Sharing Life and Christ

As Jesus and His disciples near Jerusalem where He will be crucified, Jesus makes some very bold statements.   As his disciples argue about who is going to be the greatest, Jesus tells them that the one who exercises the greatest humble dependence upon God will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.   Then, just after He foretells His death for the third time, in such a sad contrast, James and John get their mom to ask Jesus to give her sons the seats of prominence at His left and right hands.   In their quest for greatness, which Jesus never rebukes by the way, they haven’t really heard the words of their Master.   They are going about it the wrong way, and the way that they are pursuing greatness leads only to death.   And before we look at Jesus’ response, let’s remember the indignant response of the other ten disciples.   This isn’t some righteous anger because they have grasped true greatness.   This is the anger of m...

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 Matthew 5-7 is widely known as “The Sermon On The Mount.”   Chapter 5 begins with Jesus going up on a mountain to get a little breathing room from the crowds.   His disciples (read: followers) follow him and end up being engaged by a perfect word from the Perfect One.   It says at the end of chapter 7 that the crowds were astonished at his teaching because he taught as one who had authority.   I suppose we could conclude that Jesus taught as one who had authority simply because of the way he started each of his teachings on that mountain.   “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you…” or some similar variat...

Jesus Always Sees the Rock Coming The Stoning of Steven Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.   But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.   And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”   But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.   Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him.   And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.   And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”   And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”   And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:54-60 I want to use this real historical event to speak about one particular attribute of th...

I’m taking much comfort and encouragement from Romans right now, even as I write this.   There are some awesome words in Romans, specifically in chapters 5, 6, and 8 where I am spending some time.   Of course, there are the big words like justification and sanctification and propitiation, but there are also some small words that are great to understand and dwell on.   That’s what I’m up to.   I’ll use all caps for the little words that have BIG significance.   FOR: First, the Gospel: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died FOR the ungodly. Romans 5:6 Jesus died FOR us.   He died in our place.   He did something unique because He was uniquely capable of dying FOR us.   This is Good News.   Without the FOR there would be no IN or THROUGH or WITH Christ.   But since He died FOR us, we can now see what is true IN and THROUGH and WITH Jesus.   IN Christ: Romans 6 is all about bein...