In John 21, Peter and a group of the disciples go back to Galilee and go fishing.
I have heard many people point to the fact that the disciples went back to Galilee as evidence that the disciples had given up on Jesus.
In Matthew, Jesus tells the women at the tomb to go tell His disciples that they were to go to Galilee because there they will see Him. The disciples went back and, while they were waiting to see Jesus, they did want they knew to do: they fished.
When they hooked up with Jesus, they ate together. Jesus then had a conversation with Peter that reconciled Peter with Jesus and restored Peter as a leader among Jesus’ followers.
John 21:15-17
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord, “ he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed My lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John do you truly love Me?’ He answered , “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of My sheep.” The third time He said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.”
In this passage we learn four things about Jesus that are essential for us to understand so that, when we sin, we can be reconciled to Jesus.
#1: Jesus is a restoring God.
Jesus restores people; that is what He does.
Jesus didn’t ask Peter once or twice if he loved Him. Jesus asked Peter three times.
Why did Jesus ask three times?
Was it because Jesus didn’t believe Peter? - No!
Was it because Jesus wanted Peter to feel guilty? - No!
Was it because Jesus was hard of hearing? - No!
Was it because Jesus was being mean and harsh? - No!
Was it because Peter had denied Jesus three times and wanted Peter to experiencing total restoration? - Yes!
Psalm 23:3
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being fully restored to relationship and fellowship with God the Father through Jesus.
#2: Jesus meets us at our level and challenges us to grow and change.
When Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him the first two times, He uses the word agape.
Agape love is unconditional, no-boundaries type of love. It is the love that Jesus has for us; it is divine love.
Peter answers Jesus with the word phileo.
Phileo love is a brotherly kind of love. It is the love that the average person has for a friend.
The third time when Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, He used the word phileo.
Jesus accepts the fact Peter is not able to use agape to communicate his love for Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t condemn Peter. Jesus is willing to come down to Peter’s level. Jesus is and will continue to grow Peter in his love for Jesus.
Acts 8:35
Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Jesus’ patience grows our understanding of who He is, of His love for us, how we are to love Him, and how to follow Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is growing in our love for Jesus continually.
#3: Jesus defines love as action, not just words.
After every time that Peter says that he loves Jesus, Jesus gives him an action to take.
Verse 15 - Feed My Lambs
Verse 16 - Take care of My Sheep
Verse 17 - Feed My Sheep
1John 3:18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
Love is a verb; it is acting on what we say we believe. It is dispensing grace and mercy to others.
It is Jesus healing the Canaanite women’s daughter.
It is Jesus healing the leper by touching him.
It is Jesus bringing the widow of Nain’s son back from the dead.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving with what we do and not just what we say.
#4: Jesus doesn’t ask for information but for transformation.
When Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, it is not for information. Jesus knows if Peter loves Him or not. Jesus wasn’t asking because He didn’t know.
Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him so that Peter would really think about it and examine his heart.
The question was asked to transform Peter.
In Genesis 3 when God asked Adam, “Where are you?”, He was not asking for Adam’s location. God knew where he was. God was asking so Adam could acknowledge his sin and repent.
Jesus knows everything. He is all-knowing.
When Jesus asks a question it is so we can examine our lives and allow the Holy Spirit to change us.
When Jesus asks Philip how the 5,000 could be fed, He didn’t ask because He didn’t know, He asked so that Philip could, by faith, trust Jesus in an impossible situation.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing Jesus to change us by examining our hearts and minds.
Many people see Jesus as a God who is all about rules and rituals. They see Jesus as condemning those who fail Him and sin.
The Bible shows us that is not who Jesus is.
John 3:17
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
Jesus is the seeking God.
Jesus is the loving God.
Jesus is the redeeming God.
Jesus is the restoring God.
With the Restoring God Raising the Roof and Removing Walls
Joe
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Jesus Gives Us What We Need
In John 20 we have the account of Jesus’ resurrection.
In the resurrection of Jesus, we see Jesus defeating:
Death
Sin
Satan
The resurrection of Jesus is the very core of Christianity.
We see in Jesus’ resurrection the fact that He gives what each person needs to believe, to be able to fully trust Jesus as the Son of God.
The first person to whom Jesus reveals that He has resurrected from the dead is Mary Magdalene.
Mary and several other women go to the Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning. When the women get to the tomb, the stone has been rolled away. The women look into the tomb and Jesus’ is gone. The women come back very excited and tell the disciples that Jesus’ body is gone.
When the disciples and the other women had returned to town after having examined the tomb and only Mary was left alone at the tomb. something extraordinary happened.
John 20:10-16
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” He said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have put Him, and I will get Him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Mary was totally hopeless.
She had been totally transformed by Jesus. Her life was about Jesus.
Mary believed that her life was now over because Jesus was dead.
Jesus simply said, “Mary.” When she heard her name spoken by the one she knew and loved and who was her life, she saw that it was Jesus.
Her hope was restored.
Her life was restored.
Jesus didn’t give Mary some euphoric feeling, He gave her a person - Himself.
Jesus is our hope.
We are not to hope in the church, we are to hope in the Head of the church.
We are not to hope in religious ritual, but in a ruler - King Jesus.
We are not to hope in a process or method, but in a man - the God/Man Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is placing all our hope in Jesus.
In John 20:8-9 it says that when John went into the empty tomb he saw and believed, but he didn’t understand that according to Scripture Jesus had risen from the dead.
In John 20:19-23 Jesus appears for the first time to ten of His disciples.
In verse 19 Jesus appears and says, “Peace be with you!.” Then in verse 21 Jesus says, “Peace be with you!”
We are told that the disciples were together and the doors were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
The disciples were fearful.
Jesus gives them what they need - Peace.
In verse 22 Jesus breathes on the disciples and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit.
One of the flavors of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is peace. Peace comes not by the absent of conflict or problems in our lives but by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on His disciples, He gives them His peace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing Jesus’ peace through the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus appears this first time to the ten disciples, Thomas is nor present and when he is told about Jesus’ appearance he doesn’t believe them.
In John 20:24-27 when Jesus appears again, this time Thomas is present.
Jesus again says to the disciples, “Peace be with you!”
Then Jesus addresses Thomas and says, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas had said he would not believe until he could put his finger in the holes in Jesus’ hands and his hand into Jesus’ wound in His side.
Thomas was doubtful.
Jesus gave Thomas the thing that he needed to get rid of his doubt and believe.
Jesus understands our doubts and does not condemn us.
Jesus loves us and wants us to have complete faith in Him. He is not going to place obstacles in our lives to create doubt. He will give us what we need to really trust Him with our lives.
Thomas needed to see Jesus for himself, and Jesus revealed Himself to him.
Raise the Roof and Removing the Walls is seeking Jesus even in the midst of our doubts.
Jesus desires for us to have hope and peace and faith. He will do what is needed for us to experience these things.
Our part in experiencing hope and peace and faith is to:
Recognize Jesus
Receive Jesus
Relate to Jesus
With the Resurrected Lord Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
In the resurrection of Jesus, we see Jesus defeating:
Death
Sin
Satan
The resurrection of Jesus is the very core of Christianity.
We see in Jesus’ resurrection the fact that He gives what each person needs to believe, to be able to fully trust Jesus as the Son of God.
The first person to whom Jesus reveals that He has resurrected from the dead is Mary Magdalene.
Mary and several other women go to the Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning. When the women get to the tomb, the stone has been rolled away. The women look into the tomb and Jesus’ is gone. The women come back very excited and tell the disciples that Jesus’ body is gone.
When the disciples and the other women had returned to town after having examined the tomb and only Mary was left alone at the tomb. something extraordinary happened.
John 20:10-16
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. “Woman,” He said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have put Him, and I will get Him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Mary was totally hopeless.
She had been totally transformed by Jesus. Her life was about Jesus.
Mary believed that her life was now over because Jesus was dead.
Jesus simply said, “Mary.” When she heard her name spoken by the one she knew and loved and who was her life, she saw that it was Jesus.
Her hope was restored.
Her life was restored.
Jesus didn’t give Mary some euphoric feeling, He gave her a person - Himself.
Jesus is our hope.
We are not to hope in the church, we are to hope in the Head of the church.
We are not to hope in religious ritual, but in a ruler - King Jesus.
We are not to hope in a process or method, but in a man - the God/Man Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is placing all our hope in Jesus.
In John 20:8-9 it says that when John went into the empty tomb he saw and believed, but he didn’t understand that according to Scripture Jesus had risen from the dead.
In John 20:19-23 Jesus appears for the first time to ten of His disciples.
In verse 19 Jesus appears and says, “Peace be with you!.” Then in verse 21 Jesus says, “Peace be with you!”
We are told that the disciples were together and the doors were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
The disciples were fearful.
Jesus gives them what they need - Peace.
In verse 22 Jesus breathes on the disciples and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit.
One of the flavors of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is peace. Peace comes not by the absent of conflict or problems in our lives but by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on His disciples, He gives them His peace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing Jesus’ peace through the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus appears this first time to the ten disciples, Thomas is nor present and when he is told about Jesus’ appearance he doesn’t believe them.
In John 20:24-27 when Jesus appears again, this time Thomas is present.
Jesus again says to the disciples, “Peace be with you!”
Then Jesus addresses Thomas and says, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas had said he would not believe until he could put his finger in the holes in Jesus’ hands and his hand into Jesus’ wound in His side.
Thomas was doubtful.
Jesus gave Thomas the thing that he needed to get rid of his doubt and believe.
Jesus understands our doubts and does not condemn us.
Jesus loves us and wants us to have complete faith in Him. He is not going to place obstacles in our lives to create doubt. He will give us what we need to really trust Him with our lives.
Thomas needed to see Jesus for himself, and Jesus revealed Himself to him.
Raise the Roof and Removing the Walls is seeking Jesus even in the midst of our doubts.
Jesus desires for us to have hope and peace and faith. He will do what is needed for us to experience these things.
Our part in experiencing hope and peace and faith is to:
Recognize Jesus
Receive Jesus
Relate to Jesus
With the Resurrected Lord Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, January 17, 2016
The Crowd, Pilate, and Jesus
In the first part of John 19 we see a huge contrast between Pilate, the crowd, and Jesus.
The contrast is between the what motivated Pilate, the crowd and Jesus. It is also between the character of Pilate, the crowd, and Jesus.
In John 19:1-2, Jesus is flogged, mocked, and beaten by Roman soldiers. Pilate brings Jesus out beaten, bloody and wearing the crown of thorns.
In John 19: 6 it says that the chief priests and their officials shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
Later in John 19:12 when Pilate tried again to release Jesus, the crowd said, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
In John 19:15 when Pilate brings Jesus out and tells the crowd that here is their king, they shout, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” Then the chief priests shout, “We have no king but Caesar.”
The crowd was desperate. Their desperation was led by the chief priests and religious establishment.
The religious establishment in Israel wanted Jesus out of the way.
Jesus was doing two things that threatened the religious leaders.
First was that Jesus was teaching the truth about God.
What was being taught by the Jewish leaders was only partial truth. They pictured God in their own image so that they could retain their hold over the people.
Jesus came and taught the whole truth about God. Jesus thus freed the people.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is teaching the complete truth of God and who He is and freeing people to know and follow God.
The second thing that Jesus did that was threatening to the religious leaders was to win the people’s affection and respect. When Jesus did, it threatened the religious leaders’ position.
The religious leaders wanted to be the power. They wanted to be in control.
Jesus pointed people to God the Father and to Himself as the Son of God as the authority the people were to look to.
In John 3:30 John the Baptist says in referring to Jesus, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is life becoming more about Jesus and less about us.
The motivation of the crowd was hate.
Pilate was fearful.
Pilate tried four times to find a way to release Jesus and not have Him executed. Each time fear stopped Pilate from doing what he knew was right.
Pilate was fearful of the crowd.
Pilate was also fearful of Jesus.
In John 19:7 the Jews tell Pilate that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God.
In verse 8 we are told that this made Pilate “more afraid.”
Pilate was fearful of who Jesus was.
In 2 Timothy 1:7 we are told that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.
In 1 John 4:18 we are told that perfect love, the kind of love God has for us, casts out fear.
When we have a relationship with God the Father through Jesus we don’t have to live in fear.
Pilate was motivated by a desire not to fail. He didn’t want to look bad at governing Israel and so he gave in to the crowd to do what he knew was not right.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living in faith, not fear, and doing what God desires.
Jesus faced the situation with calmness and peace.
In John 19:10 when Pilate comes back to question Jesus, he says to Jesus, “Don’t you realize that I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
In John 19:11 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.”
Jesus should have been fearful and desperate. He wasn’t!
The reason that Jesus faced this situation with calmness and peace was because He was motivated by faith in the Father’s will and confidence in the Father’s love.
He knew the Father had a plan to use Him to bring salvation.
He knew the Father loved Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing God has a plan for our lives and being confident that He loves us.
We live in a frightening time:
A time of economic uncertainty
A time of terrorism
A time of changing moral values
A time of great social and political division
If we look to and depend upon man-made solutions, we will live in fear and hatred.
If we look to God, we can live even in fearful circumstances with calmness and peace.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Jesus trusted the Father. Jesus acknowledged the Father. Jesus totally understood what He was to do. Jesus did the Father’s will with calmness and peace.
With the Peace of God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls.
Joe
The contrast is between the what motivated Pilate, the crowd and Jesus. It is also between the character of Pilate, the crowd, and Jesus.
In John 19:1-2, Jesus is flogged, mocked, and beaten by Roman soldiers. Pilate brings Jesus out beaten, bloody and wearing the crown of thorns.
In John 19: 6 it says that the chief priests and their officials shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
Later in John 19:12 when Pilate tried again to release Jesus, the crowd said, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
In John 19:15 when Pilate brings Jesus out and tells the crowd that here is their king, they shout, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!” Then the chief priests shout, “We have no king but Caesar.”
The crowd was desperate. Their desperation was led by the chief priests and religious establishment.
The religious establishment in Israel wanted Jesus out of the way.
Jesus was doing two things that threatened the religious leaders.
First was that Jesus was teaching the truth about God.
What was being taught by the Jewish leaders was only partial truth. They pictured God in their own image so that they could retain their hold over the people.
Jesus came and taught the whole truth about God. Jesus thus freed the people.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is teaching the complete truth of God and who He is and freeing people to know and follow God.
The second thing that Jesus did that was threatening to the religious leaders was to win the people’s affection and respect. When Jesus did, it threatened the religious leaders’ position.
The religious leaders wanted to be the power. They wanted to be in control.
Jesus pointed people to God the Father and to Himself as the Son of God as the authority the people were to look to.
In John 3:30 John the Baptist says in referring to Jesus, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is life becoming more about Jesus and less about us.
The motivation of the crowd was hate.
Pilate was fearful.
Pilate tried four times to find a way to release Jesus and not have Him executed. Each time fear stopped Pilate from doing what he knew was right.
Pilate was fearful of the crowd.
Pilate was also fearful of Jesus.
In John 19:7 the Jews tell Pilate that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God.
In verse 8 we are told that this made Pilate “more afraid.”
Pilate was fearful of who Jesus was.
In 2 Timothy 1:7 we are told that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.
In 1 John 4:18 we are told that perfect love, the kind of love God has for us, casts out fear.
When we have a relationship with God the Father through Jesus we don’t have to live in fear.
Pilate was motivated by a desire not to fail. He didn’t want to look bad at governing Israel and so he gave in to the crowd to do what he knew was not right.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living in faith, not fear, and doing what God desires.
Jesus faced the situation with calmness and peace.
In John 19:10 when Pilate comes back to question Jesus, he says to Jesus, “Don’t you realize that I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
In John 19:11 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.”
Jesus should have been fearful and desperate. He wasn’t!
The reason that Jesus faced this situation with calmness and peace was because He was motivated by faith in the Father’s will and confidence in the Father’s love.
He knew the Father had a plan to use Him to bring salvation.
He knew the Father loved Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing God has a plan for our lives and being confident that He loves us.
We live in a frightening time:
A time of economic uncertainty
A time of terrorism
A time of changing moral values
A time of great social and political division
If we look to and depend upon man-made solutions, we will live in fear and hatred.
If we look to God, we can live even in fearful circumstances with calmness and peace.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Jesus trusted the Father. Jesus acknowledged the Father. Jesus totally understood what He was to do. Jesus did the Father’s will with calmness and peace.
With the Peace of God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls.
Joe
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Jesus Died for You
In the first part of John 19, Jesus is condemned to death by Pilate. Then in the rest of the chapter John describes Jesus’ death. There are five truths that the crucifixion reveals to us.
John 19:19-20
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, The King Of The Jews. 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.
Jesus is the King over all people.
The sign was put up to irritate the Jewish leaders, but it was the truth. Jesus is The King.
When I have traveled I have seen the sign outside of many towns which said, “Jesus is Lord over (the name of the town)” I thought, “No, He’s not,” because Jesus was not Lord of every person’s life in that town. One day I said that out loud and Jesus gently remind me that He was Lord and King.
Jesus is king over all people whether people acknowledge that truth or not.
Jesus’ Lordship is not dependent on my believing it or living like it.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus being King.
John 19:23-24
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 the top to bottom. “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.”
Jesus gave up all on the cross for us.
Jesus gave His life so we could have forgiveness of our sin and also eternal life with God.
Jesus had very few material possession. Jesus had only the clothes on His back. Those clothes were taken from Him and divided among the soldiers.
Jesus gave up everything for you and me on the cross.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus giving up everything for us.
John 19:25-27
Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, the disciple took her into his home.
Jesus was focused on the needs of His mother.
Jesus was focused on others as He hung on the cross.
Jesus’ opening words were to ask the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him.
When one of the thieves who was crucified with Jesus asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom, Jesus told him that on that very day he would be with Jesus in paradise.
All of these statements are evidence of His others-focus on the cross.
Jesus was not hanging on the cross focused on Himself or His pain. Jesus was not on the cross feeling sorry for Himself.
Jesus was on the cross for our benefit.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus being focused on us and our needs.
John 19:28
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
Jesus did everything according to God’s will.
The Scripture reveals God’s will and God’s way, and Jesus fulfilled all that God desired.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus completely fulfilling the Father’s will.
John 19:30
When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
The last words Jesus spoke on the cross were not a cry of defeat.
The last words Jesus spoke on the cross were a cry of victory.
It is finished!
Jesus’ suffering for our sin was finished.
All that was necessary for our salvation was finished.
Jesus had done it all.
Jesus came.
Jesus lived a perfect sinless life.
Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
Then it says that Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit or His life.
Jesus was not murdered.
Jesus’ life was not taken from Him.
Jesus was in total control.
Jesus chose the:
Place of His death
Time of His death
Manner of His death
Jesus gave His life for us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus giving His life to set us free from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and, one day, the presence of sin.
The death of Jesus on the cross is the only source of forgiveness of sin and of eternal life that exists. It is only through the death of Jesus on the cross that we can be accepted by the Father. It is only through the death of Jesus that we can know an intimate relationship with the Father.
Through the Death of Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
John 19:19-20
Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, The King Of The Jews. 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.
Jesus is the King over all people.
The sign was put up to irritate the Jewish leaders, but it was the truth. Jesus is The King.
When I have traveled I have seen the sign outside of many towns which said, “Jesus is Lord over (the name of the town)” I thought, “No, He’s not,” because Jesus was not Lord of every person’s life in that town. One day I said that out loud and Jesus gently remind me that He was Lord and King.
Jesus is king over all people whether people acknowledge that truth or not.
Jesus’ Lordship is not dependent on my believing it or living like it.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus being King.
John 19:23-24
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 the top to bottom. “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.”
Jesus gave up all on the cross for us.
Jesus gave His life so we could have forgiveness of our sin and also eternal life with God.
Jesus had very few material possession. Jesus had only the clothes on His back. Those clothes were taken from Him and divided among the soldiers.
Jesus gave up everything for you and me on the cross.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus giving up everything for us.
John 19:25-27
Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, the disciple took her into his home.
Jesus was focused on the needs of His mother.
Jesus was focused on others as He hung on the cross.
Jesus’ opening words were to ask the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him.
When one of the thieves who was crucified with Jesus asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom, Jesus told him that on that very day he would be with Jesus in paradise.
All of these statements are evidence of His others-focus on the cross.
Jesus was not hanging on the cross focused on Himself or His pain. Jesus was not on the cross feeling sorry for Himself.
Jesus was on the cross for our benefit.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus being focused on us and our needs.
John 19:28
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
Jesus did everything according to God’s will.
The Scripture reveals God’s will and God’s way, and Jesus fulfilled all that God desired.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus completely fulfilling the Father’s will.
John 19:30
When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
The last words Jesus spoke on the cross were not a cry of defeat.
The last words Jesus spoke on the cross were a cry of victory.
It is finished!
Jesus’ suffering for our sin was finished.
All that was necessary for our salvation was finished.
Jesus had done it all.
Jesus came.
Jesus lived a perfect sinless life.
Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice for our sin.
Then it says that Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit or His life.
Jesus was not murdered.
Jesus’ life was not taken from Him.
Jesus was in total control.
Jesus chose the:
Place of His death
Time of His death
Manner of His death
Jesus gave His life for us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is Jesus giving His life to set us free from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and, one day, the presence of sin.
The death of Jesus on the cross is the only source of forgiveness of sin and of eternal life that exists. It is only through the death of Jesus on the cross that we can be accepted by the Father. It is only through the death of Jesus that we can know an intimate relationship with the Father.
Through the Death of Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, January 3, 2016
The True Sinless Rejected King
In the later part of John 18 we find Jesus brought before Pilate. The Jewish leaders didn’t have the power to execute Jesus so they brought Him to Pilate so that Jesus could be condemned to death.
In this encounter between Jesus and Pilate we learn four truths about Jesus that need to affect the way we live our lives as followers of Jesus.
John 18:33-37a
Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked Him, “Are You the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about Me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was Your people and Your chief priest who handed You over to me. What is it You have done?” 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.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered , “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for that reason I was born , and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth.”
Truth #1: Jesus is King.
Synonyms for king are ruler, sovereign, lord.
Jesus is saying that He is the Sovereign Ruler and Lord of all creation.
Jesus says that His kingdom is not of this world. Jesus’ kingdom is bigger than just this world. His kingdom cannot be contained in this world.
In Colossians 1:15-20 Jesus is pictured as the Creator and Ruler of all creation. He is also pictured as the Head of the church.
Jesus is supreme over everything.
Jesus being king means that we are to obey Him without question.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging Jesus as king and unconditionally obeying Him.
John 18:37b-38a
“Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Truth #2: Jesus is Truth.
Truth means to be in accordance with fact or reality.
Jesus says that He is truth in John 14:6.
Jesus is saying that He is what is real.
Jesus is saying that He is fact.
Jesus is saying that anything that does not agree with Him is false.
Paul calls Jesus the living and true God in 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
John calls Jesus true and the true God in 1 John 5:20.
In Revelation Jesus is called Faithful and True.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing Jesus is real and living in the reality of who Jesus is.
John 18:38b-39a
“I find no basis for a charge against Him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover.”
Truth #3: Jesus is Innocent.
Jesus was perfect.
Jesus was sinless.
1 Peter 2:22 says that Jesus committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth.
1 Peter 3:18 we are told that Jesus, the righteous, died for our sins. He was the righteous dying for the unrighteous.
In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we are told that God caused the One who knew no sin to become sin for us so that His righteousness could be placed on us and our unrighteousness could be placed on Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is believing that Jesus is the Innocent, Sinless One.
John 18:39b-40
“Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not Him! Give us Barabbas !” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.
Truth #4: Jesus is Rejected.
Jesus was not liked, let allowed loved, by all people.
Jesus is not liked by everyone today.
Jesus was never accepted by the religious establishment of His day.
Jesus was seen as an outsider.
Jesus was seen as a dissident
Jesus was seen as a trouble maker.
In John 15:20 Jesus warns His followers that we would be treated as He was. If people rejected and persecuted Jesus, they will reject and persecute us.
The truth is that Christianity was always antiestablishment. It was always countercultural.
When we follow Jesus, we are going against the flow of culture.
Culture is fallen.
Culture is broken.
Culture is under the curse.
When we follow the True Sinless King who was rejected, we can expect to face rejection also.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to face rejection for the cause and name of Jesus.
We are entering a new year (four days into it). My prayer is that we as the church of Jesus in American will focus our lives as individual followers and as the family of God on Jesus the True, Sinless King of all creation.
He gave His life for us; may we yield our lives to His control.
With the True Sinless King Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
In this encounter between Jesus and Pilate we learn four truths about Jesus that need to affect the way we live our lives as followers of Jesus.
John 18:33-37a
Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked Him, “Are You the king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about Me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was Your people and Your chief priest who handed You over to me. What is it You have done?” 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.” “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered , “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for that reason I was born , and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth.”
Truth #1: Jesus is King.
Synonyms for king are ruler, sovereign, lord.
Jesus is saying that He is the Sovereign Ruler and Lord of all creation.
Jesus says that His kingdom is not of this world. Jesus’ kingdom is bigger than just this world. His kingdom cannot be contained in this world.
In Colossians 1:15-20 Jesus is pictured as the Creator and Ruler of all creation. He is also pictured as the Head of the church.
Jesus is supreme over everything.
Jesus being king means that we are to obey Him without question.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is acknowledging Jesus as king and unconditionally obeying Him.
John 18:37b-38a
“Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Truth #2: Jesus is Truth.
Truth means to be in accordance with fact or reality.
Jesus says that He is truth in John 14:6.
Jesus is saying that He is what is real.
Jesus is saying that He is fact.
Jesus is saying that anything that does not agree with Him is false.
Paul calls Jesus the living and true God in 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
John calls Jesus true and the true God in 1 John 5:20.
In Revelation Jesus is called Faithful and True.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing Jesus is real and living in the reality of who Jesus is.
John 18:38b-39a
“I find no basis for a charge against Him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover.”
Truth #3: Jesus is Innocent.
Jesus was perfect.
Jesus was sinless.
1 Peter 2:22 says that Jesus committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth.
1 Peter 3:18 we are told that Jesus, the righteous, died for our sins. He was the righteous dying for the unrighteous.
In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we are told that God caused the One who knew no sin to become sin for us so that His righteousness could be placed on us and our unrighteousness could be placed on Him.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is believing that Jesus is the Innocent, Sinless One.
John 18:39b-40
“Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not Him! Give us Barabbas !” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.
Truth #4: Jesus is Rejected.
Jesus was not liked, let allowed loved, by all people.
Jesus is not liked by everyone today.
Jesus was never accepted by the religious establishment of His day.
Jesus was seen as an outsider.
Jesus was seen as a dissident
Jesus was seen as a trouble maker.
In John 15:20 Jesus warns His followers that we would be treated as He was. If people rejected and persecuted Jesus, they will reject and persecute us.
The truth is that Christianity was always antiestablishment. It was always countercultural.
When we follow Jesus, we are going against the flow of culture.
Culture is fallen.
Culture is broken.
Culture is under the curse.
When we follow the True Sinless King who was rejected, we can expect to face rejection also.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being willing to face rejection for the cause and name of Jesus.
We are entering a new year (four days into it). My prayer is that we as the church of Jesus in American will focus our lives as individual followers and as the family of God on Jesus the True, Sinless King of all creation.
He gave His life for us; may we yield our lives to His control.
With the True Sinless King Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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