised to return! We may still be here to be raptured with the church just prior to these “end of the ages” events, or we may have already stepped into eternity before those events unfold. But until then, we need to live and follow Him with the full anticipation, hope, and expectation of His soon return. This is not hypothetical, futuristic prophecy that doesn’t apply to us. Jesus is talking about the day we live in. The wilderness we are walking in is surrounded by the world events that are rapidly unfolding toward that day of His return. Let’s not become so myopic with our own personal journeys that we miss the bigger picture.

And second, let’s not miss the bigger purpose! Sin destroys. The enemy deceives. We live in a world that is in a free fall toward death and destruction. God will return to judge His creation for our sin. And His judgement will be eternal damnation. BUT Jesus saves—and only He alone!

As His followers, He has entrusted us with that message of salvation. The very circumstances we are walking through in our perilous times today are but a platform through which He will make His Gospel message known and bring glory to Himself. That’s why He has left us here to follow Him! And that’s why He wants us to understand what lies in the path ahead.

Yes, perilous times lie around us … and even more so ahead… but the cross and the empty grave lie behind. Let’s be faithful to carry the cross, proclaiming the Good News of the empty grave as ambassadors of hope so others can escape the perilous times that are ahead.

* * * * *

As i’ve already mentioned, you can read about this particular conversation between Jesus and His disciples in the twenty-fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.

This post is taken from chapter 19 of my book, Taking Up The Cross. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  news.gallup.com – May 17, 2023

(2)  Matthew 24:3-31

(3)  Matthew 24:15

(4)  Daniel 9:27 (NLT)

(5)  2 Thessalonians 2:3-7 (NLT)

(6)  Matthew 24:21 (NLT)

(7)  Daniel 11:33-39 (NLT)

(8)  Matthew 24:24 (NLT)

(9)  Matthew 24:27 (NLT)

(10) Revelation 16:16 (NLT)

(11) Matthew 24:28 (NLT)

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by LUMO-The Gospels for the visual age on Lightstock

His Face Was Set

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The New King James translation of Luke 9:51 says “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Jesus to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” The timeframe of this particular journey recorded in Luke 9(1) was well over a year before Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. He still had much yet to do, messages yet to preach, and miracles yet to perform. But in this verse, Luke is reminding us that Jesus never lost sight of why the Father had sent Him. No matter what was on His “to do list,” His face was always set, His eye was always focused, and His stride never wavered from His ultimate purpose.

Sometimes, as we remember the events of Holy Week, we can fall into a trap of thinking that Jesus’s crucifixion was the result of Judas’s betrayal, the Sanhedrin’s envy and hatred, Pilate’s spinelessness, and the soldiers’ cruelty. We can be lulled into thinking His death was involuntary. And salvation was the result of God taking something that the enemy meant for evil and using it for His glory and our good.

Now, don’t misunderstand me, the enemy had evil intentions. But Jesus’s death on the cross was not God’s afterthought resulting from the enemy’s plan. The cross was a part of the Father’s redemptive plan from the very beginning. As John Piper wrote, “Jesus was not accidentally entangled in a web of injustice. He was the very embodiment of His Father’s love for sinners.”(2)  And the cross was to be the instrument of that mission.

Luke tells us that Jesus knew that the time was drawing near, and He “steadfastly set His face” toward thatmoment that would occur at that place. Jesus later said, “No one can take My life from Me. I sacrifice it voluntarily…. For this is what My Father has commanded.”(3) His face was set to fulfill the mission that the Father had given Him.

In the course of this particular journey in Luke 9, Jesus and His disciples were taking the direct route through Samaria. In previous posts, i have talked about the enmity that existed between Samaritans and Jews, and the normal practice for Jews to bypass Samaria in their travels. But Jesus was not making any detours. Obviously the Samaritan village He was approaching was not Sychar (the village in which he had previously encountered the woman at the well). If it had been Sychar, they would have rolled out the red carpet of welcome.

But this unnamed village in Samaria would do no such thing. Jesus’s fame was spreading throughout the region, including reports that He was the Messiah. The Samaritans who lived in this particular village apparently thought that Jesus “was on His way to Jerusalem” (the location of the Jewish Temple) to establish His kingdom – an earthly kingdom. They took offense that He did not plan to establish His kingdom in Gerizim (the location of the Samaritan’s temple). Therefore, they had decided they would not show Him any hospitality in their village. Thus they refused to grant Jesus entry.

James and John, the “sons of thunder,”(4) took this affront toward Jesus very personally. Bear in mind that the two of them, together with the rest of the disciples, still also thought Jesus was going to declare Himself an earthly ruler and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem. Though Jesus had already told them about His upcoming death, the disciples still did not understand.

For James and John, this particular journey to Jerusalem was a victory march. The Conqueror was going to Jerusalem to claim His reward – and the disciples were part of His conquering army. Who did this insignificant Samaritan village think they were – and how could they possibly treat the Messiah in such a way? James and John were ready to wipe them off of the face of the earth! Quite possibly they even thought that word of the village’s destruction would get to Jerusalem before they arrived—and Jerusalem would tremble! Great plan… only, it was the wrong plan, and Jesus rebuked them, before they simply went to another town.

Let’s stop and apply this. The disciples had a mistaken view of what their journey was all about. They still had a wrong view of the Kingdom and of Jesus’s mission. Therefore they had a wrong view of their role as His disciples in the Kingdom. If Jesus’s mission was to judge, then the disciples’ role would have been to execute judgment. However, if His mission was to be a sacrifice for the salvation of the lost, before He comes again to reign in glory and in power, then their role was to follow Him and be His witnesses for the salvation of the lost. The former road leads to position, prestige and power; the latter to the glory of the Father by way of Calvary.

What James and John had to learn, you and i must also learn. Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem is our journey. If He has set His face to that mission, we must set our face to follow Him in that mission. Be careful that you don’t get lulled into a notion that Jesus suffered and died so that we might have comfort, treasure, and privilege on this side of eternity. Earlier in Luke 9, Jesus had already taught, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.”(5)

Following Jesus is a journey on the Calvary Road. As John Piper also wrote, “When Jesus set His face to walk the Calvary Road, He was not merely taking our place; He was setting our pattern. He is our substitute and our pacesetter.”(6) The Calvary Road is not the road of material prosperity; it is a road of selfless sacrifice. It is a road on which we are to follow Him wherever He leads and however He leads. It is a journey that is characterized by loving our neighbor – whoever they are – and making disciples – wherever they are… and all else is loss.

We must be careful that our hearts haven’t become hardened like that village in Samaria, failing to grant any room or place in our lives to Jesus. But also, we must make sure that our focus is not like James and John, sanctimoniously conveying judgment and spiritual piety – and failing to be about the Father’s business. Let us set our faces like the Master on His mission and follow Him on His Calvary Road.

* * * * *

As i’ve already mentioned, you can read about these particular events in the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

This post is taken from chapter 41 of my book, Walking With The Master. For more information about the book, click here.

 

(1)  Luke 9:51-56 (NLT)

As the time drew near for Him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for His arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because He was on His way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village.

 

(2)  He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem by John Piper

(3)  John 10:18 (NLT)

(4)  Mark 3:17

(5)  Luke 9:23-24(NLT)

(6)  He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem by John Piper

 

Copyright © 2024 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Watercolor portrait by Ontheroad on Lightstock

Thomas (A Story of Guilt and Shame)

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NOTE: This week, just like last week , as we prepare for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, i want us to look at the events leading up to those days through the eyes of the second of two of Jesus’s disciples. But in so doing, i want us to see how the sin they both harbored in their hearts kept them from seeing the truth of God in those events.

Too often, the sin we harbor in our hearts keeps us from seeing God’s truth. Instead of confessing our sin, we justify it, and thus we fall headlong down the slippery slope. This week let’s see if we can learn from the second of the two men who despite his personal walk with Jesus became blinded to truth. And let’s see if we can learn from him.

Though elements of the story you are about to read are fictionalized, the ultimate truth it reveals is very real!

* * * * *

My name is Thomas and I have a twin sister, Gabriella. She and I grew up in the town of Capernaum, along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Our father was a fisherman, so it will not surprise you to learn that I also grew up to become one, and my sister became the wife of a fisherman. As a matter of fact, you are well acquainted with my brother-in-law – Simon Peter, another apostle of Jesus.

After my father died, I went to work with my brother-in-law and his partner Zebedee. Gratefully, my wages enabled me to provide for my widowed mother, as well as my own meager needs. I was one of the fishermen who remained with Simon and Zebedee while Andrew and John left to follow the baptizer. And I continued to remain with them when Philip and Bartholomew also left to join Andrew and John in following Jesus.

But I will never forget the day that Jesus told Simon to take his boat back out from the shore and cast his nets. I had been working alongside him on the boat throughout the night. We had nothing to show for our labor. We had called it a night and had finished mending and cleaning our nets when Jesus gave Simon those instructions. I was in the boat with him when suddenly the nets became weighed down with fish. We both thought the catch was going to sink the boat. I’ve heard it said that seeing is believing, and I truly believed that day!

When Simon Peter and James announced that they, too, were leaving to follow Jesus, my heart was already compelling me to do the same. Gabriella had decided that she and her daughters would be moving to Capernaum to live with our mother. Simon and Zebedee assured me my mother would be well cared for. There was nothing to prevent me from being obedient to what my heart was telling me to do. I got out of the boat and followed Jesus that day – not so much by faith, but with a confidence that the details had already been worked out.

In the weeks and months that followed, I saw Jesus perform one miracle after another. I saw people who had never before seen receive their sight and people who had never before heard receive their hearing. But there was one night in particular that stands out for me above the rest.

We were in a boat crossing the sea when a storm came up. Peter called out to me, “Go wake up Jesus, and tell Him that we’re about to sink in this storm. We need Him to help bail water!” I made my way to where Jesus was sleeping soundly despite the storm. I reached down and shook Him awake saying, “Teacher, don’t You care that we’re going to drown?”(1)

As Jesus opened His eyes, He looked at me and saw the fear on my face. He looked at the waves crashing over the sides of the boat as He stood up. I reached to hand Him a bucket so He could help bail water, when suddenly He said with a booming voice, “Silence! Be still!”(2)

At first, I thought He was speaking to me! But suddenly the wind stopped, and the waves calmed. We all stood there with our mouths open in awe and disbelief. Jesus looked at us and said, “Why are you afraid? Have you been with Me all of this time, but still have no faith?”(3)

I heard my friend Bartholomew softly say what all of us were thinking: “Who is this Man that even the wind and waves obey Him!”(4)

Jesus lay back down and slept the rest of our journey. I don’t think any of us spoke another word until we arrived at the shore. I know I didn’t. I continued to marvel at what I had just seen!

But even that paled to what we witnessed a few months ago. We were wintering in Bethabara when we received news that Jesus’s friend Lazarus was sick. We had been avoiding travel to Judea because we knew the religious leaders were plotting against Jesus. So, we were glad to hear that He did not intend to travel to Bethany. Or so it appeared, until two days later when He announced that Lazarus was dead, and now He intended to travel there.

That did not make sense to any of us. And why had He said, “For your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there?”(5) He was going to go to Bethany. Lazarus was already dead, so He wouldn’t be able to help him. And He would be walking into the lair of those who were plotting to do Him harm. There was nothing good about this plan.

In case you haven’t realized it yet, I am the pragmatist in this group. A situation has to make sense to me before I will act. And this didn’t make sense! But, I am also a follower of Jesus. I truly love Him with all of my heart. When I chose to follow Him that day on the shore, it was with all of my being. If the storm comes up and the boat sinks, I am prepared to die with Jesus. If the religious leaders send their guards to arrest Him, I will go to prison with Him. If He places Himself in harm’s way, I will be there with Him, right by His side. So, that day, I said to the rest of the disciples, “Let’s go, too – and die with Jesus.”(6)

You’ve heard about the miracle. You know what happened. In obedience to Jesus’s command, Lazarus walked out of the tomb that day. No one died as I had feared. Rather, the dead came to life! I don’t know if I would have believed it if I hadn’t seen it. But I saw it with my own eyes!

A few weeks ago, the night before Jesus was arrested, we could tell He was trying to prepare us for something. We had no idea what it was, but we all felt uneasy. He kept saying that He was going away. Our minds were preoccupied with the thought that Jesus was about to establish His kingdom. With His triumphal entry into Jerusalem four days earlier and His cleansing of the temple the next day, we were certain the time had come. He was going to take the Messiah’s rightful place on His throne, and we – His trusted companions – would join Him as leaders in His kingdom. But now He was talking about going away! Why would He do that? It didn’t make sense to any of us!

As usual, Jesus knew exactly what we were thinking. He said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”(7)

I looked around the room and everyone seemed befuddled. Jesus wasn’t making any sense, so I spoke up. “No, we don’t know, Lord. We have no idea where You are going, so how can we know the way?”(8)

Jesus answered me, saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.”(9)

I’d like to tell you that Jesus’s response made everything clear for us – but at the time, it did not! It made us even more confused. He was talking about going when we thought He was going to stay. At that moment, we had all become somewhat pragmatic, and we wanted to know what practical steps He was going to take to establish His government. But instead, He was telling us spiritual truths that we could not comprehend. Only later, would we realize He was preparing us for the events that would begin to unfold that very night.

By the time we arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, we were mentally and emotionally exhausted. Even though Jesus asked us to stay awake and pray, we all immediately fell asleep … until our greatest fear came to fruition. They came to arrest Jesus! One by one we awoke as the mob came upon us – soldiers with their spears, servants with their clubs, and Judas leading them all.

I saw the other disciples begin to scatter, and soon I was following them. I was almost paralyzed with fear, just like that night in the storm. We were all going to die! And now they had arrested Jesus, so He couldn’t help us. I was the one who had said, “Let’s go – and die with Jesus.”(10) And now when I was faced with that possibility, I was running away. I thought I loved Him with my whole heart, but I was abandoning Him! Peter and John took off in one direction, the rest of us headed for Bethany.

When we got to Lazarus’s home, I stayed by myself. I could not face anyone. As the day continued, the news kept getting worse. By nightfall, we learned that Jesus was dead. His body had been laid in a tomb. Jesus had always turned defeat into victory, but now He had been defeated – or so it seemed.

Was this what He was trying to prepare us for the other night in the upper room? Somehow, the words I remembered Him saying were not comforting my troubled heart. Jesus was dead. I had abandoned Him. And all of my hopes had been dashed.

For the next two days, I hid out in an isolated place in one of Lazarus’s vineyards. I needed to think about what to do. Where would I go? What would I do? I had never believed this could happen. I was drowning in my own self-pity, and it was driving me away from everyone else.

On Sunday, I heard excited voices. Some of the women were saying Jesus had risen from the grave. He had spoken to them – or so they said. We were all to meet at sunset in the upper room. I could not bring myself to go. I could not face the others. I knew they, too, had scattered, but my shame had become all consuming. I did not truly believe Jesus had risen from the grave; but if He had, I could not face Him. My shame crippled me, and I stayed hidden in the vineyard.

The next day, my brother-in-law Peter came looking for me. He told me that Jesus had appeared to them all in the upper room. He was alive! Peter went on to explain how Jesus had appeared to just him earlier in the day. He said Jesus had forgiven him. Peter had run away like the rest of us on the night of His arrest, but he had been so afraid he also denied even knowing Jesus. And yet Jesus had embraced him and forgiven him. “He’s forgiven you, as well,” Peter added. “He’s forgiven us all!”

Part of me wanted to believe Peter. I wanted to believe Jesus was alive. I wanted to be forgiven. I’m not sure if it was shame or denial that refused to accept his word that Jesus was alive. But I said, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side.”(11)

Sadly, my shame and skepticism robbed me from experiencing the joy of seeing Jesus for eight more days. It wasn’t until the following week, when this time I was present with my fellow disciples, when Jesus stood before us.

Jesus declared, “Peace be with you,”(12) followed by a rebuke directed at me. It was a truth I needed to hear – and one I would finally embrace from that day forward. He said, “Don’t believe simply because you see; believe because of Who I am and what I have said!”(13)

Later that evening Jesus told us to make our way to Capernaum and wait for Him there. It would give many of us an opportunity to see our families. After we had been there for a day, Peter decided we needed to go fishing. He enlisted the other fishermen in our group to join him – Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, the brothers James and John, and me. We had all grown up on the sea and fishing was “in our blood,” so we were easily persuaded. We would fish all night, then rest throughout the day. The rest of our group slept each night and found other ways to pass the time in the village each day.

One morning, we had been out on the sea all night with no success. Suddenly, a Man on the shore called to us and told us to throw out our net on the righthand side of the boat one more time. Even though we didn’t have any idea who He was, something told us to obey. As we did, the fish struck the net, just like they had that day in Bethsaida when Jesus told Peter to do the same thing. Suddenly, we all realized who the Man was, prompting John to exclaim, “It’s the Lord!”(14)

Peter jumped into the water and made his way to Jesus. The rest of us brought in the fish then sailed for shore. When we reached Jesus, He was already cooking some bread and fish over a charcoal fire. He told us to bring some of the fish we had caught and add it to the rest. He was preparing breakfast for us. Soon, all of us were gathered there with Him around the fire.

Jesus was getting us ready to go out into the world and share His Gospel message, making disciples who would in turn make other disciples. He even used breakfast that morning to illustrate the point. We were like the fish He had already prepared on the fire. He had called us and taught us, but now there would be others who would be added through the work He would do through us – just like the fish we now added to the fire. He would show us where to cast the net; we would pull it in.

After breakfast, Jesus turned to Peter and asked him, “Peter, do you love Me more than these?(15) Do you love Me above all others? Do you love Me in a way that causes your love for everyone else to pale in comparison?”

I could tell Jesus’s question caught Peter off guard. He hastily replied, “Of course, I love You, Jesus. How could You think otherwise?”

But then Jesus asked him a second time. This time his response was in greater earnest, wanting to leave no doubt of his love for Jesus. When Jesus asked him a third time, it was obvious Peter was deeply wounded by the question.

“Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You,”(16) Peter replied.

Peter wanted to assure Jesus he loved Him with all of his heart, soul, and mind. But why did Jesus keep asking the same question? And then it dawned on me – we all knew Peter had denied Jesus three times on the night of His arrest. Though Jesus had already forgiven Peter, He was now restoring him to his position of leadership among us.

In many ways, this conversation was for our benefit. Peter was confessing His love, and Jesus was confirming Peter’s responsibility as “the rock.” Jesus was asking Peter to confirm his love once for each time he had denied Him. Jesus knew we all needed to hear Peter confess his love that way.  

In response to each of Peter’s answers, Jesus replied: “Feed My lambs,” “Take care of My sheep,” and “Feed My sheep.”(17) Jesus was not only publicly restoring Peter to his apostleship and leadership, He was reminding each of us to be not only fishers of men, but also shepherds of His sheep – caring for them, protecting them, and nurturing them.

Then He turned His attention to all of us, telling us we each have a path He has laid out for us to follow. We are to keep “our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.”(18) He cautioned us not to be distracted by the people who surround us or the events unfolding around us. We are to persevere to the finish.

Jesus lingered that day and spent time with each one of us personally, just as He had done with Peter. It was afternoon when He invited me to walk with Him along the shore. “Thomas,” He said, “the Father gave each of you to Me. Each of you – except Judas – has repented of your sin and each of you belongs to Me, and all who are Mine belong to the Father.

“I am now preparing to go, but I will send My Spirit to empower you, guide you, and direct you in all truth. For a time, I will not be with you physically, but I will never leave you nor forsake you. Use the practical mind the Father has given you to nurture My sheep in the way they should go as they follow Me and obey My commands. But never forget to hold onto My truth even when you can’t yet see it. Trust me and follow Me in all that I have shown you.”

Later that evening, Jesus departed. A short while later we were gathered in Bethany, just as He had instructed us. It had been forty days since He had risen from the grave. One hundred twenty of us were gathered on the hill that day. As the One who stood before me began to rise into the clouds, I knew I would see Him again … because believing is seeing!

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As a reminder, this is a fictional depiction of true events. The explanation i have given for Thomas’s absence from the upper room the night of Jesus’s resurrection may or may not be correct. i find it hard to believe he had another engagement – or something more important to do. Thus i believe it was guilt and shame that kept him away. Guilt and shame – and faithlessness – can have a debilitating effect on our lives as well. We, too, must confess them and receive forgiveness from Jesus!

Parts of this story line are taken from the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, however, certain fictional events or depictions of those events have been added.

This story is excerpted from my book The One Who Stood Before Us , a collection of forty short stories. The complete collection is available through Amazon in standard print, large print, for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy.

You can listen to an audio recording of this story by tuning into this week’s episode of my podcast by CLICKING HERE

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In multiple instances the dialogue in this story comes directly from Scripture. Whenever i am quoting Scripture, it has been italicized. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

(1)  Mark 4:38

(2)  Mark 4:39

(3)  Mark 4:40

(4)  Mark 4:41

(5)  John 11:14

(6)  John 11:16

(7)  John 14:1-4

(8)  John 14:5

(9)  John 14:6

(10) John 11:16

(11) John 20:25

(12) John 20:26

(13) John 20:29 (paraphrase)

(14) John 21:7

(15) John 21:15

(16) John 21:17

(17) John 21:15-17

(18) Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV)

 

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