Christ Was Better Than Caesar

Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” [1]

Many listened to Christ and followed Him, but the religious leaders of Jerusalem believed that Jesus was a threat to their nation’s well-being.

“If we (Pharisees and priests) let Him (Jesus) alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” [2]

Later, when given the choice between Jesus and Barabbas, the people (under the influence of the chief priests and Pharisees) chose Barabbas.

“Then they all cried again, saying, ‘Not this Man, but Barabbas!’ Now Barabbas was a robber.” [3]

After that, when given the choice between Jesus and Caesar, the people chose Caesar.

“They cried out, ‘Away with Him (Jesus), away with Him! Crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’” [4]

Jesus was crucified. He resurrected from the dead on the third day. He appeared to His disciples and to over 500 witnesses. After 40 days, He ascended to heaven. He will return.

Was Caesar a better choice than Christ for the people of Jerusalem?

35 years later, Roman legions surrounded Jerusalem. By the year 70, they breached Jerusalem's outer walls and ransacked the city. The assault culminated in the burning and destruction of the Temple that served as the center of Judaism.

In victory, the Romans slaughtered thousands. Of those sparred from death: thousands more were enslaved and sent to toil in the mines of Egypt, others were dispersed to arenas throughout the Empire to be butchered for the amusement of the public. The Temple's sacred relics were taken to Rome where they were displayed in celebration of the victory.

King David was right when he wrote, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”

If Jerusalem’s leaders and people had embraced Christ, their nation would have been blessed.

[1] Acts 10:38

[2] John 11:48

[3] John 18:40

[4] John 19:15

Love & Hatred

"These things I command you, that you love one another.

If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you." [1]

Last Sunday, Chuck read a portion of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech. He noted that Jesus and Martin both were assassinated for trying to bring people together in harmony. Life can get messy fast when someone stands between two groups who are at odds with one another and tries to reconcile the two.

Our Lord Jesus Christ paid with His life to reconcile God and humanity. God hates sin. Humanity for the most past loves sin. Who could destroy the alienation between the two? Christ paid humanity's sin debt before God when He became a human/divine sacrifice for our sin. Without sin, humanity is acceptable to God. By removing our sin, Christ made way for the Spirit of God to dwell in human flesh. The Holy Spirit is the love of God poured into our hearts. Thus, in Christ and by the power of His Spirit, humanity can love God and one another.

The mission that God's prophet, the Church, has inherited is to stand between a world that loves to sin and a God that hates sin, and bring the two together. How? By preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Through the Spirit of Christ, the divine/human alienation between God is replaced with love. Not to say, that everyone will accept the message of reconciliation. No, some, will hate and violently attack God's messenger. Still, the message must be preached. Why? Because, some, will believe.

But wait, there is a love among the messengers of Christ that is inspiring, encouraging and comforting. Jesus, our Lord has commanded us to love one another. And He has given us His Holy Spirit to keep us united and to help us do just that.

[1] John 15:17-18

The Love-Laws

“I do what My Father commands Me so that the world will know that I love the Father. Arise, let us go from here.” [1]

Jesus went to Gethsemane knowing that arrest, trial, torture, and crucifixion would follow, but He did so out of obedience to His Father. Obedience to God’s will is the love language of Christ.

Prior to the statement above, Jesus told His disciples, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” [2]

Jesus showed us to love our Heavenly Father by knowing and doing His will. Jesus told us to love Him by keeping His commandments. Obedience is the love language of Christ.

This morning, I read in Genesis 44:30-33 how Judah offered to take his brother’s punishment so that his brother, Benjamin, could go free.

It was from the line of Judah that Jesus was born. In this passage, Judah was a type of Christ.

Judah was mainly concerned for his father’s heart. Judah knew that his father could not live without Benjamin. So, he pleaded, “My father’s life is bound up in the lad’s life. When he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. Therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers.”

Jesus Christ knew that our Heavenly Father’s heart was bound up with us. So, Jesus took the punishment for our sin so that we might be reunited with God. Jesus came to our rescue because He knew the Father did not want a heaven without us.

The law Jesus wants us to keep is the love-laws for God and neighbor. On these two commandments, said Jesus, hang all the law and prophets. [3]

[1] John 14:31
[2] John 14:21
[3] Matthew 22:37-40

The Father Honors Those Who Honor Christ

“If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” [1]

We serve Jesus by following Him. By being where He is! When we serve Jesus, our Heavenly Father honors us.

Let us take Old-Testament Joseph for an example! He honored God even after being sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Even after being imprisoned due to the false accusations of an adulterous woman!

“The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.” [2]

Later, the Pharaoh of Egypt, said of Joseph, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph directly, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” [3]

When we honor God, He honors us.

[1] John 12:26
[2] Genesis 39:23
[3] Genesis 41:38-40

The Work God That Requires

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.

Then they asked Him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’

Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I (the Lord Jesus Christ) will raise them up at the last day.” [1]

The work God that requires is to believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

[1] John 6:27-29, 40

Jesus Has Overcome the World

Paul told Timothy about a trial that he went through, he wrote, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also, I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” [1]

Paul also told the disciples in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” [2]

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” [3]

Hold on to Jesus. Do not abandon Him. With Him you are destined to overcome the world.

[1] 1 Timothy 4:16-18
[2] Acts 14:22
[3] John 16:33

Father Abraham And His Son Isaac

The Lord said to Abraham, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [1]

This son was the long-awaited one. He was the promised son. Abraham and Sarah had waited many years for him to come. Now that he is here, he is to be sacrificed. In this story, Isaac is a type of Christ.

“So, Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.’” [2]

Abraham had faith that even if he sacrificed Isaac, that he would still come back with a living Isaac. He said to the two men, “We will come back to you.” “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.” [3]

God had promised to give Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars through Isaac. Abraham believed God. He knew that Isaac had to have children before he would die.

Before the sacrifice began, Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father! Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham replied, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” [4]

“Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham! Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.’” [5]

“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide…” [6] Then, the Lord repeated His promise to Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” [7]

Isaac represents Christ in this story because it is through Christ (a descendant of Abraham and Isaac) that all the nations on earth are blessed. The ram also represents Christ because God’s Son was sacrificed for the sins of all people. God forgives the sins of all who receive His Son as their Savior. Abraham represents God in this story because he was willing to give up his son.

Now, the question for us is, in what ways is Christ revealing Himself through OUR lives?

[1] Genesis 22:2
[2] Genesis 22:3-5
[3] Hebrews 11:17-19
[4] Genesis 22:7-8
[5] Genesis 22:9-12
[6] Genesis 22:13-14
[7] Genesis 22:18

Holy Spirit Fillings

In what city did the Holy Spirit first fill followers of Jesus?

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” [1]

The answer is Jerusalem. This miracle happened on the Day of Pentecost. [2]

The Holy Spirit also filled followers of Jesus at Samaria. [3]

The Holy Spirit filled Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. [4]

The Holy Spirit filled Gentile believers in Caesarea. [5]

The Holy Spirit filled twelve men who believed in Jesus in Ephesus. [6]

I praise God that the Holy Spirit is still at work all over this earth filling followers of Jesus today.

The miracle I enjoy every Sunday is the miracle of fellowship with other followers of Jesus who are filled with His Spirit.

“Thank You Heavenly Father, Risen Son of God and Comforting Holy Spirit for Your presence in our lives.”

[1] Luke 24:49
[2] Acts 2:1-18
[3] Acts 8:14-19
[4] Acts 9:17
[5] Acts 10:44-48
[6] Acts 19:5-6

Jesus Knows our Pain

Jesus knows our pain

He is merciful

He is gracious

Jesus responds to our needs

When we bring needs to Him

“Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, ‘Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?’ And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.” [1]

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” [2]

[1] Luke 22:63-65

[2] Hebrews 4:14-16

Preaching The Gospel

“Now it happened on one of those days, as He (Jesus) taught the people in the temple and preached the Gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him.” [1]

The Gospel was preached. Confrontation occurred. The devil does not want human souls rescued from their lost estate. Who did the devil use to oppose Christ? It was religious leaders: chief priests, scribes of God’s Word and elders of the people.

Jesus told a parable aimed at these religious leaders. The parable was of men who were entrusted by the owner (God) to take care of His Vineyard (God’s people). These men seized control of the Vineyard and refused to give its fruit to God. They beat and killed God’s servants and they killed His Son. They wanted to be God. They did not want God in the picture. [2]

Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He did so by telling lost people that He was the way, the truth, and the life. [3]

People need to believe in Christ. He alone is the Savior of the world. “There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” [4]

Good leaders lead people to Christ. A good leader depends on Christ to help Him. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” [5]

Let us pray for the preaching of the Gospel to lost souls.

[1] Luke 20:1
[2] Luke 20:9-19
[3] John 14:6
[4] 1 Timothy 2:5
[5] Psalm 124:8