simplelife

Jesus knew that everything had now been finished. He also knew that what Scripture said must come true. So he said, “I am thirsty.”  A jar of wine vinegar was there. So they soaked a sponge in it. They put the sponge on the stem of a hyssop plant. Then they lifted it up to Jesus’ lips.  After Jesus drank he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died. ...  The man who saw it has been a witness about it. And what he has said is true. He knows that he tells the truth. He is a witness so that you also may believe.  These things happened in order that Scripture would come true. It says, “Not one of his bones will be broken.” ( Exodus 12:46 ;  Numbers 9:12 ;  Psalm 34:20 )    Scripture also says, “They will look to the one they have pierced.” John 19: 28-30; 35-37 Today we celebrate the final day of Lent, the 40 days of remembrance before Easter or Paskah. Jesus finished the work his Father in heaven gave him. He died.  He died in fron...

"Finally, Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be nailed to a cross.  So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. He had to carry his own cross. He went out to a place called the Skull. In the Aramaic language it was called Golgotha.  There they nailed Jesus to the cross. Two other men were crucified with him. One was on each side of him. Jesus was in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared. It was fastened to the cross. It read,  jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.   John 19:16-19 I never have watched the movie  The Passion of the Christ . I've never looked forward to Passion plays at church, where someone reenacts the terrible pain of the crucifixion. I just can't stomach such cruelty. The story of Jesus' death is a terrible story. So much suffering. So much humiliation and pain. Such undeserved brutality. But each year we remember. We look again with wonder that God loved humanity so much that he gave his one and only Son to die for our sins.  Jesus took ...

  “Am I a Jew?” Pilate asked Jesus. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus said, “My kingdom is not from this world. If it were, those who serve me would fight. They would try to keep the Jewish leaders from arresting me. My kingdom is from another place.” “So you are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, that’s the reason I was born. I was born and came into the world to be a witness to the truth. Everyone who is on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” Pilate replied. Then Pilate went out again to the Jews gathered there. He said, “I find no basis for any charge against him..." John 18:35-38 There have always been false accusations. They're most effective when they contain a grain of truth.  Maybe someone's been attacking you, without checking the facts. Or maybe they're trying to take you down.  Good things don't always happen to good people.  Jesus knows what yo...

(Jesus, speaking to his Father in heaven)  “I have shown you to the disciples you gave me out of the world. They were yours. You gave them to me. And they have obeyed your word.  Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.  I gave them the words you gave me. And they accepted them. They knew for certain that I came from you. They believed that you sent me.   I pray for them. I am not praying for the world. I am praying for those you have given me, because they are yours." John 17:6-9 On the last day before Jesus was crucified, he let his disciples had a conversation with his Heavenly Father. Can you imagine overhearing that? Even though Jesus would die a horrible death and take all the sins of his disciples and the world upon his own shoulders, he was still asking God to be generous and to watch over them. Followers of Jesus belong to him because God has given us to him - and because we belong to God. That's no small thing. Jesus was thinking of y...

Jesus said, “A time is coming when you will be scattered and go to your own homes. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me all alone. But I am not really alone. My Father is with me. "I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me. In this world you will have trouble. But be encouraged! I have won the battle over the world.” John 16:32-33 You wouldn't think a pep talk would include, "you'll be scattered and leave me all alone." But Jesus never shied away from the truth. He knew exactly who his disciples were. People full of faith and sometime, people who acted in fear and doubt.  The disciples were with him for three years. They saw the miracles, ate the bread he multiplied, and heard his teaching.  But they would run away when they got scared. Jesus knows who you are, too. When you can't summon any courage, when you wish you could sleep until this was over, or when you feel like all hope is lost? Remember that God isn...

" “I am the true vine. My Father is the gardener. ...   Remain joined to me, just as I also remain joined to you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain joined to the vine. In the same way, you can’t bear fruit unless you remain joined to me." John 15:1, 4 The last week of Jesus' life, he spoke plainly about what it means to follow him. Here, he explains that no one can live life on their own. If you want to be part of what God is doing, you have to plug into the same source that he was plugged into: God himself. You won't thrive with your own resources and your own strength. "If you want to follow me, remain joined to me," Jesus says. Then good and godly fruit starts to grow naturally. What kind of fruit is growing in your life? Does what you are producing show that you are deeply and truly connected to Jesus? (Why or why not?)

" So make yourselves humble. Put yourselves under God’s mighty hand. Then he will honor you at the right time." 1 Peter 5:6 No one else could do what Jesus did. And he knew it. He didn't say, "Hey, well, ignore me because who knows ... maybe I'm not as good as you think." Nope. He owned his place in God's kingdom and the world around him. Yet he was completely humble. Maybe you think you're cool? A pretty good person? Accomplished? (You don't need anyone's help.) Or maybe it's the opposite. You put yourself down.  Maybe you make excuses for avoiding hard work.   You pretend you're a nobody and hope someone will notice you.   Maybe you're afraid of what others think of you. "Small and insignificant means I'm humble, right?" No. Humility isn't like that. Humility means you care only  about what God says about you. True humility means you live under God's mighty hand. You know who you are and who you're not,...