The Joy of Loss - Edition #1

Tuesday, February 28th, 2006

To all the addicts out there, I’m sure you’d all appreciate this little bit of humor.

A juggler, driving to his next performance, is stopped by the police. “What are those machetes doing in your car?” asks the cop.

“I juggle them in my act.”

“Oh, yeah?” says the doubtful cop. “Let's see you do it.”

The juggler gets out and starts tossing and catching the knives. Another man driving by slows down to watch.

“Wow,” says the passer-by. “I'm glad I quit drinking. Look at the test they're giving now!”

The Joy of Loss – Edition #1

2nd Samuel 12:1-23
1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.

4 "Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."

7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. 9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'

11 "This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"

13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."

15 After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."

19 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked.

"Yes," they replied, "he is dead."

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"

22 He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.' 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David went into this situation knowing that his child was going to die… at least when the punishment was dealt. It didn’t stop him from praying and fasting. And when it was over, he praised God all the more. And with David’s loss, I can learn. I see that if David felt this way to his child, knowing that his child would be a loss to his sin… how did God feel when he sent his son to us? God sacrificed his son, not for God’s sin, because God has no sin, but instead of sacrificing him for his righteousness, he sacrificed him for my sin. And knowing that these things were going to happen, I am more than curious as to what God did before Christ went to the cross. I mean, God doesn’t need to pray and fast and all that… so what did he do? I know he didn’t want Christ to go through the pain and having to turn his back on him… God never wants to leave any of us… I would have to say that it would have been more than hard for God. By nature, a parent fights for their children… and God had to turn his back on his son. Anyway… just some thoughts on this… Johnny Out.

An Imitation

Monday, February 27th, 2006

1st John 4:7-8
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1st Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.

Now, I sometimes think of the bible like a wonderful puzzle… I may have said this before, but I am not sure… but Sunday, a new piece was presented with regards to these two scriptures…

Ephesians 5:1-2
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Now, every time I hear or see the word “imitator,” I think of cereal. You have Cheerios and then you have imitation Cheerios… doesn’t cost as much, but the taste isn’t there, either. It’s a step down in quality. Imitation products are generally looked down upon… not as good as the real thing. But imitation products are trying to follow the definition, but like many who don’t like generic drugs, they just don’t him home like they always should.

Imitate (verb):

• To use or follow as a model.


• To copy the actions, appearance, mannerisms, or speech of; mimic.


• To copy or use the style of.


• To copy exactly; reproduce.


• To appear like; resemble.

I need to copy God EXACTLY. I need to be a sacrifice to God. WOW… I typed it and thought it at the same time… and it… is a bold thought. If I am to imitate God, I need to have patient love, kind love, un-envious love, non-boasting love, and humble love, a love that is not easily angered and keeps no records of wrongs. I need to have a love that protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. I need to have an unfailing love.

Thomas Kincaid E-Mail

One rainy afternoon I was driving along one of the main streets of town, taking those extra precautions necessary when the roads are wet and slick.

Suddenly, my daughter spoke up from her relaxed position in her seat. "Dad, I'm thinking of something." This announcement usually meant she had been pondering some fact for a while, and was now ready to expound all that her six-year-old mind had discovered I was eager to hear. "What are you thinking?" I asked.

"The rain," she began, "is like sin, and the windshield wipers are like God wiping our sins away."
After the chill bumps raced up my arms I was able to respond. "That's really good, Aspen."

Then my curiosity broke in. “How far would my little girl take this revelation?” So I asked… "Do you notice how the rain keeps on coming? What does that tell you?"

Aspen didn't hesitate one moment with her answer: "We keep on sinning and God just keeps on forgiving us."

I will always remember this whenever I turn my wipers on.

Live Long and Prosper

Sunday, February 26th, 2006

Prosper (verb):

• To be fortunate or successful; thrive.


• Grow stronger.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

This stood out to me: “…when you seek me with ALL your heart.” How about this: “…when you seek me with the entire amount of your heart.” ALL is not up to 50%. It’s not 95%. It’s not even 99.9%. It’s ALL. It’s everything… leaving nothing behind. I once saw this movie, HEAT, which is a gangster movie with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino… built on the premise of when De Niro’s character felt the “heat,” he would be but dust to the cops in 60 seconds. And if he doesn’t devote a 100% commitment to this concept, he knows he will be caught. There was a huge amount of thought behind all this earlier today… but now my brain is mush. I am more than certain that tomorrow will be a continuance from today… so much is locked inside this little mind of mine… what a great lessen in service today. Johnny Out.

The Valley of Death

Saturday, February 25th, 2006

What a day… three Lord of the Rings Movies later, and I am excited… inspired. What was history becomes legend, which becomes myth… isn’t that so true with the bible? And when things looked the darkest, amazing things happened to bring about victory. At the darkest hour, God shined. And in the movie, things were very much the same.

Psalm 23 (TNIV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

(NIV)
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

(NIRV)
1 The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need. 2 He lets me lie down in fields of green grass. He leads me beside quiet waters. 3 He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths for the honor of his name. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid. You are with me. Your shepherd's rod and staff comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies. You pour oil on my head. My cup runs over. 6 I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Now, many, if not all the characters within the story of LOTR, must have felt they were going through the “darkest valley, a valley of the shadow of death.” Bad guys are at every turn, people continually plotting against them, friends constantly touting their character and stealing whatever hope they may have. Problems come and problems go… God is with us, with me, everywhere I go… he follows me all the days of my life. It is written that there is no fear in faith, no fear in love. And when the valley of darkness shakes its head around, what am I going to do? As hard as it may seem, I need not be afraid. God is with me. And sometimes, that can be a huge dilemma. I am “used” to feeling fear. It is a natural response to me. I don’t like to hurt, I like to feel good. I like pleasurable sensations. Maybe it is because of my addictive nature, maybe it is because I am a slave to sin… maybe it is because I have a car or maybe it is because my bedroom window faces north… not at all sure, could be all of those things. It could also be none of them. Whatever the reason, when a pickle comes my way, I am apt to sweat instead of no fear at all. Most of the time, I guess I keep a cool head, but that is normally when I have zero clue at what I am really facing… when Las Vegas calls with the odds… I tend to be a little weary when I know the stakes are against me. The valley of death… I’ve been there, I have the T-shirt, I even have frequent flyer miles there… and the brochure is nothing like the real thing. An experience we can all live without, but without it, we can not truly appreciate the joys ahead. Johnny Out.

A LOTR Party!

A Revisit to Nicodemus

Friday, February 24th, 2006

A Study on the Pharisees Dress

Greetings, Just thought I'd cast in my thoughts concerning Nicodemus.

You wrote, "There likely was a rustle in the trees that night. The wind was blowing where it wished, and Nicodemus was piqued and puzzled. He had heard the words and seen the miracles of Jesus of Nazareth, and now he had come to meet the Man. The fact that the ornate robe of this Pharisee fluttered in the wind held more than a little symbolism; Nicodemus was about to discover his beliefs as fragile as the clothing that touted them."

Question: How is it that "There likely was a rustle in the trees that night" when the scripture is silent about it? Further, scripture says nothing about Nicodemus' dress.

If you’re interested, here is an article from my personal web page: http://www.pipeline.com/~selfsoft/

Jesus Talks With Nicodemus, Part 1

Greetings and welcome back to our study of the gospels. Today, we begin a study of John chapter three. Please read through it a time or two to become familiar with it. In the middle of the chapter you will find what is probably the most often quoted verse of the Bible, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Let us study this chapter--the context of the verse--in order that we may understand and better appreciate what this verse and others here teach.

The chapter opens with an introduction to a certain character, Nicodemus. In all of the three times he is mentioned in the New Testament, and he is only mentioned by John, he is referred to as the one who "came to Jesus by night." He is described by John as "a man of the Pharisees." As a group, the Pharisees were the strictest of the Jewish sects. (Acts 26:5) John the Baptist and Jesus both referred to them as a "Brood of vipers." (Matthew 3:7; 23:33) They were harsh critics and quick to condemn any who violated their "traditions." (Matthew 12:1-8; 15:1-14) Jesus often rebuked them for their inconsistencies and hypocrisy. (Matthew 23:1-39) They trusted in themselves; they justified themselves. (Luke 7:36-50; 16:14, 15; 18:9-14) More could be said of them, but it suffices here to say that the New Testament does not paint a favorable picture of them. Nicodemus was one of these. He, however, at least came to Jesus. On a later occasion he defended Jesus with the words, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" Then, still later, he brought spices for the body of Jesus to prepare it for burial. (John 7:50; 19:39) John also states that Nicodemus was a "ruler of the Jews." He may have been one of the seventy members of the Sanhedrin, the "Supreme Court" of the Jews, as he was with the "chief priests and Pharisees" in John 7:45-52 and isdescribed as "one of them." (cf. John 12:42; Luke 23:13; Acts 4:5, 8; 13:27) Jesus, in a rebuke to Nicodemus, referred to him as "the teacher of Israel." (3:10) Therefore, Nicodemus was an educated rabbi, influential, and of the strictest sect, a Pharisee.

In this chapter Jesus dealt much with what Nicodemus did not understand, but what did he understand? He admitted to Jesus at the least, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." He did not say, "I know," but, "we know," which keeps him from making any personal commitment to Christ. Apparently there were others who admitted this. John laterstated, "...among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue..." (John 12:42) (Apparently, "faith only" does not save! James 2:19, 26) Still, many others would not even admit as much, in fact, they would ignore the miracles altogether and focus on what they thought were infractions on their traditions by Jesus. (See John 5:1-18; 9:1-41; Mark3:1-6) While Nicodemus had to admit that "God is with him," others said of Jesus, "he has a demon" and "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons." (John 10:20; Matthew 9:34) Nicodemus had this much right, that Jesus was a prophet. But, of course, He was more than that, for He was the Son of God. Just as in the case of Moses, and, later, with Christ's apostles, the signs, miracles, and wonders showed that God was with Jesus. The apostle Peter pressed this point to his audience on Pentecost when he said, "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know," and later to the household of Cornelius, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 2:22; 10:38)

There is one other thing said of Nicodemus. He was "a man." The blessings of the Messiah's kingdom were not his, however, because he was born a Jew. What stands between any man or woman and God is sin. (Romans 3:23) This sin must be taken away before fellowship can exist between a man and God. It is in the second birth, in which sins are forgiven, that a person is blessed to "see" or "enter the kingdom of God." We will continue this study next time. Have a great week.

Jesus Talks with Nicodemus, Part 2

Welcome back to our study of John chapter three. In the last study, we dealt with the first two verses. We heard Nicodemus address Jesus as "Rabbi" and confess, "You are a teacher come from God..." Jesus turned the conversation from Himself to the need of Nicodemus and everyone. He said, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Two things grab our attention: a second birth and seeing the kingdom of God. The first is a condition necessary to obtaining the second. (Some translations have "born anew," and others may have "born from above," but Nicodemus understood Jesus' words as meaning "born again," for he asked, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?")

What did it mean to be "born again"? And what did Jesus mean by "see the kingdom of God"? To answer the second question, it is enough to look at verse five and hear Jesus then say, "enter the kingdom of God." To be in the kingdom of God is simply to comply with God's will, to be his volunteer subject, and enjoy the blessings of such citizenship. (See also Colossians 1:13; 4:11; Revelation 1:9; Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20; Psalm 110:3) What was the condition placed upon seeing and entering the kingdom? Answer: be "born again." What did Jesus mean? Again, Nicodemus thought "born again" meant "a second time" and being born from the "mother's womb." Jesus did mean "a second time," but He was not referring to a birth again from the womb. In response to Nicodemus' question, Jesus again stated the condition of entrance to the kingdom, but He elaborated a bit on being "born again" by explaining it as being "born of water and of the Spirit." Let us now ask two more questions. What did it mean to be born of water? And, what did itmean to be born of the Spirit?

To answer the first question, let us again turn to Nicodemus for help. In the text, he did not say anything as to what he thought Jesus meant, but is it possible to know what he probably thought He meant? For some time John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus had been baptizing. "Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to [John the Baptist] and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing theirsins." (Matthew 3:1-6) John said, "I indeed baptize you with water..." (Matthew 3:11) Could it be that the "water" of which Jesus spoke was that of baptism? When Jesus said "water" is it possible that he meant "water"? Later, in this same chapter we are studying, John wrote, "Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea...and baptized... John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. Andthey came and were baptized... And [John's disciples] came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified; behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!'" (John 3:22-26) In the next chapter we read, "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)" (John 4:1, 2) What was "water" referring to but the fluid inwhich the confessors were immersed? So from Matthew we read that "all the region around the Jordan went out to [John] and were baptized..." Yet, as popular as the response to John's preaching was, Jesus "made and baptized more disciples than John." John was baptizing many, but Jesus' disciples were baptizing more! Therefore, what would have come to Nicodemus' mind when Jesus said "water"? Only one thing, the water of baptism. To force "water" to mean something other than what Jesus said, is to force something unnecessarily. If Jesus had meant water, what would He have said?

Jesus Talks with Nicodemus, Part 3

Greetings and welcome back to our study of John 3. We have met Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, a teacher, a Pharisee. He admitted Jesus was "a teacher come from God." Jesus responded not to what he said, but apparently to his thoughts and needs, with the words, "unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God... unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (Jesus often responded to what people were thinking. John 2:25; Luke 6:7, 8; 7:39, 40) we determined in the last study that the "water" of which Jesus spoke was the water of baptism. John's baptism was being preached and "Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matthew 3:5, 6) But not everybody submitted to John's baptism. We read in Luke 7:29, 30 "Andwhen all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God... not having been baptized by him." Notice who submitted to baptism and who did not; that John's baptism was "the will of God." It was "from heaven." (Matthew 21:23-27) Even the sinless Jesus submitted to it saying, "it is fitting for us to fulfill allrighteousness." (Matthew 3:13-17) What if Jesus did not fulfill all righteousness? What if He had rejected John's baptism? Christ's baptism is also the will of God. What then when we today reject it for whatever reason? Would we be fulfilling all righteousness? Would we not be rejecting the will of God? Baptism is the will of God, for Christ commanded, "Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them." (Matthew 28:19)

Jesus said, "unless one is born of WATER and the SPIRIT, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." This second birth is mentioned elsewhere. Paul said, "He saved us, through the WASHING OF REGENERATION and renewing of the HOLY SPIRIT." (Titus 3:5) This washing is just what the water is in John 3:5 -- BAPTISM. Do you see here the Spirit and the WATER tied together as having a role in salvation just as Jesus said to Nicodemus? Peter said, "Blessed be the God .... Who.... has BEGOTTEN US AGAIN.... you have purified your souls in obeying the TRUTH through the SPIRIT.... havingbeen BORN AGAIN.... through the WORD of God.... this is the WORD which by the gospel was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:3, 22-25) Here the Spirit and word are tied to the second birth. Paul also said, "that He might sanctify and cleanse [the church] with the washing of WATER by the WORD," and to the Christians in Thessalonica, "salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the TRUTH, to which He called you by our gospel." (Ephesians 5:26; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14) James said, "He brought us forth by the WORD of TRUTH ..." (James 1:18) It was the Spirit's role to bring the WORD to the apostle's to preach. Jesus said to His Twelve, "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13) This He did and you can read of it in Acts 2:1-4 where "the Spirit gave them utterance." In this same chapter, 3,000 people were "born again." The apostles preached the word given them by the Spirit. Notice theresponse: "those who gladly received his WORD were BAPTIZED .... And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being SAVED." (Acts 2:42, 47)

(Now me talking):
This is interesting… I really liked the study… a friend had sent this to me, and I really enjoyed it. With me being sick, I hadn’t the time or energy to really finish reading it all until this morning. Now, in regards to the question the key word from that quote was “likely.” It was total speculation… and not really my own thoughts, but I thought I would share the complete article that I had read, which was from intouch.org. But the question did cause me to dig a little deeper, which I really appreciate. Something I found rather interesting was this:

(From philologos.org) Readers of the New Testament will remember that the very dress of the Pharisees differed from that of others. Simple as the garb of Orientals is, it must not be thought that, in those days, wealth, rank, and luxury were not recognizable quite as much, if not more, than among ourselves. No doubt the polished Grecian, the courtly Herodian, the wealthy Sadducee, as well as many of the lady patronesses of the Pharisees (Josephus, Ant. xvii, 32-45), would have been easily recognized. At any rate, Jewish writings give us such descriptions of their toilette, that we can almost transport ourselves among the fashionable society of Tiberias, Caesarea, Jerusalem, or that of "the dispersed," who were residents of Alexandria or of the wealthy towns of Babylonia.

Altogether, it seems, eighteen garments were supposed to complete an elegant toilette. The material, the color, and the cut distinguished the wearer. While the poor used the upper garment for a covering at night, the fashionable wore the finest white, embroidered, or even purple garments, with curiously-wrought silk girdles. It was around this upper garment that "the borders" were worn which the Pharisees "enlarged" (Matt 23:5). Of these we shall speak presently. Meantime we continue our description. The inner garment went down to the heels. The head-dress consisted of a pointed cap, or kind of turban, of more or less exquisite material, and curiously wound, the ends often hanging gracefully behind. Gloves were generally used only for protection. (From philologos.org)

And to me, it would make sense that the Pharisees would dress up in flashy cloths. They want to be noticed and they were all about customs…

Matthew 15:1-2
1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

Mark 7:1-8
1 The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2 saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed. 3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"

6 He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

As for if the wind was blowing, I don’t know… it could’ve been, it may not have been… I don’t know… but it makes for good writing. It makes the story just all that more interesting… I will agree that the bible is silent on that. Anyway, thanks for the feedback… it’s always more than welcome. Johnny Out.

A Study on Andrew

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2006

Wow… it’s not like I don’t want to have my quiet time today, but I am beat. I am tired… exhausted, worn out, weary from lack of sleep, and completely depleted of any spirit to focus on pretty much anything. I am without any physical, emotional, or spiritual strength. Tomorrow, I give a presentation of what character who I am most similar. What presentation that will be, as far as the person, I am not sure… I guess that will be a game-time decision. So, I am going to push through right now and do a little study on Andrew.

A Study on Andrew

I don’t know much about Andrew… he is one of the twelve, as it is said. But the bible doesn’t mention him by name but in 13 scriptures.

Matthew 4:18-22
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 10:1-42
1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

11 "Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

17 "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!

26 "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn "'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

40 "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

Mark 1:14-20, 29-34
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Mark 13:3-4
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

John 1:35-42
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see."

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter).

John 6:1-15
1 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 miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Feast 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, "Eight months' wages would not 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 the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 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 miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

John 12:20-22
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Now, there are more scriptures I could use… (IE: word search “twelve” in the four gospels to name one…), but I wanted to focus mostly on Andrew’s name, which means manly and brave. I want to focus on the 13 versus that contain his name and the surrounding scriptures… And even though I have read them… I am going to wait till tomorrow, for my son is driving me crazy (short drive, I know).

A Study on Nicodemus

Tuesday, February 21st, 2006

A Study on Nicodemus

John 3:1-21
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."

3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"

5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.

10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

John 7:45-52
45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why didn't you bring him in?"

46 "No one ever spoke the way this man does," the guards declared.

47 "You mean he has deceived you also?" the Pharisees retorted. 48 "Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them."

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?"

52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."

John 19:38-42
38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

(From intouch.org)
There likely was a rustle in the trees that night. The wind was blowing where it wished, and Nicodemus was piqued and puzzled. He had heard the words and seen the miracles of Jesus of Nazareth, and now he had come to meet the Man. The fact that the ornate robe of this Pharisee fluttered in the wind held more than a little symbolism; Nicodemus was about to discover his beliefs as fragile as the clothing that touted them.

The conversion of Nicodemus is one of the Bible's most touching accounts. It is evidence of the transforming power of Jesus Christ and what He can do to the heart that seeks truth and longs for more than this world can deliver. The English translation of the name Nicodemus in its original language means “innocent blood.” The nineteenth chapter of John reveals why it is a perfect fit.

Nicodemus makes three appearances in the Bible, each in the Gospel of John. He is known as the man who came to Jesus by night in chapter 3. The “Most Precious Verse” in God's Word, John 3:16, comes when Jesus preaches truth to a lost soul comfortable and successful in worldly trappings. Nicodemus surfaces again in John 7:50-52, when, during a meeting with fellow Sanhedrin council members, he raises a procedural point in Jesus' favor. Nevertheless, he was still a Pharisee and likely yet unconverted.

Nicodemus' final appearance (John 19:39-42) reveals that the seed Jesus planted by night blossoms in the light of a gloomy day: Nicodemus forsakes his religion by wrapping and burying the crucified body of his Lord.

It all started at night, when Nicodemus came to the Light. He knew of Jesus' cleansing of the temple and the "signs" Jesus had performed. Jesus called Nicodemus “the teacher of Israel.” Nicodemus was among his nation's most highly regarded men.

“Rabbi,” Nicodemus said to Jesus, “We know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Nicodemus suffered spiritual blindness, yes, but at least he had his eyes open.

“Nicodemus was a prominent man. Anyone in Nicodemus' position would be an unlikely candidate for the position of Jesus' follower,” writes Leon Morris in the New International Commentary of the New Testament. “As 'the teacher of Israel' (John 3:10), it would never do for him to commit himself to the unofficial Teacher from Galilee, not at any rate until he was absolutely sure of his ground. If this is the explanation, it is not without its interest that Jesus says nothing in condemnation. He was content to receive Nicodemus just as he was.”

Jesus dispenses with formalities and cuts to the heart of the matter—Nicodemus' heart: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus knows why Nicodemus is visiting, and he quickly answers before being asked. Yet Nicodemus' transformation appears to have been slow. Perhaps he listened to Jesus' insistence on a new birth and then searched the Scriptures about the Messiah. His only conclusion could have been that those Scriptures were being lived out before him.

However, Nicodemus does not manifest his devotion to Jesus until after Christ's crucifixion. Along with fellow Pharisee Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus retrieves Jesus' body from the cross and prepares it for burial. The wealthy Nicodemus donates the fabulous amount of one-hundred Roman pounds of expensive myrrh and aloes to coat Jesus' body; properly, it was an amount usually reserved for kings. With Passover only hours away, Nicodemus had forsaken his religion of law because he knew the beaten and pierced figure in his arms was the Son of God. The blood streaked on Nicodemus' robe had covered the sin of the world. In his old way of life, Nicodemus was now unclean. In his new eternal life, he was now unblemished.

“He was willing openly to share with Jesus the shame of his cross,”' writes Henry H. Halley in Halley's Bible Handbook. “His coming out of the shadows in the hour of Jesus' humiliation, when even the Twelve had fled to cover, risking his own life in that tender final ministry, is one of the noblest incidents of Scripture.”

Today, Nicodemus is still the teacher. We learn from him that Jesus is always there for us, night or day. We learn that in God's perfect timing He will answer our most confounding questions. We learn that regardless of our status in this world, there is nothing more important than the regenerative life of Christ within us. We learn that no matter how great our own sacrifice, it can never compare to Jesus Christ's. And we learn that to live for Christ requires great sacrifice indeed.

It is at the cross and grave of Jesus where Nicodemus finally and boldly manifests his salvation and shows he is mighty in spirit. It is there that, as a gray sky released rain drops that may as well have been tears from heaven, Nicodemus wraps and wraps the lifeless body of Jesus. It is there that across a once-pious robe is smeared the only truly innocent blood.

The way I see it, Nick wanted to check things out for himself. He searched… he saw things and knew something was up. And to plant a seed, it doesn’t turn into a full grown tree spurting out fruit over night. It takes work. It takes nurturing. Jesus planted the seed and through his actions, he nurtured it. And the very seed he planted placed him in his tomb… and I say this as not that Nick killed him… I say it as Nick helped bury him. He brought all the things, “mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds,” and buried him like the King he is. Nick went out of his way to check Jesus out. And he found that Jesus is the real deal. I am still not sure what I am going to talk about Thursday night, I’ve checked out a number of chieftains in the bible, Pilate, Solomon, Samson, and a number of others and still haven’t made up a decision. Nick was an interesting study… not too sure if he’s the guy, but I am glad to have checked him out. Anyway, I’ve got much work to do, and very little time to do it in… Johnny Out.

Notes from CR 2/13/06

Notes from CR 2/13/06

What leads to sin is the HALT method…

H.A.L.T.:

• Hungry

I am hungry and don’t feel well, which can lead to misled feelings in other areas… a short temper and exhaustion.

• Angry

Resentment of someone or something… leads to sin out of hurt feelings, maybe even revenge.

• Lonely

Despair and feelings of nobody caring… another form of resentment, which can lash out in the form of “nobody cares anyway, so I might as well…”

• Tired

It is more of a simple “not thinking things through.” Being tired can lead to anger, due to lack of sleep. Sometimes when people are tired, hunger is normally associated… and when we eat, normally more exhaustion follows from a full stomach, complicating the matter further.

Homework:

• Stop 1 Thing:

I need to stop my criticalness. I feel in a lot of ways that I need to be catered to from others. I am certain that I encourage others, but I have felt that I need to be encouraged from others. And when I don’t feel encouraged, I become critical of the lack of special treatment. It’s not the right attitude to have an attitude of my heart… it affects me toward God, toward my friends and family, and toward myself.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIRV)
12 The word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate joints from bones. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. 13 Nothing God created is hidden from him. His eyes see everything. He will hold us accountable for everything we do.

It’s not as if I haven’t been aware of this in my character, but I am not at all sure that I have exactly open about it before everyone. And I like the NIRV where it says “his eyes see everything.” And here is the kicker… I want to change this within my character. But how do I change bitterness of heart? How do I stop being upset with someone who isn’t doing something I think they should be doing? I know I am selfish to want love from other people… but it’s not like I deserve it. I don’t deserve it. So – the one thing I am to stop is criticalness towards others. Not an easy task, but with the help of my God, it can be attained.

• Start 1 Thing:

In response to the stopping one thing, I would pray to start this: viewing things differently. A friend talked about the Matrix and how Neo viewed things differently… instead of seeing people and walls, he saw the Matrix. Instead of seeing an angry person in a store, I should see opportunity. Instead of seeing a broken down car and a stranded fellow, I need to see opportunity.

Ephesians 5:15-20
15 Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s like I need to seize the chances that are given me… and I am not at all sure if I am doing that. Jesus blessed those around him, everywhere he went. And I am so self-focused that I can see past my own nose. I need to view things in a heavenly aspect and not a Johnny aspect.

The Matrix – viewing things differently than everyone else

Solid Food vs. Milk: The difference in spiritual maturity

“The Train Trip” – Asking for blessings on others whom we don’t even know…

Matthew 3:8
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In 1906, 100 people converted 100,000 people. A decision they made was taking out everything that was questionable in their lives and became beyond reproach.

Acts 5:31
31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

Revelation 2:21
21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.

God grants forgiveness and repentance.

A mourners’ bench is a bench for mourners or repentant sinners placed at the front in a revival meeting.

God mediates with repentance…

Mediate (verb):

• To settle or reconcile differences.


• To have a relation to two differing persons or things.

Immediate (adj.):

• Occurring at once; instant.

Repent (verb):

• To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.


• To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it.


• To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.

Contrition (noun):

• Sincere remorse for wrongdoing; repentance.


• Sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation.

David writes a letter…

2nd Samuel 11:14-15
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

The next thing that David writes is this:

Psalm 51:1-9
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

God did this in a mediating fashion… And how did he do it?

2nd Samuel 12:1-7a
1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.”

4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”

I am that man… I have to see my sin in this way.

John 16:6-11
6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Revelation 3:19
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

Notes from CR 2/13/06

Notes from CR 2/13/06

What leads to sin is the HALT method…

H.A.L.T.:

• Hungry

I am hungry and don’t feel well, which can lead to misled feelings in other areas… a short temper and exhaustion.

• Angry

Resentment of someone or something… leads to sin out of hurt feelings, maybe even revenge.

• Lonely

Despair and feelings of nobody caring… another form of resentment, which can lash out in the form of “nobody cares anyway, so I might as well…”

• Tired

It is more of a simple “not thinking things through.” Being tired can lead to anger, due to lack of sleep. Sometimes when people are tired, hunger is normally associated… and when we eat, normally more exhaustion follows from a full stomach, complicating the matter further.

Homework:

• Stop 1 Thing


• Start 1 Thing

The Matrix – viewing things differently than everyone else

Solid Food vs. Milk: The difference in spiritual maturity

“The Train Trip” – Asking for blessings on others whom we don’t even know…

Matthew 3:8
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In 1906, 100 people converted 100,000 people. A decision they made was taking out everything that was questionable in their lives and became beyond reproach.

Acts 5:31
31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

Revelation 2:21
21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.

God grants forgiveness and repentance.

A mourners’ bench is a bench for mourners or repentant sinners placed at the front in a revival meeting.

God mediates with repentance…

Mediate (verb):

• To settle or reconcile differences.


• To have a relation to two differing persons or things.

Immediate (adj.):

• Occurring at once; instant.

Repent (verb):

• To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.


• To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it.


• To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.

Contrition (noun):

• Sincere remorse for wrongdoing; repentance.


• Sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation.

David writes a letter…

2nd Samuel 11:14-15
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

The next thing that David writes is this:

Psalm 51:1-9
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

God did this in a mediating fashion… And how did he do it?

2nd Samuel 12:1-7a
1 The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.”

4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”

5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”

I am that man… I have to see my sin in this way.

John 16:6-11
6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Revelation 3:19
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

Hebrew and Aramaic

What Is Aramaic?

 

Aramaic is one of the Semitic languages, an important group of languages known almost from the beginning of human history and including also Arabic, Hebrew, Ethiopic, and Akkadian (ancient Babylonian and Assyrian). It is particularly closely related to Hebrew, and was written in a variety of alphabetic scripts. (What is usually called "Hebrew" script is actually an Aramaic script.) (http://cal1.cn.huc.edu/)

 

Aramaic goes gack as early as 2nd Kings 18:26. Daniel 2 through 7 was written in Aramaic. The place of the Skull is called Golgotha (an Aramaic word).

 

Christian Aramaic Literature

 

Although Jesus spoke Aramaic, the Gospels are in Greek, and only rarely quote actual Aramaic words. Reconstruction of the Aramaic background of the Gospels remains a fascinating, but inordinately difficult area of modern scholarly research.

 

Christians in Palestine eventually rendered portions of Christian Scripture into their dialect of Aramaic; these translations and related writings constitute "Christian Palestinian Aramaic." (http://cal1.cn.huc.edu/)

 

What I have gathered is that Aramaic and Hebrew are just like American English and European English. Similar in many ways, but different in many ways...

 

Jonathon "Johnny" Ray

Notes from CR 2/13/06

Notes from CR 2/13/06

What leads to sin is the HALT method…

H.A.L.T.:

• Hungry

I am hungry and don’t feel well, which can lead to misled feelings in other areas… a short temper and exhaustion.

• Angry

Resentment of someone or something… leads to sin out of hurt feelings, maybe even revenge.

• Lonely

Despair and feelings of nobody caring… another form of resentment, which can lash out in the form of “nobody cares anyway, so I might as well…”

• Tired

It is more of a simple “not thinking things through.” Being tired can lead to anger, due to lack of sleep. Sometimes when people are tired, hunger is normally associated… and when we eat, normally more exhaustion follows from a full stomach, complicating the matter further.

Homework:

• Stop 1 Thing


• Start 1 Thing

The Matrix – viewing things differently than everyone else

Solid Food vs. Milk: The difference in spiritual maturity

“The Train Trip” – Asking for blessings on others whom we don’t even know…

Matthew 3:8
8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In 1906, 100 people converted 100,000 people. A decision they made was taking out everything that was questionable in their lives and became beyond reproach.

Acts 5:31
31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.

Revelation 2:21
21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.

God grants forgiveness and repentance.

A mourners’ bench is a bench for mourners or repentant sinners placed at the front in a revival meeting.

God mediates with repentance…

Mediate (verb):

• To settle or reconcile differences.


• To have a relation to two differing persons or things.

Immediate (adj.):

• Occurring at once; instant.

Repent (verb):

• To feel remorse, contrition, or self-reproach for what one has done or failed to do; be contrite.


• To feel such regret for past conduct as to change one's mind regarding it.


• To make a change for the better as a result of remorse or contrition for one's sins.

Contrition (noun):

• Sincere remorse for wrongdoing; repentance.


• Sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation.

David writes a letter…

2nd Samuel 11:14-15
14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

More notes to follow tomorrow… I will simply repost with more information added as I continue to learn and study things out. Johnny Out.

Happy Valentine's Day

Tuesday, February 14th, 2006

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

AAAHHH!!! Spring Training starts tomorrow… It seemed like forever ago a game of baseball was played. I am so excited… win-loose-whatever, I simply love the game of baseball. It’s a wonderful thing.

A legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'Christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. (historychannel.com)

Well, what I do know for sure is that Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, which is really why I wanted to focus on love to start the year. And if it is to share about love… to give gifts to those I love, then I need to see what God says about love.

I'll sing it one last time for you, and then we really have to go. You've been the only thing that's right in all I've done. And I can barely look at you, but every single time I do I know we'll make it anywhere, away from here. Light up. Light up as if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice, I'll be right beside you dear. Louder – louder – and we'll run for our lives. I can hardly speak. I understand why you can't raise your voice to say. To think I might not see those eyes makes it so hard not to cry. And as we say our long goodbye, I nearly do. Light up. Light up, as if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice, I'll be right beside you dear. Louder – louder – and we'll run for our lives. I can hardly speak. I understand why you can't raise your voice to say. Slower – slower – We don't have time for that. All I want is to find an easier way to get out of our little heads. Have heart, my dear; for we're bound to be afraid, even if it's just for a few days, we’re making up for all this mess. Light up. Light up, as if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice, I'll be right beside you dear. (Snow Patrol – Run)

Now, some may see this song as a drug use song, because of the words “Light Up.” I, for one, don’t see it like that. And if you actually listen to the song, I don’t necessarily think the artists mean for it like that either. I see it more as a love song. I see it as the couple going through a difficult time. One person turns to another and says light up, things will be better, just right now stinks. We are running for our lives now, but later, maybe we can rest. And isn’t that the way it is with friends we love? Maybe no one else can relate, but with relationships with me, it’s work… like running a race, and not sure where the finish line is…

Proverbs 18:9-10
9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. 10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

Isaiah 40:30-31
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Amos 6:11-12
11 For the LORD has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits. 12 Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness…

Matthew 6:25-34
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 12:22-34
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1st Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

Philippians 2:12-18
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Hebrews 12:1-3
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The Olympics… the sport of sports, they all come together every four years to prove who is the best and who isn’t all that great. Cross Country skiing… the next sport to be added: cross country hiking. Let’s throw on 100 pounds of gear and walk across a country to see who doesn’t throw up. Anyway… the race marked out for me is this: Run to the strong tower of the Lord, and let no one cut in front of me… to make sure that my running is for nothing. Run to finish in first, to get the prize that I seek. I need to not run in such a way that I end up searching for the things that pagans do… Run in such a way that it makes sense and not like a horse on rocky edges. And when I find my hope in the Lord and not in man, I find that my running will not be wearisome, and my heart will not grow faint. Spring training begins tomorrow for baseball. When does spring training start for me? Johnny Out.

A Study on Pilate

Monday, February 13th, 2006

A Study on Pilate

Matthew 27:1-26, 57-66
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."

"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."

5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."

11 Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

12 When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

15 Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."

20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

21 "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor.

"Barabbas," they answered.

22 "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.

They all answered, "Crucify him!"

23 "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"

25 All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."

65 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Mark 15:1-15, 42-47
1 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

2 "Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate.

"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of."

5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

6 Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7 A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

9 "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

12 "What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them.

13 "Crucify him!" they shouted.

14 "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"

15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. 44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Luke 13:1
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

Luke 23:1-25
1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."

3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."

5 But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."

6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."

18 With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"

22 For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."

23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

John 18:28-40
28 Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?"

30 "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you."

31 Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law."

"But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. 32 This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"

34 "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate.

Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of the Jews'?"

40 They shouted back, "No, not him! Give us Barabbas!" Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

John 19:1-42
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"

6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, "Crucify! Crucify!"

But Pilate answered, "You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him."

7 The Jews insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God."

8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"

11 Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."

13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.

"Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews.

15 But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!"

"Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked.

"We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.

16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read:|sc JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21 The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, "Do not write 'The King of the Jews,' but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews."

22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

23 When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it."

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.

25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37 and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Acts 4:23-30
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

This is an interesting study on Pilate. Pilate, on the surface, didn’t seem like at that bad a guy. He put Jesus against the worst criminal he had in custody to try to free him. The people choose the criminal. Pilate, however, wouldn’t listen to his wife… she told him to not do anything to Jesus. And then Pilate did something I so often want to do when I am frustrated: He washed his hands to proclaim innocence of the matter. It’s like he was washing his hands before they became dirty. Much like the phrase, “Pardon my French, but…” I wash my hands before I dirty them, thus giving me an excuse to dirty them. They’re clean, so why not. I think it was great that Pilate had the seal on the tomb and the guards posted there… it makes for an interesting account. The seal breaks, the guards are knocked out… Jesus rises. Really cool, I think.

Jesus amazed Pilate. I am sure in all his days, he never had a prisoner come before him and not defend himself. Your life is on the line, and you say nothing. I know it wasn’t that Jesus was dumbfounded. And honestly, if Jesus had said anything, it wouldn’t have mattered, the people wanted him crucified and they would stop at nothing less than their goal.

“That day Herod and Pilate became friends.” The death of a man brings others together. Jesus wouldn’t be a puppet for Herod. I can only imagine what Herod was asking of Jesus: Turn this flower into a cup. Turn this bowling ball into a bird. Fly around like superman. Give this spider 20 legs. The possibilities are endless as for what a king would ask of a person. And I am willing to bet it was more Herod seeking the friendship with Pilate and not the other way around. Herod probably sent him back to Pilate saying to crucify him. What would I ask of a guy who performs miracles all over the country? Herod had that guy in his very presence and was most likely asking him to do everything.

“Wanting to release Jesus…” Pilate didn’t want to crucify Jesus. “When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid…” Pilate didn’t want to crucify Jesus, but he was more afraid of the people of his jurisdiction than that of what appeared to him as simply a man. Pilate was pure and simple – a people pleaser. He was “Wanting to satisfy the crowd…” and ended up doing so in the end. And the rewards he reaped were that of becoming friends with Herod and having a satisfied town. Interesting… interesting indeed. Johnny Out.