Resurrected Body

It is interesting that Jesus was able to appear after the resurrection as a perfectly normal person on the road to Emmaus even though His disciples didn’t recognize him. “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:15-16). Then after entering their home He was able to disappear in an instant. “And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight” ( Luke 24:31). He didn't walk out of the house in Emmaus, he just vanished!

Later, He then suddenly appeared in the midst of the disciples in a room in Jerusalem. “As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’” (Luke 24:36). He didn't walk through a doorway or through a wall but just appeared in the room in Jerusalem (he did that twice by the way). I ponder what it will be like for us after our resurrection.

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Look at that, it says we will be like him.

  What will our body be like?  “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body” (1 Cor 15:44).

We will have a spiritual body, and I assume it will be like Jesus’ body. Since it is spiritual, it will be able to appear and disappear in the physical realm even though it will also have attributes of a physical body. Will we want to beam around like that? Probably not, since we will be with Jesus. But I do ponder if in the Millennium we will be doing that as we rule and reign with Christ.

Substitution

Luke 23:25, 42

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.   

“And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Barabbas is released, who is an insurrectionist and murder. Jesus is delivered to be crucified. The thief on the cross says that he is rightly condemned but Jesus didn’t do anything wrong. In a sense I am just like Barabbas and the thief. I am released and set free even though I am a murderer and a rebel against God. I should be justly punished for all my sins.

By God’s predetermined plan, Jesus was handed over to be crucified against even what a corrupt justice system would normally do (Acts 2:23). This was done so that He could take my sins and my punishment upon Himself. Pondering this remarkable act of love is mind blowing. Many apologists have used Jesus substitutionary death to conclude that no one would ever make up a religion based on this.

When I die, I will be with Jesus in paradise. Thank You, Jesus.

Temptations

Luke 22:46 “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” This isn't the first time Jesus tells me to pray that I won't fall into temptation. In Matthew 6, in the Lord's prayer He tells the same thing. The difference is that there, the disciples were new to following Jesus. Now they have been with Him three years. Right there with Him. They have now grown and seen miracles. They have seen His power working in them to heal and cast out demons. They are “mature” followers of Jesus. So, if they need to be reminded to pray not to enter into temptation so do I. I need to pray just as they are told to pray.

Staying awake, how many times has Jesus said this in parables or elsewhere (10)? Part of being awake is remembering to pray and praying not to enter into temptation. By the way it is not resisting temptation but praying to not even being tempted. Help me, Lord!

Luke 22:54-55 54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.

Peter is about to fail the temptation. Here is what I see happening to Peter and to myself when I haven’t been praying to keep from falling into temptation.

1.      Peter had already been warned back in Luke 22:34 that he was going to deny Jesus. He didn’t take it seriously at the time. That could be me when I ignore the Word.

2.      Peter followed Jesus at a distance. He didn’t want to get too close to Jesus. He had already taken a step toward disowning Jesus. I need to abide in Jesus. If I don’t, I’ll also follow at a distance. Jesus won’t be real to me. I’ll have a weakened desire to follow Jesus and be obedient to Him.

3.      Peter sat down with them and warmed himself. His desire to satisfy his physical need overcame his caution of mingling with the enemy. I can seek to comfort myself by indulging in the benefits of the world. When I do, I’m right in the midst of temptation.

4.      Peter denied Jesus two times. He didn’t remember Jesus’ warning. When I’m playing footsie with the world, seeing how close I can come without actually yielding to the sin, I will sin and not realize what I’m doing because my conscience has been dulled as described in the previous three points.

5.      Peter heard the rooster crow after his third denial. He went out and wept bitterly. This is good news. When I truly repent of my sin and it hurts me the way it hurt Peter, I’m on the road to forgiveness, restoration, and not repeating the sin.

Help me, Lord, to not go down this path but to be awake and alert, praying to not fall into temptation.

 

Kingdom of God

 Luke 21:29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

 As I read this today, I stopped and realized that just a few days ago, I read:   

 Luke 17:20-21 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

 So which is it? Is the kingdom of God in our midst or is it still coming or is it here? In Luke 21, Jesus states this because His disciples asked Him when His prophecy that the temple would be destroyed. In Luke 17, He is replying to the Pharisees.

It doesn’t help when we add Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The kingdom of God is used sixty-seven times in the ESV Bible. Add some more confusion and you will find the kingdom of heaven used thirty-two times and only in Matthew.

Another interesting fact is that John only refers to the kingdom when he quotes Jesus in John 3:3-5;

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

One more day and I’m reading again about the kingdom of God.

 Luke 22:16, For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.

Luke 22:28-30 28 “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

 What do I say about all this? What do I learn and what do I apply to my life? I often just focus on the takeaway for myself, what I need to do, not do, or change. The kingdom of God has more than one meaning. To the Pharisees and Nicodemus as well as me and my daily life, the kingdom is spiritual. It is something I must seek now, not something that is only in the future.  Matthew 6:10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

It is part of our daily prayer that His kingdom should be in my heart and life every day. I am in His kingdom when I’m doing His will. In that sense, His kingdom is in my midst as I recognize and participate in the Church, the Body of Christ.

It is also a future kingdom that is more than spiritual. There will be a physical kingdom when Jesus reigns on earth. It will be a kingdom with people who are ruling over others and there will be a government that has the Apostles ruling over Israel. Where will I be?

 Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

 Somehow, I will be in some position of authority with Christ. I won’t be alone, and I don’t know how it will work. But this is what Scripture says. But there is also this caveat. Revelation 3:8 “The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.”  

I need to be a conquer if I want to be part of ruling with Christ. I can be by abiding in Christ, depending on the Holy Spirit for holiness, and trusting that Jesus will complete in me what He started (Phil 1:6).

Be Strong

 In Joshua 23, Joshua is old and advanced in years as he encourages Israel:

 Josh 23:6-8

Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the Lord  your God just as you have done to this day.

What are the things that can lead me astray?

1.      Not doing the things that are in the Bible. Not being in the Word daily leads to not remembering what I need to do.

2.      Not turning to the right or left. That means I must not add to God’s Word by making up things to do or thinking that some things I know I need to do are not for me.

3.      I’m not to mix with the nations. Romans 12:1 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect,” comes to mind. I just read in today’s paper that a Pentecostal church in South Africa engages in mass polygamous marriage ceremonies on Easter as it has incorporated African culture.[1] This is an extreme example of mixing with the nations.

Rather than do the things that will lead me astray, I am simply to cling to the Lord my God. In the rest of the chapter, Joshua encourages Israel and me.

1.   He has driven out the nations (Josh 23:9) – Jesus has driven out sin by His death on the cross. We still have a war to fight though. I am a citizen of a new country, the Kingdom of God and Christ (Phil 3:20).

2.   Remember that none of God’s promises has failed (Josh 23:14). I can remember all the promises Jesus has given to tell me that I have eternal life.

3.   I can abide in Jesus as He says in John 15:1-11. When I abide in Jesus, I will bear the fruit of a Christian.

Thank you, Jesus, that what Joshua had to say to Israel still applies to me today.

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[1] https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-pentecostal-church-in-south-africa-holds-mass-easter-weddings-for-3000-people-some-polygamous/