Beginning of the (New Kind of) Church

The Ascension of Jesus

"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." Luke 24:50-53

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

"In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." Acts 1:1-9

40 Days

After Resurrection Sunday, the bible recorded that over 500 people have seen Jesus for the period that Jesus stayed before He ascended to heaven.

Prior to that fateful Sunday, Jesus told His followers that it was for their benefit that He was going away. Because He added that unless He does, the Holy Spirit will not come to them, the Holy Spirit will not be sent to them and will not come upon them. And if not, the church will not be built.

The church was thus first started not when Jesus came down, but after He was taken up into heaven.

How?

Before Jesus was taken up, His followers went to the temple daily, to meet with God and give Him honor.

After the promise that they will be "baptized with the Holy Spirit, they eventually stop coming to their old temples and old synagoues.

Temples of the Holy Spirit

Because as the apostle Paul wrote that they were the temple of the Holy Spirit, we, believers in Christ, are the church -- the temple of the Holy Spirit, the House where the Spirit of God dwells in.

Meaning, the Holy Spirit does not dwell (as people in the past have limited Him to) in structures made of stone, but within every believer. Because as Jesus told them, He will send the Holy Sprit to every believer after He left, leaving them not as orphans and without help.

Body of Christ

So since that time, the body of believers -- otherwise known as the body of Christ was and is the church.

Made up of all believers in Jesus Christ, the church started on that day of Pentecost -- that day which Jesus promised when the Holy Spirit first came upon the first believers (otherwise termed as baptized in the Spirit). And this is when they first became "witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and continuing to this day, to the ends of the earth" (including the cyber world).

Jesus told Peter that the church will be built on this rock. Several different interpretations have been made because of this statement, and new extrapolations are still popping up.

But one thing we do know, Jesus is the Rock, and is the foundation, and the cornerstone and upon which the church is built, and is the Head. His believers, is the body. Apart from Him (or His Spirit), His followers can do nothing (even if they are or they think they are doing something).

All the Parts Make Up the Whole Body

Each member of this body of Christ, then until today, is an integral part, each is an individual part, and each having a unique role.

Paul said, in the body of Christ, God has appointed first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, then those who help others, those who are managers, and those who can speak in a number of languages, not because of their own strength but as the Holy Spirit enables.

Which Part Are You?

If you are part of this body of Christ, and in case you still do not know, you need to find out what your role is, and yes, when you do know, to do it.

Church before this consisted of a handful of "selected" people "lording" it over the multitude, who come together on their holy days to sit in the pews and essentially do nothing else but to feel good, give token semblance of gratitude and reverence, do lip service, perform their rituals, drop their donations or do their good deeds and then go back to their usual good old self when they leave the building. This is what we call as religion, or as detractors say "organized religion".

Jesus being taken up to heaven has done away with this old system -- of course not that some who still do or still think of church the old fashioned way are aware of anyway. Jesus actually abolished all their little churchy rules and regulations, plus their long list of dos and don'ts.

The Holy Spirit living in each believer has changed all these. Believers are changed from the inside out. And the process starts when both the mind and the heart have both understood and acknowledged what Jesus Christ has done for them and are assured, and are reassured daily, once baptized by His Spirit.


"For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is,because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

Resurrection Sunday

The Empty Tomb

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked inat the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying." John 20:1-10


Let There Be Light

In the book of Genesis, God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. The Black Shabbat was dark, today there is light. Yesterday it was all hopeless, today hope springs eternal. Yesterday there was confusion, today we see truth.

Yesterday is gone. And today is what we have, here and forever more.

Jesus is Risen

Yes, Jesus is risen. Again all the gospel writers recorded this event. As we just read in John 20, we also see the narratives of Luke, Mark and Matthew in Luke 24, Mark 16 and Matthew 28.

Finally the story of Redemption is fulfilled, just as it was prophesied. And just as it was planned out from since the very beginning (genesis) of time.

It is Done

No one, had known about it, but everything happened had to happen and now, as Jesus Himself said, while hanging on the cross, "It is finished", tetelestai in the Greek, an accounting term meaning “Paid in full.”

And it finally is, today on Resurrection Sunday.

This is the single reason, we now have Christianity in the first place. The only reason, why the ex-Pharisee Saul, converted and believed and became Paul, the foremost Christian missionary who brought the gospel to the world, costing it his very life. This is the only reason, why the original groupies of Jesus -- Peter, James, John and the other James along with many others became the first leaders who watered the first church in Jerusalem, first planted when the Holy Spirit came upon them. And like Paul, up until they gave up their own lives.

This is the only reason, why we are even here having this conversation about a man like no one else before or after Him, a man who once walked among us -- the man, who we already said, either we accept or we reject.

The most polarizing figure in history, whose very name causes people to either worship, or mock and ridicule, or blow a fuse at.

That is, once you get to know who He is or who He claim He is, either you are for Him or against Him.

No in-betweens.

Either you die for Him or you die laughing at Him.

Of course, in either way, we die.

Now except Him who did conquer death and rose again on this Resurrection Sunday, two thousand years ago. And now we get to see the picture of why Peter, Paul and Mary, and everyone else risked their own lives believing and sharing His story -- the story we ourselves either accept or reject.

It's our turn now.  (Now it is indeed perfect timing, that today is April Fools Day <scoff>).


Missed parts of this series?
Click here: Recap of Resurrection Week

Friday Night and Black Saturday

The Burial of Jesus

"As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard." Matthew 27:57-66


Black Shabbat

Everyone was in the Dark

Everyone thought, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Teacher, Jesus the King, Jesus the Lord is now over and done with.

He is dead.

And that Friday night He was buried. The next day is Saturday, and on the surface nothing really happened during this time. For one, the Jews call this period Shabbat, or their day of rest. Not really hard to imagine that nothing happened or was written about it.

And second, the disciples too were silent and obviously grief stricken and disappointed and possibly scared and confused. Only two women, both named Mary were there, along with Joe and Nic (Joseph and Nicodemus - as recorded in John 19).

But Matthew recorded something significant, that the Pharisees and Pilate ordered a guard to be posted, as well as a seal placed at the tomb of Jesus, so as make "sure" that no one is able to get in or out or possibly take the body of Jesus.

So it seems like, Jesus as the Messiah is not yet done.

Even with a lifeless body, His detractors were still afraid of and paranoid about Jesus. Yes, even as He lay dead and buried. And rightly so, because Resurrection Sunday is coming and this is what Christianity is all about. The apostle Paul said, if Jesus has not been raised, then his preaching is in vain and our faith in Him is in vain, and if in Christ we only have hope in this life, then we, of all people are to be most pitied.

So why believe in Jesus anyway, unless what He said was all true, including what had happened on the first Resurrection Sunday.


Next: Resurrection Sunday

Good Good Friday

The Death of Jesus

"From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”(which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:45-54

Continuing with our dissection of the Word for the Holy Week, we had to skip many things that happened prior to Jesus hanging on a tree (the wooden cross), not that they aren't as important, they all are. But Good Friday is mainly about the ultimate sacrifice, by Him becoming a curse for us and Him taking away the sins of the world.

We can spend the entire day today, reading about this and all the narratives leading up to this event, as these are all recorded by all the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
[Read them in Matthew 26 & 27, Mark 14 & 15, Luke 22 & 23, John 18 & 19].

But unless we truly understand why all these things had to happen and what it means to us, all our readings of Scriptures will be like reading any other story book or novel or watching any movie.

In the same way that we can keep on doing the things that we normally do during this time of the year but do we really understand why we do them?

Do We Really Get It?

The first step is to understand what the gospel is all about. And we need to know what we ought to do with this man called Jesus.

Do we accept Him or do we reject Him? There is no in betweens.

Here is a 3 minute video you or somebody you know can watch or view together to try to make sense of all these we are talking about.

Yes, how about you?


Next: Black Saturday

The Last Supper Among Other Things

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

"It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him,and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:1-17


Continuing with our daily devotions for Resurrection Week, today we read about the last supper and other occurences leading up to Resurrection Sunday.

All the gospel writers record the last supper but for today, we read the very short mention by the apostle who Jesus loved -- John.

John did not say much about their last meal with Jesus but instead he focused more on what Jesus did for them that fateful night -- the very last night Jesus was going to have dinner with them, and what He told them regarding many things.

Foot Washing

And this was Jesus humbling Himself by taking up the lowliest service typically done by the lowliest of servants in their time. And He did it to His disciples. He showed them firsthand what He came down to earth for -- to be the lowest of servants, and not to be a King to be served.

Humility

Now, by writing this narrative, John is actually being humble enough to take a dig at himself and his brother James. This after they debated, as to who is the greatest among themselves. And also after he and his brother James asked Jesus to allow them to sit one on His right and the other on His left.

John also showed us that Jesus revealed to them that He is not about titles or positions of glory and that followers are not greater than their leader. Also He showed them that He is only about following the will of His Father in heaven.

We, His followers are to do the same.


Next: Good Friday

Things That Happened And Those Still To Come

Signs of the End Times

“Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”

Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”

He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”

Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.  For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:5-36


On this holiest of weeks, we continue to follow the last steps Jesus took before God's plan of redemption is fulfilled on Resurrection Sunday.

Today, the Holy Spirit still leads us to read and meditate on these passages and to, more importantly, take heed.

He is coming back. And it could be sooner than we think.

Scriptures give us narratives of events that already happened (including those pointing to Him prior to His coming). It also records events that happened after it was written (things that were recorded about Him when He walked the earth among us), plus events that the Scripture writers foresaw, including those already happening in our time and those things yet to come.

In this long narrative above, Jesus was explaining plainly to His disciples, things that they needed to hear before He leaves them. He is talking about the coming destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem and also of the destruction, at the end times.

Spend time reading these daily. Get to know Him more and more.

Talk to Him. Listen.

Walk in the Spirit. And do not forsake meeting together and strengthening one another, all the more as we see all these prophetic events that are still to come, being fulfilled right before our very eyes.

Yes, the future may not be looking so great and His warning to us, is not to focus on these and not to be overwhelmed by life and with its pleasures, diversions and intricasies.


Next: The Last Supper

Jesus Gets Fired Up

Jesus Clears the Temple Courts

"On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city." Mark 11:15-19


Continuing in our Holy Week study, the bible records that Jesus then went to the temple and for the first time becomes so fired up that He overturned tables and benches and halted business transactions in the temple courts.

Business

In order to see the whole picture, we need to understand that the Passover feast or the Festival of the Unleavened Bread is a huge thing for the Jewish nation. Jews from all over, travel to Jerusalem at this time to offer at the temple their passover sacrifices. They buy or sell animals to be offered and they exchange foreign money to do their business transactions. And they go into all other sorts of businesses as crowds of people come and have all sorts of needs and wants, opening up all kinds of money making ventures and opportuities.

Not unlike what we have today, it is not hard to see that after hundreds of years, they too have very much commercialized their holy day.

And worst, the scum comes out of the woodworks to make a quick buck, short changing people, making false sales pitches, making up manmade rules and regulations, raising up prices, and making all sorts of trckery such as manipulating unsuspecting people into buying their animals because theirs are not acceptable to offer as a sacrifice or lowballing sellers while jacking up the prices to buyers.

Businessmen will always be businessmen, and so seeing all these face to face, just broke the heart of Jesus. These evil schemers were profiting off of people's beliefs and traditions, their weaknesses, their current conditions and profiting off God and doing it inside the temple grounds during the time of their feast. All these were just too vile, not to overturn.

Redemption Plan

Besides, He has come to become the final Passover sacrifice. And none of these thieves, robbers and scam artists will ever get a piece of Him, who is able to take away the sins of the world, unblemished and without any defect. God is a God of justice and He whipped up swift justice, right there and then.

While the people were amazed, the chief priests and everyone else who profit out of these schemes just wanted to kill Him all the more. Unknown to everyone, all these are just pieces of God's jigsaw puzzle plan of redemption, all waiting to be completed and put together by Resurrection Sunday.


Next: Things Still to Come

Alabaster Jar of Perfume

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

"Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over." Mark 14:1-11


Memorialized

The gospel of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John all record the story of a woman anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. And both the book of Matthew and the book of Mark recorded that wherever the good news is preached throughout the world, the act this woman has done to Him and for Him; preparing His body for His burial, will also be told and retold. This is why we are reading about this woman once again right here, right now.

This shows that what we do for Him who took our place of condemnation and took away the penalty of our transgressions, He will never forget.

Now, what is ironic about this woman's story, especially if you reread these passages, is that right before she did this selfless act, the chief priest were secretly planning a wicked thing, and right after, Judas started the ball rolling in terms of his part in this evil plan. So these passages also record what they did to the Lord -- making Judas and the priests famous, if not infamous, for it.

Which Side of History Are You On

As far as we are concerned, we can take our pick, on what to do for or with this man, we call Jesus of Nazareth. All of these parties, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, the woman and Judas, all thought they were doing the right thing in their eyes, and the priests probably thinking Judas miraculously falling into their laps, was the "divine" answer to their prayer. The thing here is when you pray for something wicked, the enemy would most probably grant your evil desires, as it too falls within his own devilish plans.

The woman on the otherhand who was rebuked and who everyone else thought was doing a bad thing, will be remembered and exalted because she did not have any evil intention or a personal agenda, apart from denying herself, putting her treasure where her heart is, paying homage to Jesus, and not caring about what other people will say and think about her.

Which Side Are You On

All parties, her, Judas, the chief priests and teachers of the law, and the enemy of our soul, all thought they were doing the right thing. Sadly, in God's eyes, only the one Jesus defended, did.


Next: Jesus Gets Fired Up

Palm Sunday

Jesus’ Triumphant Entry

"The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,

“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of theLord!
Hail to the King of Israel!”

Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:

“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.
Look, your King is coming,
    riding on a donkey’s colt.”

His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.

Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign." John 12:12-18

First Palm Sunday

Like with other things Jesus said or did, riding up to Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, was also among those things even His disciples didn't understand, at least at the time.

But like everything else long prophesied about the messiah, these things have to happen to fulfill all the prophesies written about Him.

Riding in a donkey, being hailed as their King as recorded in all the gospels was prophesied by the prophet Zechariah about 500 years before it happened (Zech 9:9).

But when the prophet wrote this, much like how other prophets wrote theirs, it appears like this was going to happen in their time. In Zechariah chapter 2 verse 10, he also wrote: “Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. -- prophesying the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, 500 years later (John 1:14).

Yes at Zechariah's time, he urged the people to shout and be glad as he wrote that their King was coming. But no one knew it was not for another five centuries.

Yes Jesus was coming, and people then, did not understand. Jesus did come, and people in His time did not understand. 2,000 years later, Jesus came and still people do not understand.

The Big Picture

What connects it all and makes sense out of all these? It is these writings of actual events and prophesies written down and the miracles and the changed lives that happened before and still happening today.

What is missing? Just people who like back then, were experiencing the presence and the power of God and are finally able to see the real meaning, reason and purpose why all these have to happen.

Passover

During the first Palm Sunday, the Jewish people were celebrating Passover, their remembrance of when their ancestors were liberated from slavery and oppression. On the same feast, Jesus was to become the Passover Lamb for the liberation of everyone.

New Zechariahs, and Peters, and Johns and Pauls are being born and still being used today as much as new doubting Thomases and Judases and pharisees and Roman oppressors and their legions and cohorts are.

The question is, as before, when are the people able to "see" the whole picture. And perhaps, like in the days of old, some never will.

Those of you who do, you have this time, the holiest of weeks, to be thankful, be joyful and to remember, to reflect, to share the good news and to sing "Hosanna in the highest".


Next: Alabaster Jar

Holy Week Countdown

Jesus Predicts His Death

"Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:21-23


Leading to the first Palm Sunday, or when Jesus first entered Jerusalem as their King as have been prophesied by the Old Testament prophet Zechariah, the gospels record Jesus predicting his death, even the kind of death, his passion and his resurrection, not just once but several times.

And each time, his disciples either did not understand or worse they did not accept His words.

Misunderstood

This so describes the Lord's ministry. For He has been so misunderstood even by the very people closest to Him. And it has been like that, since the beginning and it's no different today.

So it should feel a little uneasy whenever we hear somebody say, that they know everything about Jesus, or everything that is to know about Him. In fact, it should make us shudder a little bit. For the bible shows that not even his immediate family, his closest disciples, the teachers of the law, the chief priests, the pharisees, or anybody else have ever really totally understood Him. Not even His adversary, who thought he won when Jesus was betrayed, arrested, falsely accused, got beaten up, crucified and died. No, for that was the plan all along, and no one knew beforehand.

No One Knew

No, and it is the same for all those who place their faith in Jesus. Most people will really never ever totally get you. And some, sadly never will. Not until the Holy Spirit opens their hearts, their eyes and their ears.

Today, as we start a countdown to the event that is the central point of the bible, as has been prophesied and foreshadowed in Scriptures for thousands of years -- the Holiest of Weeks. Let us remember, everything has been planned out since the beginning of time. But not everyone will come to this realization and not at the same time or the same rate. When the time is ready for them, they too will understand, not totally but just enough to keep them hungry and seeking for more. And do not worry, like God's chosen people of old, the Lord will drop fresh manna (and fresh meat) -- fresh revelation, for all of us, each and everyday, enough for today and new again for tomorrow.


Next: Palm Sunday