"Obedient to the Point of Death, Even the Death of the Cross"

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You." (Psalm 9:10)

 

There were Jews and other first century people who were of the people of our text, "who know Your name and...put their trust in You."  There was Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathaea, Matthew, Simeon, Anna, a Roman centurion, and, I could name many more.  They knew His Name the only way you and I, "know [His] Name," today------------------------- "by faith."   

 

Vine says this of the word for, "know," in our text-- "The first sense appears in Gen. 8:11, where Noah 'knew' the waters had abated as a result of seeing the freshly picked olive leaf in the dove's mouth; he 'knew' it after observing and thinking about what he had seen.  He did not actually see or experience the abatement himself."  You and I "did not actually see or experience" the crucifixion, the death, burial, and resurrection of Our Lord, King and Savior Jesus Christ.  But, "after observing and thinking about what [we] had seen," e.g., "The Scriptures," the testimony of the Redeemed through the centuries, we believed, accepted as fact/reality that, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.  After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once." 

 

People believe that George Washington actually lived and was the first President of the United States of America.  Yet there is no recording of his voice, no photo, no eye witnesses alive today who saw him.  The only proof we have is from his contemporaries, people who saw him, ate with him, saw his mighty deeds, and, by paintings and the written word have passed on to us the testimony that there actually was a George Washington.  So, based on similar evidence, I declare today------------------------- HE IS RISEN!"

 

Father, in Jesus' Name,    "Lest I forget Gethsemane;

                                           Lest I forget Thine agony,

                                           Lest I forget Thy love for me,

                                           Lead me to Calvary."  Amen.

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When an 18 year old Norwegian "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

Complete Version of "Oh, Sacred Head Now Wounded"

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn!

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners' gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 'Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!

Now from Thy cheeks has vanished their color once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished the splendor that was there.
Grim death, with cruel rigor, hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou hast lost Thy vigor, Thy strength in this sad strife.

My burden in Thy Passion, Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression which brought this woe on Thee.
I cast me down before Thee, wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee; Redeemer, spurn me not!

What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest friend,
For this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end?
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.

My Shepherd, now receive me; my Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me, O source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me with words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me to heavenly joys above.

Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death's cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I'll clasp.

The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring, I'd breathe my soul to Thee.

My Savior, be Thou near me when death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me, forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish, oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish by virtue of Thine own!

Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.
(Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux)

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When an 18 year old Norwegian "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

"What Language Can I Borrow to Thank Thee, Dearest Friend?"

"When your children shall say to you, What do you mean by this service?  You shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.  And the people bowed their heads and worshiped."  (Exodus 12:26, 27 Amplified Bible)

 

"What do you mean by this....?"  The Bible is quite clear-- "It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover....Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us."  The Passover lamb that night was but a foreshadow, a type of the coming One, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Yet what occurred in those few hours, from the suffering in Gethsemane, to the Cross, the Tomb, would seem like the ultimate miscarriage of justice---- His the pain and suffering, ours' the guilt, His the, "outer darkness," ours' the wretched sin.  As Bernard of Clairvaux would write many centuries later, "Mine, mine, the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.  Lo, here I fall, my Savior!"  'Tis I deserve Thy place." 

 

The Hebrew writer says something which too often escapes us.  "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death."  Why the, "loud cries and tears"?  As Jesus looked into the "cup," He saw my sin, the deserved, awful torment in the fires of Hell, the deserved judgment pronounced.  It was now His to bear-- "all for sinners slain." 

 

Some people may argue this, but I embrace the Creed, "He descended into Hell."  What else could Jesus do?  That was our end.  And in order to redeem us, "from the curse of the law," and the fires of Hell, Jesus had to go to the prison of the accursed to set us free.  His was no shout of deliverance from Heaven's precipice, the safety and ease of "The Ivory Palaces."  His was the sacrifice sprinkled, "on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat," and that of the goat driven into the wilderness, alone to suffer the agony of starvation or to be torn apart by beasts.  This was what awaited Jesus that night, and, "It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out [of sin, suffering, and death]: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations."

 

I have sent a complete version of, "Oh, Sacred Head Now Wounded," to our Devotional Blog Site.  I know not what more to pray.  Amen.

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Devotional Blog:        www.apfdevotionals.blogspot.com

   

When an 18 year old Norwegian "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

"When I See the Blood I Will Pass Over You"

"For I will pass through the land of Egypt on this night...; and...I will execute judgment: I am the LORD....And when I see the blood, I will pass over you...." (From Exodus 12:12 & 13)

 

The word, "Passover," occurs 71 times in the Bible.  In the first mention, it is called, "the Lord's Passover."  Indeed it is.  It was the Living Triune God Who did the "pass over" that night.  If He had not passed over the houses that night in Egypt so long ago, every first born in every house would have died.  But it was, "And when I see the blood, I will pass over you...."  I read this morning of a tradition in Judaism, recorded in the Talmud, called, "The Fast of the Firstborn," which occurs on the day before Passover.  This is a time when the first born in Jewish families fast in commemoration of the Passover.  Regardless of some disparaging remarks about "tradition," this is good. 

 

It it important to note, however, that it was not just Jews who were spared that night.  There was, "a mixed multitude," whom the NLT describes as, "many people who were not Israelites...." (v.38).  Wycliffe says that they were, "Egyptians and other nationalities who had married Hebrews, were seeking escape from bondage or were persuaded that there was some advantage to be gained by being on the side of so powerful a deity as Jehovah."  Well, I guess so!  And if I perceive the reality of what was happening that night, only those escaped who were in the dwellings of those who had obeyed the command, "Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses...."    

 

Nothing has changed.  The only safe place to be today, right now in this present age and the current global chaos, is under the Blood of the Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ.  From "the Passover story" we witness the Good News in Jesus Christ, that the Heart of the Blessed Trinity is not just for Jews.  It is also for, "a mixed multitude."  We, along with every Jew who is under the Blood of Jesus Christ, are children of the Passover, the Deliverance, children of the "escape," children of Father's cleansing and forgiveness of all sin in the Precious Blood of our Passover Lamb, Jesus.  There is just no other sacrifice acceptable in the Divine Economy.  "For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us."

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You that You have included those of us of, "a mixed multitude."  Amen.

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When an 18 year old Norwegian "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

Why I Celebrate Passover

"Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham." (Galatians 3:7, ASV) 

 

This year Passover and "Holy Week" coincide------------ as they always should.  The Jews celebrate Passover because it rescued them from the bondage in Egypt.  I celebrate it because it rescued me from the fires of Hell!  "For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us."    

 

The Greek word for, "faith," means, "a personal surrender to [Jesus Christ]," and, "conduct inspired by such surrender," aka, obedience.  And the Bible teaches that this obedient faith in Jesus Christ is what enables us to be, "sons of Abraham."  Our text tells us of what Paul later refers to in the Letter as, "adoption as sons."  Every Gentile Believer in Jesus Christ is an adopted child of Abraham--- "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."  Another great promise to celebrate at this season and always is, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."   

 

Biblical Theology teaches that our identity with the Jews is our identity with the "Root," Jesus Christ, "the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."  It is not "replacement theology;" it is inclusion theology.  Barnes says, "The tree, even with a part of the branches removed, and others ingrafted, retains its identity, and is never regarded as a different tree."  I celebrate Passover because I am, as the Bible says, "included in Christ," included as one of the "sons of Abraham."  I embrace the Covenants, the promises, and my position as an ingrafted branch.  And, I take seriously, "But you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off.  Remember, you are just a branch, not the root." 

 

Every Follower of Jesus Christ today is thankful to be, "included in Christ," grafted into His Church, His Kingdom, the Redeemed from the "land" of bondage, "sons of Abraham," Children of God, "and heirs according to the promise,...heirs according to the hope of eternal life."      

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, place Your Blood on the doorway, lintels, and posts of my heart.  Amen.  

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When an 18 year old Norwegian "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

So You Desire True Worship"

"They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness." (Psalm 145:7)

 

"Thy righteousness," Is Jesus Christ, the Only Righteous One, referred to in Scripture as, "the Righteousness of God."  What wondrous singing! 

 

Our text today is from my "favorite" Psalm, and this time through I took particular note of our text.  For me the best way to, "sing of thy righteousness," and just sing of and to the Blessed Trinity in general, is described in 1 Corinthians 14, the anathema to most of modern evangelical Christianity.  Verse 15 says, "What is it then?  I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."  About 45 years ago I learned that there is a different kind of praying and singing from what I had known, "I will pray with the spirit....I will sing with the spirit."  I learned that this kind of praying and singing is that which begins in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and continues in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

I first witnessed this in a Full Gospel Business Men's banquet meeting in Youngstown, Ohio, in the mid 1960s.  My honest first impression was, "I have found the Church."  It seemed like the singing of Heaven, maybe some of that which is referred to in the Book of Revelation.  Later, when I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I too entered that "realm" of praying and singing.  Today, I don't hear that any more in Church gatherings.  Could it be that we need to control our worship?  Could it be that the individual has once again in Church History become the focal point, though many might protest that we entered into a "more perfect" worship a few decades ago?  It seems, "with the spirit," has surrendered to, "with the understanding."  

 

To, "sing of thy righteousness...with my spirit," I need no overhead screen, no hymnal, no high powered worship leader, nor worship team.  Needed, whether gathered with the Church or in my vehicle, is The Indwelling Presence of the Blessed Trinity, then ------------------------- "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I forever, "shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness, and shall sing of Thy righteousness."  Amen.

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When an 18 year old Norwegian "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