The Thief on the Cross said: Shut up: "Have you no fear of God? You're getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him—he did nothing to deserve this. (Luke 23:40)" We all deserve death for if we are guilty of one sin, guilty of all.
Because of the Resurrection, it changed everything. In Luke 24:45-49, God shares: Jesus opened their uderstanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way. He said, "You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead on the third day, and then a total life-change through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations---starting from here, from Jerusalem!"
Praise God that He made provision for our sins. In John Owen's book Overcoming Sin and Temptation, Owen writes: "Be acquainted then, with your own heart: though it be deep, search it; though it be dark, inquire into it; though it give all its distempers other names that what are their due, believe it not. Don't justify your own particular sin, but seek to recognize it so that you might fight against it with all your strength. Christians are called to wage war against this enemy, knowing that there are only two points: Be killing sin or it will be killing you." John Owen. "The only hope John Owen can promise in his book comes not through further self-examination but by embracing the Love and Provision of God." Open our eyes this day to see your Wild Love and Undeserving Provision.
As we close the pages of Dr. Luke's book, what stirs in your heart?
Luke 24: 28 -31They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.
ReplyDelete32Back and forth they talked. "Didn't we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?"
The scriptures have been opened for us, through the Message, made even clearer by Dr Larry Crabb, who discusses spiritual maturity and "wishing forward". I love how Dr Crabb ended the chapter on Luke, " Peace will come to earth only when I find pleasure in all its inhabitants (Luke 2:14). And that will not happen until everyone is perfectly mature, formed exactly as my Son. Movement toward that desire requires the power of My Son. Movement toward that desire reqkuieres the power of My Spirit to divide and expose the two roads within you (Luke 12:51) and lead you to wish forward on the right one--the narrow one--to follow in My Son's footsteps."
Here on Skull Hill...surrounded by the overwhelming panorama of death...a Pearl is revealed...
ReplyDeleteLuke 23:34-35
Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing."
His eyes saw sin.
His eyes saw satan.
His eyes saw me.
He could have risen up into the God He was, and is, and is to come...
But He lovingly remained silent...brought as the Lamb of God to the altar of the cross.
He issued a defeat to death and the grave and the keys returned.
He issued an invitation to life eternal to me.
The Pearl of great cost...won my forgiveness forever if I just come by faith, believing that He is my King.
What do I take away from Luke? He turned my world upside-down.
Oh, Deborah how your words brought tears to my eyes...bless you.
ReplyDeleteI know, Mary Lou. In my heart, I would hope I would have been one of the faithful ones who remained with Him keeping vigil.
ReplyDelete((((Hugs))))
Bev, Jan, what stark reminders of our Savior and our sin.
ReplyDeleteSweet, sweet words, Deborah. What a day that was that turned our world upside down.
I love and hate these verses. What I caused Him to go through, yet what He did for me...We're at the climax of our story.
"Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the scriptures that referred to him." (Luke 24:27) "...if we miss the message of the first thirty-nine letters, we'll miss the message of His last twenty-seven." (pg.194 66LL)
ReplyDelete"Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect,helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He's the True Temple, the True Prophet, the True Priest, the True King, the True Sacrifice, the True Lamb, the True Light, the true Bread."
This is from a list by Tim Keller showing Jesus as the "true and better One" pointed to in all the Old Testament. (You can find it online.)
I wonder how they missed all those passages on suffering? So often I see only what I want to see. Do I focus so intently on what I want that I'm blinded to what God may be trying to say to me in other scriptures? I'm no different than these two Emmaus disciples. Too often I still want to be that "happy family driving to Disney World." (66LL)
"But My plan to defeat your enemies will not square with your understanding of how I should go about the battle." (pg 388 66LL) I guess it just makes sense that the perfect Person always has the perfect Plan.
As Annette mentioned recently: "But my Bible's still open, and I'm still here." (66LL)
A little behind...but still here.
"...the keys returned." Deborah, I loved that reminder!
FG
Every single one of you who comments stirs me so. I mean, I read the same thing you did. But how you put it, how you read it, how you embrace it is just powerful to me! Thank you to each of you!
ReplyDeleteWhere's the birthday girl???
Where's Claire's mom?
Where's that darling prayer warrior of ours?
Where's the song she must sing?
Where's the girl that's gotta give?
Where's the gentle dentist assoc?
We miss you when you're gone
for a day...come back s.o.o.n.