Luke 3:15-22 ~ added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

Photo Model of Herod’s Jerusalem Palace - Fortress in the northwest corner of the Upper City walls.

Monday, July 04, 2011 -
Jerusalem visitors had a rare opportunity to visit the Kishle prison inside Jerusalem’s Old City. King Herod’s palace fortress was used for a police station; constructed on the site and guarded by three towers. After the Romans destroyed the palace, the Tenth Roman Legion encamped on the site. In the 1800s, the Ottoman rulers constructed the present prison and the British continued its use, also the Jordanians, and the Israelis have as well. According to the AP article, the jail has never been open to visitors.


Luke 3:15-22

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”


"His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Why in the world didn't Father God rescue John the Baptist. John asked Jesus again, from prison, if Jesus was the Messiah after bravely giving his testimony. We all can be afraid in dire circumstances. Peter was rescued. Paul was rescued from a snake bite and a shipwreck. Why did the Children of Israel languish 500 years in Egypt. Three different Emperors of the 2nd Exile in Babylon promised freedom. Joseph had a similar problem with suffering.

Lawrence Alma-Tadema, a Dutch born, British painter. 

Isaiah 53:5

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

Genesis 41:9-14
Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, "I remember a promise I failed to keep. 10 Some time ago when Pharaoh was angry with his servants, he confined me and the chief baker to the captain of the guard's prison. 11 We both had dreams the same night. Each dream had its own meaning. 12 A young Hebrew, a slave of the captain of the guard, was with us. We told him our dreams, and he told each of us what they meant. 13 What he told us happened: Pharaoh restored me to my position, but he hung the baker on a pole."

14 Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and immediately he was brought from the prison. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came in front of Pharaoh.

We learn the answer in Galatians, Paul is the author with the Holy Spirit. An answer to the difficulty of suffering.

Galatians 4:4
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

We also learned of the Law giving Mary a bumpy time. Jesus was to fulfill the law. And spoke of the fulfilling.

John 4:21-26
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”


Isaiah 49:8
This is what the LORD says: "In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances,to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!' "They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill."

Each year, since 2011, The Woodland, Texas has gathered 30 Christ Believing, Bible Believing Churches to act as the united Body of Christ. We have days of  prayer with fasting until the last Sunday in January. 

We expected between 40 and 200 people, many more attended. We planned 2 hours and ran over by at least an hour. Our county experienced a tri-county fire that year, we experienced the remarkable mercy of flames scorching homes and amazing photos of the homes being saved. This is the ecumenical Body of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We pray for a Great Spiritual Awakening and we are invited to pray a specific prayer request for ourselves. Our fasting is like a giving up something dear to us similar to Lent. Our Pastor/Bishop Elect Clark, has given up Mexican food. And I have given up refined sugar with an eye on carbs. Please join us in praying for all our communities, in prayer and fasting this January. What a great way to begin a new year.

Father God, the prayer that moves all of us is the Father running to the Prodigal Son. When Jesus died, You ran to Him. In this eagerness, we put out our hands, ask for forgiveness in our lack of holiness and look to You eagerly for Your mercy and steadfast Love. Answer our prayers making this life more like the Heaven we look forward towards and help us in each situation to let Your wisdom, mercy and love reign in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Psalm 102
13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come.
14 For her stones are dear to your servants;
her very dust moves them to pity.


Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Perhaps with prayer and fasting, your prayer requests should come out of the dust bin. For two thousand years, the Church of Jesus Christ has overcome. In Faith, Hope and Love. Let's go forth this year in these same wonderful qualities.


John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.





<><

Psalm 29 ~ Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.

Beautiful Footage of a Thunderstorm

Psalm 29 ~ New Revised Standard Version

The voice of God upon the waters

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
worship the Lord in holy splendor.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl,
and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, "Glory!"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace! 

10 Minutes of Thunderstorms

Jesus used memory devices. When HE spoke in Aramaic picture language, HE was teaching in the ways people who receive instruction on teaching learn. He spoke a memory in a visual image, He gave auditory listening and His Word became written. Jesus is a Teacher among the many aspects of Father God.

When Jesus tells us:

Matthew 13:
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying:

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Jesus is being figurative and literal.

Revelation 21:21-27
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.


Bringing us back to Psalm 29. We begin with a storm and end with peace.

Psalm 107
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
29 he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him







 <><

John 12 ~ While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.

Sunrise over the Dead Sea. Just as Jesus would have seen.

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee.

John 12 ~ New Revised Standard Version


Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them^{[HIS feet]} with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”


9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.


12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—
the King of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. 17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. 18 It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. 19 The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”


20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.


27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw draw all people ^{[things -  i.e. creation, animals]} to myself.”

33 He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

34 The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah ^[Christ] remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”


After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. 37 Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

“Lord, who has believed our message,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,

40 “He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.”

41 Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. 42 Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.

44 Then Jesus cried aloud: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. 47 I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, 49 for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”


We become, as adults, a generation reading the Bible as people who have seen the subtitles for so long, we Forget to look at the WORD with the awe and wonder as the people who knew Jesus writing of HIM. There are so many warm and wonderful words truly telling us about Jesus.

John Begins the Gospel He wrote of Him expressing His Glory, fulfilling Grace and Truth. He tells us not that Jesus has a brightness but a LIGHT.

Isaiah, John tells us, spoke of HIM. Isaiah said this because he saw His Glory and spoke about Him.

When you read God's Word, written for you, remember to look for the Words and phrases revealing God's glory to you. 


As mature Children of God, we see: Jesus is anointed by Mary, the plot (unfulfilled) to kill Lazarus, Palm Sunday, Greeks tell us the spreading fame of Jesus & the Jews wondered if Jesus would depart to Greece to avoid the Trouble following HIM, the unbelief which would make anyone other than the Messiah want to run, compelling Jesus to declare again exactly who HE is.

John's, all his earthly writings tell us, life was completely changed being one of the men Jesus chose to walk the highways and paths of life with Jesus. This is told to us as one who was really in awe of the human being called Jesus. Picture the image of the human being John knew and loved so well.

What did the Son of the Most High do for Passover? He went to dinner party given by some of his favorite people. Mary served. Lazarus was at the table with Jesus. John is telling us a man rose from the dead and was well enough to attend the dinner party. Mary is so overcome she spends a year's wages on the perfume for Jesus' feet. This is family giving back to a loved one.

Confusion can be a contributing aspect of life. We rarely encounter this in literature. Our hero does not miss things in literature. Here the Temple plans to kill Lazarus and does not because later the dead will rise proclaiming Jesus risen. The disciples themselves will teach after Jesus' death in the Temple area and later move to the area, from the Temple, to proclaim Jesus Victorious in the area designated to foreigners. See the Book of Acts for details. Jesus wanted Lazarus alive and Lazarus is going to live.

Jesus receives proclamations, fame from Greece, and a voice of God surrounding HIM. He does not do more than say this troubles Him and then gives glory to His Father. The acclamation is passed further on instead of absorbed and contained and allowed for self glory. Jesus shines as the Light of God.

Jesus does not act as a spotlight, instead He is our Savior.

The Word tells us the Pharisees believe but allow the Light to pass them by. Jesus proclaims He will do what the Father tells HIM and gives Him the Words to speak.

His commandment is eternal life to Jesus. What does Jesus say our commandment is? The Scriptures are so connected, if we sat in front of Jesus witnessing these things, we would wonder. John continues to tell us what Jesus said:

John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Matthew 5:41
Whoever compels you to go one mile with him, go with him two miles. 

 Jesus made Himself available to those around Him. Even the Pharisee who would would visit Him at night named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Jesus would continue the conversation in honesty and frankness with so much mercy Nicodemus would do all he could for Jesus. The Light of the world. Look for His Light when you read the Word. Let His Word speak to you.

.

<><!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Psalm 147 ~ For it is good to sing praises to our God

Revelation Song - Phillips Craig & Dean



Psalm 147

Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant,^{[for HE is beautiful]}
and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;
he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.
Praise the Lord!

All art today painted by Wolf Kahn

Last night I read about the Resurrection after a Wednesday Service. I felt the same emotion Matthew Henry said the Psalms are a warm place to be. Sometimes when we read about the Risen Jesus, we feel included in the joy of the event. We are told to spend time singing praises to HIM. Christian radio helps us do this.

To tell HIM in joy, I love YOU, LORD. You are beautiful. And to be pleased when the words fall from our mouths in love.

Today I spoke with a woman who lost her child. Another woman was told by a hospital counselor she would never recover from the pain. Look at the promises HE gives us.

The Lord builds up

He gathers (from outside)

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

He remembers impossible details, creates, understands.

Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
His understanding is beyond measure.

The Lord lifts up the humble

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody even just in your heart

Look to His Creation for aspects of HIS Beauty
He covers the heavens with clouds;
He prepares rain for the earth;
The LORD makes grass grow on the hills.
(We are so lucky in the subtopics and the Northern States with rye grass color in winter is
like the astonishment and joy in color when skies are grey.)

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

 

<><

2 Thessalonians 1 ~ when He comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

This House Church has been used in our blog several times, this is the closest thing I know of relating to the early House Churches.

2 Thessalonians 1


1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers,^{[brothers and sisters]} as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.


5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Increasing the faith? How about impact 2,000 years later.

Thessaloniki Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessalonica is the second-largest city in Greece. Paul traveled with Timothy & Silvanus creating Faith in Jesus. 2 Thessalonians has the most evidence supporting Paul's authorship. That is a little bit strange, we rely upon historians rather than the Word of God.


Romans 16:5
Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia.

This 4th century House Church, is a wonderful, inviting place of worship. There are 18 mentions of House Churches in Scripture. A comfortable, shaded inviting place on the exterior, (Blessed David) Osios David's simple exterior, with the wavy roof, has a spectacular mosaic of Ezekiel's vision. Osios David was built over (and used building blocks from) the remains of a Roman bath. According to oral history, the Chapel honored Emperor Galerius's daughter Theodora. Galerius persecuted Christians later admitting the policy trying to eradicate Christianity had failed, saying: "Wherefore, for this our indulgence, they ought to pray to their God for our safety, for that of the republic, and for their own, that the republic may continue uninjured on every side, and that they may be able to live securely in their homes."

The people of Thessoloniki have living history, today, of Paul's brief journeys to their city. The testimony declares Jesus Christ as LORD. Paul gave Testimony and Jesus provided signs, miracles and wonders. The history of the Church proclaims wonders we read in the Book of Acts repeat when people fled, sojourned and traveled carrying the Bible we are so blessed to be able to casually pick up.

Jesus proclaims, in His Love, we are worthy of the Kingdom of GOD.
Paul repeats the blessing of Abraham continues for those who are in the Body of Jesus Christ.

This Church of God in steadfastness and faith in all persecutions and afflictions endured - Osios David is 1,600 years old. The Ezekial mosaic spent centuries hidden beneath a calfskin, which prevented the Turks from finding and destroying this wonder. The vision the angel, eagle, lion, and bull.

May our Father God fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.






<><

Luke 19:1-10 ~ so he ran on ahead and climbed

Luke 19:1-10

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 

7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 

9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke, the beloved Greco-Syrian physician. He is in Paul's Epistle to Philemon Chapter 1, verse 24. He is also mentioned in Colossians 4:14 and 2 Timothy 4:11. He would have been a precise Christ follower. He stayed with Paul in Rome until the end. Luke lived to be, according to Church history, 84 years old. Luke's Tomb was located in Thebes (Greece)and his relics transferred to Constantinople in 357 A.D.

(And I have to say here, I love the Scriptures. Each day I look these things up and compile this to understand what I am teaching. It is not coming out of me like a PhD professor! Thank you, Father God, for spell check. Amen.)

Luke makes it clear Jesus' genealogy goes back to Adam and as a physician, makes sure we understand Jesus was bodily, not just spiritually, resurrected.  Luke tells us of 20 miracles, the place of women as important in Jesus' ministry and tells us of 4 miracles unique to Luke's gospel. Luke, like Paul, tells us the New Covenant Communion is an event we are to continue today.

A Bishop I like on Facebook was quoting - as disciples of Jesus Christ we are the message. And I thought; Absolutely not. Jesus Is. And that is true. Yet we should not proclaim Jesus Christ and forget to live our lives as lights. Believing God wants us to honor Him and rely upon Him for grace.

Zacchaeus is a Gospel passage which is important to me.

Jesus has been doing His ministry for a while. Zacchaeus has his place in the Roman Empire, Syrian suburb of Judea firmly in place. Zacchaeus is upwardly mobile.  But Zacchaeus is doing something important with his fledgling or inquisitive faith. He is willing to put himself out there and up there and do some work. To climb a tree, in a crowd, you will be noticed.

And Zacchaeus has his heart's desire. Something Christians hope for always. Jesus! Notice me! Let me know You see me!

Jesus lets Zacchaeus know, He responds, He Loves! And says He wants to be part of Zacchaeus' life. Zacchaeus is given a Word to do. To be obedient. Zacchaeus must come down from the height of the tree and be on the same footing as the crowd. And the same footing as Jesus. Who chose to walk this life.

And the minute Zacchaeus joins the crowd.... they are unhappy. They grumble. And Zacchaeus hears them criticize Jesus for spending time with him. How does Zacchaeus react? He is willing to put forth effort, making them not criticize Jesus for giving Zacchaeus love.


Christians love the prodigal son parable. Who are you, they say,  - today - in the prodigal son. Well, we all change places, don't we.

Zacchaeus has several messages for us. Not to stay in the trees above one another. Not to stay hidden in the crowd. Not to play it safe. To give God our heart's desire. To do what He says to Honor and LOVE Him.  To prepare our hearts in prayer to receive HIM.  To be grateful. Not to be a grumbler at the blessings of others.

LORD! I want to be Zacchaeus! Luke is the only one to record Zacchaeus, but Luke stayed to the end. What an important and heartfelt statement. Luke acted as the disciple John to Paul. And the LORD honored Luke as well. Telling us of a changed heart, one that prepared a place for JESUS and did want to Honor and LOVE Him.

Psalm 14 says none of us are pure. We are corrupt, self-centered. We cannot be the message. Yet the LORD is our refuge. Father God, forgive us when we don't do our best for YOU.

Psalm 14:7
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,

let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Father God, let us remember to be grateful for others.  Only in the Grace of JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD can we be glad and see salvation come to the house of the ones we love. Amen.

(Today would be one of the times ~ where Father Bierschenienk would say - I'm just preaching to myself.)





<><

Genesis 21 ~ The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.

Genesis 21

The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.^{[he laughs]} 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”


8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.


22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized, 26 Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this^[you] may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.



Luke 7:6-10
6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

We clearly remember Jesus was overwhelmed with the faith of the centurion. There is wonder and awe in the miracle of Sarah and Abraham's son. So much so, God Himself visits.

Genesis 15:5
And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be."

This was a miracle indeed. And once again the way, the truth and the life are not strewn with roses. We are like the people who followed Jesus into the wilderness and He says to so many, what do you want from me?

Sarah, with her longed for son, is displeased over laughter.  And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham.

1 Timothy 1:15
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners

Mark 2:17
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Again and again the Scriptures point out - none of the characters were perfect, none had an easy path. And God continued to move them down the path He had for them. You have to wish they all could be more compassionate to one another.

Giving credit were credit is due, Abimelech, has none of the usual 'Philistine" characteristics. Abraham is blessed in Abimelech understanding Abraham has the blessing of God Almighty.  Abraham and Abimelech have a spirit of willingness to have peace, as a foreshadowing of Jesus the Savior to all nations He has created.

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Matthew 9:13
But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Hebrews 11:8-12
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.




<><