Don't Go Just "to Look"

"After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb." (Mt. 28:1)

 

"They went to look at the tomb."  I read this passage on January 28 and was saddened by the hopelessness in that phrase.  They had no more expectation that the tomb would be empty than the other disciple of Jesus who, "were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews."  What a sad picture, no expectation, just, "went to look...."  How many church services last Sunday were filled with people who just, "went to look." 

 

The root word has something to do with passivity, just to look at it, to be a spectator.  So many churchgoers today are just spectators of the, "Faith of Jesus."  They are surrounded by people who "believe," who are working in the Kingdom of Heaven, but their lives are dominated more by looking rather than participation.  "My brethren, these things ought not so to be."  If our text has been too often a mark of your life, I remind you that you are a Follower of Jesus Christ, one in whom Jesus Christ lives.  You have the "God-Breathed" Word, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Church for fellowship, exhortation, edification, encouragement, correction.  The hymn writer was correct when he penned, "All I have needed Thy Hand hath provided." 

 

So, go to that "tomb" today, but don't go "to look at" it.  Go expecting that His Word is fulfilled.  Did the women's lack of expectancy and the men's mocking at the news of an empty tomb nullify the Word of God?  "Of course not!  Though everyone else in the world is a liar, God is not.  Do you remember what the Book of Psalms says about this?  That God's words will always prove true and right, no matter who questions them (L.B.). 

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to never go just to look.  Amen.

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When 18 year old Peter Torjesen "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Having Some Doubts About God's Ability to Help You?--Try This

"He (Jesus) is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.  When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high." (Hebrews 1:3, Amplified Bible)

There are millions of galaxies in the known universe.  The galaxy we are a part of, the Milky Way, is about 18,600,000,000 miles across.  I read this morning that "it takes the Sun (and our solar system) roughly 200-250 million years to orbit once around the Milky way.  In this orbit, we (and the rest of the Solar System) are traveling at a velocity of about 155 miles/sec.... The Milky Way Galaxy is just one galaxy in a group of galaxies called the Local Group (I love it--"the Local Group").  Within the Local Group, the Milky Way Galaxy is moving about 180 miles/second (about the distance from Pittsburgh, PA. to Columbus, OH.----- in one second) towards the constellation Virgo."  Just another little thought here---- "If a person were to drive 65 miles per hour, it would take 163 years" to drive to our Sun.  Okay, I get it.  I'm a spec on a flea's eyelash.  But never forget lest you think you are small--- that religious super star you so admire, your boss, those powerful magnates of industry, and politicians only occupy about the same space in this cosmos as do you and I.  Jesus is the Great Equalizer! 

The Bible scoffs at modern Darwinian science.  Our text is speaking of Jesus, Mary's Boy, raised to age 30 in a carpenter's house, coming up through the ranks as an apprentice, journeyman, to master carpenter.  Then at approximately age 30, having left Joseph, Mary, and his siblings, Jesus was, "anointed...with the Holy Spirit and with power,...went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil...."  Yet our text tells us that everything Jesus did was on His journey to the cross.  Then after His death, "When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt (in His Precious Blood), He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high"---------- Oh, yes, and This Same Jesus just continues, contrary to what the vast majority of our children are learning in their schools, "upholding all things by the Word of His power," which, in case you may have forgotten, includes that 100,000 light year diameter of the Milky Way.

I know, I cannot fathom all of this either.  I just enjoy Him and the reality, "If God (Our Father, the Son, Jesus, His Blessed Majesty, The Holy Spirit, He Who rules this limitless universe, "by the Word of His power") is for us, who can be against us?"!!?

Father, in Jesus' Name, the more I think of such things, the smaller I become and the greater you "become."  I am just so glad You don't forget I am here.  Amen.
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When Peter Torjesen, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"The Light Shines..,But The Darkness Has Not Understood It"

"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth,  Who have set Your glory above the heavens....When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man, that You are mindful of him?" (From Psalm 8, KJV) 

I woke up last night around 03:00.  I did not fall back to sleep very soon, so I communed, as the hymn writer said, "as friend with friend."  At one point I said, "It's a wonder that You even know I'm here."  Then our text came to mind. 

I have read that the nearest star to earth is 4.3 light years away.  That is over 24,000,000,000,000 miles.  One astronomer said, "and that's just barely outside of our front door."  The Andromeda Galaxy, twice as massive as our own, is 2.5 million of these light years away.  It is claimed that it can be seen with the naked eye.  I wonder what David would have said had he known that. 

You simply cannot call Jesus a great teacher, a great historic figure and reject His claims-- "Before Abraham was, I AM....Whoever lives
and believes in Me shall never die....He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 8, 11, 14).  Jesus is the One of Whom the Word declares, "in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible...." (Col 1: 16, ASV) The
infinite Universe is the, "work of His hand" (Isaiah 64).  Many people today and historically have spoken very loftily of Jesus and the Bible, yet have lived lives under their own lordship.  This is the classic "double talk."  They have just never considered His claim to the night sky------- and our lives.  "All things were made by [Jesus] and without [Jesus] was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3).
"Come to Me...and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Look up tonight, search for that 4.3 light year star.  How very close indeed it is to us.  Then consider the report that the farthest star is 31 billion of these light years away.  I simply say that if it were not for Jesus, I could not believe a Being so "great," so "excellent" can exist.  But in Jesus I see Him now; I know Him now, and I love Him now,------- my Reason for living.

Father, in Jesus' Name, if I could be so presumptuous-- What a great idea to come to us in Jesus!  I could not believe without Him.  Amen.
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When Peter Torjesen, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"In Seasons of Distress and Grief, My Soul Has Often Found Relief"

"Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!  You  have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer." (Psalm 4:1)

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.'  I do not agree.  The wounds remain.  In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessons.  But it is never gone" (Rose Kennedy).  I saw this quote the other day at the close of a TV program, and my first reaction was one of agreement.  Even though this has always been man's remedy to the "pain" of life, attempting to survive life's most horrid battles, there is painful honesty here.    

Have you ever noticed that the Bible never attempts to hide the range of human emotion, even in its "greatest" saints?  So why do so many Christians think they have to live in denial?  Is it to impress other Christians?  No wonder so many in the world system who are searching for the truth cannot find it with so many professing Christians and their churches. 

To Rose Kennedy it was, "the mind, protecting its sanity," by covering the "wounds...with scar tissue."  But for me, survival is, Jesus, "You have relieved me in my distress."  I agree with Rose, "The pain...is never gone."  But I can say also with the hymn writer,
          "In seasons of distress and grief,
          My soul has often found relief,
          And oft escaped the tempter's snare,
          By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!"
Whatever form prayer takes in your life, it all comes back to dwelling in our Father in Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, our Advocate, abiding in Jesus and His Words abiding in us.  In all of my life, I have found nothing or no one who can bring relief from incurable, "seasons of distress and grief," as our Wonderful, Living Triune God.  Scars and pain may remain, but so does, "You have relieved me in my distress."

Father, in Jesus' Name, What else can I say?  Thank You.  Amen.
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When Peter Torjesen, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2