Jesus is alive, Jesus loves us. (an unusual victory) - 2

After the resurrection, it is striking to note how different this victory parade is.

Luke 24 The Ascension
Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Contrast it with the victory parade of Elijah.

1 Kings 18Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!”
Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

With Elijah, the opposing team was publicly humiliated and even slaughtered.

With Jesus, Ananias and Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, the Sanhedrin remained on their thrones and continued their evil.

With Elijah, God sent down fire from heaven as public proof which side was right. Which was the true God. This was the sign from heaven that the Pharisees demanded of Jesus.

With Jesus, he appeared only to his disciples. There was no public proof. As Jesus said, the only sign given to this generation is that of Jonah. The crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead after 3 days.

With Elijah he spoke to rulers and authority.

With Jesus, he appeared to the most ordinary and inconsequential of people. Not because they were poor, but because they were seeking him.

Cling to this... Jesus is alive and Jesus loves us! - 1

As I commuted daily by train to my current workplace in downtown Chicago, I would often read the ReadScripture app on my phone. I was at Luke 23-24 and found myself stuck there for about a month, reading and re-reading the same passages over and over.

I think it is because this is the happy moment for us as Christians. The victorious moment.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”19 “What things?” he asked.“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”The Ascension of Jesus50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Why were the disciples confused?

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

We are given the completed Bible and with the hindsight of 2000 years of History it is obvious that Jesus was the spiritual Messiah to save us from our sins.

But the people of Israel were torn between two contradictory expectations of the coming Messiah who would rescue them from bondage.

• The prophecies where Jesus the Messiah would be physical savior saving them from the rule of oppressive Rome.
• The prophecies where the Messiah would be crushed and suffer and die.

The high priests and Pharisees rejected Jesus because they been insistent on the militant Messiah who would walk in the footsteps of David, Samson, Deborah, Joshua and even Saul who saved them from their enemies - the Canaanites and Philistines.

The ordinary people saw the miracles and the teachings of Jesus and accepted him. But they must have had this niggling question in the back of their minds - how is he a savior?

Given the completed Bible, we now know that the second coming of Jesus will be militant - to save us Christians from a physical and spiritual enemy - the devil and his agents.

But why did Jesus scold them? I believe it is because he was with them for 3 years and over and over, explained to them from scripture, that the Christ must suffer, be crucified and rose again. Yet, all they clung to was Jesus as the militant messiah.

but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel

How Jesus loved them... and us

Jesus did not just leave them and ascend into heaven after he rose again. He wanted to see them again and reassure them so they would not remain in grief and doubt.

He showed his love for us by leaving us the Holy Spirit.

What a wonderful waste of spices!

Luke 24

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

What a wonderful waste of spices!

Apostle Peter's Hypocrisy or, Spiritual Abuse by an apostle

Peter denied Jesus three times.
In other words, he lied three times.
He was forgiven by Jesus  and was redeemed.
Yet, when Ananias and Saphira lied once, through his spiritual authority they were struck dead.

Beware of following a church leader who is all about himself.

Prof Eileen Barker of the London School of Economics, who has spent years studying groups like the Moonies and Scientologists, says there are similarities between OneCoin and messianic millennium cults, where people believe they are part of something big that is going to change the world - and no matter what the evidence, once they've signed up, it's very hard for them to admit they are wrong.
"When prophecy fails they believe more strongly," she says. "Particularly if you have invested something, not only money, but belief, reputation, intelligence. You think, 'Wait a bit longer.'"
Money might push people to invest in the first place, but the sense of belonging, of doing something, of achieving something, is why they stay, Barker says. "And in that sense it's cultic."

https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-50435014

Jesus prepares his disciples and us. Luke 8-9

Reading Luke 8-9, the sub-headings stood out at me...

• Jesus' mother and brothers

We are Jesus' family if we follow him.

• Jesus calms a storm

God will protect us

• Jesus heals a man with a demon

God heals us and sets us free from Satan and his evil spirits.

• Jesus heals a woman

God heals even incurable diseases.

• Jesus heals Jairus' daughter

God can raise from the dead if he wishes.

• Jesus sends out the 12 apostles

We are to be lights and messengers in the world.

• Peter confesses Jesus as Christ (messiah)

When we are close to Jesus, we experience his power and realize he is God.

• Herod is perplexed by Jesus.

The world tries to understand what is going on, but fails to.

• Jesus feeds the five thousand

God provides for our physical needs.

• Take up your cross and follow Jesus

We muse die to ourselves daily. We must crucify the flesh.

• Jesus foretells his death.

God's power was manifest when Jesus was at his weakest - at his death on the cross. That is when we come into God's family if we believe and follow Jesus.

God comforts by showing us his presence.

These words are taken from the books of Isaiah and also the book of Revelations in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah was in mourning because righteous King Uzziah had died that year. The Lord comforted him by showing him his presence. In Revelations, the elders and thousands upon thousands of angels fall down and cry worthy is the lamb (Jesus) upon the throne. Isaiah 6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. Revelation 5 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!

An encouraging note on My Dream Church

Willy Tanis GelevanAnil, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and model of your Dream church. Two years ago, our “pastor” and leadership team left our fellowship. Quite a shock. We decided to continue using a congregational structure in the near term and have spent the last two years affirming many of the principles you are espousing. The level of ministry activity, ownership and commitment from all members has never been higher. We are still in the process of knitting together a sustainable structure, but we too are convinced that the priesthood of all believers is foundational to the structure to be implemented. Your Dream Church description affirms much of what we found works and has given us more to think about as we move forward. Blessings to you.

https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/326402-how-to-disagree-about-theology-without-kicking-each-other-out-of-the-church.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_1977438778993674_2366274123443469_2366274123443469

God partners with us

God partners with us...

For most of my Christian life I have wondered why God doesn't miraculously do things out of thin air to help his people. After all, he can create anything from nothing.

It is exactly what Satan also asks Jesus.

Matthew 4Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

In refusing to answer Satan's challenge, Jesus answers it later on but also teaches us the answer to my question above.

John 6:1-14
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

God could have easily made food from nothing instead, the little boy had to give his food in faith and trust. God partnered with the little boy to multiply his Giving. 
This is new and different from the OT when manna rained down from heaven. God was making a point about how he will work with mankind differently: I will not turn stones into bread nor thin air into manna. I will partner with man to turn his giving and his labor into bread.

During Jesus time on earth, he walked and traveled with his disciples, ate their food stayed in the same place as them. People somehow think he did not know anything about airplanes and spaceships and technology. They forget that the world was created by him, and through him, and for him. He could in fact, transport himself without any technology. He could also have commanded modern transport to be created for him and his disciples to whisk them from place to place...
Instead he walked, sweated, was tired, hungry and thirsty - just like them. He was partnering with us...

And again:

John 21:1-14
Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”“No,” they answered.6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.[c] 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 

Pastors often preach this sermon and imply that Peter was backsliding by going back to his nets. This is false. If he was backsliding by going back to his nets to provide for himself and family, then he would never have caught anything and Jesus should have rebuked him. In fact, Jesus was affirming the value of secular work by helping him catch an abundant supply of fish. He was partnering with Peter. But at the same time he was saying, "I shall supply all your need".

Again, God could have instantly made fish from nothing; instead, the fishermen had to toil in faith and trusting God, to try again. God partnered with them in their hard work.

Why am I a volunteer?

Driving on yet another Saturday morning for volunteer training, 36 miles one-way to South Chicago, one of the most dangerous places in the nation, I looked within myself to understand why I was doing this.

1. I do not want to read of tragic deaths of children in the news (like AJ who died probably half hour away from where I live) and feel anguish, anger and helplessness, "Why doesn't God do something?".
2. When I was a teenager, I wish I had someone who was a mentor or who guided me in the right way. Now the agency is just the "eyes and ears" of the court and not a mentor, but still, is a person who observes and makes recommendations in the best interests of the child. 

Also see https://juwo.blogspot.com/2019/06/i-encourage-everyone-to-be-casa.html

Adopted children are legitimate

For years I was bothered by these verses in the Bible:

Deuteronomy 23:2- A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD

Hebrews 12:8 – But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Since the last verse is in Hebrews, they cannot be brushed aside as Old Testament and Old Covenant.

Is an adopted child forever doomed?

But a few days ago, I read these verses and a few days later, realized like an electric current an insight I am thankful to God for:

Luke chapter 2

33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover...

43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home...

48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

Now Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus; God was the 'biological' father.

Joseph was the adoptive father.

This is clear because when Mary was pregnant, Joseph wanted to quietly "put her aside" without shaming her, thinking she had sex outside marriage and was not carrying his child. But the angel came to Joseph and told him that the baby was conceived through the Holy Spirit.


So Joseph was the adoptive father.

Yet the Bible refers to Joseph as Jesus' father, and Mary as his mother.

They are both referred to as Jesus' parents.

In other words, the adoptive father and mother of Jesus were his "real" parents.

Of course there is the familiar verse where all children of God are his adopted children.

Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.* Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

I encourage everyone to be a volunteer to help children.

Update: I no longer recommend CASA of Cook County. It has become politicised and unrighteous.


I encourage everyone to be a CASA volunteer. https://casaforchildren.org/our-work/the-casa-gal-model/ On Saturdays this June I have been in training to be a CASA volunteer in South Chicago.
Because I believe that Christians have to shine their light in the world, not in church.
But the Church Organization makes them believe that tithing to the church organization equals giving to God;
Serving the church organization equals serving God.
As a result, Christians end up shining their lights in the church, not in the world.

Think about it. The chicago suburbs are home to at least 3 of the biggest megachurches in America (Chapel, Harvest Bible Chapel, Willowcreek) and perhaps hundreds of local churches.

But yet this 5 year old who lived within 30 minutes of these churches, was battered to death by his own parents recently. (https://www.chicagotribune.com/…/ct-ct-met-aj-freund-crysta…)
He did not have an advocate from the churches because, I believe,

Christians are taught to invest their time, talent and treasure into the church organization rather than helping fix the problems in their communities. 

One must distinguish between the "church organization" and the "church" (body of Christ).

The Church Organization tries to pass itself off as the Church, but it is not the Church.

Sorry, I went on a rant.

Why don't preachers provide verification of miracles done through them?

For many years now, I have listened to charismatic preachers retell how miracles were done through them. I have read books that retell of prophecy, healings, words of knowledge been done.
But I have never heard or seen them provide any proof they are saying is true.
Especially when we read of so many pastors and mission agencies caught in financial and sex scandals and lying to cover up.

How do we know they are being truthful?

Even Jesus, who is the Son of God followed this biblical principle.

“If I were to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be valid. 32 But someone else is also testifying about me, and I assure you that everything he says about me is true. 33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his testimony about me was true. 34 Of course, I have no need of human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. 35 John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. 36 But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, 38 and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you. (John 5)

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1)

There were 2 supernatural witnesses to testify that Jesus is the Son of God. God the Father, and The Holy Spirit. And there was one human witness testifying about Jesus - John the Baptist.

Thus the accounts of Jesus life (gospels) were written - not by one person, but by 4 authors.

A few specific instances where Jesus provided verification:

1) "...and a man with a shriveled hand was there...  Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they (Pharisees) asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.". (Matthew 12)

There were witnesses who could record what had happened.

2) "Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.' So he said to the paralyzed man, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.' 25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, 'We have seen remarkable things today.'" (Luke 5)

Jesus was providing verification to all. It was not an invisible healing.