"The Servant King"

“The Servant King”

 

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.”          John 13:3-7

 

In the Middle Eastern part of the world, foot-washing was a custom that people used for their guests.  Many walked LONG distances on foot, and their paths were DIRTY and DUSTY.  So the SERVANTS of the house, would come and wash the DIRTY, DUSTY, HOT feet of their guests, this was an act of courtesy.  This act of FOOT-WASHING that Jesus did for His disciples, however, was a lesson in HUMILITY, something they NEEDED to apply in their own life.  They had just been discussing who would be greater in the Kingdom.

 

Jesus KNEW where He came from and where He was going back to.  He left the GLORIES of Heaven and laid aside His DIETY, and picked up the role of being a SERVANT.  Then the KING of kings, HUMBLED Himself, and ALL through His ministry, He carried out the role of SERVANTHOOD.  This was a lesson, He wanted His disciples to learn, before He was to carry out the WILL of His Heavenly Father.  His death was imminent, and the act of foot-washing was a HUMBLING of one’s character, which the disciples NEEDED, and Jesus wanted them to LEARN this lesson, before His departure from earth.

 

It must have been a very QUIET, JAW-DROPPING moment, as the disciples watched their LORD take the towel and wrap  it around His waist, then pick-up the basin of water and proceed to WASH the feet of each disciple.  If their LORD washed their feet, then they should wash each other’s feet.  However, Peter’s mouth got in the way of his LEARNING this important lesson.  He was shocked that His LORD wanted to WASH HIS FEET, and so he said to Jesus:  “Lord, are you going to wash MY FEET?”  And Jesus replied, “You do NOT realize NOW what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 

 

Peter, again let his MOUTH get in his way; “No,” said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.”  Jesus answered, “Unless I wash your feet, you have NO PART with Me.”  This was a picture of the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus.  Basically, it is this way, “If you reject the CLEANSING POWER of the blood of Jesus, you are NOT a PART of Him.  Have you SURRENDERED yourself to the CLEANSING POWER of the BLOOD of Jesus?  Are YOU a PART of Him?

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT a PART of the Body of Christ.  But you are dabbling in the MUDDY water of SATAN, and will spend your ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to be CLEANSED by the BLOOD of Christ Jesus, you must be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS, your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be TOTALLY CLEANSED by His BLOOD, and put into action your SERVANT HEART.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Hosanna---Save Now"

“Hosanna---Save Now”

 

Lord, save us!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD.    Psalm 118: 25a-26a

 

Psalm 118 is PROPHETIC in nature.  It gives us a prophetic picture of Jesus Christ, as the SACRIFICAL LAMB, who takes away the sins of mankind.   Let us see this picture from the Psalmist’s prophetic view.

 

Please keep in mind, these are PROPHETIC and were written way before they came about.  In verses 25a and26a, we see the Triumphal Entry of the Messiah.  In Matthew 21:9 it tells us:  “The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted; “Hosanna to the Son of David!”  “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

 

Verse 27 of Psalm 118, says: “The Lord is God, and He has made His Light shine on us.”   John 3:19-20, says:  This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.   Jesus said:  “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows Me will NEVER walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12.)  This clearly speaks of the REJECTION of a LOST and DYING World towards Jesus Christ, their ONLY HOPE to be RESCUED from an ETERNITY in HELL.

 

Verse 17, says, “I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the LORD has done.”  Here we see a picture of the DEATH and RESURRECTION of Christ. We KNOW that Jesus DIED, because in John 19:33-34 it says that when they came to Jesus and found Him DEAD, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.  This is indication of death.  But He DID NOT STAY DEAD!!  In three days the Father RESURRECTED Him from the grave, and He is ALIVE in Heaven, sitting at the RIGHT hand of Father God.   An EMPTY TOMB is evidence that JESUS IS ALIVE!!

 

The ones who followed Jesus into Jerusalem and shouted:  “Hosanna, to the Son of David!”  “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  “Hosanna in the highest Heaven!”   They were saying:  “SAVE us NOW, Son of David!”   They were crying out to Jesus for their SALVATION.  Has there been a time when you have cried out to Jesus to SAVE YOU NOW.

 

If you have NOT cried out to God for the SALVATION of your soul, then you are headed for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that JESUS died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and come out of the DARKNESS and into GOD’S LIGHT.  And spend your ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  SO cry out, “HOSANA to the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.  Do it NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

 

"A Joyful Crowd"

“A Joyful Crowd” 

 

Now He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen.     Luke 19:37

 

It was the beginning of the week, before Jesus would face His SACRIFICAL DEATH on an old rugged cross, which was a SHAMEFUL and HORRID way to die.  Nevertheless, He was OBEDIENT to Father God, even to such a DESPICABLE DEATH.  And He did this because of the LOVE that God has for mankind.  It was the ONLY WAY for mankind to be able to become RIGHTEOUS and have SALVATION.  Also to be able to have FELLOWSHIP with the HOLY, RIGHTEOUS God.

 

As He made His way through the path down the Mount of Olives, there was a CROWD of DISCIPLES or (followers), who began to PRAISE God JOYFULLY with a loud voice.  Evidently, they were the BELIEVERS from Galilee.  There were different groups of people that made up the Passover crowd.  The Judeans, who were curious and suspicious of Jesus.  The Galileans who followed Him.  And there were those, from other areas, who did NOT KNOW who Jesus was.  It was primarily the “Jerusalem Jews” who were coerced by the priests, and they wanted Jesus to die, and so they all yelled: “CRUCIFY HIM!”  

 

But the Galilean BELIEVERS were filled with JOY as their MESSIAH came down that rocky path.  They were so filled with JOY that they began to SHOUT out.  HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID! HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD IS THE BLESSED ONE!  HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN.  They spread their robes and PALM branches on the road, as a sign of RESPECT and HONOR.   When He entered Jerusalem, the city was SHAKEN, and asking “Who is this?” Some would answer; “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!”  Blinded, they did NOT recognize Him as their King, the SAVIOR of the WORLD.  Is He YOUR SAVIOR and KING?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are His enemy and are destined to an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  You are NOW given the opportunity to CHANGE your DESTINY and ESCAPE HELL.  To do that you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be one of the JOYFUL CROWD, because JESUS is YOUR SAVIOR and KING.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Bridge"

“The Bridge”

 

For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!  And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.   We have now received this reconciliation through Him.          Romans 5:10-11

 

There is a GREAT chasm that separates mankind from God, that chasm is SIN.  Mankind is SINFUL and UNRIGHTEOUS, God is SINLESS and RIGHTEOUS.  So we, mankind, have been SEPARATED from our Creator God, and the destiny of SINFUL, UNRIGHTEOUS, mankind is to spend ALL of ETERNITY in Hell, the place of everlasting HORRORS, and there is NO WAY of ESCAPE.

 

That is NOT the END of mankind, God’s plan is; to put into place, a BRIDGE that will give those who are WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM their sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ETERNAL BLESSINGS.  The BRIDGE is the ONLY ACCESS to GOD, the BRIDGE is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Then plans for the BRIDGE to be put into place, included the SACRIFICIAL DEATH of Christ.  The ONLY ONE who is ABLE to RECONCILE fallen mankind with Holy God.  This came about, and sinful mankind, who would willingly leave their sinful lifestyle, and cross the BRIDGE to a RIGHTEOUS RELATIONSHIP with God are given the status of not ONLY God’s friends, but His Children, who will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. 

 

They are able to do this, when the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD comes to them and MOVES in their HEART, CONVICTING them of the guilt of their sins, and LEADING them to the BRIDGE, Jesus Christ, who closes the gap, and PROVIDES the WAY to SALVATION.  Have you CROSSED the BRIDGE?  Are you God’s FRIEND or His ENEMY?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are His ENEMY, and you are headed to an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to ESCAPE Hell, you MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.   You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and CROSS the BRIDGE to a RECONCILIATION with God, and be made RIGHTEOUS, because He is RIGHTEOUS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

 

"The Hatred of the World"

“The Hatred of the World”

 

If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you.        John 15:18-19

 

Having a relationship with God results in having to ENDURE the HATRED of the world.   If you did not have a genuine relationship with God, then the world would love you as its own.  And you would belong to the world.  But if you have given your HEART and LIFE to God, and are a FOLLOWER of the Lord Jesus Christ then you belong to Him, because He has chosen you out of the world, and has paid the ULTIMATE PRICE for your FREEDOM.

 

Since the birth of Christ, the world has HATED Him.  Remember when Herod, the Great sought to kill Him.  The world, society, has been under the power of Satan, since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden.  And the HATRED and HOSTILITY towards God, seems to be escalating, the closer we get to the END of the AGES.  

 

When Jesus began His ministry, He did not find favor with the religious leaders of the day.  They HATED Him so much that they wanted Him DEAD.  Many of them were false teachers, and only had THEIR best interest at heart.  Jesus, the LIGHT of the world, was illuminating their dark, evil deeds, and exposing their false teachings.  He was a THREAT to their way of life.  And they wanted Him GONE permanently.   They worked beautifully into God’s plan for the SALVATION of mankind. 

 

God used them as a means of Jesus becoming the SACRIFICIAL LAMB.  They did NOT take Jesus’ life, but He GAVE His life WILLINGLY, He PAID the RANSOM for mankind, with the shedding of His PRECIOUS BLOOD for the SALVATION of mankind.  But He did NOT STAY DEAD!!  In three days He DEFEATED DEATH and CAME OUT of the grave, and is NOW at the RIGHT hand of  FATHER GOD, in Heaven, ever making intercession for His Children.  Since then SATAN and the WORLD has had an INTENSE HATRED for God and His Children.

 

But that HATRED will ONE DAY come to an END.  And ALL the BLESSINGS and GLORIES of Heaven will belong to God’s Children.  There will be NO MORE PAIN, HEARTACHE, DEATH, SEPARATION, SADNESS, GRIEF, DEPRAVITY, HATRED, or SINS.  But there will be JOY UNSPEAKABLE, UNENDING LOVE, and an ETERNITY with JESUS CHRIST, our LORD.  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to GOD, you are destined for an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order for you to ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, you MUST be WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE, become one of His CHILDREN, and spend your ETERNITY in Heaven.  Do this NOW, while you still can.   He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"Take Up YOUR Cross!"

“Take Up YOUR Cross!”

 

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 9:23

 

It’s that time of year, when some of us look towards the CROSS of CHRIST, and meditate on what the CROSS means to us.  Some who makes a PROFESSION of FAITH, takes the CROSS of CHRIST very seriously, some take the CROSS of CHRIST, not so serious, and then you have those who give it little if any thought at all.  What does the CROSS of CHRIST mean to you?

 

Jesus wanted His disciples to REALIZE the COST of being His DISCIPLE.  Shedding His precious BLOOD on the cross, was a very serious thing.  The purpose of the CROSS, was that, there HAD to be the SHEDDING of the BLOOD of a PERFECT LAMB, one without blemish, before there could be REDEMPTION for mankind.  And Jesus, who was without sin became the PERFECT SACRIFICIAL LAMB.  He was OBEDIENT to God, even to His death on the cross.

 

So those who come to Him for their SALVATION, the FORGIVENESS of their sins, and wants to be His disciple (follower) MUST first DENY themselves, meaning to DIE to SELF, and LIVE by FAITH in CHRIST JESUS.  This constitutes, your WILLINGNESS to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and to TURN TO GOD, and LIVE by His law.  

 

To TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, DAILY and FOLLOW Him, means to DAILY LIVE for Him and to OPENLY PROFESS what you POSSESS.  SALVATION is God’s gift to you, and DISCIPLESHIP is your gift to God.  It SHOULD NOT be taken lightly, but SHOULD BE LIVED out by FAITH.  It is NOT an EASY road to take, but the BENEFITS are worth the COST of DISCIPLESHIP.  

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then the road you have chosen will lead you to an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  In order to get on the road that will lead you to an ETERNITY in Heaven, with ALL its BLESSINGS, you MUST DENY or DIE to yourself and TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY to LIVE by FAITH in CHRIST JESUS.  To do this you MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.   You MUST ACCEPT God’s gift of SALVATION, and be willing to DENY yourself, and to TAKE UP YOUR CROSS and FOLLOW JESUS to an ETERNITY in Heaven.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!

"The Good Shepherd's Prediction"

“The Good Shepherd’s Prediction”

 

“The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life---only to take it up again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.  This command I received from My Father.”       John 10:17-18

 

In Jesus’ discourse of the Good Shepherd, He predicts His coming death four times.  In verses eleven, fourteen, seventeen and eighteen.  In His analogical parable, He references a SHEPHERD and his SHEEP, but the SHEPHERD is no ordinary shepherd, he is the GOOD SHEPHERD, the one that is willing to LAY DOWN or DIE for his SHEEP.   

 

The Good Shepherd is Jesus and His Sheep are the people, the ones He came to SEEK and to SAVE.  When He calls their names they COME to Him and FOLLOW Him. He cares for them and protects them.  He is WILLING to VOLUNTARILY DIE for them.   

 

Father God, has a SPECIAL LOVE for Jesus, because of the SACRIFICIAL ACT of OBEDIENCE that Jesus had in VOLUNTARILY SACRIFICING His own life for mankind.  The GOOD SHEPHERD, took on the role of becoming the SPOTLESS, SACRIFICIAL LAMB, which takes AWAY the SINS of ALL mankind.  All because of the LOVE of the GOOD SHEPHERD for His SHEEP.

 

But the SACRIFICAL LAMB, didn’t stay dead.  He was RESURRECTED from the grave, because of His POWER over DEATH and the GRAVE, He had AUTHORITY over His DESTINY.  He was NOT the VICTIM of a MOB, but is the SACRIFICIAL LAMB that takes AWAY the sins of the world. 

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are a LOST sheep that is DESPERATELY in NEED of the GOOD SHEPHERD.  He came and WILLINGLY VOLUNTEERED to DIE in your place, to SAVE you from an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  If you are reading this NOW, He may be using this as a means of CALLING your NAME, in order for you to come to Him for the SALVATION of your soul.  In order to do this, you MUST be WILLING TO TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  Then ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION and let Him be your SACRIFICIAL LAMB and your GOOD SHEPHERD.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!