Monday, March 25, 2013

The Lord Lives

March 31, 2013 Background Scripture: Luke 24:1 – 35 Lesson Passage: Luke 24:13 – 21, 28 – 35 If there were a Jerusalem Gazette, “The Lord Lives!” would have been a perfect headline for the Monday morning edition. This was the greatest news item since word reached Jerusalem of the raising of Lazarus from the grave after he had been dead for four days. A number of persons had been raised from death during the pass three years by Jesus. Since that was the case, then what was so great about this? Isn’t bringing the dead back to life starting to be old news around Jerusalem? All of them were the result of the miraculous work of the prophet named Jesus of Nazareth. On the other hand, this was Jesus of Nazareth himself raising his own dead body from death. This was no mere prophet. This was not a mere man spiritually gifted to perform miracles. How can the dead raise the dead? Yet, Jesus had proclaimed, and it was used as testimony against him in one of his trials, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” And word is now spreading throughout Jerusalem and beyond, that Jesus’ temple has once again been restored. When Jesus raised others from the dead, it was clear even to Jesus’ enemies that he had been sent from God because no man can do what he did except God be with him. The ordeal in Bethany involving Lazarus provided a sneak preview of what was to come. Lazarus was not just raised from the dead. Because of the four-day delay between his death and Jesus’ arrival, Lazarus’ body had begun to decay. Lazarus needed more than to be raised from the dead. To be raised required that his life be restored. Lazarus needed a resurrection miracle. Resurrection restores both life and body. Jesus had proclaimed himself as both the resurrection and the life. He was more than a prophet sent by God to perform miracles. Jesus is God. Jesus and the Father are one even as he had proclaimed. The body, in fact, dies when the spirit is removed from it. It is the spirit that gives life. Jesus proclaimed his words to be spirit. On Calvary, Jesus had dismissed his spirit from his body and so he died. Jesus had warned his disciples that he was going to leave and when it happened they would be sadden by it. He encouraged them to not lose hope because a little while later they would see him again. That fateful weekend had come. He left them on Friday and they were saddened. But now the news was spreading that he was back! Some could not contain themselves because their joy was overflowing. Others were confused and consumed with doubt because it just did not add up for them. They knew too much about the man Jesus and could not see him for who he truly is. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. And just as he has power to dismiss his spirit and lay down his life, he also has power to pick it up again. And the news is: The Lord Lives! He was dead and now he is alive and he lives forevermore. After two thousand years, it is still good news. Day after day and week after week the servants of God proclaim this good news: The Lord lives! When the preacher reminds us of his suffering, death, and burial, we get excited because true believers know that it’s all a pretext to the high point. All of that happened on a Friday, but early Sunday morning, The Lord Lives! Robert C. Hudson March 25, 2013

Monday, March 18, 2013

The Lord’s Supper

March 24, 2013 Background Scripture: Luke 22:1 – 38 Lesson Passage: Luke 22:14 – 30 Every time I revisit the account of the institution of the Lord’s Supper, I come away with a renewed sense of divine privilege and favor. The cost of salvation was so high that one can’t help but pause and wonder how often we fail to think of our salvation in the context of its true value. Celebrating the Lord’s Supper (or Communion) allows us that time of reflection. Luke records the Supper against the backdrop of events that occurred around it. There are the schemes and negotiations of the religious leaders in cahoots with the traitor, Judas Iscariot, which preceded the celebration. Then there are the misguided personal ambitions of the disciples of Jesus who appear to be missing the point that Jesus is making concerning the connection between his crucifixion and the Passover lamb which was the centerpiece of the celebration of the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt thousands of years prior. Rather than listen and understand this most important point, the disciples were preoccupied playing one-upmanship with each other. In the midst of these events, actions and general attitudes, Jesus was teaching the most theologically significant lesson that mankind would ever receive. God was about to reveal a previously hidden divine plan to rescue man from the sin that had condemned him to eternal damnation. Jesus was God in flesh and he was about to give himself as a sacrifice to take away the sins of the world. At such a moment as this, how could one of his handpicked disciples be in cahoots with his enemies to publically disgrace him? As Jesus explained the symbolism of the Passover lamb that represented the true nature of God’s plan of redemption for humanity, how could his personally selected followers be more concerned with which one of them would become more important than the others? How could Jesus restrain himself rather than “go off” on them because of their pettiness, selfishness, and greed? In spite of this less than ideal backdrop of events, Jesus taught the lesson of The Lord’s Supper with simplicity and detail. After the Passover Meal was ended, Jesus took unleavened bread from the table and blessed it. He broke it and distributed it to his disciples and asked them to receive it and eat it as symbolic of his body that was about to be given for mankind. He then took the cup of wine that was on the table and blessed it. He instructed his disciples to drink of it and receive it as symbolic of his blood that was about to be shed when he would pour out his life to take away the sins of the world. Jesus’ blood would be the seal of approval on the new covenant God was establishing with humanity. God had declared that sin’s penalty would be death. Jesus stepped in as a substitute for sinful man so that his death would satisfy the divine requirement. This would all be brought about within hours through beatings, public humiliation, and finally Jesus’ death. His last words prior to death: It is finished. This simple meal of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine would be all that is necessary to symbolize God’s plan of redemption. We thank God for “The Lord’s Supper”. Robert C. Hudson March 12, 2013

Monday, March 11, 2013

Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision

March 17, 2013 Background Scripture: Daniel 8 Lesson Passage: Daniel 8:1, 15 – 26 As I have written in previous Sunday School notes, the Book of Daniel is an important key to help unlock the mystery contained in other prophetic writings. In the Book of Daniel, visions and dreams are interpreted such that symbols and images are explained in detail. These same symbols and images are used in other writings. The interpretation of Daniel’s visions and dreams, coupled with the context in which these symbols and images are used in other writings, make it clear that they are being used in similar fashion. The horns of a ram or goat often represent earthly kings and rulers. The damage and domination exerted by these creatures often depict the nature and character of the kingdoms these rulers reign over. It is not clear why God chooses to use obscure visions and beasts to communicate through prophets, but we can certainly be grateful that God also provides an interpretation sufficient to provide guidance and hope. As we consider today’s lesson, Gabriel is introduced to us as a messenger of God who is sent forth to provide the interpretation of the vision God gave to Daniel. Gabriel is always presented in the bible as a messenger who God sends to mankind with a limited but very specific message. The other named angel is Michael who is always depicted as a warring angel. Both Gabriel and Michael are presented in the Old Testament and the New Testament as being actively involved in the affairs of people who are servants of God. God has communicated throughout time in many different manners with various persons. The book of Daniel gives us a peek into the spiritual world where angels are sent by God to provide support to those who are His servants. In today’s lesson, He chooses to use Gabriel to provide Daniel an interpretation of a vision he has received showing the actions of a ram and a he goat with horns that have notable features. Although the vision appears to be short and rather concise based on the manner it is presented in the scriptures, the interpretation shows that it covers hundreds of years of time. During that time span, rulers and their kingdoms rise and are eventually overthrown by succeeding rulers. There are several noteworthy points to be considered here. First, God knows the future quite clearly even before it unfolds. In fact, God knows a man’s actions even before he is born. Secondly, no matter who is in charge at any given time, God already knows who will replace him. Thirdly, just as God knows who will do what when, He sits above it all and ultimately decides what will be allowed to happen and what will not be allowed. Today’s lesson is a reminder that God is always in control. Not only does He know what we have done, but He also knows what we intend to do as well as what He will allow us to do. Finally, we are reminded that God will sometimes allow a person to know the details of future events that may be far beyond that person’s physical existence in this world. Therefore, when we have concerns about the future—especially when God has given us a notion of what will unfold—we can rest assured that if we seek God, He can provide us with the insight we desire irrespective of the time in which things may occur. Robert C. Hudson March 11, 2013

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Daniel’s Prayer

March 10, 2013 Background Scripture: Daniel 9 Lesson Passage: Daniel 9:4 – 14, 17 Daniel’s prayer in Chapter 9 is a model of intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is made on behalf of someone else and not just the petitioner. Here in Chapter 9, the transgressions and shortcomings of others as well as the petitioner are acknowledged in details and not just as general statements. The righteousness of God is acknowledged and upheld as the only true and eternal holiness. God’s righteousness is the standard of holiness. The petition (or request) is in perfect accordance with the word of God including the timing of it. The request is made for the period of time following the punishment interval that God decreed for His people through the prophet Jeremiah. There is no attempt to circumvent God’s divine will or judgment but rather an open acceptance of it and therefore the petition is made in accordance with it. Daniel acknowledged that all Israel was guilty before God of transgression against Him and His righteousness. Daniel also acknowledged God’s perfect holiness. In other words, this prayer also included statements of worship. We can never speak with God in a manner where we are cognizant without worshipping Him for who He is. To presuppose that we can simply go to God and announce who we are and how and why we are coming and begin to make our requests known is to not truly recognize His holiness which is always worthy of our worship. Daniel further acknowledged that Israel’s current state of distress was the result of their disobedience towards God. This is not a mere assumption on Daniel’s part. God had made it very clear in the Law He gave to Israel through Moses what the consequences would be if Israel transgressed His commandments. Israel was warned that those consequences would come upon them and they had indeed come just as God had foretold. Israel had no right to petition God, however, Daniel did so because of the privilege that had been granted to them to do so. True prayer is always a privilege that God extends to those who are called by His name. Having acknowledged God’s holiness and worshipped Him and confessed the sins of Israel, Daniel then made his request known to God. Daniel requested what God had promised through the prophet Jeremiah. According to God’s prophecy through Jeremiah, Jerusalem would be restored after Israel had been punished in a foreign land for seventy years. Seeing that the time had been fulfilled, Daniel requested the removal of the shame that was imposed on God’s people as a result of their disobedience to His covenant. The request was not for special favor but for the fulfillment of the prophecy to be completed through the restoration that was promised. God’s punishment was right and sufficient and now restoration was being requested so that God’s people could serve Him again to the glory of His name. Israel’s sin had brought shame to the name of God and their punishment had brought shame to them. The requested restoration would set things right as they were at the beginning. Daniel prayed a sincere intercessory prayer on behalf of all Israel. Robert C. Hudson February 27, 2013