Chuck Larsen

We often look in all the wrong places for what we need most in life. We try to find meaning and purpose instead accepting the meaning and purpose God created for us. Like the two Mary’s we search for the “living among the dead.” We also worry a lot about things that have already been taken care of like they did. Who’s going to roll away this huge stone? Well, it’s already been taken care of. In addition we often fear things that we should not be afraid of, like they did. When they Angel appeared to them, the first thing he said was “Don’t be afraid.” This is the standard opening phrase spoken by most angels upon their first appearance to humans. We are naturally afraid when we encounter things we don’t understand.

When Jesus walked on the water on the Sea of Galilee he approached the boat where his disciples were. They were frightened. I imagine that was a pretty frightening image; Jesus walking across the waves and as though a stone path had been laid for him. As He approached his frightened disciples he shouted above the wind and the waves, the same thing he always shouts to us in the midst of the storms of life. He says, “Be of good cheer! It is I. Don’t be afraid. No matter how violent the storm in your life might be, no matter what it is you’re struggling with, Jesus says the same thing to all of us. Three of the shortest sentences in the bible: Be of Good cheer. It is I. Don’t be afraid.

The resurrection removes for you and I through our faith in the resurrected one, the fear of death. It just evaporates before the empty tomb. He assured us that there are many mansions in His kingdom and he promises to take us to be with him forever. We can all say, “O Death, where is your sting!”

Chuck

“O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting? …But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Yesterday I mentioned that we often look for Jesus in all the wrong places. The women who came to anoint Jesus’ body was asked “why do you seek the living among the dead?”  As that story proceeds we get to ease drop on their conversation. On their way to the tomb, Mark 16:3 tells us that, “they were saying to one another, who will roll away the stone for us and from the entrance of the tomb?”

We often worry about things we shouldn’t. I don’t know about you but when I don’t have anything to worry about, I worry about that! Worry can become a bad habit. George Mueller suggested that faith and worry are antithetical. If you’re in the midst of one, you are out of the other. Worry accomplishes nothing. It’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere. Like the two Mary’s we often worry about things that we shouldn’t worry about. Mark 16:4 says, “when they looked up, they saw that the stone was already rolled away.” I love the last little comment, “It was very large.”

I have very “large” problems! Don’t you? I have many “large” issues to deal with, don’t you? I have  “large” relationship issues, don’t you? They are like alligators rising up to devour me! Who’s going to roll the stone away? Guess what! It’s already been taken care of. Jesus said, “…don’t worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” In the context of that verse in Matthew chapter 6, we read, instead of worry, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” and all the things we worry about are already taken care of.

Chuck

“The Psalmist tells us “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” Psalm 46:1-3

When we look more closely at the so called “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem to assume His God ordained role as their King and Savior, we see it wasn’t all that triumphant. There was a lot of show, but no true acceptance of Him as their King. On his way into the city again on the second day Jesus cursed a fig tree for its lack of fruit. If you look at the surrounding passages, you see that Christ was using the barren fig tree to teach His disciples something they desperately needed to know. This might be called a living parable.

Jesus knew how shallow their acceptance was. (by the way, He still recognizes shallow acceptance today.) The fig tree was an object lesson on barrenness which always results from shallow acceptance and empty worship. The Nation had been called to bear fruit of “righteousness” in their own lives and to be a shining example of righteousness to the peoples around them. But instead, they used their positions for personal profit. Thus, Jesus drove out the sellers and money changers from the temple area. He then cursed the fig tree, a symbol of the nation, for its fruitlessness.

What is fruit in the Christian life? According to the scriptures there are several different kinds of fruit. First, it’s Character; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. Second, fruit is right conduct, doing the right things and avoiding the wrong things are often referred to as fruit. Third, those who come to Christ through our witness is often referred to as fruit in the Bible. Fourth, we may also bear fruit with our lips by giving praise to God and thankfully confessing His name. Fifth, we bear fruit when we give money. In summary fruit includes; (1) a Christlike character, (2) a life characterized by good works, (3) a faithful witness, (4) a pair of lips that praise God, and (5) a generous giving of one’s money.

Chuck

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2

In Mark 11:1-2, we read about Jesus entry into the city of Jerusalem. It says, “Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples  and said to them, ‘Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.’”

You can still make this walk today through Bethany. There’s an ancient church in Bethany in which is a door that leads down into an old tomb which is supposed to be the tomb of Lazarus whom Jesus brought back from the dead. From Bethany, you can continue the journey to Bethphage where there stands an old stone that is said to have been set there to commemorate the place where Jesus mounted the donkey. You could then cross over the top of the Mount of Olives and see the view of the city of Jerusalem. As you approach Jerusalem you’ll go by the tombs of the prophets, descend down into the Kidron Valley and then ascend back up into the old city of Jerusalem. Jesus made the journey from Bethphage to Jerusalem on the back of donkey that had never been ridden.

Why did Jesus call for an animal that no one had sat upon? The red heifer was used as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. It was to be chosen from among animals that have never been used for plowing. It was set aside for a sacred purpose. So too was the donkey. It was set aside for a sacred purpose. The red heifer was a type of Christ. It speaks to us of our purification from sin. It was by the ashes of the red heifer that the nation was purified and it’s through the blood of Christ that the believer is purified. The bible teaches us that without the shedding of blood there is no “purification” from sins, no forgiveness. According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Forgiveness is only through the blood of Christ.

Chuck

“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Hebrews 9:13-14

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