Jesus the Weakling.

The Amplified Bible translated 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23 and 25 concerning the crucifixion of Christ with mind hammering words. The cross is viewed and described from a sceptic’s response to what happened. ‘Sheer absurdity’ – folly – a scandal, stumbling block- absurd- utterly unphilosophical nonsense - foolish and weak.’ The believer’s response, ‘the foolish thing that has its source in God is wiser than men, and the weak thing that springs from God is stronger than men.

Last week we considered ‘was Jesus a moron?’ Today’s blog asks the question ‘How weak was Jesus to allow Himself to be crucified?’ I have tried to express it in the following poem.

                                                 My God is weak, so very, very weak!
                                                  He didn’t break away from the soldiers

Who placed the cross upon His shoulders.

My God wore their spittle and their taunts.

He must be weak to let them do such things!

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

He never fought when He was whipped.

Never threatened when He was stripped!

He stumbled, fell and the crowd laughed.

He must be weak to let them do such things!

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

No miracle to stop hammer, nail and spear,

No anger to those who screamed and sneered.

Thirsty, thorn crowned, in pain He died.

He must be weak to let them do such things!

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

I’m overwhelmed by His total weakness

When He put aside His awesome greatness

To bear my shame, judgement and death!

Can He be weak to undertake such things?

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

Lifeless, entombed, salvation’s hope dim,

Could He in weakness overcome sin?

The empty tomb declares He ‘did’ win!

Can He be weak to conquer such things?

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

Yet in His weakness I find forgiveness

In His weakness I can enjoy newness.

 My God’s weakness is true love’s greatness.

Can He be weak to achieve us such things?

My God is weak, so very, very weak!

His weakness is my celebration.

His suffering is my Salvation'

His victory is my jubilation!

Can He be weak to be all those things!

My God was ‘weak,’

For me and you

And I love Him for it!

Do you?

From my devotional ‘Captured by Calvary’ ©Ray Hawkins. Available from Christian bookshops  and as an Ebook.

Psalm 23 and 'Me'

The most popular of psalms made for all occasions is psalm 23. Books about it abound. Songs resonate through the airways. It is recited at weddings and funerals. This psalm continues to bless and amaze. Over the following blog times I’d like to share with you a type of devotional investigation into some of its verses. I’m sure there are insights you could share with me which I’d appreciate. May what follows be a joy to your heart.

‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want’ verse 1.

‘The’ emphasises the uniqueness, the only-ness of the person addressed, admired, adored. He is not one of many. He isn’t ‘a’ lord. He is ‘THE Lord!’

David is highlighting for us in his testimony a relationship of trust. As a shepherd boy he understood the faith sheep have in their shepherd. He knew their name and peculiarities. It is unknown (at least to me) when and how David and his Shepherd met. This is without doubt, David saw himself a one of the flock. The testimony he gave to King Saul in 1 Samuel 17:31-37 of The Lord’s protection highlighted this. Goliath was about to be added to The Lord’s victories through David. It is our honour to live in a similar fellowship of trust. It is our privilege to bear testimony, be it ever so mundane, to The Lord!

‘Lord’ is the translation usually applied to Yahweh. Such a wonderful imagery is here presented. The Creator who sustains the universe is the one who takes David under His care. This is David psalm. Have we the right to claim it as ours or is it wishful thinking? By the grace of The Lord we have His invitation to make this psalm our own. To make that real and personal requires a relocation of our heart, mind and allegiance. We are not automatically in His fold. His invitation must be accepted and, as it were, we must join His sheepfold. In the Gospel of John 10:16 we have the confidence to claim we are of ‘the other sheep’ The Lord has. David knew His Lord’s name. We know Him as Jesus, the Christ, The Son of God! He is The Lord!

‘Is’ expresses the assurance David had in whom he believed, trusted, obeyed. There isn’t a maybe or ‘I wish’ about it. David would be a silly sheep on numerous occasions but the ‘is’ remained. For what this word highlights is a covenant commitment between The Lord and His sheep, David. Such a covenant relationship is ours also because of Calvary’s cross and the empty tomb. When you, when I realised the meaning of the cross and believed what Jesus did was for us personally, we gave our life and destiny into His keeping. That is why we can say with gratitude ‘The Lord is.’

‘My’ is the personal aspect which should always astound. Why would the Creator choose to associate with me, let alone claim me as His own? John Newton’s hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ sums it up so well. I was a worthless sheep, scabby, wasted and infected with sin, at the mercy of life’s brigands. The Lord rescued me. I had nothing of merit, nothing of appeal yet in mercy He claimed me, as He did you! I am still a silly sheep from time to time, but The Lord keeps me in His fold. Why? Because He keeps His covenant. He will discipline but He will not remove my name from His book.

‘Shepherd’ is for us a warm and meaningful term. As we work through the psalm we will realise some of the ways He cares. However, strange as it may sound, a shepherd was not always held in high regard. The Egyptians in the days of Joseph saw them as beneath their dignity. In the days of Jesus a shepherd was considered a ‘low-life’ whose word couldn’t be trusted. In the spiritual realm of today this animosity still exists. It may or may not be stated, but its atmosphere prevails. Therefore, when you and I say “Jesus, The Lord is my Shepherd” we could be given the cold shoulder. This is why we must know the reality, personally and unquestionably, that The Lord [Jesus] is my shepherd and I am a sheep in His fold. Can you say “Amen” to that?

To be continued.

Ray Hawkins Feb 1^st 2016.

From Despised to Exalted - Jesus.

“Did you hear that? He has confessed to saying he is God. He has blasphemed. He is guilty of

death!” The rest of the Sanhedrin agreed. Jesus had condemned himself. What brought this about? He was put under oath as to whether or not he was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  In Matthew 26:64 came his reply “Yes, it is as you say. But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”  This was a quote from Daniel 7:13.

The authorities had him in their grip. This Jesus had beaten them in debates, spoken harshly against their abuse of power and charmed the people with parables and miracles. This man some of them must have known or known about since childhood caused them nothing but trouble. He claimed he and the Father were one (John 10:30) and to see him was to see the invisible Father (John 14:9). How outrageous. Now he must die.  And he did on the cross under Roman supervision.

Why then do untold millions worship Him? Why do others fear and fight against Him? It is a waste of time if He is dead. It is obscene if the criminal charges of blasphemy under Jewish law and insurrection in Roman law are valid. What caused this catastrophic upheaval and the cancellation of the verdict? The resurrection from the dead on the third day! This was foretold by Jesus Himself using the illustration of Jonah. It is also underscored in Isaiah 53:11–12.

We look upon the resurrection as securing our salvation. True! However it goes way, way beyond that. It is the seal of validation to who Jesus is, what He has achieved and the endorsement of the truth of Scripture. No other record could express this so succinctly and powerfully as the few words of Thomas in the upper room a week after the resurrection. Thomas the doubter wasn’t present the previous week and said he would not believe until he saw and touched the nail and spear prints in Jesus body. When Jesus came to him this disciple cried out: “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28)

Two thousand years later these words still resonate with awe. However, we may miss a mind shattering concept for this Jewish man, as well as the other Jewish followers. To call Jesus not only the Christ (Messiah) but ‘Lord and God’ would have challenged his creed. ‘Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4). Jesus didn’t rebuke him or deny it. Now this presents us with a dilemma. Can this be true? Is it in harmony with the thirty-nine books Thomas believed in? What does this mean for understanding the very nature of God?

The Christian Faith holds to and bears witness to the Triune nature of God. To our understanding God is, Father, Son (Word) and Holy Spirit, one God, three personalities. In Genesis 1:26 we get our first glimpse of God. ‘Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”’

Elohim is the descriptive word for God used in the Genesis verses. This term for God is plural in form. It is expressing plurality in unity and is a feature of the Bible’s understanding of the greatest of great mysteries, God Himself. For when Elohim is used in relation to God it is always accompanied by verbs and adjectives in the singular. In Genesis 1:1 ‘In the beginning Elohim created’, the verb ‘create’ is singular. In Deuteronomy 32:39, “See now that I myself am He! There is no god (Elohim) besides me.” Also read Isaiah 45:5, 22-23 and elsewhere.

Yahweh or Jehovah is the covenant name for God to Adam, Abraham and Israel. The quote from Deuteronomy 6:4 is their creedal statement. It could be translated ‘The Yahweh, our Elohim (plural), the Yahweh is One.’ We get a sense of that in Isaiah 6:3 when we hear the Seraphs singing to God “Holy, Holy, Holy”. In Revelation 4:8 the similar refrain is repeated. Does this help you to understand the cry of Jesus on the cross when He said “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me”? There on the cross was the one called Emmanuel, God with us. For the first and last time in eternity and time God the Son was cut adrift from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Christ’s cry expresses the unfathomable cost the Godhead was prepared to pay to redeem you and me. Finally when commissioning the apostles and others to worldwide evangelism Jesus told them to baptise believers into the Name (singular) of the Father, Son and Holy Spirt.

If we are honest with ourselves and our theology trying to grasp the concept of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9 KJV) leaves us gasping. This is why, I believe, the Bible directs our attention to Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. He is understandable. We can relate to Him. Our Lord also stressed the point that ‘When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me.” (John 12:44). When we claim Jesus as our Christ (Messiah) and Saviour He promised to come and dwell within our being. Surely a wonderful yet mysterious gift of grace. Too few realise an awesome fact mentioned by the apostle John. 1 John 2:23–24 ‘whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.’ And do not forget that you are called the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in the most awesome result of the cross and resurrection when Jesus becomes our Lord and Saviour the Triune God transforms our lives. We are no longer slums of sin. We become the temples of the Living Triune God. Praise His Name!

Below are a small selection of references to show you how the God of the Old Testament revealed Himself in Jesus of the Gospels and the other 23 books. This isn’t exhaustive. Do your own cross referencing. Then you will stand with Thomas and recite his words to Jesus “my Lord and my God.”

Yahweh                                             Title                                       Jesus

Exodus 3:14                                         I AM                                         John 8:58.  18:5-6

Isaiah 40:28.  60:2                            Creator                                    John 1:3. Colossians 1:16

Isaiah 45:22.  43:11                            Saviour                                   John 4:42.   Titus 1:3-4.

Isaiah 60:19-20                                   Light                                       John 8:12

Psalm 23:1                                          Shepherd                                 John 10:11

Isaiah 41:4                                         First & Last                               Revelation 22:13

Hosea 13:14                                        Redeemer                                 1 Corinthians 10:4

Isaiah 45:23                                       Lord                                           Philippians 2:11

Psalm 35:23                                       My Lord & my God                 John 20:28

Joel 2:32                                             The Name of the Lord            Romans 10:9-13

 

The Despised One - Jesus

It doesn’t look good on His reference folder. In large print it says this Jesus was: Despised, rejected, charged with blasphemy, condemned and crucified. How is it possible for such a character to be worshipped? How could such a condemned man attract legions of men and women to call him Lord and risk everything to serve him? How can it be that his disciples would claim as their ‘banner’ the symbol of shame, torture and death, the cross?

Something must have overturned the negative remarks or at least transformed them. It is this ‘something’ which lifted an obscure Jewish Rabbi from a turbulent period of history into life’s most important and distinctive person!

Entombed, with the Sanhedrin’s seal over the stone door and guarded by a contingent of soldiers, the unimaginable happened. Jesus rose from the dead! The stone rolled; the soldiers fainted, the angels rejoiced and the demons shuddered. The man from Nazareth left His former body, bearer of the sins of the world, in the dust. Now He was exhibiting his new, glorified, imperishable and undefiled body in its radiant power.

Now to hear that is to react with scepticism. What authority exists to offer authenticating support to ‘pour acid’ on doubt and unbelief? I would offer the following: The prophecies of 39 books called the Tenach (also known as the Old Testament); the changed behaviour of the disciples; the failure of the ‘government’ to refute the claims regarding Christ’s resurrection; and the existence of the Church.

From Genesis through to Malachi there is the prophecy that someone was coming. Clues are scattered throughout the books revealing his character, work, suffering, victory, authority and victory. Statements and promises stretched over two thousand years merge into one person. Read psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Psalm 110 for starters. Our celebration of Christmas hangs on the awareness that the Babe of Bethlehem was the promised one. Jesus, in John 5:39 emphasised the importance of the thirty-nine books for they spoke about him.

Those unfamiliar with the Bible tend to imagine it was written by one author. In their minds the book takes on the appearance of a Novel. Even when it is explained to them the 66 books took a period of approximately 2,000 years to compile it fails to compute. Add to such a statement various languages and Middle Eastern countries of origin the uniqueness of the Scriptures can be overwhelming. Can such a majestic book with a central character involved happen by chance? Mathematically it is impossible! Only the oversight of God could guarantee such unity. I also admit I stand in awe of those faithful men and women who are unnamed and unnumbered who copied the manuscripts. This was often done at the risk of their lives.

Another reason for accepting the resurrection of Christ as historical is the change in the disciples. Before the Sunday event they were dispirited, beaten and cowering in an upper–room. Afterwards, they were transformed into heroes of the Faith. These men in particular suffered for their conviction. Everyone (apart from John) were martyred. Their legacy was not in bank balances accumulated or honours bestowed. No their legacy is commitment to the Truth of what was written in the thirty-nine books, verified before their eyes and sealed by Christ’s resurrection. That is why when these men and women preached their opening words seem to have been “It is written!”

The Jewish and Roman Governing authorities had an easy solution to undermining the message of the disciples of Christ. Take the people to the tomb. If, as was declared, some of His followers stole the body, arrest and charge them. To do so would have meant putting the soldiers who were on duty at the time under oath. It would also have revealed the conspiracy of the Sanhedrin to cover up the fact. Can you imagine the political fall–out from such court proceeding. This is why the authorities resorted to threats, banishment, slander and ultimately approval for imprisonment and death.

Why didn’t Jesus simply appear before the National Leaders and prove His resurrection. What seems reasonable at first glance is actually counter–productive. First, they didn’t want to believe. This is shown in their bribing of the soldiers to keep quiet about it. Secondly, for Jesus to have done that would have meant He would need to do it for everyone. The ‘currency’ Jesus requires from a person to become His follower can be ‘paid for’ by those destitute to the unimaginably rich. It’s called ‘Faith’ in the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection (Romans 10:8-13).

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Part two follows next week.

How Death Died

It was a fair enough question the atheist asked: “Why did an all powerful God have to die to save Humankind”? As the Passover or Easter event draws near we are once again confronted by this issue. Does the Bible give us some answers? Yes!

There are many reasons for the necessity of the cross of Christ. Of course there is the issue of our salvation and the conquest of sin. However there is one aspect more often than not left unconsidered. In Romans 5 it is written that ‘Death reigned from the time of Adam.’ (Biblically this precludes any such thing before Adam’s treasonable act of Genesis 3) Notice the word ‘reigned’ it intimates sovereignty. Death is personified and it claimed superiority over the Sovereignty of the Creator God who is Life.

Here is a direct challenge that must be answered. It is a contest in which there can be only one who reigns supreme. But here is the problem for the God revealed in the Bible, how can Life beat death? The only answer can be found in the pages of Scripture and the person and purposes of Christ Jesus. Death can only be defeated by embracing it, dragging it into the tomb, and crushing its power by personal resurrection. This is a major reason for the need for God to become Emmanuel, God with us in human form. Here is the reason for the virgin birth so that the human nature would be without a sin nature. Here again is why the Lord God went to so much effort to present in symbol, prophesy and promise a plan which culminated in an historical time and upon a cross.

Even if after the crucifixion, the entombing and the resurrection of Jesus Christ no one became a believer in Him, Jesus still had to die. Only by that means could Jesus render death powerless by His physical resurrection. That is the great angelic victory shout ‘He (Jesus) is not here (in the tomb) He is risen!’ Ever since that glorious day the Church’s anthem has been that fact. Ever since the cross and the resurrection the gospel has been proclaimed. Ever since and for all eternity the resurrection declares Death has been dethroned, ‘It’ is no longer able to claim sovereign status. Though it remains our enemy it is doomed to utter destruction on the day Christ Jesus returns as Judge and to rule His creation. (Revelation 20)

To look on the Easter/Passover event simply as referring to our forgiveness event achieved by Jesus is to limit its majesty and power. The cross of Christ bears testimony to a Cosmic conflict affecting all creation with eternal consequences. Some will view the cross as stupid, others as an offence. Those who have eyes to ‘see’ and a heart to believe embrace it as the power and grace of God. For such people they understand that Jesus is The Life which triumphed over the Usurper Death. As such Jesus has crushed its hold over believers in the risen Lord. There is just so much more for you to know even on this one aspect of the Cross of Christ. I invite you to read such passages as 1 Corinthians 15; Isaiah 25:6–10; Revelation 1:1–18 as starters.

Because Jesus Christ is the risen Lord, the sovereign of Creation, Eternal Life and conqueror of Death, Sin and Satan, an invitation is given to you. That is, become a partaker in his victory. Let Him break the power and fear of death in and over your life by asking Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour. Let His resurrection life become your possession now and it will last you through all eternity.

(For those able and interested in obtaining and reading two devotionals which explain some of these issues see my ‘The Bethlehem Warrior Baby’ and ‘Captured by Calvary.’ Both are printed by ‘Even Before Publishing’ www.evenbeforepublishing.com or can be obtained through any Christian bookshop).

Consider the Clouds #3. Clouds and the Crucifixion.

Cloud #3.              

The Cloud and the Crucifixion

When Jesus quoted the prophet Daniel about clouds Jesus sealed His fate. The man of Nazareth not only agreed with Daniel’s vision, He applied it to Himself. Daniel 7:13-14: ‘In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power, all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.’

The Jewish Sanhedrin knew this was a Messianic prophesy. They charged Jesus with blasphemy which was a death sentence. Jesus was under oath. He revealed Himself as the promised One. Linking Himself with the clouds and His claim to be the Son of God was too much for the authorities. He had to die. The occupying power, Rome had to be brought alongside as it had the sole authority for implementing the death sentence. So Pilate comes onto the scene. Against his will Pilate bows to their pressure and Jesus is crucified.

There are many aspects to Christ’s crucifixion including this statement under oath. If He was deluded, lying or telling the truth the tomb would hold the answer. If Jesus remained in the tomb (and would be there still) he was a false teacher, a liar. Therefore the testimony of His resurrection would verify His testimony given under oath (plus many, many other matters concerning the cross). The Easter message still echoes “Why seek ye the living among the dead. He (Jesus) is not here. He is risen!”

The authorities and enemies of Jesus had from A.D. 33-70 to prove it untrue. This would have been simple – show would be followers the tomb sealed and unopened. They couldn’t. After AD 70 Jerusalem was demolished by the Romans. Now the message continues to rest upon the recorded facts. The authority for believing the resurrection is solid. Check it out.

Jesus ascended to and now reigns in glory. I wonder if He is preparing the clouds for His return?

Ray (humbled by the cross) Hawkins

Next week – When the clouds took Jesus home