CRUCIFIXION BEFORE GLORY??

Jesus has led His disciples all the way to Caesarea Philippi and told them:                    

“...upon this Rock I will build my ‘ekklesia’ [church] and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

Are the disciple impressed? Or were they thinking...               

‘Big deal! At least He’s finally admitted to being the Messiah.           

Where to from here?                                                     

Jerusalem?? To suffer and be killed?...then rise on the third day??        

You’ve got to be kidding!’ (Matt 16:21-28)

Peter is not impressed – at all!  It looks like he now grabs ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’  - maybe by the arm (from Gk: proslambano: take aside) and gives him a piece of his mind!! (from Gk: epitimao: censure/rebuke).

How did Jesus answer?...

“Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence to me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”

Whamo! – take that!

Is this what Jesus meant?

So what does the Catholic Church now say?                                    

“Peter will remain the unshakeable Rock of the Church...the bishop of the Church of Rome, successor to Peter, is head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ and Pastor of the universal Church on earth.”

Does that sound to you like taking up your cross to follow Jesus Christ the Rock?

Yes guys, you heard right. Crucifixion lies ahead! 

AT THE GATES OF HELL!

Jesus takes His disciples all the way north to Caesarea Philippi.   
(Matt 16:13-20)                                            

Whatever for??                                                                         
No self-respecting Jew would dare come near this place... obscene fertility orgies would be held here at the ‘Gates of Hell’ where water once gushed out of this rocky cave!                                                                        
Perhaps there’s an important announcement coming, but first up...          

“Who do men say that I the Son of Man am?”                              

(Wow, that’s a bold claim: the right to universal dominion!)                                  Matthew has already told us Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) but now Simon is sure –                                                                                

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God”

To mark the moment Simon is named Peter, meaning ‘a stone’ (petros), then...  

“...upon this Rock (petra) I will build my ‘ekklesia’ and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

This probably seems no big deal for these disciples...                     

‘You’ve brought us all the way here, just to tell us this?’                                      

We know this is the first reference to the Church (ekklesia) but already they are ‘an assembly of men called out’... and why should they feel threatened by the gates of hell?  
So far the only surprise for them is Peter being given authority with ‘the keys of the kingdom of heaven’.

Before we move on... Who or what is the Rock?                                  

Is it really Peter, like the Catholics so boldly claim?                                

Apostle Paul spells it out for us... “that Rock was Christ”               

...and later, Simon Peter agrees... “Ye also, as lively stones...” while Jesus Christ is “a rock of offence”

Where to from here?                                                                                            
Could Jesus possibly build His church - any church - on Peter?...NEXT! 

IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR GENTILES?

What a contrast!...                                                           

A Canaanitish woman has just shown her great faith in the Lord as Son of David, then some 10,000 people have climbed a mountain for Jesus to heal and feed them with just 7 loaves and a few small fish.                                                  

Now we have antagonists – Pharisees and Sadducees - joining forces to trip up Jesus by demanding a sign from heaven. (Matt 16:1-12)

Hello??  We all know...

    Red sky at night – sailors delight.                       

Red sky in the morning – shepherds warning! 

What does Jesus give them? A sign from the depths of the ocean instead – the prophet Jonas - vomited out to go preach to Gentiles!...after 3 days and nights in the whale’s belly.

How that must have stung! Religious Pharisees are too ‘special’ to welcome Gentiles, while rationalist Sadducees would ridicule God’s ability to bring Jonah back alive.  It’s time to abandon (kataleipo) them.

Even the Jewish disciples are rebuked as ‘ye of little faith’, forgetting that Jesus could easily feed more people with less bread and fish and still produce left-overs. 

As the hymn says: ‘O God, thy grace no limit knows’

What was that sign from heaven?  
Grace!...yup, undeserved favour.                

Perhaps there’s hope for Gentiles yet?

HOW MUCH GRACE?

What do you make of this?... (Matt 15:29-39)                  

Jesus has returned to Galilee from an arduous trip to the coast. The highlight?... a Canaanitish mother of a demon-possessed girl was met with undeserved divine grace, rather than being shunned as a pathetic puppy dog.                          

Is there any more grace to spare for others?                    

Let’s see!...

Huge crowds of people follow Jesus and fling down their crippled loved-ones at His feet. 

Why?...because they’re tired of carrying them all the way up this hill!                           

Not only does He heal them, He then feeds maybe 10,000 people with just a handful of loaves and a few little fish.

How many loaves? Seven (7)                                     

How many spuris (capacious picnic baskets) FULL of left-overs?                                       

Seven (7)...obviously this prime number is a favourite with God!

No - there’s no limit to divine grace. The sad part is that they glorified the God of Israel, not realizing He was sitting right there in front of them!

What would you have done?

"O WOMAN, GREAT IS THY FAITH"

Why does Jesus now wander off to the Mediterranean coast?                                   

Is He looking for some well-earned R&R? (Matt 15:21-28)                                          
Here comes the highlight of his visit, in fact...                                                            
This is a turning point!....just watch who He meets there...

The mother of a Canaanitish demon-possessed girl.

Who could possibly be more unlikely to benefit from the Messiah’s visit than these females, in an area once settled by Canaan’s descendants who are despised by Jews as cursed!                                                                                                   

They are at the bottom of the barrel – the dregs of human society.

This woman honours Jesus for who He is: “O Lord, thou Son of David”                  

As a Jew, He sees her as nothing but a puppy dog (Gk: kunarion) looking for crumbs off the table and dismisses her with:                                                     


“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”

She then does what no Jew had done...           


...came and worshipped Him saying: “Lord, help me”

Would you beg in worship at the feet of this Jew?

"YOU HYPOCRITES!!"

Well, look who’s shown up...scribes and Pharisees.  (Matt 15:1-20)           
How far have they come?                                                                  
Maybe 150kms - just to berate Jesus over eating with ‘dirty’ hands!           


What about that other tradition you guys uphold?...                               
...get out of providing for your parents by giving money (to the temple).

Yup, it was just 5 words that helped me realize the cult I grew up in was wrong to teach me to not honour my dad:

“Honour thy father and mother”

So what’s the root of the problem?                                                                     
The sinfulness of Man...                                                      

Mr. Two Faced Hypocrite

murders (Commandment #6), adulteries/fornications (#7), thefts (#8), false witness (#9), blasphemies (#3)

...hang on, we missed one...          
Have you ever had an evil thought? (#10)

"I AM"

Woah! Whatever is happening here? (Matt 14:22- )                                              Jesus has just fed thousands of hungry people with just 5 fishburgers before sending them  on their way.  

Now the real King is praying.  What humility and dependence!

Meanwhile His disciples are trying to row against a Sea of Galilee storm for most of the night, until these grown men cry out in fear, seeing their Master... walking ON the sea!  

Notice what He says...

“Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid”                                              

...in other words: “Take courage, I AM [‘ego eimi’] fear not”

"Why did you doubt?"

What does Matthew remember about this trip?...                                 

Peter lost faith and nearly drowned trying to walk on water but then the ‘I AM’ came aboard to quieten the storm and...                                                       

...all on-board worshipped Jesus as ‘the Son of God’!

This is the only time we hear of Jews collectively prostrating in worship of Jesus as Son of God.

                                                                                            
What is the message for the coming storm of the Tribulation detailed in The Revelation?  

“Fear not”

Did you say TWELVE??

Herod has just executed John the Baptist - on the quiet mind you - so the real King goes public, very public!  (Matt 14:15- )                                                                                                                                                

Have you ever tried feeding maybe 15,000 people with just 5 loaves and 2 fish, without making a fool of yourself?   No wonder the disciples were directing their Master to tell everyone to go feed themselves. Guys: “Give ye them to eat”!           

All four gospel accounts (that’s double witness: 2x2) tell us how Jesus fulfilled this prophetic psalm:                                                                                                                          
‘I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread’. 

Crumbs!....‘they did all eat and were FILLED!’                                                  

What about leftovers?

Anyone for seconds?                                                           

Yup, 12 kophinos pleres - small travel baskets FULL! 

What would the 12 disciples have made of that?

Do you think the rightful King could possibly feed all 12 tribes of Israel?...with everyone filled and some left over?  Amazing grace, huh!

NEXT: http://guvsdesk.blogspot.com.au/2017/10/i-am.html

JUST FEEL THE LOVE!

Israel has failed to receive their Messiah as King, so let’s see who is on the throne...

Herod Antipas isn’t content with a quarter of his father’s kingdom – he’s now won his half-brother’s wife too. He’s not going to let some pesky preacher-man get in the way so locks up John the Baptist.  After all...“Love is love!”...aint it??   (Matt 14)                                                                                                               

Salome wows Herod

From all accounts it’s not so simple for Herod though – he dare not execute a prophet but how long can he keep John locked up for?                         

(He listens gladly to John while having to closely guard him from Herodias)                                                       

   

Remember Jesus said: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence...”                                    

Finally she gets what she wants – John’s head on a platter. 

What a tragic king!...from incestuous, adulterous and ruthless royalty.   

He knows John was a just and holy man so now he’s worried God has raised a beheaded man from the dead!                                                              

How does the rightful King respond to hearing his cousin lost his head?   

Jesus just goes bush and compassionately heals more sick people.               

Is He about to show even more compassion to people under brutal Herod?...NEXT

IS JESUS A REAL PROPHET?

It’s still Sabbath in Matthew 13, but... there’s no rest for the Lord of the Sabbath! 

Let’s see if Jesus is a real prophet - without honour...or is He just a carpenter’s son?                                             

With Israel failing to accept Him as Messiah, He distances Himself from the crowds on the shore...        

Why does He speak to them in parables?     

"...this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing , and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart..."

The crowds don’t really get it, they’re not really listening or understanding so only get to hear 4 of these 7 parables (Jesus explains only 2 to His disciples)...

• Sower of seed                                     The Word of the Kingdom

...and now 6 more about the Kingdom of Heaven starting with the world view:

• Wheat & tares                                             Christendom
• A tiny seed grows into great tree             Global influence
• The leavened loaf                                       Truth spoiled by heresy

...and now 3 bonuses: God’s own view just for the disciples:

• Treasure in field                              Redemption costing ‘all that He hath’
• One pearl                                         ‘One pearl of great price’: the true Church
• Net of fish                                         Judgment: ‘wicked from among the just’

How’s that for a ‘heads-up’ on the future!

What about you?  “Have ye understood all these things?”                                       

Are you hearing the word of the King, understanding it and bearing fruit for Him?

NEXT... http://guvsdesk.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/just-feel-love.html

SPIRITUAL BATTLE

Matthew hints that Gentiles will get a look in, while Jewish leaders plot to kill Jesus...

What’s so special about this case, Matthew?... Here comes a man - blind, dumb and devil-possessed.  As usual...  ‘Jesus heals him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw”   ch 12:22-                                                                        

The man looks healed but has Jesus forgotten to deal with that devil?... or is this a sign easily missed?                                                          

The people wonder if Jesus is ‘Son of David – the rightful King, but Pharisees claim His power comes from Beelzebub, prince of devils.                                        

No, this Jesus is ‘greater than the temple...greater than Jonas...greater than Solomon’!       

Here we have good versus evil, Satan versus the Holy Ghost... a spiritual battle alright.                                                                         

Make up your minds, folks!   Yup, “...the kingdom of GOD is come unto you”     

“He that is not with Me is against Me...”                                              

They missed the last sign, so...    
“Master, we would see a sign from thee”            

Okay then...    Just like Jonah, “the Son of Man shall be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”.        

Afterwards, Jonah preached to who??    

GENTILES... just like the Queen of Sheba who came from afar.

As for Israel, since the Babylonian Captivity she has abandoned idols and is now ‘empty, swept and garnished’.    Soon ‘the last state... shall be worse than the first’!

This is a spiritual battle now... so it’s open to ‘whosoever’ to be Christ’s brethren.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

CRUNCH TIME!

Hey, what’s going on here??...                                                                                            
‘The Pharisees held Council against Him, how they might DESTROY Him’                   
So Jesus dives for cover?  NO!    (Matt 12:14-15)                                                                                        
‘...great multitudes followed Him, and HE HEALED THEM ALL!’

Whatever has Jesus done to deserve this?                       
All He had to do was.... push ‘the Sabbath’ button. 
How?...just by letting His hungry disciples eat some ‘corn’, then telling a man: “Stretch out your hand”.

Hang about...                                                                  
There’s nothing in Mosaic Law to say Jews have to go hungry on their day of rest - especially if you are their rightful King!                                                                            

More than that...
This Man is even greater than the temple!                                                                        
He is the Son of Man with universal dominion!                                                                  
He is Lord of the Sabbath!...... “I will have mercy and not sacrifice”                            

So who is showing the mercy here?                             
They’d rescue a sheep out of a hole but rather see a man’s hand stay withered??

Yup, it’s crunch time alright!  Maybe Gentiles will accept the Messiah?

What about you? Do you honour Jesus as Lord and Saviour?


NEXT... http://guvsdesk.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/spiritual-battle.html

CHANGE OF FOCUS

The disciples head off to minister to Israel... but Jesus goes to Galilean cities!              
Is He hinting at a change of focus? (Matt 11)

Meanwhile poor John languishes in prison, knowing only too well what Jesus is doing...   “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?”                         
'Go tell John again’...   Blind see, lame walk, lepers are cured, deaf hear... and don’t forget the bonus.... Dead are raised! The poor hear the gospel!  

 

 

So who is this Man who leaves His friend and cousin in jail?                                 

Matthew reminds us too... Christos (the Messiah)                                                             

So who is John? Is he a wimp or a softy?...maybe a prophet?                                    

More than that... John was God’s personal announcer!

“Behold I send My Messenger before thy face...”                                                       

The kingdom of heaven is not being received though - it is experiencing violence as John well knows, after being despised for ‘having a devil’. Now Jesus is despised as ‘a glutton and wino’, friendly with the riff-raff.  ‘I just can’t win with you guys.’    

Imagine living in Bethsaida, Chorazin or Capernaum: so blessed having ‘God with us’!  

Well, those cities are just a pile of ruins today.

What now?                                                                                                                                

“He that has ears to hear...”  Is that you He’s speaking to?

“Come unto Me...I will give you rest...take My yoke upon you...learn of Me...”

Interested?


NEXT... http://guvsdesk.blogspot.com.au/2017/09/crunch-time.html