The Seven sayings of Christ on the Cross

Luke 23:33:

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”

Christ is now brought to the place of His greatest suffering. The beatings are past but the shame and desertion by God; death, and burial ahead.

But how does He meet them?

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

The first thing He says on the Cross is: “Father, forgive them.”

He forgave them first. They did not ask for it; but He, as the greatest King, forgave the greatest debt, and He did it before they asked.

The “them”, were those chief priests who tried Him and took Him to Pilate,

the Jews who cried “Crucify Him”,

and those who stood and mocked Him, even in His miserable suffering,

the people crying,

and the Romans who nailed His hands.

As the mocking continues, the malefactors enter in. But then one speaks up for Christ:

Luke 23:40-42 “But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly;…but this man hath done nothing amiss.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”

Here, one is saved, by belief in the Lord; and one is not. For the second thing Jesus said on the cross was another word of forgiveness, and also blessing:

Luke 23:43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be. With me in paradise.”

Then, looking down Jesus saw His mother, and John, the beloved disciple, who was the only one who had followed Him from the Garden to the Cross.

He, alone of the disciples, stood at the foot of the cross, ready to be arrested, if necessary, to stay close to Jesus.

So Jesus speaks the third sayings:

John 19:26 “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”

John 19:27 “Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”

Here, Jesus sees to His mother, committing her into the hands of John, the beloved disciple.

She was to look on him as the son she lost.

He was to look on her as his mother, and take care of her, seeing to her in her old age.

(This he did, and it is said, that she went with him on his preaching tours; that her bones are buried in the wall of Ephesus.)

Six hours the sun had shone down upon all of this suffering.

Luke 23:44-45 “And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.”

The sun “was darkened”: The awful agony of the sin bearer, fulfilling the suffering of the wrath of God on our sin, was “darkened”. No one but God and Christ, could enter into this propitiation.

God darkened the sun, to show that this was not for view; no one would understand such suffering, and so, no one could truly view it in it’s terror. This suffering went on until He paid the price for all that would come to Him.

In this time, Jesus spoke the fourth saying:

Matthew 27: 46 ” And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani ? That is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

God forsaking Him was because of our sin; for God can not look upon sin, without wrath.

And Jesus was “‘made sin for us”. (2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.”)

The price paid, Jesus spoke the fifth saying:

John 19:28 “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

They had offered him wine mingled with myrrh to deaden the pain, earlier; but He refused it. He would feel every moment of pain, that He would be able to pay the full debt of our sin.

Mark 15:23 “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.”

But this time, they gave him vinegar.

John 19:29 “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

Then, He spoke the sixth and seventh sayings:

John 19:30 ” When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, (That is He cried for all who would hear, to hear “It is finished”) he said, Father, into they hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

Jesus, having finished the work of atonement, cried out; but then he gave his spirit unto the Father, in the last solemn moment before death.

Christ was our High Priest, who offered Himself as the Sacrifice for sin, for us.

In every saying there was love, offered again and again, for those who would receive it.

He drained every drop of suffering for us. And died, was buried, and rose again to give us His Eternal Life.

Do you have Him in your life?

The Woman taken in Adultery

Jesus is sitting in the Temple, teaching to all the people, when some scribes and Pharisees bring a woman in, and put her in the midst of His teaching session.

John 8:4-5 “They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?”

Here is a historical fact: Adultery in Israel was to be punished by stoning.

Here is the lesson: God’s forgiveness overrules sin’s punishment.

Here are several men, older and younger who find a woman who is “taken in adultery”; or committing it at the time the men walked in.

There were no thoughts that this was a mistake….”No, I did not do what they are accusing me of. I’m innocent.” No, she did it.

What these men were doing there, is not said; except that they did it to trick Jesus, so they could accuse Him.

But, Jesus, knowing the reason in their hearts for this question, simply ignores them….or so it would seem.

He begins to write in the sand with His finger.

What He wrote, is not known.

They gathered around Him as vultures, wanting His destruction…..more than the woman, they were supposed to be questioning about.

(I, personally, think Jesus was writing dates; maybe when they had been with this woman…they all knew where to find her. Or other names of the women they had used.)

Whatever He wrote (and it does say “wrote”), when He had wrote enough, He stood up, looked at them, and said:

John 8:7 “So when they continued asking him, He lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

The Law was God’s Word. It was right.

Yet it was the judges that were wrong.

They did not want to condemn this woman alone….they wanted grounds to condemn Jesus.

So again, Jesus stoops down and writes on the ground.

He had answered their question…..with a question to their conscience.

John 8:9 “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and woman standing in the midst.”

Here is power, not on their hearts, but on the conscience.

Our conscience is the part of us that believes there is a judgement somewhere, somehow; whether by God, or not.

That all our actions, have a reaction back at us.

Their conscience convicted; they simply left. Retreat was the best defense.

But the woman stayed.

This is an amazing thing, I believe.

She could have tried to leave when they were leaving, or afterwards; but she stayed to hear Jesus’s judgement.

And because she did….Halleluia….we have the lesson of forgiveness.

John 8:10-11 “When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?

Than she said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.”

She called Him, “Lord”; that is why she stayed, because she bowed to His Lordship. She was guilty, she deserved to be condemned, but she was the only one to stay and here what He judged.

And because she left herself in His hands, she left with a new life…”go and sin no more.”

This woman came in, a sinner, and left forgiven. The scribes and Pharisees came in self-righteousness, and left convicted.

The difference is in yielding to the Light of Jesus Christ.

She did. They refused.

John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

And remember He says: the light of life. It isn’t light for an instant….but for a lifetime.

He is light. He is life. Let us stay and yield to Him; and rejoice that our sins can be forgiven.

Christ will Rule….Let us Consider Judas

Christ Jesus came to seek and to save all who will come to Him.

Now He seeks that we will follow Him, and make Him our King.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”

Of our own will , bowing to His Will that He might rule and reign within us; in His Kingdom of Light and Love.

It is my conviction, that all who refuse Him as King, place themselves as enemies of Christ, and must yet hear this from Him:

“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me” (Luke 19:27)

We think we can deal with God, and still keep options open in case we change our mind. A back door, so to speak.

But we never really have the fullness of anything God gives us, until we are fully His.

Luke 16:11 “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?”

This is money, of course, but also all the things God has given us: Our relationships, and our jobs, are we being faithful?

God will not give you more than a taste of those “true riches” until you are surrendered to Him.

Have you ever thought of Judas?

His calling to follow Jesus, was never told.

Why he followed Jesus, he never said.

It soon came to light that he was a thief, and stole from the Man he said he followed, and from those that were with him.

The first place you hear of Judas, was when Jesus called the men which followed him, disciples.

He gave them power to heal; and a commission to go and preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

In the list of “the twelve”, was Judas.

Matthew 10:4 “Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.”

Notice the time when Jesus called Himself the Bread of Life.

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

Judas was there with the other disciples, and at this time there were more than twelve. After Jesus says to them that they would have to “eat” his flesh, many of His disciples “went back”.

John 6:66 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

Jesus was talking of having Him in their lives, which would give them life, as bread does.

But many refused His saying…not because they did not understand it, but because it was “a hard saying”. It demanded, what they were not ready to give. So they left.

John 6:60 “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?”

Yet Judas stayed. Again, why?

John 6:64 “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.”

Notice, Jesus makes a difference between believing not, and betraying him.

If Judas had “believed not”, he would have left with the others who refused to believe that Jesus was going to give them a better life, than they had.

But Judas was the betrayer. Already there were signs of betrayal.

For he pretended to follow Jesus, while he sought occasion to steal from Him.

(John 12:6 “This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”)

And then to sell Him. And Jesus knew.

It was an act so vile, because of the privilege he was given….three years he spent time with Jesus.

And because he could have walked away….anytime.

How much he would have seen in the time he had spent with Jesus?

How many miracles? How many lepers cleansed, the blind to see, and the multitudes fed!

How many times he heard how Jesus answered every accusation, and question!

Just how much Light, he was sinning against!

Was thirty pieces of silver worth it? (Matthew 26:14-15)

Have you ever considered his “repentance”, and what came of it?

Matthew 27:3-5 “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that.

And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

The word “repented himself” here, in the Greek, means regret. A feeling that he had hurt himself, by doing this, and so he wanted to retrace his decision, to save himself……when that could not happen…..he destroyed himself.

(There are several Greek words which are translated “repent”. But to truly “Repent” is to change our minds, hearts, and wills about something. It is to act completely different toward the object. We are to repent of our sins…and our attitude about the Lord.

Matthew 21:28-29 “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard.

He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and went.”

This is true repentance….to change his mind and heart about his answer, and the attitude to the father….and go and do.)

He regretted for himself, that he had betrayed “innocent blood”.

Not a word about betraying God’s Son to death…..for money…..by a kiss.

Why not choose something else….except that Judas wanted to show how much he despised the Lord….so he betrayed Him by a kiss.

(But it was all too late. The Son of God/the Son of Man, which he never believed in, or loved, was going to die a cruel death….for the sins of the world.)

He went to the wrong people, if he wanted forgiveness for his sin.

If he thought they would do anything about it, he was wrong.

He had seen Jesus being condemned, he could have spoken up for Him at the counsel.

But he didn’t.

He realized he had been blinded by his greed; but that was all.

It was all a self-centered cry of desperation; to try and change the judgement that he was feeling heavy upon himself.

And he realized, too late, that the money he loved so much, was useless now.

Judas killled himself, rather that seek forgiveness from the only One who could forgive sins.

What about us? Have we regret, because of the things that are now coming upon us, because of our sins?

Or are we repenting, changing our minds about the sin?

Peter, who denied Him, was forgiven….he ran to an empty tomb…and ran to Jesus on the sea shore. (John 21:14-17). When asked three times about his love, he answered, grieved at the asking….for he remembered three denials….yes, Lord, I love you.

Peter really loved the Lord…..

Judas despised Him and would not come and humble himself and seek forgiveness.

Again, what about us?

But that did not stop God’s Purpose…..nor can any.

Our Lord Jesus died, and rose again; to save all those who would come to Him.

He has all power and authority, and reigns in Heaven; and in the heart of everyone of His people here, who give Him the throne of their hearts.

Psalm 22

In the Old Testament there are many prophesies of Christ. Some of His exaltation, some of His humiliation.

In the very first prophesy concerning Christ’s coming to save mankind from sin, death and the devil’s influence of evil….Christ is seen as the Victor.

Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed (the devil’s) and her seed (Christ): It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.”

The seed of the woman: Christ would bruise Satan’s head…destroying the power of sin.

Satan would bruise His heel, in the crucifixion.

No one could have imagined the way Christ was going to come and destroy sin, and save His people. It is an amazing and costly plan.

But the Lord knew what would have to be done; and yielded Himself up to do it, that we might be saved from sin and it’s curse. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Some of what would happen to Christ, was foretold….so the people would know when it did happen.

This is an amazing prophesy concerning Christ, when He was on the cross.

Psalm 22:1 “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Why art Thou so far from helping Me, and from the words of My raging (crying out in pain)?”

When Christ shouted this from the cross (Matthew 27:45-46), darkness had come in the day time because God would not look upon sin….the mass of sin (mine and yours) which was laid upon Christ, to save His people.

Psalm 22:6 “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.”

The Son of God became the Son of man, and as our substitute became less than man…a worm, unnoticed and unheeded, even as He was crushed beneath the foot of our sins… and the mockery of the people.

Psalm 22:7-8 “All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him.”

As He suffered on the cross, some walked by shaking their heads in disbelief, but many scorned Him, even in His death misery’s.

Matthew 27:39,41-43 …”He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him…

Psalm 22:10 “I was cast upon Thee from the womb: Thou art My God from My mother’s belly.”

Jesus was God’s Son, and from the first to the last, He was hunted and rejected….King Herod when He was born a king…the chief priests and scribes…and finally the crowd crying “Crucify Him.”

Psalm 22:11, 19 “Be not far from Me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.”

But be not far from Me , O Lord: O My Strength, haste Thee to help Me.”

Twice here, the cry is, “But be not Thou far from Me,”. This was Jesus’ greatest anxiety and pain….His Father’s removal from Him….being separated from Him by the sin He carried on Himself for us.

Psalm 22:14 “I am poured out like water, all My bones are out of joint: My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of My bowels.”

He was not only nailed to the cross after the beatings He took; but then they jolted the cross down into the hole they had made; tearing and jerking His muscles and ligaments with the weight of His body.

“I am poured out like water….my bones are out of joint…my heart is like wax…melted.”

Yet He took every pain, every bit of anguish…lest He come short of His goal of salvation for us.

Psalm 22:15 “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and My tongue cleaveth to My jaws; and Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death.

His mouth became dry after being filled with blood with the beatings. And hanging on the cross He thirsted: at first He would not drink of the stupefying gall (Matthew 27:34), but at the end when they gave Him just vinegar to drink, He drank from a sponge (John 19:29-30).

Psalm 22:16-17 “For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed Me: they pierce My hands and My feet.

I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me.”

They waited like a pack of hungry wolves, for Him to die. When will He be gone, and out of our hair?

The other’s crucified, had their legs broken, but not He. (John 20:32-33)

Psalm 22:18 “They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture.”

While He suffered, the soldiers gambled for His garments. (Mark 15:24)

But this Psalm goes beyond the cross to the resurrection, and the forty days of instruction before the Lord’s ascension back to heaven.

Psalm 22:22 “I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: In the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee.”

After His resurrection, He was seen by His disciples (both men and women): He appeared to Mary Magdalene and told her, “My Father and your Father” (John 20:16-18),

He appeared on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32),

and He appeared in the midst of His disciples several times (Luke 24:36-40),

He told Thomas to put his fingers into His hands, and side (John 20:24-29).

Psalm 22:27-28, 31 “All of the ends of the world shall remember and trust unto the Lord: all the kindreds of the nations shall worship Thee.

For the Kingdom is the Lord’s: and He is the governor among the nations.

They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born (born again), that He hath done this.”

Jesus told of His authority, and gave last instructions to His disciples.

(Matthew 28:18-20 “All power is given unto Me in heaven and earth. Go ye,…and teach all nations…”)

And sent His disciples out to spread the good news of His Salvation to all.

(Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”)

This Psalm begins in horrible sorrow, and ends in triumph, and power; and it is all through the Will of the Father, the Sacrifice of the Son, and the giving of the Holy Spirit……to us, and for us.

Hallelujah, What a God we have!

The Greatest Need for our day is a return to First Principles

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.”

The very first principle for all who would follow Jesus, is the message of the cross—your personal cross.

Luke 9:23 “And He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

We will never have what Christ Jesus has for us in reality, unless we will deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him….

Bearing our cross to the place where we no longer resist His Will in anything….(This is not sinless perfection, but it is final obedience….you will obey what He wills.)

And He sits enthroned in our hearts, and lives.

What is our personal cross? This deals with our wills.

First, it is something you can say “no” to; for it is “whosoever will”, “ if any man will”.

Second, it is personal. My cross is not your cross, and visa-versa.

Third, it is any thing in God’s Will that crosses our wills; or brings up resentment and a feeling of wanting to run away from it.

[I usually feel a bristling in me. And as soon as I do, I know I need to talk to the Lord about this….

“I am not liking Your Will, for whatever reason, but I surrender right now, and ask that Your blessed Holy Spirit will help me, not just do this for Your sake, but change my attitude about it.”]

When we come to the willed decision that Christ is going to rule our lives; then Jesus calls us on to a more intimate calling:

Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: And whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”

This deals with our personality: that which is truly us.

You see, from children to grown-ups, we take on the mannerisms and habits and attitudes of the world around us.

What this call deals with is: Jesus freeing us from these entanglements; and giving us liberty to be us….the true us, He created.

He redeemed and saved us…not someone we think we would like to be like.

This is to “lose our lives in ourselves”.

We believe, our souls are the seat of our personality. We are unique, no two are exactly alike.

We believe also, that our souls are the most precious thing to God in all of His Creation.

When we are freed and under the liberty of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17-18), only then do we find our life in Christ.

And this we do as we continue to deny our self-life (our attitudes, our way of thinking things out, our affections, our reactions),…..so we may find our life in Christ.

Our attitudes change.

We walk by faith and not by sight.

We “learn, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). We learn discernment…what is good for us, and what is not.

And we gain confidence in our walk with God. We know…

Philippians 3:15 “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect (complete), be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

It is ever an onward walk with Christ….more and more of Him in us, freeing us from every sin and iniquity (anything unequal to your high calling in Christ Jesus)….

….till we are complete: there are no half measures with God.

Completely free from the bondage and influences of the world, and sin;

Completely obedient—having our obediences up-to-date;

Completely surrounded by His peace (Philippians 4:7);

Rooted and grounded in His love (Ephesians 3:17).

He wants us to be fully free, and fully His.

Will we begin to “follow Him”, by denying ourselves and picking up our cross till we no longer resist His Will in anything.

Then going on to lose “our life”, that we might truly be who He has created us to be….finding our life in Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah’s Call and Work

Jeremiah 1:4-5 “Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Jeremiah was called to be God’s prophet to Judah; and to those nations which would deal with Judah.

A prophet is one called of God, to tell His people what is on His mind, for them; for now and sometimes, for in the future.

Yet he was a young man. He thought he would not be able to speak such an important message to the elders and people, because of his age.

Jeremiah 1:6-7 “Then said I, Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.

But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.”

The Lord told him that his age would not matter, for he would help him go and speak as God wanted. It sounded like the Lord had a long work for him to do.

But then God dealt with the fear in Jeremiah’s heart.

Jeremiah 1:8-9 “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.”

God not only spoke, but acted. He touched his mouth, promising deliverance from the enemies that these words would bring.

(He does the same to us, when He places the Holy Spirit within us, giving us His life, and grace. His touch to us.)

When we speak for God; preach His word, or give out the gospel; then all those who fight against God, will “fight” against us.

Then Jeremiah, who was of the priestly tribe, was chosen by the Godly king Josiah to go to the villages around his home town and teach the law, so that God would be honored again in Judah.

But the men of his town, including those of his own household, tried to kill him. (Jeremiah 11:19, 21-23)

He was sent by God to go to Jerusalem, and this is where his real calling began.

There he dealt with the priesthood, to get them to honor the word the Lord was giving.

Jeremiah 4:5-6, 14, 18; “Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land; cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defensed cities.

Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.”

Jeremiah 5:1, “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that execute the judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.”

(God would have pardoned Jerusalem from much judgement, if there would have been “any” that would do His will. We, too, are the salt of the earth…are we preserving our church, family, etc, as we should?)

He dealt with the people, to simply honor God’s commandments. But everywhere his word went, it stirred up anger.

(We do not like to hear that we are not doing right. Some honor religion, and not God. Some honor God only if He does what they like.)

Then the rulers became aware of his message.

God was saying: to submit to God’s chastening through the king of Babylon.

If they would, God would let them remain in the city, and in the land.

They would be under the rule of a foreign nation; but in the land.

It would be humbling, but the only way to stay in the land; the only way to be blessed by God.

Jeremiah 5:5 “I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.”

(In other words, they left the path of faithfulness, and went after “success”, and promotion)

(God had warned about this when Moses was warning the people before they came into Canaan: To obey God, or suffer under the dominion of other nations.

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 “Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies, which the Lord shall send against thee, and in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in the want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck,……”)

But now the time had come to see the hand of God in all His dealings, and submit.

If they refused; they would be forced out of the land God had given them for their sin. (Yet, it would not be forever; but just seventy years.)

When Jeremiah told the people this; the princes and rulers tried to kill him.

Jeremiah 5:11-12 “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.

They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:”

Hidden by friends( Jeremiah 36:16-19); then put in a deep pit with mire in it (Jeremiah 38:4-6); yet he proclaimed the truth.

Warning again and again, the king of Judah, and the princes to yield to the king of Babylon, because it was really yielding to God.

But they refused; and the whole city suffered under starvation, thirst, and finally the enemy breaking through, and death.

Thousands of men, women and children died because they refused to submit to God’s dealings with them. Thousands of others were taken away from the land as slaves.

How often are we dealt with by God? Things are happening, and we refuse to pray about them. When God is really trying to awaken us to what needs to be changed.

(Yes, I, too have been dealt with, and tried to excuse myself. Why won’t we just yield? How silly to be so stubborn….for what?)

Yes, our faith is tried; but when things come to us; we should seek the Lord’s face about them.

If we are being tried, He will increase our faith, by the trial.

If we are being corrected, He will let us know; and it will be our blessing to set it right, and submit to the correction.

But Jeremiah, too, was in the city. He was there when the city was taken, and the Temple destroyed.

But God saw to his servant; he was given bread and water through the siege, by the very king he tried to warn (though he refused the good warning).

When everything Jeremiah had warned them of, had come to pass; he walked out of the place the king had kept him, into a city destroyed and burning.

Still, when approached by the remaining people for good counsel, he prayed for them, to get it.

He never left off trying to help God’s people know, and do His Will.

(Tradition says Jeremiah was finally cut in half by those who kept refusing God’s Way.)

Often we are the same; we see the very thing God has warned us of, through preaching, teaching, and Bible study; yet we still do not heed God’s warning to us.

We think, God has to take care of us.

Yes, if saved, we can never be lost. But God can allow severe chastening in our lives, because we refuse His Word.

Which, when we yield to, life is given; His life and grace is given more abundantly. (Think of the prodigal.)

When Jeremiah first started to preach to the people; God told him:

Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Cisterns are like a whole dug, and filled with rain water; like a reservoir. Cisterns are often dry, even when not broken.

To rely on anything other than our God, for our life, is to turn to cisterns.

But our God is like a fountain of living waters. Ever springing up, ever availing.

What will we do today, with God’s Word to us?

[I used to think that Jeremiah was the saddest man in the Old Testament. Many, so many refused God’s Word….but I have come to realize, that Jeremiah suffered often alone, and in terrible ways….yet he was always helped in abundant measure, inside. God was with him more abundantly.

The saddest people in the Old Testament, and any time are those who refuse God’s Word.

Listen to his cry’s:

Lamentations 3:18-19 “And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord:

Remembering my afflictions and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.”

Here is depression…from anxiety, from troubles, from perceived failure…

But the very next verses:

Lamentations 3:20-26 “My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

Then I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: Great is Thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; Therefore will I hope in Him.

The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”

Jeremiah remembers God, Who He is, and what He has done before….how through all the years, He has been faithful to His People….and he trusts.

It does not take away the troubles….but rather redirects them to God….and He has broad enough shoulders to carry Jeremiah and all the troubles.]

Missing the Mark

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Sin means missing the mark.

We are all sinners, by birth and by choice.

But this sets forth more than this….we have all missed the mark for the goal for our life…..that goal for which we were brought into being for……

…..until we come to submit to the Truth of God, in the Person of Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

Then when truth is faced, then grace (the unmerited favor of power) is given to us.

2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

When you have come to the knowledge of a truth, you have what that truth sets forth….in your experience.

2 Timothy 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

(And when you only agree with the truth, but refuse the power of the Truth, you are as a cistern (Jeremiah 2:13), holding only enough water for a time; but not having the Living Water (John 4:14).

You are only holding enough facts to look good. You are still missing the mark….the purpose that God has for you, in Christ Jesus)

How do they “refuse the power”? In words? No, they talk the talk of religion….but they never have subjection to the Holy Spirit and His Word; therefore no real power in there lives.

For it God working through us that is the power of our lives.

Down through the ages, God has called by Wisdom.

Wisdom in scripture is that revelation (light)from God: that comes to our minds, when were in a muddle; our hearts, when the world dazzles; our wills, when we are at a standstill. We suddenly know….what God sees, and wills.

Proverbs 1:20,22 “Wisdom crieth without;…..How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”

Wisdom cry’s out in joy, of the Lord’s invitation to all: (remember God deals with our wills….what will we do?)

“Simple” here means: the easily seducible. They will be led away easily.

“Scorners” are those who mock as well as reject the truth.

And “fools” are those who are indifferent to God’s character or government. They don’t know, or want to know.

Having addressed them in truth…..will they come and have grace applied to them?

Proverbs 1:23 “Turn you at My reproof: Behold, I will pour out My Spirit unto you, I will make known My words unto you.”

Wow! What a promise to those that hear the truth and come to the wisdom in Christ! His Spirit, poured out to them. His Word understood by them.

Again….Wow!

Wisdom is from God, it is “from above”.

James 3:17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

This is the way God’s wisdom speaks:

First, pure….there is no admixture…it is simply the truth.

He is going to tell you what you need to hear, in order that you will be saved from sin and self……and go on to be adult sons of God, with the responsibility and authority from God that He has for you.

Ephesians 4:13-15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (complete) man,….

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, ……

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”

Second, peaceable. “The entrance of His Word brings life…”. He is interested in us….not what we can do for Him (we really can’t do anything for Him…we are called to obedience for that is subjection and love for Him; but we never add anything to God).

Peace is one of the first things He gives us, and He calls us to it again and again, in all our trials and joys.

(Luke 1:79 He came to:”guide our feet into the way of peace” ; The sinner at Simon’s house, and the one who touched the hem of His garment: “go in peace.” Luke 7:50 and Luke 8:48; John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you…”; John 16:33 “in Me ye might have peace.”; Three times after His resurrection, when He greeted His disciples “Peace be unto you”. John 20:19, 21,26….there are more, but you get the idea.)

Third, gentle, and easy to be entreated. In other words, the Lord does not rebuke us for not knowing…..only not coming to Him, to know.

James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Fourth, full of mercy and good fruits. Mercy is God’s kindness to sinners. Spiritual mercy leans down and picks us up, lifts up our head, and applies whatever medicine we need.

Which in turn, brings out mercy from us, to others….that good fruit produced in us and through us.

Fifth, without partiality and hypocrisy. God does not give wisdom based on who you are, or your spiritual status. (Acts 10:34 “God is no respecter of persons:”)

God gives wisdom to those who need it and come to Him for it.

We have all missed the mark; but what are we going to do about it?

Will we come to Jesus Christ and receive His Life, by being born again?

Will we go on and really learn by subjection and love to Him, and become grownups for His sake?

Will we come and keep coming to receive His wisdom?

For He promised He will “pour out” His Spirit upon us, and “make known” His Word to us.

Let us stop missing the mark for our lives, in Christ.

The Elder Brother

Luke 15:25-26 “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.”

Here is the elder brother of the Prodigal, doing what he always does….coming in from the field after seeing to the work there.

This he had done many times since his younger brother had left.

As the eldest son, he had been given the first two-thirds of the inheritance; while his younger brother had taken his one-third and left (to squander it).

But what he had not realized was, that when the Father divided his living among them (Luke 15:12)…it was a legal transaction that transferred all the substance, authority, and wealth to them.

So when the younger left with his….everything (2/3 of the estate), was now his, to do what he wanted with.

The elder son was lord of the manor…..his Father was nothing more than an honored guest in his house.

(Yes, he was to honor and to see to him as long as he lived….but the place, house, money, and servants, etc. was his….with all the legal standing of this position.

He could do what he wanted with all of it.)

Frankly, this was because he never really knew the Father, and his goodness.

He still saw things as they had always been….a son just doing his chores.

There was no enjoyment of his inheritance….no enjoyment or fellowship between him and his Father….just the duty, somehow to gain……something.

(that is the intangible “something”, because we should not do our duty for gain; but for love’s sake)

But sadly, he had everything….and never enjoyed it.

I am emphasizing this, because there are a lot of Christians the same way.

We have an inheritance…..yes, it will be complete in heaven….but, we have the earnest of that inheritance, now….in the Person of the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

We have “all spiritual blessings” in Christ, waiting for us to get them down here in our practical life. (Ephesians 1:3)

We have the fruit of the Spirit to enjoy….and the ability to fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Do we really know this? What are we doing about it?

Or are we like the elder brother, who never really knew his Father….so did not know the enjoyment of the life he (or we) have been given.

(The Prodigal, though a mess and a failure….losing so much of his life on riotous living in the world….yet he, at least, knew his Father, and knew he would be given a place (even as a servant)…..if he returned to Him. When he did, the Father ran out to meet him, for he had been “dead” to all the life he should have had, till he returned. [Luke 15:32])

But the Father also “came out and entreated” the elder brother. When the elder brother found out the younger was home, and the Father had killed the fatted calf for him (something that was reserved for honored guests and special occasions)….

He was angry…

Luke 15:28-30 “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his Father out, and entreated him.

And he answering said to his Father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

Now you might think, having heard this….that he had good reason to be angry.

No, he did not. He could have had a party with his friends, anytime he wanted….with a kid, or the fatted calf, if he wanted.

But sadly, he did not know this. He thought he was a servant….not a son. He thought his inheritance rested in his merit….how hard he worked, and obedient he had been.

“I never transgressed Thy commandments….even though I grudgingly did them for merit”.

Is this obedience…..maybe to the letter….not to the heart of them.

For the heart of any commandment, or direction from the Lord is to guide you into greater enjoyment of the life of God, in you.

I deserve better than You have given me…..what?! He did not even know what the Father had given him.

I deserve better than You have given the prodigal….But you had it all the time…to have and use, anytime!

No, his inheritance (and ours) rests in the fact that we are sons of God, not in our merits.

The Father had come out, and “entreated” him. He earnestly beseeched, implored, begged him to come on in, and party with them.

How this shows the desire of the Father’s heart for His sons….to have them fellowshipping with Him.

Luke 15:31 “And He said unto His son, Son, thou art ever with Me, and all that I have is thine.”

All that Christ obtained for us, in His death and resurrection, are laid up for us…..not just for the by-and-by….but for now, to own and use.

It is in Christ….but we are in Christ. (“In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance…” Ephesians 1:11)

Ephesians 1:3, 7-9, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.

Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: “

1 John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:….”

We have our inheritance now….what will we do with it?

Manna, or the old corn of the Land.

Joshua 5:11-12 “And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the marrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the self same day.

And the manna ceased on the marrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

On this day the manna stopped. They did not need it any more. It had been God’s miraculous food for His people, in the wilderness. (Exodus16:14-16)

But now there was the old corn of the land, stored up from the harvest of the inhabitants.

When they entered Canaan, the people had fled into Jericho, and had left this supply of food behind.

Now Israel had a supply, not from heaven each morning…….but from their enemies.

Certainly, both supplies came from God:

One was directly from Him, each morning.

The other was a supply He gave from the land which they were entering.

These supplies were also different in the way they were presented to feed Israel.

The manna was on the ground, right outside the tents of each Israelite. So he could walk on it if he so chose.

So Christ when He came in His humiliation as the Man Christ Jesus, was presented in an earthly manner.

John 6:33-35 “For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

He came as one of them, presented Himself as the Son of God, and was despised and trampled on, as often the manna was to Israel.

John 6:41-42 “The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am bread which came down from heaven.

And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”

As the manna was given directly from heaven, but placed upon the ground round their tents for them to honor and receive, or walk on…..

so Jesus Christ came to this earth to be received or rejected.

John 1:10-11 “

The old corn of the land was discovered, as they came to possess their possessions in the Promised Land.

And when discovered it, the manna ceased.

It was part of their inheritance, which this generation wanted, and so they received it with thanksgiving.

This is like Christ being presented as Lord and Savior to a lost and dying world; after He had ascended into heaven again, receiving all power, and set down at the right hand of God.

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and , lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

(You must remember that the apostles began the work of the gospel to the world in Jerusalem, among the very ones who had crucified Jesus. They preached Christ there, and on the first day of Pentecost three thousand were saved. From Jerusalem, it was Judea, Samaria [the places Jesus had preached] and to the uttermost part of the world from there. [Acts 1:8])

Christ Jesus was presented to the lost world, and where it was received, there was thanksgiving.

Was their battles? Yes, in both cases: Israel in Canaan.

And the Gospel of Christ to the world.

(I do not believe there has never been a time when Christians have not been persecuted somewhere in the world…..for Christ’s sake.)

Yet Christ is set before us as our inheritance;

He nourishes us; builds us up; and sustains us.

Let us give thanks for His Salvation, and all He has done for us.

Christ is still the Bread of Life. He is still being presented to the world.

Both supplies of food represent Christ; one sent from heaven to be presented to Israel, on the ground.

One sent by heaven through the very enemies they were to overcome, as they entered into their possessions in the Promised Land.

Let us praise God for all the ways He sees to us, to His Gospel, and to the honor of His Son.