The Empty Tomb

April 2, 2023 Background Scripture: Luke 24: 1 - 12 Lesson Passage: Luke 24: 1 - 12 Congratulations! Welcome aboard! Your application has been approved! These expressions often change our mood from numbing fear to unspeakable joy. These expressions often mean that someone, or a committee, has reviewed our documented credentials and determined that we have met the threshold for approval. We waited to hear from them in the hope that what we submitted would be accepted. However, we braced ourselves for the prospect of a disappointing response hence the numbing fear. We want that moment of relief to last forever, but we know it won't. Yet, we never want to forget how we felt the moment it happened. Then after that moment of exhilaration comes the silent contemplation about what it all means. What happens next? What if this notice was sent in error? Perhaps I should read it again to be sure I'm not overlooking anything. We sometimes refer to this as having our emotions on a roller coaster. There were many emotional swings in today's lesson. A group of women had waited for two days to return to the tomb that held Jesus' corpse. They prepared spices and oils the first day to be used to properly anoint His body out of love and respect for the Jewish prophet, Jesus. There was not enough time to do it on the day of His death since the Sabbath commenced at sunset. They rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the Law. Their opportunity came early in the morning on the first day of the week, The Sabbath had ended, and they were again free to do the work of anointing the body with the spices and oils. As they traveled in grief to the tomb, they discussed among themselves who would roll the large stone away that was covering the entrance. They arrived at the tomb and saw that the stone was already removed from the entrance. They entered and saw that Jesus' body was not there. In their moment of confusion concerning what had happened to the body, they were frightened to see what they believed to be two men in shining clothes standing by them, The men told them that the body was not there because Jesus was alive. He had risen from the dead even as He had told them He would. The women rushed from the tomb to tell the disciples (the eleven and the others) what had happened. Their statement to the group was not received as good news, but rather nonsense. The group had witnessed Jesus' brutal and inhumane death. It was a public spectacle meant to discourage any prospective criminal It was the worst form of capital punishment because the victims were beaten and then nailed to a cross that was elevated along a well-traveled road while they were still alive. This caused them to suffer before losing consciousness and dying. The disciples had seen Jesus beaten beyond recognition and nailed to a cross. They saw His dead body before it was removed from the cross by two of the followers. His body had to be handled quickly to bury it before the onset of the Sabbath. There was not enough time to properly anoint it. If the body remained on the cross, or outside of a burial place, it would pollute the land according to the Law. They saw what happened, and two of them participated in removing the body and burying it. Peter left the group to go see for himself. When he arrived at the tomb and looked inside, indeed the body was not there. Peter was amazed and confused. The tomb was empty, but the resurrection made no sense. Only believing in the words of Jesus will cause the resurrection to make sense. Then, and only then, will the empty tomb cause one to celebrate. It was an emotional roller coaster. Stay tuned. Robert C. Hudson March 16, 2023

Jesus Talks with a Samaritan

March 19, 2023 Background Scripture: John 4:1 42 Lesson Passage: John 4:7 - 15, 28 - 30, 39 - 41 I am amazed at the way God lovingly prepares us for things we could not handle any other way. Jesus demonstrated this loving care many times during His ministry. Today's text is one example of it. It was taboo for a Jewish person to engage in cordial conversation with a Samaritan. It was even more reprehensible for it to be a Jewish man talking to a Samaritan woman. The bible reveals that this was understood by both Jews and Samaritans. Jesus' mission was too important to be sidetracked by taboos. Therefore, Jesus sent His disciples to buy food prior to the arrival of a Samaritan woman at the well where Jesus sat. When the woman approached the well, Jesus asked her to give Him a drink. She reminded Jesus that Jews and Samaritans did not deal with each other. How dare He ask her for a drink? Jesus used her response to introduce Himself: If she knew what God was giving and who He was, then she would be asking Him for a drink. He would give her living water. Then, her conversation became less confrontational and more about their common ancestor, Jacob. Jesus responded that what He was offering is greater than what their common ancestor, Jacob, had provided by digging the well where Jesus sat. With that exchange, she was now willing to accept water from Jesus. Then Jesus turned the conversation on her. Jesus asked her about her husband. When she responded that she had no husband, the conversation became more personal. Jesus talked about her five failed marriages and her current immoral relationship. The Samaritans were obviously aware of this, but an unknown Jew should not be. She concluded that Jesus is a prophet. She changed the conversation from her relationship status to the different religious beliefs of the Jews and Samaritans. Jesus declared that both sets of belief were not entirely accurate. Jesus talked about true worshipers of God that would not follow either. The spiritual light came on for her and she referenced the Messiah of God. Jesus identified Himself as the long-awaited Messiah. Jesus led her into a believing faith just as His disciples were returning. They were dumfounded that Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman as they approached but they knew not to question Him. Meanwhile, the woman went and began evangelizing the city. Many of the Samaritans believed in Jesus as the Messiah, and they left the city seeking Jesus because of the woman's testimony. As the crowd approached, Jesus saw them as a crop ready to be harvested. Jesus sowed the seed of faith into the woman's heart, and she sowed the word of faith into the hearing of the Samaritans in the city. The crowd represented the abundant crop ready to be harvested for the kingdom of God. The crowd urged Jesus to stay with them. Jesus stayed there two days and many more Samaritans came to believing faith through Jesus' teaching there. They declared that their belief in Jesus was the result of Jesus' teaching and not the woman's testimony. In the kingdom of God, it doesn't matter how one comes to believing faith. What does matter is that one believes in Jesus to the saving of their soul. As incredible as it must have seemed to the disciples that Jesus would openly talk to a Samaritan woman, it was no doubt shocking that they would find themselves living with the Samaritans for two days beyond that conversation. Jesus went to an unlikely place, talked to an unlikely woman, and the results were unlike His disciples could have imagined. From the onset of His ministry, Jesus told His disciples to follow Him and He would make them become fishers of men. In today's text, they learned they would sometimes fish in some very unlikely waters and trust God with the outcome. Robert C. Hudson March 2, 2023

The Greatest in the Kingdom

March 12, 2023 Background Scripture: Matthew 18:1 - 9; Mark 10:15 Lesson Passage: Matthew 18:1 - 9 We use words for different purposes. Context is important to understanding words that are written or spoken. Without context, words can be interpreted in ways not intended by the source. Philosophers will sometimes make isolated statements that cause one to reflect. Teachers, on the other hand, communicate ideas and thoughts that relate to a subject under discussion. Jesus was not a philosopher; Jesus was a teacher. When discussing comments made by Jesus, context is of the utmost importance. The gospel accounts of Mark and Luke provide a context for today's scripture that is more detailed than Matthew's account. In those accounts the disciples were debating among themselves about their relative ranking within the kingdom of Heaven. They argued as to which one of them would be greater than the others. Because Jesus observed their debate, it would have been reasonable for them to ask Him to enlighten them as Matthew's account suggests. They were not asking a philosophical question. Jesus used a little child as the model for greatness in the kingdom. It is worth noting that Mark 10: 1 5 records the different perception the disciples had of little children versus that of Jesus. Jesus rebuked His disciples for attempting to stop little children from being brought to Him to be blessed. He followed the rebuke with a warning. Contrary to assuming little children should be prevented from seeking Jesus until they are more mature, all who enter the kingdom of God must first become as little children. Jesus treasured the submissiveness, humility, and trusting dependence of little children. These traits in children are required of all who come to God for salvation. Put another way, a childlike disposition is necessary for salvation. A saved person has become a citizen of the kingdom of God. Jesus Christ is the greatest in the kingdom of God. Jesus is the express image of the invisible God. That's what makes Him the greatest. Therefore, greatness in the kingdom of God is based on identity with Jesus Christ. The more one reflects the disposition and person of Jesus, the greater they are in the kingdom. Anything that is not of God will not be allowed in the kingdom. I-low far we do stray from the truth when we assume the kingdom of God is a spiritual expression of earthly kingdoms. Earthly kingdoms are ruled by people who make up their own laws to govern others. Many earthly rulers are not subject to the laws nor to those they govern. They rule with impunity. Their only natural restraint is what comes from within them. In earthly kingdoms, people vie for a higher rank among others so they can be independent of others like their leaders. God is above all, yet God rules in love unlike worldly leaders. Jesus demonstrated the love of God by dying for us; we could not live eternally otherwise. None of us are deserving of God's love. God loves because He is God. Believing in Jesus is all God asks of penitent souls desiring salvation. Accepting salvation through Jesus identifies us with Jesus. We have no glory, or shining greatness, of our own, but we share in Jesus' glow as we identify with Him. This is like the moon which generates no light, yet it can appear very bright when it reflects the light it receives from the sun. We can only reflect the shining greatness of Jesus after we are saved. To repent and receive salvation, we must be submissive, humble, and dependent on Jesus. In essence, we must become as little children, or we will not enter the kingdom of God. And being citizens of the kingdom of God makes us all great. Robert C. Hudson February 25, 2023