Responding to Jesus: My Thoughts on the Second Reading of the Gospels

At the beginning of the year, I made the rather hasty declaration that I intended to read through the life of Jesus sixteen times during 2013.  Believe me, I'm as shocked as you are that I've actually stuck with it, having just completed my eighth time through the life of Christ yesterday.  So far, it has been a tremendously enjoyable, if not somewhat tedious, experience.

Each quarter, reading at the pace of one chapter per day, I've read through the four canonical gospels once.  Each time through, I'm focusing on a different aspect of Christ's life.  My first reading focused on the teachings of and about Jesus.

This quarter's reading focused on positive and negative responses to Jesus.

One prominent response to Jesus is what I'd call "interested, but not committed"  This response predominately came from the crowds.  (Although certain individuals responded this way too, for example, the Rich Young Ruler [Mark 10:17-22] came to Jesus seeking advice, but ultimately lacked the resolve to truly follow Him.)  The crowds were a self-serving, miracle-seeking mob that seemed to pursue Jesus at every turn.  Yet, Jesus didn't view the crowd with cynicism or naivety - rather, he saw them with compassion. (Matthew 9:35-38)  And, it should be noted, He responded accordingly.

Some, primarily religious leaders, made no secret of their hatred for Jesus.  In fact, and don't miss this, Jesus' main opposition during his earthly ministry came from religious leaders.  While perhaps actual Pharisees were unique to Jesus' day - their spirit lives on, and their opposition to the work of God continues today.

If I were to paraphrase the driving attitude behind the religious leaders' response, it would be this - We will condemn, criticize, humiliate, persecute, and eventually kill ANYONE who challenges our rules.  The pharisees had monopolized the religious market, and they were going to crush any competition that threatened their self-aggrandizing control of the masses. (see John 9 and Mark 7:1-13)

Another intriguing response was one that tried to remain neutral to Jesus Christ.  I'm thinking of the parents of the man born blind, who, for fear of the Jews decided to avoid making a definitive decision about Jesus' identity as the Christ (see John 9:18-23)  And of course, I'm thinking of the infamous washing of the hands incident in which Pilate tried to cleanse himself of any moral culpability regarding Jesus' crucifixion. (Matthew 27:24-26)

And finally, there were those who responded positively to the person and work of Christ.  The mere writing of the gospels themselves, as Luke intimates in his preface, shows that there were at least some who cherished the earthly ministry of Christ.  Eleven men dedicated their lives to Jesus, choosing to sit under Him as a disciple. Simon the Cyrene, under compulsion, carried His cross. Joseph of Arimathea buried His body.  Women brought spices to the tomb.  And hope, crushed during the dark three days Jesus spent in the tomb, sprang eternal in the hearts of those who encountered the risen Lord.

On the whole, however, the response to Jesus was overwhelmingly negative.  The inn wouldn't accommodate Him, and Herod tried to kill Him.  A disciple betrayed Him, and the rest really didn't understand Him.  The crowds endlessly used Him, and a place to lay his head, evaded Him.  His own brothers didn't believe in Him, and his hometown refused to honor Him.  The Pharisees constantly opposed Him, and the demons cried out against Him.  A mob arrested Him, and then Pilate released Him.  The two condemned thieves mocked Him, and in the wilderness, Satan tested Him.  Soldiers beat Him, and, theologically speaking, everyone killed Him.

And perhaps, this is where our theology is most informed.

Most people do not respond positively to Jesus Christ.

In fact, Jesus made this statement in John 3

"and this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."

Doesn't this find application in the reality that there are millions and millions who will die without ever hearing of Christ?  I don't want to trivialize a very somber and humbling reality.  Nor do I want to make a blanket statement regarding their fate.  However, isn't it more telling, not that there are millions of people who have never heard of Christ, but that there are millions who have heard and still choose to reject Him?

Don't most reject Christ?  Isn't this the picture we see in scripture over and over?  Not that God hasn't made Himself known, but that He has made Himself known, and we've ignored Him.

Haven't I rejected Christ?  Perhaps explicitly before I was a Christian, and now implicitly in my behavior after I've become a Christian?

Isn't it easier to reject Christ?

A polarizing figure, who demanded that we love Him above everything and anyone else?

Isn't that why He died?

And, if we're to successfully continue within the illusion of our own kingdoms on earth... doesn't He have to die again?

Either Him?

Or me?

Some Thoughts on Reading through the Gospels (First Quarter)

At the beginning of this year, I embarked on a journey to read through all four gospels four times during 2013.  Reading at the pace of one chapter per day, I've just finished reading through the gospels looking for teachings of and about Jesus Christ.

I'm not sure how many times I had read through the gospels prior to this year. Maybe 8 or 9 times?  Yet in this most recent reading, I found myself more intrigued by Jesus than ever.  He truly was such a controversial, charismatic, downright offensive person.  And yet he had a gentle, unassuming, almost sneaky personality that was really quite lovely.

Jesus' views about himself were unashamedly lofty.  He really thought He was something special.  Yet not once did he trample over the weak or the outcasts.  In fact, His high view of himself seemed to fuel his love and compassion for others.

Perhaps most troubling was Jesus' teachings about the eventual (and eternal) separation of the righteous and the wicked.  A teaching made even harder to stomach when coupled with His teachings about the inability of some to hear the voice of God due to the hardness of their hearts.  It makes you pause and ask the question, "Do I really know God?" Or, perhaps more importantly, "Does God really know me?"

The most surprising thing to me as I read through the gospels was the focus on Jesus' identity that emerged in all four gospels.  It seemed with every turn of the page, the question kept popping up - Who was Jesus Christ?  The answer to this question was one that Jesus seemed determined to make people discover for themselves.  Perhaps for the same reason you shouldn't explain the punchline of a joke.  If you have to explain it, it's not funny.

I can't wait to read through the gospels again.  I'm starting in Matthew on April 1st.  Join me.

Devotions for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 22, 2013

Fourth Candle Color: Purple

Theme: Peace / Comfort

(Light three purple candles, and one pink candle)

Opening Prayer:

"Lord God, we light this candle to thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of Peace. We who live in discord and strife have found peace in the promise of eternal life, through Jesus Christ. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name, because he lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen."

Scripture Reading:

Luke 1:39-55 (Listen to Luke 1)

"In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

Mid-Prayer:

"Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen."

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 9:6-7 (Listen to Isaiah 9)

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."

Micah 5:2-5a (Listen to Micah 5)

"But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace."

Hymn:

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
(Listen to Casting Crowns Version)

(1) I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

(2) I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

(3) And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

(4) Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

(5) Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)
Lyrics taken from www.oldielyrics.com

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 80:1-7 (Listen to Psalm 80)

"Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved! O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved!"

Hebrews 10:5-10 (Listen to Hebrews 10)

"Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Closing Prayer:

"Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

2013 Gospel Challenge

I am embarking on a year long journey - and I would like you to join me!

During 2013, I will attempt to read through the four canonical gospels four times.  If I read at a pace of one chapter per day, I will be able to read through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John four times by the end of the year.  

This will not be a passive reading.  This will be a deliberate, intentional reading of the gospels in an attempt to better understand the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Consequently, it is my hope that this will translate into me becoming more like Jesus.  

Each quarter, there will be different points of emphasis I will be looking at as I read through the gospels.  I will also be sending out daily Tweets regarding what I've been learning.  That's right folks - a year long Twitter series.

Here is a breakdown of the different things I'll be focusing on while I read.

January - March
During the first read through, I will be focusing on the teachings of and about Jesus Christ.

Further Points of Emphasis:

-Claims made by or about Jesus

-Jesus' teaching regarding Hell

-Elements of Jesus' teaching that are conspicuously absent

-Hard or difficult teachings of Jesus

April - June
During the second read through, I will be focusing on the positive and negative responses to Jesus Christ.

Further Points of Emphasis::

-How religious leaders responded to Jesus

-How crowds responded to Jesus

-How the disciples responded to Jesus

-The expectations Jesus placed on his followers

July - September
During the third read through, I will be focusing on the activities and daily life of Jesus.

Further Points of Emphasis:

-Jesus' miracles and healings

-Jesus' response to the poor

-Activities of Jesus that seem conspicuously absent

-Activities of Jesus that seem of poor taste and/or timing

-Apparent contradictions or discrepancies between the gospels
-The emotions of Jesus

October - December
During the fourth read through, I will be focusing on Jesus' connection to the Old Testament.

Further Points of Emphasis:

-Messianic prophecies regarding Christ

-Jesus' teaching regarding the future

-Teaching regarding the Kingdom of God

-The accounts of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection

I have tried to keep these categories broad enough to cover a wide variety of topics, but specific enough to prohibit casual reading.  The point of this year-long exercise is to force myself to think critically and carefully about the person and work of Jesus Christ.

As a Christian, I claim to be a devout follower of Jesus of Nazareth.  I am banking my life and eternal destiny that He truly was the Son of God - the Savior of the world.  Wouldn't it logically follow that I shouldn't be content with a mere cursory understanding of Jesus' teachings, life, and ministry?  I want to be fully acquainted with his life, and as a consequence become more like him in my own.

Will you join me?


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Here is a Printable Reading Schedule for those of you joining me on my journey!

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For my Twitter series, I will be using the following abbreviations:

Mt - Matthew
Mk - Mark
Lk - Luke
Jn - John
JC - Jesus Christ 

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-Jason

Devotions for Third Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

December 15, 2013

Third Candle Color: Pink

Theme: Joy / Life

(Light two purple candles, and one pink candle)

Opening Prayer:

"Lord God, we light this candle to thank you for your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who brings us great joy. We who have walked in the shadow of the valley of death have found life in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name, because he lives and reigns with you in your glory, and in the unity of the Holy Spirit, Amen."

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 35:1-10 (Listen to Isaiah 35)

"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.  They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Mid-Prayer:

"Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen."

Scripture Reading:

Zephaniah 3:14-20 (Listen to Zephaniah 3)

"Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes," says the LORD."

Hymn:

Joy to the World
Recommend Verses 1, 2 and 4
(Link to Instrumental Music on YouTube)

(1) Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

(2) Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

(3) No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

(4) He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 12:2-6 (Listen to Isaiah 12)

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. "Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

Philippians 4:4-9 (Listen to Philippians 4)

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."

Closing Prayer:

"O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare the way before You; Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen."