Aaron performs the atoning sin

Leviticus 16:11-19

“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Mark 15:37-38). In the past, the way into the Holy of Holies in Heaven was only accessed by priests, but after Jesus died, access was made possible to all men through His blood. Now all men can approach God on their own, without relying on priests to go on their behalf.

Priests in the past were to present to God two sacrifices for themselves, one sin offering, and another burnt offering. A young bullock was required for a sin offering, and a ram for the latter. The sin offering for the people required the blood of a goat. Offerings brought to God during these times were extremely detailed in their presentation. Unlike men today who bring God whatever they feel is enough, and drop it in an offering basket, Aaron and the priests of the past were required to follow a strict order, so that their offerings would be suitable and acceptable to God. The detail of the offerings is listed in the lesson text, so I won’t bother mentioning all of it here.

My purpose in this lesson is to simply point out the importance of giving to God from the heart, and not out of simple habit. God gave us EVERYTHING!!!! We have life, health, strength in our bodies, sound minds, and a list of attributes that would take days to write, so when we give to God, it should be our best! Before we approach God with our gift, whether it be monetary, or even our own selves, we must first be sure to ask God to remove any sin that may be nestled away somewhere in our hearts. There are times when we may do things unpleasing to God unawares, and only He has the power to remove it from our lives. After our sins have been confessed and covered by the blood of Jesus, we are then free to present to God our gifts. We give to God, not because He needs it, but to show that we are grateful for all He does for us, and to assist those in ministry who require funds to maintain balance in churches and communities. Take full advantage of your opportunity to come to God freely, and allow Him the chance to pour into you all you need to live a life that is holy, acceptable, and pleasing in His sight.

Walk in love,

Ell

The people promise to obey

Exodus 24:3-8

During ancient times, the power of God was displayed mightily in the lives of Moses, and the children of Israel. From being set free from the bondage of the Egyptians and walking on dry land through the Red Sea, to being fed miraculous meals from Heaven and never outgrowing their raiment for 40 years, the children of Israel were blessed to experience God’s grace to great extremes. But while enjoying the benefits of godly provision and protection, the Israelites managed to find reasons to complain. It says a lot about a person who has all their needs met, yet still finds reasons to complain about something. God chose Israel to be His representation on the earth, and needed a bloodline to use for His Son to be born through, so His love never changed toward them, even during their ungrateful moments.

God eventually spoke to Moses, and set before him a contract to present to the people. This particular contract included laws by which they were to simply obey, that would grant them the right to be to God a peculiar treasure above all nations. As long as the people obeyed, God would freely bless them beyond measure. After Moses presented the words from God to the people, they all with one voice promised to obey “all” the words which the Lord had said. While their collective agreement seemed genuine in that moment, as you read further in the Scripture, you’ll discover how faithful the Israelites really were in keeping their word. In any case, God was ready and willing to be everything they needed Him to be in their lives, and all they were expected to do was obey His commands.

Believers today are under a new covenant, but the same rules that applied to ancient Israel, apply to us today. Just as the children of Israel had to meet certain conditions in order to receive the full benefits of God’s love, we too must also be obedient in keeping God’s commands as well. Jesus said in John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” A real man is known not by the wealth he accumulates, but by the consistency in keeping his word. Make sure before you start blaming God for things in your life that may not seem to be going well, check to see if you are upholding your end of the agreement through faith in God, and obedience to His word.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus seals the New Covenant

Mark 15:6-15, 25-26, 33-39

Are you easily influenced by the opinions of others? Do you tend to trust the word of those around you concerning issues, without discovering the facts for yourself. There are people all over the globe who are easily beguiled into following the beliefs of others, over choosing to learn the truth about a man for themselves. Even today, the masses who watch the news are swayed to judge a man based on how they are portrayed by the media, without knowing the truth behind the scenes. The Bible teaches that we are not to judge anyone, because our own lives are under the microscope daily, and we must ensure that we live up to godly standards in order to receive the reward promised in the end.

It’s always a dangerous thing to follow the crowd, especially during moments when you know little about a situation. An example of such idiocracy took place as Jesus was being judged by Pilate, before a crowd of senseless people. No matter the accusations presented against Jesus, Pontius Pilate could find absolutely no evidence that supported those false claims. Rather than develop their own opinions of Jesus, the crowd trusted more in the words of the wicked chief priests. Even when the option to release a prisoner was suggested to the people, they chose to release a known murderer, rather than a man who wasn’t proven as committing any crimes. The evil of men can be so convincing, until it can blind the eyes of almost anyone. This type of influence originated in heaven, when Lucifer managed to convince a portion of the angels to follow his leading of prideful ambition. When you’re not rooted in God, you become an easy target for satan to influence, no matter how strong you believe your own will to be. No man who ever lived has been able to subdue evil on their own strength. It takes the power of God to even stand a chance against the wiles of the devil.

After continuing to stir up the people vehemently, the chief priest finally got what they fought for, as Pilate released Barabbas, then sentenced Jesus to be crucified. During all their wrong-doing, and malicious intentions, the people were in no way sending Jesus to His doom, rather they paved the way so that He could seal the deal of the New Covenant of grace. Had Jesus not lived a sinless life and died, we would all be condemned to face the judgment of sin. Had Christ decided to pass the cup to someone else, the world would be doomed and destined to eternal damnation. Living in order to die for a sinful and heartless people couldn’t have been an easy thing to do, but Jesus looked pass the faults of men, and saw the needs they couldn’t see for themselves.

Walk in love,

Ell

Faithful women

Mark 15:40-47

When God created man and woman, He made them wonderfully, but there’s something about a woman that makes them tick a bit different from the man. In my most humble opinion, when God formed the woman from Adam’s rib, I’m apt to believe that He pulled out some things the man can never get back. Women are driven by default. They see a need, fill that need, then search for opportunities to fill other needs. Women have a certain “sticktoitiveness” that pushes them to go after what their hearts desire, no matter what obstacles lie in wait. Proverbs 31 lists verses of things women are capable of, including the value of her worth, the virtue in her very being, and the amazing things she can do with just her hands and a vision. The average woman in business has proven over the years that she is just as capable to perform certain duties as a man, yet isn’t fairly compensated for it (that’s food for another lesson). I could go on forever listing the awesome attributes of the woman, including how they even live longer than men, partially because their immune systems age slower, but I want to focus your attention on the power in their “sticktoitiveness”. If you do enough global research, you’ll discover that women are actually responsible for keeping the world turning. Now don’t get it twisted, I’m not advocating for the female chauvinist movement, rather I’m taking a moment to set the stage to introduce some of the most loyal women in the history of creation.

Since the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, He was usually accompanied by His twelve disciples, who were all men in training to carry on the Gospel message after He left the scene. The disciples were imbued with power that enabled them to heal sick people, cast out devils, and even raise those who had died, but in the very moment when their faith and loyalty was truly tested, they failed miserably. In the final moments, as Jesus breathed His last breaths, the ones who stuck close by His side until the end were, the women. The moment He needed His boys to have had His back, is when He realized that He could trust more in the women who followed His ministry, than the very ones responsible for taking over the reigns after His death. He even prophesied that they would scatter, so He was already prepared to face His mission alone. How would you feel if you were the quarterback of a football team that was about to play against the team that never lost a game, then your teammates all quit, but then the cheerleaders came on the field to play alongside you? That would be rather odd, but interesting nonetheless. There will be moments in our lives when the ones we least expect will give us more support than those in our close circles. God has a unique way of proving the loyalty of your friends by exposing what’s in their hearts through your own trials and testing.

During the entire crucifixion of Jesus, Mary Magdalene (the woman whom Jesus cast out seven demons), and Mary the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus, witnessed the entire event. They also were loyal followers of Jesus when He ministered in Galilee. Not only were these two women standing in support of their crucified Savior, but verse 41 reads that many other women also looked upon Jesus, as He laid down His life for the world. My question remains, where were the disciples, as Jesus suffered this great persecution? Where were those strong and courageous men, who were blessed with power, taught the ways of holiness, and equipped to stand against all evil? More than likely, they were in hiding, for fear of losing their lives, but Jesus taught them specifically in Matthew 16:25, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Sooo wouldn’t it be more appropriate for Jesus to be crucified with those who followed Him the closest? Although it would make for a heartfelt storybook ending to see Jesus crucified with His disciples, this was a mission Christ had to suffer alone, so that the disciples could establish His doctrine in the foundation of the church.

As you take up your cross and follow after Christ, expect so-called friends to fall away gradually, especially when the heat gets turned up to a great degree. Only through intense flames, is pure gold proven, so watch carefully who remains by your side in those hard and trying moments of your life. You may be surprised who’s left standing with you, so embrace them, and thank God for loyal and faithful friends.

Walk in love,

Ell

Two criminals crucified with Jesus

Mark 15:27-32

There’s a term often used in sporting events and fighting arenas called, overkill. This occurs when a team or player obliterates their opponent with more force than required. It’s also the excessive use, treatment, or action on a target that is already brought to submission. In basketball, it’s one thing to be ahead of a team by 50 points after three quarters, then substitute your starting players, so that the backups could get some necessary playing time, but it’s against sporting ethics to leave the starters in, to continue running up the score which adds to the losing team’s humiliation. Also, high school baseball rules allow for a “ten run rule.” If the home team is ahead by ten or more runs after the top of the fifth inning, or the home team goes ahead by ten or more runs in the fifth inning or later, the game ends. It’s considered shameful and disrespectful to have the advantage over an opponent, and continue to overwhelm them, even after victory is already decided.

In our text, the Roman accusers took the term overkill to the next level. Not only was beating and crucifying Jesus falsely exaggerated beyond the norm, but even after adding to His humiliation by hanging Him on a rugged cross between two thieves, they continued to mock Him and blaspheme against the Son of the living God. Some passersby, along with chief priests looked on Jesus and didn’t hold back the trash talking. They suggested that if Jesus would destroy the temple in three days, He was surely able to come down and save Himself. Others mocked and said, “He saved others, himself he cannot save” (vs. 31). It’s obvious these men were completely ignorant of the message Christ preached for three years, because if He had saved Himself, then He could not have possibly saved others. This angry and unruly mob of ignorant men were literally crucifying the very one who would eventually bring salvation to some of their homes.

It was no hard thing for Jesus to indeed save Himself, but I can imagine that in every moment He considered passing that cup away, He saw your face, and took all that punishment for you.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus crucified before friends and enemies

Mark 15:16-24

Have you ever been humiliated? Have you ever been humiliated for something you didn’t do? Have you ever been humiliated beyond belief for something you didn’t do, while on your way to being crucified? Humiliation is something that’s rarely welcomed without reproach. To humiliate someone means to reduce them to a lower position in one’s own eyes or the eyes of others, and to make them feel ashamed or embarrassed. In our society, children of lower income families who are unable to appreciate the finer things in life, are often humiliated by those in school who are privileged to enjoy nice things. In other cases, unappreciative husbands tend to devalue their wives, and find pleasure in humiliating them in the company of their friends and family. No one deserves to be humiliated, despite the cards they were dealt in life, but there will always be those who will find pleasure in seeing others brought to shame.

After being judged the sentence of crucifixion, and being severely beaten, Jesus was led away to receive His unjust ruling. On the way to Golgotha, where Jesus would be crucified, He was led into the hall called Praetorium, and surrounded by nearly 600 men, all lying in wait to mock the Son of God. It’s one thing to be sentenced to death, then beaten unmercifully, but the additional mocking, beatings, and humiliation was totally uncalled for. The disrespectful and heartless pagan Romans stripped the clothes off Jesus, clothed Him in purple to mock His claim to kingship, crowned Him with thorns since He claimed to be a king, saluted Him in mockery as King of the Jews (not realizing that someday they will have to bow to this same man in all sincerity), struck Him with firm blows to the head with a reed, which was to represent His kingly power, spit on Him (which is the universal sign of disrespect), then led Him to be crucified. Invision for a moment what Jesus would have looked like after experiencing all this shame and persecution from nearly 600 men. Yeah, I almost vomited as well. If ever there was a time I wanted to fight, and kick the living patootie out of someone, this would be the moment. Even in all this, Jesus kept His composure, knowing that at any moment He could call for backup, and have all those wicked men dealt with. But, since He taught us to love our enemies, He certainly set the best example.

All that Jesus endured was necessary, so that we could have the privilege and opportunity to one day reign with Him in glory. I’m grateful that Christ carried out His mission flawlessly, so that I could be strengthened, and encouraged to carry out mine as well. Suffering will come, and times may get hard, but knowing that Jesus endured all His suffering without complaint, helps me stand strong in all that comes my way.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus betrayed and arrested

Mark 14:43-50

Have you ever been arrested for a false accusation? I’m certain most of us haven’t, but the mere thought of being accused, arrested, and punished for a crime you didn’t commit can cause all sorts of feelings and emotions to run through the mind, from fear and confusion, to anger and rage. Living outside of the standards of holiness, can cause men to act in ways that are unpleasant, and exhibit inhumane behavior to innocent people. In the words of Bishop Earl Carter, “sin makes you stupid.” This is 100 percent accurate, as the purpose of sin is to turn men away from God, and follow paths of evil and wickedness.

Judas, one of the original 12 disciples, was never fully sold on Jesus and His ministry. This is true based on his pattern of selfish behavior and motives as he and the eleven apostles followed Jesus during His ministry. Although Judas was continuously doing things undercover that may have been hidden from his brethren, Jesus was fully aware of all his wicked actions, no matter how cunning he was. I often wonder why Jesus didn’t replace Judas from the beginning, or even leave him out of the original selection process when gathering disciples altogether, but in the words of Jesus Himself, “but the scriptures must be fulfilled” (vs. 49). God has His reasons for doing things certain ways, and it’s unwise to question His authority, but there are many lessons that can be learned from the lives of Jesus and the disciples, even though one betrayed Him.

In this lesson’s text, the final chapter of the life of our Savior had began to unfold, as the betrayal of Judas was brought into full manifestation. After an agonizing moment in the garden of Gethsemane, and being left to find strength in the only One He could trust, because His disciples were too sleepy to offer any sense of encouragement, Jesus woke up the heavy-eyed disciples and exchanged words with them. As He spoke, Judas, along with a gang of men composed of chief priests, scribes, and elders, surrounded Jesus and His disciples, carrying swords and staves (wooden clubs and other weapons). One thing that’s interesting to note is, the men who sought to kill Jesus didn’t even know what He looked like. How can you seek to murder someone whom you can’t even recognize? Judas told the men that the one he kisses, “the same is he; take him, and lead him away safely” (vs. 44). Had they known who they had come to take, there would be no need for a sign of identification. As I mentioned, sin makes you stupid. In any case, after the kiss of betrayal, the men took hold of Jesus and attempted to take Him away, but He presented them with a thought-provoking question, as He often does. Jesus asked the men, “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves to take me?” (vs. 48). Jesus continued to remind them how He would teach daily in the temple with them, but they didn’t take him then. I guess they felt better doing their dirt outside the sacred walls, than within them…smh. The level of humility Jesus portrayed was unlike any other, in that He could have easily called down legions of angels to rid Him of all those who opposed His ministry, but because of His unending love for you and I, He endured unimaginable torture, pain, and persecution, so that we could be saved from the judgment of sin, and one day live in eternal glory with the Father, and the Son.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus prays while the disciples sleep

Mark 14:32-42

Off the top of your head, how many people can you name who would actually stand and fight with you during the most trying moments of your life? Are you connected to individuals who are attached to you because of how you benefit their lives only, or are the people in your circle worthy to be called your friends? While experiencing the most crucial and critical moments during His final hours on the earth, Jesus took His seemingly closest friends with Him to pray. Peter, James, and John were among the first to be assembled as disciples of Jesus. They were usually called out and selected by Jesus for certain assignments, of which the other disciples weren’t privy to.

In our lesson, Jesus was at a very low point mentally and emotionally, because He could feel the impending persecution soon to be manifested. While it’s true Jesus was, and is all God, He was also all man, and felt things just as we do. How would you feel if you were about to face a week of persecution including beatings, stabbings, slander, mockery, and other horrible forms of torture and abuse, so that those you loved could be spared? With all that was soon to take place clouding His thoughts, Jesus became deeply weighed down and even fell from physical exhaustion, because of the great pressure on Him by possible satanic forces. This was one of those moments when the support of a friend would have offered amazing encouragement and strength, but rather than stand with and fight for Jesus in prayer, the disciples were found fast asleep. Jesus’ only desire in that moment was that someone would join Him in prayer, as He prepared His mind, heart, and body to accept the will God set before Him. Instead, they were unable to lift the heaviness from their eyes and slept away, while Jesus gathered strength from His Father.

I can’t speak for all men, but in those moments I am unable to gain strength from my friends, I can always go to my father. The connection between a father and his son is comparable to none other. When those whom Jesus trusted offered little to no support during His struggle, He knew that He could always go to His Heavenly Father, and be guaranteed to receive the help He needed to face all that stood before Him.

Walk in love,

Ell

Turmoil at the Last Supper

Mark 14:26-31

After discussing His final moments and future plans to the disciples at the last supper, Jesus took His trusted followers (excluding Judas, as he had been released to follow-through with his plan of betrayal) to give them a heads-up on the prophesied events that would soon take place in His life, and their own. Zechariah 13:7 reads, “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.” Jesus told the disciples that He would soon be smitten, and they would all scatter, but the reaction the disciples gave proves how much trust they had in the words Jesus spoke. It’s easy to say with words you’ll stick up for someone you consider a friend, but God is not a man that He should lie, and if Jesus is God in the flesh, then He is incapable of speaking against the truth as well. So, hearing Jesus speak those words, should have made the disciples feel sorrowful, as their own words proved useless after that prophecy was eventually fulfilled. While they all repeated passionately that they would never leave Jesus’ side, no matter what, when the heat intensified, they all went ghost. Even Peter denied that he knew Christ three times, before the rooster had a chance to cockadoodle doo twice!

It’s so easy to say what you’d do in a certain situation, before actually experiencing it, but the difference is shown when your words are put to the test and proven. Jesus straight up told His boys they’d chicken out when the real fight started, but their pride and arrogance wouldn’t allow them to let Christ’s words penetrate deep into their hearts, for them to see that His words were indeed the truth, because He is the truth.

To those who profess holiness, does your life mirror the words you confess? To be a disciple of Jesus Christ means that you are humble, obedient, patient, have a teachable spirit, and you place God’s will over your own selfish desires. Fortunately for the disciples, they were granted another opportunity to redeem themselves and learn from their previous mistake. Make sure the words you speak are easily identified in the way you live, especially to those who claim to be followers of Christ, and don’t speak from pride and arrogance, as the disciples once did.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus institutes the new covenant

Mark 14:17-24; Hebrews 8:6-7, 10-12

Can you recall the last new set of clothes you purchased? I honestly can’t remember when I last went clothes shopping, but I do remember how wearing new clothes usually makes me feel like new money! The crisp and clean material that hasn’t been worn down with wear and tear, lays snug against my skin, while the smell of the new clothes (along with one of my favorite colognes, Nautica Blue) gives off a fresh, scintillating aroma that makes even the birds chirp a bit louder 🐥🐦. I’m unsure how to explain it in depth, but there’s something about wearing new clothes that makes one feel a sense of appreciation and relevance (odd, but true).

In a similar sense as new clothes changing the appearance and attitude of a person, the New Covenant God establish through Christ for His people, made it possible for men to experience a total makeover on the inside, that is manifested outwardly. The old covenant was flawed in the sense that no one could possibly live according to God’s will, while trying to memorize and walk according to over 700 or more laws and rules. You’d literally drive yourself insane attempting to be the perfect person, because you’re human, and everyone makes mistakes. If the old covenant was flawless, then what need would there be for the new one? The law of Moses was indeed faulty, and had to be done away with so that the perfect covenant could be enforced. Did God make a mistake by instituting the old covenant? Not at all. The old covenant acted as a mirror, to reveal to men their flaws, in hopes that they would humble themselves, and submit to God’s way, but it was unable to remove their sins.

Under the new covenant, the house of Israel and the house of Judah will be fully enlightened and have perfect knowledge of God’s truth. All their affections, desires, and appetites will be purified, so that they will obey God willingly, and without hesitation. God will forgive and forget the sins of His people, because they will genuinely repent, and forsake all sin in their lives. Where the old covenant was powerless to save, the new covenant saves to the uttermost. The old covenant acted as a sinful mediator, as men could see themselves for who they really were, but the new covenant was established on a sinless mediator, who allowed for all men to be saved by grace. The old covenant brought bondage and could not justify, but the new covenant brings liberty, and justifies all who are adopted into the family of God. While the old convent exposed man’s sin, the new covenant covers the sins of men, by way of the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Walk in love,

Ell