May 18:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS DEPENDABILITY.
"Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told."--Acts 27:25


I had just finished preaching from the book of Ruth, on the topic of the Go'el, the kinsman-redeemer, which is my favorite theme, as it relates to Jesus in the whole Bible.  A scholar came up to me at the end and said: "And Jesus is not the type of Go'el who removes His sandal!"  It was a clever observation because, in the book of Ruth, the closest relative that could redeem Naomi and Ruth refused to do so, signifying his decision by removing his sandal according to the custom of the time (see Ruth 4:7, 8).  Then Boaz, the second kinsman-redeemer in line, bought the land and married Ruth.  Jesus, the ultimate Redeemer, never refuses to act on our behalf; he never removes His sandal.  We can always trust His word and depend on His presence, His promises, and the efficacy of His sacrifice for us.

Everything around us constantly changes: including people, circumstances, economy, and relationships.  But there is something you can always depend on: God with us, Immanuel.  He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He is always there, His word is reliable, and so is His assurance of salvation through the blood of Jesus.  You can depend on it!  In the book of Acts, Paul learned to depend on God's words through thick and thin.  When they were at sea, in the middle of a fierce and devastating storm that would cause a shipwreck, God sent an angel with a message for Paul: "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar...God has granted you all those who are sailing with you" (Acts 27:24).  Paul absolutely believed the message and spoke to the men in the ship: "There will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship" (verse 22).  He had no proof of this other than God's word, and that was enough for him.  "And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land" (verse 44).  God has promised that believers in Jesus will be saved through His sacrifice on the cross.  He has also promised to be with us every day, until the end of this world.  You can depend on Him!  His promises are reliable, His victory is assured, and His sacrifice is more than sufficient!


My Response:_________________________________________________________

May 17:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS CAUSE.
"Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also."--Acts 23:11

It's amazing that God is triumphant and His cause advances even in the midst of the most disheartening of circumstances.  For example, consider what happened to Joseph back in Genesis 37.  The sons of Jacob stripped Joseph of his colorful tunic, sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver, and he was taken to Egypt to Potiphar's house.  Yet God was triumphant in the midst of this tragedy, and Joseph became a ruler of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.  God used him to save the lives of many people and to preserve the race through which the Messiah would come.  I am amazed that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Paul was in trouble, as he had often been, but this time he was seized in the temple in Jerusalem.  After telling the Jews the story of his conversion and the calling he received from God (Acts 22), he then appeared before the council (Acts 23).  But a great dissension occurred between the Pharisees and Sadducees about Paul being a Pharisee, "on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!" (Acts 23:6), and the commander ordered Paul to be taken away by force and brought into the barracks, because he was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces (verse 10).  The following night, the Lord Himself stood by Paul's side, as He had done at other pivotal times in his ministry when his circumstances looked disheartening.  The Lord said: "Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also" (verse 11).  No doubt this meant so much for Paul and sustained him on his journey to Rome, which took a long time and was filled with perils, trials, and opportunities to witness.  God uses this difficulty in Jerusalem to spread the gospel  further, and His cause was advanced in that way.  We don't always understand how God can turn all things for good and for His glory, yet we can fully trust His ability to do exactly that.  After all, the cross looked as if it were the greatest defeat, and yet it was His greatest triumph!

My Response:__________________________________________________________

May 16:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS PREVAILING.
So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing.--Acts 19:20

The controversy between good and evil is real.  Evil spirits are active in bringing fear, pain, and destruction, as well as being obstacles to the spreading of the good news.  And I thank God that I am assured that He is infinitely more powerful than Satan, so that the followers of Jesus can rest in the assurance of His protective power.  I travel very often, and when I get to my hotel room, the first thing I do is to kneel down and ask God to take over that place by the power of the blood of Jesus, and not to allow any evil forces or influences in my room, no matter what has happened there before my stay.  "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).  Jesus always prevails.

When Paul arrived at Ephesus, God was performing mighty miracles of healing and exorcism through him (Acts 19:11, 12).  Seeing this, some tried to exorcise evil spirits by invoking the name of "Jesus whom Paul preaches" (verse 13),  as if it were a magic spell or an incantation formula.  Seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceva tried to do this.  "And the evil spirit answered and said to them, 'I recognize Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?' " (verse 15).  The evil spirit overpowered the imposters, and they had to flee that house (verse 16).  We don't face the forces of darkness on our own and we don't take evil for granted.  Yet all evil spirits recognize and are conquered by the power of the name of Jesus, and they know the names of those who belong to Jesus, because His mighty and complete protection covers us.  This event became widely known in Ephesus.  "And the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified" (verse 17).  It resulted in many who practiced magic renouncing their sorcery and publicly burning their incantation scrolls, valued at fifty thousand drachmas (pieces of silver) because of the power they were thought to possess.  It is at this point that Luke (the author of Acts) makes the fifth report of progress in this book: "The word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing" (verse 20).  Yes!  Jesus prevails over evil!  At the cross He overcame evil for good!  Be assured that the name of Jesus protects you!

My Response:_____________________________________________________________

May 15:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS OBJECTIVE.
"God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power."--Acts 2:24

I recently returned from a ministerial trip that spanned multiple countries and included various speaking engagements.  By God's grace it was a success as everything had worked as planned.  And it involved a lot of logistical planning and coordination with different church entities in various countries: airline tickets, hotels, meals, local transportation, media, equipment, luggage allowance, translators, et cetera.  These things usually do not happen by chance...every detail was carefully planned and carried out.

The sermon Peter preached on the day of Pentecost clearly reveals that God had predesigned a detailed plan for our redemption.  Peter explained that even the infilling of the followers of Jesus by the Holy Spirit had been prophesied in the Old Testament (Acts 2:14-20).  Then he continued to proclaim who Jesus was and how He had fulfilled the prophecies found in the Jewish Scriptures.  The Sermons preached by Peter and others recorded in the book of Acts always point to the fact that the Old Testament prophecies about the upcoming Messiah were fulfilled in the ministry, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  And that even though humans put Him to death, it was in fact God's preordained plan of redemption that was being realized.  "This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.  But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony [literally, birth pains] of death..." (Acts 2:23, 24).  It was God's objective and predetermined plan to reverse the consequences of sin, including pain and death, through Jesus' victory on our behalf.  His plan was successful and did not happen by chance.  It was a detailed, predetermined plan.  Death could not hold Jesus in its grip.  And we can live with the assurance of His absolute victory for us, knowing that death will not be victorious over His followers either.  In addition,we are invited to joyfully surrender to and trust God's predestined plan for our lives.

My Response:___________________________________________________________

May 14:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS RETURN.
"This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."--Acts 1:11


We all want to know that things will be Ok.  We want the assurance that the ending will turn out all right.  Have you ever watched a movie twice, read a book for a second time, or watched a previously played sports game for which you already know the final score?  Then you have experienced an anxiety-free activity, especially when the game, movie or book ended on a very positive note.  When we know the outcome ahead of time, there is no point in worrying or fretting.

This is why the book of Acts begins at the end.  After Jesus died to save the human race and rose from the dead, He presented Himself alive to His disciples for forty days (see Acts 1:3).  During this time, He explained to His disciples many things regarding the kingdom of God.  After commissioning them to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even the remotest parts of the earth (verse 8), Jesus ascended to heaven.  He was lifted up, a cloud received Him, and He was out of their sight (verse 9).  Notice that the disciples kept looking upwards intently (verse 10); some suggest that they might have expected the cloud to dissipate and to see Jesus again, as had happened on the Mount of Transfiguration.  But instead they saw two men in bright clothing, heavenly messengers, who told them that this same Jesus, who had been taken up from them, was sure to come back in the same manner as they had watched Him go into heaven (verse 11).  So, in the book of Acts, before we are told about their baptism of the Holy Spirit and how they spread throughout the world, proclaiming the good news of salvation and eventually experiencing tribulations, persecution and even martyrdom, the first thing we (and they) find out is the final outcome: Jesus will come back!  It is not just a possibility but a sure thing.  And the assurance of His return kept them free from fear and anxiety during the dark and difficult days that followed.  The same is true for us.  In this world we might be going through pain and tribulations, yet we know the outcome ahead of time.  He will come back for us!  Hallelujah!


My Response:_______________________________________________________

May 13:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS PROMISE.
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me....I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."--John 14:1, 3

When David was running for his life, God provided a loving and supportive friend: King Saul's son, Jonathon.  It was an unlikely friendship, because Jonathon would have been the natural successor to his father, yet he knew that David had been chosen by God to be the king of Israel.  Instead of feeling jealous, Jonathon loved David, and they became best friends.  Jonathon seemed certain that David would be king one day and asked him to preserve his descendants when he did (1 Samuel 20:15-17).  And so, this covenant and promise was secured between these two unlikely friends.  When David became king over all Israel, just as Jonathon had predicted, he kept his promise (2 Samuel 9:1-13).  David did not exterminate Jonathon's descendants, as was the custom of the time; a son of Jonathon, Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, was brought to David, and from then on Mephibosheth ate at the king's table regularly as one of David's sons.

In biblical history, God has always been faithful to His promises.  He is the ultimate promise keeper.  Jesus has told us the end of the covenant story: He wins!  And He is coming back for us, that we may eat at His table eternally.  When His disciples had received incomprehensibly bad news (John 13:33, 36), Jesus reassured them by directing their thoughts to the end of the story.  The imperative "Do not let your heart be troubled" (John 14:1) could be translated as "Stop being distressed."  They were anxious, and Jesus gave them the reason not to be.  He was going ahead of them, opening the path, and preparing their home.  Even though they would be going through some troublesome days, the remedy for their downcast souls was, and continues to be, to believe in His promise.  Jesus reassured them that His Presence would continue with them for eternity!  He said: "that where I am, there you may be also" (verse 3).  We should focus on the end of the story: Jesus wins!  And we are, and will be, with Him forever, just as He promised!

My Response:______________________________________________________

May 12:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS IDENTITY.
The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.--Matthew 1:1

I asked the cemetery representative if they would allow me to bring a key and bury it along with my father and mother.  As an only child, it was extremely difficult to lose both my parents in a short time.  As the place was opened to lay the remains of my father next to my mother's, I placed the key in their grave.  Jesus said that he has the keys of death (Revelation 1:18).  He will be the next one to open my parents' tomb and will see the key I placed there because I believe He will fulfill His resurrection promise.  Praise God!  His promises are everything!

Matthew starts his Gospel announcing that Jesus is the long-awaited Deliverer, who was promised throughout the Jewish Scriptures (Old Testament).  By using the title "Messiah" (Matthew 1:1), which is "Christos" (Christ) in Greek and means  "the Anointed One," Matthew reminds us that Jesus comes as the fulfillment of the covenant promises of God.  This theological title of Jesus as the awaited Anointed One appears several times in this Gospel, even in the first chapter (1:1, 16, 17, 18).  Matthew also mentions that Jesus is the descendant of David and Abraham (1:1), both pivotal names in God's covenant with Israel (2 Samuel 7:16) and with all the nations of the earth (Genesis 12:3).  He repeats the same two important names (David and Abraham) at the end of his genealogical introduction (Matthew 1:17).

Matthew will allude to the Old Testament prophecies several times.  On some occasions, he will use what we call a prophetic formula in which he starts the verse by stating: "This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet" (for example 1:22; 2:15).  Surely, Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises to send a Deliverer.  It is difficult for us to grasp how much this would have meant to Matthew's predominantly Jewish audience, which had awaited the promised Messiah for centuries.  For us, this verse is a reminder that God is truly faithful to His promises, and that as He fulfilled His promise in Jesus' first coming, He will do it again in Jesus' second coming!  You can count on that!

My Response:_______________________________________________________________

May 11:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.
"And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and...rolled away the stone and sat upon it."--Matthew 28:2

It was time for my dad and I to choose the words to be engraved on my mother's tombstone.  We chose the text of Isaiah 43:1, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!"  Both of us were comforted by God's assurance of redemption, His tender reminder that He knows each of us by name, and that we are His!  A few months later, my dad was sleeping in Jesus under the same tombstone.  Both of my parents passed away with the assurance that Jesus had accomplished their eternal life through His death.

Matthew's narrative of the resurrection is the most dramatic of all four Gospels.  He adds unique details that become visualizations of the salvific work of Jesus.  For example, Matthew mentions that the earth shook when Jesus died, opening the tombs (Matthew 27:51, 52), and that there was also a great earthquake (seismos megas) when the angel of the Lord descended on the resurrection morning (John 28:2).  "An angel of the Lord...rolled away the stone and sat upon it" (verse 2).  The angel sat on the stone of Jesus' tomb!  As if saying, with defiant body language: any questions, anyone?  Jesus has conquered death!  Yes, Jesus' death had triumphed over death, and now Jesus Himself had risen, and the stone placed on the tomb to guard it became the angel's stool...I love it!  Countless times, when facing problems that were greater than my abilities to solve them, I pictured the angel sitting on the stone!  God sits on our problems, in total control.  But there is one more shaking in this scene: "The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men" (verse 4).  How paradoxical is that?  The men who had been placed to guard Jesus' body were now shaking and becoming like dead bodies, while the One who had been dead was now alive!  If you, or someone you love, have to face the valley of the shadow of death, remember Jesus' accomplishment: victory over death!  I can't wait to see my parents again on resurrection morning; the angel will remove their tombstone and sit on it!

My Response:__________________________________________________________

May 10:  Celebrating His Victory

HIS TENDERNESS.
When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!"--John 19:26

Visiting the ancient city of Ephesus was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  I was absolutely baffled when we got to the ancient city and saw the magnificent remains of so many buildings, the library, and the huge amphitheater.  We also visited the traditional site of Mary's house, a few miles away.  At first, I was confused, because we were in Turkey, and the mother of Jesus lived in Israel.  That's when I remembered that Jesus entrusted His mother to John, the beloved disciple, who eventually became an elder in the church of Ephesus.

John records three last sayings of Jesus on the cross that are not recorded by the other Gospel writers.  The first one is addressed to His mother and the beloved disciple.  It is amazing to me that in the midst of His physical and even greater spiritual distress, Jesus thinks of His mother.  She had been visited by the angel Gabriel, and when she became pregnant out of wedlock, she endured much ridicule.  She had witnessed how the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and had felt much pain because of it.  She had kept in her heart the prophecies about Him, and now she was standing by the cross of her beloved Son.  And Jesus honors His earthly mother by making sure that she is taken care of.  Amazing!  May we treat our own mothers with such care and tenderness.  Perhaps because the brothers of Jesus had not yet believed that He was the Savior (see John 7:5), Jesus felt the need to entrust His mother to the beloved disciple: "When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!'  Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold your mother!'  From that hour the disciple took her into his own household" ( John 19:26, 27).  The concern of Jesus for His mother, who had been divinely chosen to bring Him into this world, is another reminder of His gentle heart, which experienced love in addition to pain and always showed tender care.  At the cross, the tenderness of Jesus was offered to each one of us as well.  His victorious love is our assurance.

My Response:_________________________________________________________

May 9:  Celebrating His Victory.

HIS SOLUTION.
"The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man."--Matthew 13:37

Some counterfeit items look so similar to the real things that it takes an expert to tell them apart.  Years ago, I got a nice purse of a famous brand which prominently displayed its logo in multiple places.  I showed it to a friend who knew much more about purses than I did.  Having examined my new bag, she told me: "It's not real, it's a counterfeit."  It definitely looked real to me, and I asked her why she thought so.  "Because," she said, "this particular brand never places stitches over their logo."  Only an expert could tell.

In this parable only told by Matthew, we receive an answer to two very frequently asked questions: "Why is there evil in this world?" and "What is God going to do about it!"  The answer to the first is: "Because an enemy has done this!" (verse 28); and the second: "He will eradicate it at the end of times, once and for all (verses 30, 40-42)."  The parable compares the kingdom of heaven to a situation found in a field.  A man sowed good seed, but the enemy came and sowed tares (weeds, Greek zizania) among the wheat (verses 24, 25).  This type of agricultural undermining attack, often used as revenge, was punishable by Roman law.  Time went by, and when the wheat grew and was bearing grain, the weeds became noticeable (verse 26).  When the landowner's workers offered to remedy the evident problem by gathering the weeds, the master asked them not to, not because they couldn't tell them apart, but because they might "uproot the wheat with them" (verse 29).  The roots were intertwined, and the landowner cared too much about the wheat.  Jesus explained this parable in great detail (verses 36-43) and highlighted that "the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world...and the enemy who sowed them [the tares] is the devil" (verses 37-39).  This is the great controversy between good and evil in one parable.  Jesus explains that at the end of the world, He will do away with evil once and for all.  Yes!  Evil will eventually be fully destroyed.  This is a source of assurance for Christ's followers.  Jesus tells us how it will all end!  And Jesus wins!

My Response:_________________________________________________________