Two Sides Of The Street

1 John 5:3

As I was driving down a road in Miami one sunny afternoon, I looked to the right of the street, and noticed a cemetery. Most times when I pass a graveyard, my mind immediately goes into a state of appreciation for life, then I give thanks to God for giving me life, health, and a sound mind. I’m usually left with a heart of sadness for those who’s bodies lay in the grave, but those experiences keep me humbled, and focused on living a life for the Lord; knowing that someday I’ll also have a place to lay next to them.

As I passed the cemetery, I looked to the left of the street and saw men at a basketball court. My mind wondered whether or not those who were grinding hard on the court, were also aware of the fact that they would someday share a space across the street at the cemetery also. While there is no harm in enjoying a time of leisure at the park, it’s more important to remember what our focus in life should be. Those who are the children of God are to love Him, keep His commandments, and love others according to His love.

As we go throughout each day doing things we deem as important, we should never allow any activity to take precedence over our God-appointed assignment; to win the lost, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Don’t Forget

Luke 24:5-10

“The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” (Luke 9:22). “Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.” (Luke 9:44). “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Luke 18:31-33).

On multiple occasions, Jesus warned His followers of the horrible things that were destined to happen to Him. He made mention that He would be rejected by those who were supposed to support Him, beaten, mocked, bruised, scourged, and even put to death. But, He never left out the most fascinating of all prophecy; He would rise again, after death!

Our text references the tail end of Jesus’ brief, yet impactful ministry, and also rings some very alarming bells. Following His death, Jesus was taken from the cross and placed in Joseph’s unused tomb. Days following the Savior’s death, the women who had followed Jesus and witnessed His burial, had prepared spices and ointments to use on the body of their loving teacher, while the disciples were keeping themselves out of sight. Ding! Ding! Ding! Helloooooo! Did these folk forget what Jesus had told them, time and time again? Apparently so. But, how could they be in the very presence of Jesus, witness miracles done by His hand, yet forget the most important message He ever told them; “and the third day, He shall rise again.” What purpose was there to prepare spices and ointments, if the Son of man would rise from the tomb? Why hide yourselves from those who were responsible for the death of Jesus, if you knew He would be dead only three days? The disciples and those who followed after Jesus weren’t distracted by Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or any other media source, but were fully focused on the prophetic events that took place during their time. I can understand if they were with Jesus during the 21st century, when men are so easily beguiled, but there was hardly anything happening to take their focus off Jesus’ words (that’s just my opinion).

How could they so easily forget that Jesus would rise again? Maybe they thought it was a fairytale, or that Jesus meant something else, or they possibly just didn’t believe. For this reason, God already had a someone in place to remind the people, His Son was indeed raised from the dead. Do you believe what the Bible teaches, or do take in some parts, and disbelieve others? All verses of Scripture are interconnected, and the root of every text is Jesus. The Words of God were written for our instruction, whether we think they are fairytale or not, but despite what we believe, all Scripture will soon be fulfilled.

The Mission

Isaiah 42:1-9

Was God surprised to see Adam fall to sin? Was He caught off guard, and unprepared to rectify the influence satan caused on God’s precious created beings? Did Heaven go into panic, after the authority over the earth was willingly handed over to the evil one? God the Father and creator of all things, was fully aware, man would fall to the temptation of satan, and He already had a plan in place, to bring things back into its proper place.

Verse six of our text helps us understand that God had already prepared a plan for redemption, through His son, Jesus. The text reads, “I the LORD have called thee (Jesus) in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house” (vs. 6-7). Jesus came to the earth, to not only redeem men back to the Father, but to restore unto them their spiritual sight, and position in the family of God. Many have been broken and defeated by the enemy, to the point they have lost sight of their place in God, but Jesus came to deliver men from darkness, and direct them to the light, and knowledge of God’s Word.

Only in the Word of God, can men discover the truth of their existence, and the purpose they were created to fulfill. Jesus’ mission was to come to the earth, conquer death, hell, and the grave, and allow for mankind to be reunited with the Father, as well as offer acceptable sacrifices to Him. All the glory, honor, and praise, belong to God, so give Him all of you, and maintain a righteous standard, as you live to imitate Christ.

“Christ fulfilled His mission, but will you fulfill yours?” – Ell

The Blood

Matthew 1:1-6, 16-17; Hebrews 1:1-5

What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can purge us from all iniquity? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What has the power to cover a multitude of faults? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can take away the sting from death, and victory from the grave? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can we depend on, when we need deliverance from struggles? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can give us eternal redemption? The blood of goats, calves, or rams? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can keep us covered, and protected when the death angel passes by? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What gives us the power to overcome the evil one, and his devices? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

“The blood of Jesus is the life and redemption of the Saints.” – Ell

Do You Really Believe?

1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 12-14, 20-23, 42-45

Do you really believe in the resurrection of the dead? Are you totally convinced, the God who created everything, came to the earth in a flesh body, lived sinless among men, was beaten beyond belief for preaching the Gospel, took on the sins of those same men, as He willingly allowed them to nail Him to a wooden cross, and be left to die, so that everyone could be pardoned of all their iniquities?

When you tell others about Jesus, are you certain that the message you render, is mirrored by the way you live? Thinking from a carnal perspective, it would seem senseless, and futile, to believe that a man could live sinless, let alone be resurrected from the grave. But, thinking with the mind of Christ, makes it clear to understand, God has the power to do anything!

It’s hard to convince a man to believe in God, when we have yet to fully believe Him for ourselves, but when our lives are dedicated to pleasing the Father, our witness gains a more solid foundation, on which to boast in the Lord. In our text, the apostle Paul dealt with members of the Corinthian church, who refused to believe in the resurrection of the dead, despite eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Jesus. It’s hard to disprove hard evidence, especially when more than 500 people testify the same message.

Those who refuse to believe that Jesus rose from the grave, with all power, will struggle with facing death for themselves, because they’ll contemplate the fear of not knowing what will happen after they die. But, those who are in God, can rest assured, when they die, there’s a spiritual body awaiting them, as they transition to their new, and glorious home.

Walk in love,

Ell

Preparing for the Lord’s Supper

1 Corinthians 11:26-29

Growing up in my community, one thing everyone (adults and children alike) showed respect to was, graveyards. During my elementary school years, our school bus took the usual route that led pass a graveyard, and whenever we approached it, a brief silence would come over everyone on the bus, showing respect to the dead. There were occasional moments when the neighborhood knucklehead would point toward, and make jokes about those who were “asleep”, which would provoke others to warn them that God was gonna strike them dead with a lightning bolt, for dishonoring the deceased. It’s evident that showing respect for the dead is a universal theme, as many still take time to visit the burial plots where their passed loved ones rest; bringing flowers, pictures, and other meaningful mementos to lay at their tombstone.

In the same way people show respect for their lost friends and loved ones, is similar to how the church should conduct themselves when taking the Lord’s Supper. For all who willingly participate in the Lord’s Supper, the Bible holds a strict standard that must be upheld, or severe judgment will come to those who refuse.

The same night Jesus was betrayed, He thought it necessary to have a final meal with His disciples. As He was preparing His mind and heart to fulfill His final assignment, He broke bread that represented His body, and gave wine that represented His blood to the disciples, as symbols of His soon to be marred body, and shed blood that would seal the new covenant, which is based on much better promises.

This last supper with the disciples was significant in many ways, and for those who wish to partake of it, as often as they wish, have been warned not to do it “unworthily”. How would you feel if you went to visit the grave of someone you loved, then saw someone pissing on it? Be honest; you would literally lose your mind! The Bible warns that many who took the Lord’s Supper in vain are weak, sick, and some even suffered death. Woah! That’s intense!

Before doing anything for God, we must first be in the right posture and position to do so. We are to present our bodies to God, a living sacrifice, doing away with the old man, and putting on the new, so that God can freely express Himself in our lives. But, coming to God in pride, haughtiness, or any other posture contrary to holiness, can lead only to trouble. The next time you decide to partake in the Lord’s Supper, or anything that commemorates the death of Christ, be certain your heart is right, before participating, or you’ll open yourself up to a world of trouble.

Walk in love,

Ell

The resurrection of the dead

1 Corinthians 15:12-28

I often wonder what life would have been like if sin had not infiltrated the earth. When God finished His creation, and called it good, Adam and Eve were granted the opportunity to live in harmony with God, and enjoy eternal peace and prosperity on the earth, without the strain of resistance against evil influences. Their earthly bodies weren’t subjected to the stain of sin and death, and were more than likely purposed to last as long as God existed. The first Adam was made a living soul and was earthy, and by him came death. Many judge Adam for his inability to resist evil, and continue in the works of the Lord, but he only did what many of us do on a daily basis. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Just as Adam knew the words from God, yet was influenced by satan to go against them, men and women today who claim to be believers can be found ignoring God’s voice in favor of selfish desires, or even the voice of the evil one as well. I’m not so quick to judge any man for the mistakes they have made, because at any moment, I could get caught up into doing things that aren’t pleasing to God, and wouldn’t appreciate others judging me for my actions.

Although Adam’s big mistake had devastating ripple effects that are continuing to this very day, Christ rectified his original error, when He came to the earth, established the Kingdom of God, died, was resurrected, descended into the the lower parts of the earth to deliver those there, then ascended back to His Father’s side with all of His original power restored. The resurrection of Jesus is an essential cog in God’s plan of salvation for men, and in our text, the apostle Paul had to correct false teachings from some who denied that the resurrection of the dead would actually take place. I grew up watching movies like Night of the Living Dead, Beetlejuice, and Drop Dead Fred, so in the mind of a kid, I believed that dead bodies could actually be resurrected. Obviously, I know now the reality of life and death in a spiritual sense, but the men in our text knew that Christ had rose from the grave, but denied that men would also. Paul explained that if the dead in Christ would not be resurrected, then Christ Himself was not risen. Not only was Christ not raised from the dead, but their preaching and faith would be in vain, and all men would still be in sin. To make this false assumption even worse, those who were dead in Christ were just that, gone with no afterlife. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (vs. 19). Can you imagine living now, and not having an eternal destination, except the grave? We may as well just die now, because the hope of an eternal future in glory wouldn’t exist. Christ’s resurrection is a fact, and the guarantee that all other men will soon be resurrected at the appointed time.

Knowing that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption, how will dead, flesh bodies raise up, and be in the presence of the incorruptible God? “But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body” (vs. 38). God will give every person his own body, but not a natural one; a spiritual body. Corruption must be put aside so that incorruption can take its place in the bodies of those resurrected, because flesh and blood cannot inherit glory or the spiritual body. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:51-58). This life isn’t all we have to live for, but there is a time coming when we will enjoy a better life, in the presence the Savior of the world.

Walk in love,

Ell

Guards secure the tomb

Matthew 27:62-66

There are many who downplay the death of Jesus on the cross, because as God in the flesh, they believe that His suffering wasn’t as bad as it would have been for a normal person. On the contrary, Jesus felt the excruciating pain of every whip, slap, beating, stabbing, crown of thorns, and nails in His hands and feet. Yes He was the Son of God, but His flesh was as real as a 100 dollar bill.

As Jesus hung on the cross, His strength began to quickly fade as the hours went by. The soldiers sat and watched Jesus as He suffered, and continued to mock Him. Darkness covered the land for three hours, then all of a sudden, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me”? This was a rather interesting thing to say, because there had to be some form of disconnect between Jesus and His Father, to evoke Him to say such words. Could it have been that bearing the sins of all mankind carried such a stench, until God couldn’t stand to embrace His Son for a moment? I’m not certain, but only assuming. Something happened that left Jesus feeling alone, and whatever it was, it didn’t last very long, because after He gave up the ghost, the power that rested in Him began to manifest before the eyes of all those near Golgotha. In an instant, the veil that covered the place into which the high priest went to atone for the sins of the people was torn in two, from the top to the bottom. The whole earth began to quake, or shake and tremble, causing the rocks to break apart. These events troubled the men in the area, and caused them to finally see that Jesus was truly the Son of God.

It’s uncertain where Jesus’ disciples were during these moments, but there was a follower in particular, who made it his business to provide a proper place to lay His body. There was a rich man from Arimathaea named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus, who begged Pilate for Jesus’s body. His intentions were to lay the body of Christ in a new tomb, that he had hewn out in the rock. Others watched, including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joses, as Joseph and others placed Jesus’ body in the tomb, then rolled a great stone over the entrance. So, it was done. Jesus died, and fulfilled His mission, but guess who remembered His words concerning rising in three days? No, not the disciples, but the Pharisees and chief priests! They were afraid that the disciples of Jesus would steal His body away after three days, proving that His word was true, so they initiated a watch to guard the tomb until the third day. They also reinforced the tomb entrance by stretching a cord across the stone and an official seal with clay was fastened at each end, so it could be detected if the grave was opened or tampered with. These guys were something else, and never failed to prove how lost they were. What the men were oblivious to, was the fact that Jesus could lay down His life, and had the power to take it again. No matter how secure the men made the sepulchre, it would never be enough to keep the resurrected Christ bound.

Walk in love,

Ell