November 15

Final Discourse - John 15:1-27, 16:1-33, 17:1-26

Why is John the only one to record these teachings, these final words to His apostles?

What precious words as they walk together as they have walked together so many times with the Lord speaking and teaching and they not fully understanding and He knowing and loving them still. He has so much to say, so much comfort to give, so desperately wanting them to know that it must happen and that there will be good and joy come from this moment. What an intimate and powerful portrait of the last moments of God among us. A moment of love so soon to be interrupted by blood and hate and shame but ultimately victory. What did they remember and think on from this last walk before they hid in the shadows and watched Christ's walk to the cross? He walked to find and name them. He walked to teach them. He walked to the hill with the cross to save them.

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Then Jesus prays for them and He prays specifically for me, that my following him will be further fulfillment of who He was and is. And so it is.

Lord knows.

November 14

The Upper Room - Luke 22:14-39; Matthew 26:20-35; Mark 14:17-31; John 13:1-38, 14:1-31

The institution of the Lord's supper is such a brief passage, so quick and matter of fact. Did they realize the real significance? Did they focus or were they lost in their own thoughts and conversation around the table? This is not really Christ's last supper - with this fully assembled group, yes. But He will appear to some of them on the shore and eat fish with them after His resurrection. Eating fish cooked over a campfire with Christ, outdoors - Now that's my idea of a last supper.

With the washing of the apostles feet, Jesus again shows them the proper role of leaders rather than that modeled by the religious leaders of the day. Judas is there. He hasn't fled yet. What transpired between Christ and Judas as Christ humbles Himself to wash His betrayers feet? Did the intimacy fill Judas with shame or did it blind him with a rage that Christ could not be the messiah, the king that would free them militarily, if He took such a vulnerable and humble position? What happened while Jesus washed his betrayer's feet? What passed between them? What looks? What electricity and foreboding as they touched?

And now, as the moment for our betrayal approaches, Christ gives us this new commandment: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

Simon is ready to lay down his life for Christ's. But what he is asked to do is live for Christ and that is far more difficult as Simon's denouncement will soon prove.

And then comes one of the most comforting verses in all the New Testament, a promise of a place and isn't that what we're all searching for in this world? A place and love. And here it is.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:1-4

What a powerful act of love - the condemned is comforting those He leaves behind.

Before they go to the Mount of Olives, they sing a hymn together. I wonder what the words to that song were? What clues did it give? Wouldn't it be powerful to know that song? To sing the song that Christ sang?

Lord knows.

November 13

Final Week - Tuesday Afternoon - Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; Mark 14:1-2, 10-11; Luke 22:1-6; Final Week - Wednesday - Luke 21:37-38, 22:7-13; John 12:37-50; Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16

What did Judas know? Did he know he was condemning Christ to death...or just arrest? Did he act on his own or did the devil enter and control him? Or had he given himself up to evil so completely that he already ceded his will to satan? What does that feel like? I shudder even with the question.

Jesus prepares for His death...by teaching. Every day He is teaching in the Temple and every night he teaches on the Mount of Olives. And then there is this startling verse:

"Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in Him." [John 12:37]

They saw the signs and still didn't believe. Of course...we see the signs and still don't believe.

Lord knows.

November 12

Discourse of Future Events - Matthew 24:1-51, 25:1-46; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36

It's hard to say anything bad about service. In fact, the whole world acknowledges sacrifice and service.

Some say Christ's prophecies have been fulfilled. Others, that they have yet to be fulfilled. Hopefully the apostles He was talking to knew. I don't. I know only that He wanted us to be watchful and prepared for the end.

People look with scholarly interest to the earthquakes and wars and "the abomination that causes desolation" that some feel will herald the end of the age or earth. I'm more intrigued by this simple warning:

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap."

We live in an anxious age, a time when worries of global warming and the stock crisis might weigh us down and move us to find solace in escape. We need to look only to Him.

Jesus closes his warnings with the plea for service. No one can fault service. Even the non-Catholic admire Mother Teresa and well we should. The apostles have come to Christ wanting to know about the end of the age and perhaps His ascendency and He points them instead to the hungry, the thirsty, the naked and the imprisoned and asks how have they served them? That's all we should concern ourselves with. Instead of our scholarly pursuits to answer the great questions, we should study how best to serve. [Matthew 25:31-46]

Which is the best testament to Christ - our intimate knowledge of the word or putting it humbly in practice? Service presumes you know the word well enough that you embody it.

Lord knows.

November 11

Final Week - Tuesday Morning - Matthew 21:20-46, 22:1-46, 23:1-39; Mark 11:20-33, 12:1-44; Luke 20:1-28, 20:39-47

You can buy a widow's mite pendant today from the Jerusalem Gift Shop for only $27.95...or you can honor her spirit and teaching and give the money to God. Go figure.

What do I think about the power of prayer? Really? When I pray for the sick, do I believe the Lord will heal them? Do I say the age of miracles has passed and then pray for healing? But Jesus says with prayer I can throw the mountain into the sea. [Matthew 21:21-22] My prayers aren't quite so bold. And, perhaps, that is the problem. As He prepares to leave, He arms them with prayer.

When Jesus tells the parable about the murderous tenants [Mark 12:1-9], the chief priests and Pharisees know He is talking about them. Are they amazed by His knowledge of their minds and hearts? No. They only plot the more to do away with Him. When confronted, do we acknowledge or try to silence that which contemns us?

Trap after trap they spring on Christ - the chief priests, the elders, the Pharisees and even the Sadducees. Jesus condemns the religion of elitism, legalism, injustice, hypocrisy and persecution. And aren't these the natural traps that all religions organized and run by man falls into. They try to spring traps on Christ while they have already try fallen into the trap of religious power and stature and establishment. Jesus instead points to the humble, the lowly of title and place, those with little to give -- the widow and her last pennies given. Who are the Pharisees and Chief Priests in our midst and who are the widows offering their mite...or should it be widow's might?

Lord knows.

November 10

The Triumphant Entry - Sunday John 12:12-16; Matthew 21:1-11, 17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; Final Week - Monday Matthew 21:18-19, 12-16; Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 12:20-36

Some people see Jesus in this x-ray. It seems like we're looking for Him everywhere. But the right places.

Jesus comes into Jerusalem. Can you imagine the irony He is feeling and how His knowledge must plague Him? Yet He doesn't bristle and rail and fume and condemn. He is so popular the rulers fear. But on both Sunday and Monday, He escapes the city at night and returns to Bethany. It must have been a special place for Him with Mary and Martha and Lazarus there. Their friendship was surely a source of strength as was His Father in these last days.

It is all going so quickly now as you read it. But did it drag on hour by hour, day by day, word by word from His apostles so poignant with meaning imbued by foreknowledge.

Lord knows.

November 9

The Final Journey -- Matthew 19:3-30, 20:17-28; Mark 10:2-45; Luke 18:15-34, 19:1-10; Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43, 19:11-28; John 11:55-57, 12:1-11; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9

Wow, the pressure and antagonism leading up to Christ's last week on earth are amazing. He has the religious leaders plotting against Him, trying to trip Him up and questioning him at every turn. At the same time, his closest apostles are arguing over who is the greatest among them.

How refreshing Zacchaeus reaction to His teaching and Mary's loving outpouring of perfume must have been. Zacchaeus succeeds where the rich young ruler failed. He gives up his possessions to follow Christ. You wonder what all of these minor characters to the Christ story must have felt when they see Jesus murdered. You wonder about the rest of their stories.

Ahhhh, and here it is, I suggested it in my last commentary - they do plot to kill Lazarus because he his living, breathing proof that Jesus is the Christ and has power over death. lol So what made them think if they murdered Lazarus that Jesus would let him stay dead? I'm sure the thought crossed their mind.

Lord knows.