Burunche’s Blog

John 6: 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit ^e and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

I love Simon Peter! One minute he’s impetuously hopping out of a boat in the middle of a storm and the next he’s making profound statements. Jesus had just done a miracle, feeding several thousand people and then calming a storm on the sea of Galilee. Now Jesus was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum, introducing to his listeners the concept that he was the bread of life. Well! This was NOT what those people wanted to hear! After all, Jesus had done a miracle and had fed a host of people on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, so why wasn’t he producing bread for the people of Capernaum? Stop with the theory already! These people wanted to see signs and wonders! Come on, Jesus!

But the Twelve who were Jesus’ hand – picked disciples still followed him. They might not have understood everything Jesus was teaching, but they truly believed that he was the Messiah. Even then, Peter seems to have wound up as their spokesman, affirming what the rest of the Twelve believed.

Right now many of us are facing tough times, times in which we are tempted to tell God, “This trial is too difficult! I didn’t sign up for this!” We were hoping that the COVID – 19 threat would go away in a few weeks and that we could resume our normal lives. Now we realize that it’s going to take far longer than we first anticipated before this pandemic is over, and many of us fear that we will never return to “normal” again.

As we search for hope for our futures, we need to remember Peter’s affirmation. ”Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Jesus Came as a man, died a cruel death on a cross and rose so that we might have eternal life if we will believe on him. Nowhere in the Scriptures are we ever promised that things will be easy; in fact, Jesus told his disciples that “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Today as you face Yours faithfully our trials and responsibilities, remember this! There is a risen living Savior who has conquered death and the grave. If you will believe on his Name, you will have a hope and a future. He truly is the Holy One of Israel!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please manifest yourself to those who read this devotional today! Give them special tokens of your love so that they know that you are real and that you will never leave them or forsake them. In your mighty and precious Name, King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 14:22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. 23 After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, 24 but the boat was already far from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night,b Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

28“Lord, if it is You,” Peter replied, “command me to come to You on the water.”

29“Come,” said Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!”

WHAT CONSTITUTES FAITH? On any given day, you can tune in to radio or television or even YouTube and see and hear preachers thundering out messages about faith. And it is possible that some of these people actually do have faith and are true believers. But look at this story for a moment.

Jesus had just heard horrible news! His cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded to satisfy the spite of Herodias, Herod’s wife. Before Jesus could withdraw to pray and deal with his feelings, he had to perform another miracle of multiplying food to feed those who had come to hear him. Finally, Jesus was able to get the disciples into a boat so that he could be by himself to pray. Now it was around 3 AM, the sky was pitch black, and the winds were pounding on the boat, threatening to sink it. Jesus appeared, walking on the water. While the rest of the disciples were cowering in the boat, fearing they were seeing a ghost, only Peter had the courage to speak out. And only Peter got out of the boat.

Many preachers and teachers have mocked Peter for suddenly realizing the extent of the danger he was in. BUT PETER GOT OUT OF THE BOAT! And when Peter felt himself beginning to sink, HE CRIED OUT TO THE LORD. There is no record of any of the other disciples saying anything until both Peter and Jesus were back in the boat. And remember, Matthew, who wrote this account, was one of the disciples, an eye witness! So when Matthew is describing the scene, he is sure of his facts. Only after Jesus and Peter had climbed into the boat and the wind had died down did the disciples say anything.

Perhaps you have taken a step of faith. You feel, like Peter, that God has called you to do something bold for Him. And you have gotten completely out of your comfort zone and into a potentially life – threatening situation. But the sky is black, the wind is howling, and suddenly your feet feel wet! Don’t despair! Follow Peter’s example. Peter cried out to the Lord; so can you. The same Lord who raised Peter back out of that water to walk on top of the sea can equally raise you to walk on top of your difficulties instead of sinking in them.

PRAYER: Father God, this morning we want to follow your leading wherever it will take us, but we are afraid. Please cause us to trust where we cannot see and to follow hard after you all the days of our lives. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

When Peter was writing this letter to the churches in the northern part of Asia Minor, he was in Rome and may have been facing his death. Peter probably wrote this in 63 AD at a time when the Roman Government under Nero began actively persecuting Christians.

Peter was writing to people who were suffering, both economically and socially. Ray Van der Laan points out in one of his teaching videos that those who refused to make the routine ritual sacrifices to the city gods would be barred from trading in the markets of those cities. In addition, Christians celebrated one day of the week as the Sabbath and had other practices that set them apart from their pagan neighbors. No, it was not easy to be a Christian….and yet, the church continued to grow. Even when Nero became particularly cruel and used Christians as human torches in his gardens, Christianity continued to attract new believers.

What was the attraction? Why would anyone deliberately change their beliefs in the face of such persecution? The answer lies in Peter’s counsels stated above. Christians LOVED! and they LOVED IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION! Christians were JOYFUL, despite all this suffering. Most of the pagan believers celebrated certain festivals, but between celebrations, things were pretty grim. But here were these Christians worshiping and rejoicing and praising God. Being around these people was like receiving a drink of cool water on a hot day! In fact, these people were enjoying their lives, even through all the difficulties they were facing. And this joy was both entrancing and captivating.

Today many of us are enduring lock downs due to COVID – 19. But the question is this: are we rejoicing in the opportunities God is opening up for us, or are we merely whining? If we listen to Peter, we will rejoice even during suffering.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you! Thank you for the opportunities to slow down and to be quiet before you. Thank you for the new opportunities you are opening up. Thank you that we can come out of this lock down closer to you than ever before. We bless your Name now and forever! Amen.

1 Peter 1:6 “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

When Peter was writing this letter to the churches in the northern part of Asia Minor, he was in Rome and may have been facing his death. Peter probably wrote this in 63 AD at a time when the Roman Government under Nero began actively persecuting Christians.

Peter was writing to people who were suffering, both economically and socially. Ray Van der Laan points out in one of his teaching videos that those who refused to make the routine ritual sacrifices to the city gods would be barred from trading in the markets of those cities. In addition, Christians celebrated one day of the week as the Sabbath and had other practices that set them apart from their pagan neighbors. No, it was not easy to be a Christian….and yet, the church continued to grow. Even when Nero became particularly cruel and used Christians as human torches in his gardens, Christianity continued to attract new believers.

What was the attraction? Why would anyone deliberately change their beliefs in the face of such persecution? The answer lies in Peter’s counsels stated above. Christians LOVED! and they LOVED IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION! Christians were JOYFUL, despite all this suffering. Most of the pagan believers celebrated certain festivals, but between celebrations, things were pretty grim. But here were these Christians worshiping and rejoicing and praising God. Being around these people was like receiving a drink of cool water on a hot day! In fact, these people were enjoying their lives, even through all the difficulties they were facing. And this joy was both entrancing and captivating.

Today many of us are enduring lock downs due to COVID – 19. But the question is this: are we rejoicing in the opportunities God is opening up for us, or are we merely whining? If we listen to Peter, we will rejoice even during suffering.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you! Thank you for the opportunities to slow down and to be quiet before you. Thank you for the new opportunities you are opening up. Thank you that we can come out of this lock down closer to you than ever before. We bless your Name now and forever! Amen.

1 Peter1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. “

NOBODY IN BETHSAIDA WAS EVER GOING TO ARGUE THAT SIMON PETER WAS PERFECT! In fact, if you had gotten to chat with Peter’s boyhood friends and his neighbors, they would have been more than happy to tell you Peter’s failings. Peter was impatient, impetuous, and given to grand gestures. Peter had a temper and even his closest friends knew that it was best not to get Peter angry. And yet, Jesus chose Peter with all his failings to help lead the disciples after the Ascension. Was Jesus crazy? Why choose Peter?

Perhaps Jesus chose Peter particularly because of Peter’s shortcomings and his knowledge of his own failings. While Jesus was being interrogated, Peter was in the courtyard trying to deny that he even knew Jesus. As far as we know, when Jesus was crucified, Peter wasn’t around. Even when the tomb was reported to be empty, Peter wasn’t really sure that Jesus had risen. And in the 21^st chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus questions Peter as to how much Peter loves him, and Peter is still fumbling for answers. And yet, Peter became a leader, acknowledged as such by the other disciples.

What makes a good disciple? Are the best disciples the ones who appear to do everything correctly, or are they those who are not perfect and who are aware of their imperfections? Perhaps, if we think we are perfect, that very belief in our perfection will keep us from imitating the Master. After all, disciples are supposed to imitate their leader, not merely to seek their own ways.

I love Simon Peter’s example! I love Peter because he was not perfect and yet Jesus selected him. I love Peter because he recognized his failings as a follower, but he changed. After the resurrection, Peter became one of the most faithful imitators of Jesus. And at the end, Peter requested that he be crucified head – down, because he felt unworthy to die in the same fashion as his Lord.

No, you do not have to be perfect to become a disciple of Jesus. You do need to pray and search for God’s will for your life. And you need to be willing to copy Peter: once you have found God’s will, don’t hold back but go forward, knowing that God will meet you and guide you.

PRAYER: Father God, this morning we come to you, begging you to help us learn how to become disciples. We are not sure what this will mean for our lives, but we know that You love us and that You have a perfect plan. Lord, guide us so that we will truly become disciples and disciple – makers. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 28: ¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Luke 24: 50 “ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.”

The disciples had already paid a heavy price for following Jesus. Many of them had left homes and businesses. Some of those disciples probably had family members who thought they were crazy. Yes, discipleship had come at a high price. But the disciples who were watching Jesus ascend into heaven knew that they had made the right decision and they praised God for what He had done. In the next several years, those disciples would travel over most of the known world and would preach the Gospel to all kinds of people. Even when some of the early Christians died as martyrs, they died praising God. Discipleship has a high cost. But what is the cost of non -discipleship? Why can’t we just “go along to get along?”

Dallas Willard in “The Great Omission” points out that “the cost of nondiscipleship is far greater – even when this life alone is considered – than the price paid to walk with Jesus, constantly learning from him.”

“Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, nondiscippleship costs you exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring )John 10:10). The cross- shaped yoke of Christ is after all an instrument of liberation and power to those who life in it with him and learn the meekness and lowliness of heart that brings rest to the soul.”

God is preparing His banquet. Will you come, or will you give excuses?

PRAYER: Father God, please help us to follow hard after you all the days of our lives! Help us to realize that discipleship brings peace and joy while nondiscipleship brings only pain. And thank you, thank you, thank you! for the Gift of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 28: 18 – 20 “Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority [all power of rule] in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days [perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion] to the very close and consummation of the age. Amen. (So let it be.) NKJV Amplified

What does it mean to make disciples? Dallas Willard states that “the first goal he (Jesus) set for the early church was to use his all -encompassing power and authority to make disciples without regard to ethnic distinctions – from all “nations”…Having made disciples, these alone were to be baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Given this twofold preparation, they were then to be taught to treasure and keep “all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

Willard continues, “But in place of Christ’s plan, historical drift has substituted “Make converts (to a particular ‘faith and practice’) – and baptize them into church membership. This causes two great omissions from the Great Commission to stand out. Most important, we start by omitting the making of disciples and enrolling people as Christ’s students, when we should let all else wait for that. Then, we also omit, of necessity, the step of taking our converts through training that will bring them ever-increasingly to do what Jesus directed …Not having made our converts disciples, it is impossible for us to teach them how to live as Christ lived and taught ….When confronted with the example and teachings of Christ, the response today is less one of rebellion or rejection than one of puzzlement: How do we relate to these? What have they to do with us? Isn’t this bait and switch?”

The disciples traveled with Jesus “in an attitude of observation, study, obedience, and imitation.” For the first disciples, there had to be a desire to be like Jesus and a decision or settled intent to imitate Him at all costs, including the loss of family and friends. “The disciple is one who, intent upon becoming Christ – like and so dwelling in his “faith and practice,” systematically and progressively rearranges his affairs to that end. By these decisions and actions, even today, one enrolls in Christ’s training, becomes his pupil or disciple. There is no other way.” Dallas Willard, “The Great Omission”

Today, many of us have enforced time for reflection. I challenge you to find someplace quiet, even if it is your closet, and ask God to show you what He wants you to do to become His disciple. Rest assured, God is waiting for you “in the secret place.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are always calling us to come up higher! Help us to truly search for you. Transform us from ordinary human beings into your disciples. And help us to follow hard after you all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

MATTHEW 28: 16 “Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus had completed His mission. The Messiah had come into Jerusalem, had died, shedding innocent blood, had risen from the dead, and had showed Himself to His followers. Now it was time for Jesus’ final act on earth: His ascension into heaven.

The location of the ascension is in dispute. Some sources say Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. Matthew describes a mountain in Galilee. Actually, it’s not the physical location that matters; it’s what Jesus told His disciples just before He left.

1.” All authority (all power) in heaven and on earth has been given to me” As the risen glorified Lord, Jesus could speak from a position of ultimate authority.

2. “Go and make disciples of all nations” Jesus’s disciples are to train others in the ways of the kingdom, just as Jesus trained them.

3. Baptizing them (the new disciples) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit Here Jesus reinforces the concept of the Holy Trinity and orders the disciples to continue the practice of baptism as a symbol of dying to sin and resurrecting to new life

4. “and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” The disciples were to be very careful to pass on the teachings of Jesus and not something else or something more.

Dallas Willard in his book “The Great Omission” makes the point that today very few Christians are actually making disciples. Willard writes, “We have lost discipleship largely because, in the evangelical tradition, we have lost Christ as Teacher. The idea of Christ as Teacher no longer means much, if anything at all, to evangelicals. Willard emphasizes that three things are necessary: “conviction of sin, conversion to a godly life of faith, and testimony to the saving work of God in the soul.” Without these elements, it is impossible to make disciples. Sadly, many people who attend churches today are not disciples but merely members. Membership cannot lead to a life ablaze with the glory of God.

PRAYER: Father God, forgive us! We have tried to make following Jesus easy when it is not. We have settled for substitutes. Lord, open our eyes. Enlighten our hearts. And help us to truly love You and truly follow You all the days of our lives. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Luke 24:⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus and the disciples are in the upper room. Jesus has made his appearance and has demonstrated that he is not a ghost by eating a piece of fish and by allowing the disciples to touch him and to feel his wounds. Now Jesus is explaining his death and resurrection to the disciples, as well as giving the disciples an idea of their future ministry. Luke tells us that Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” For hundreds of years, men had been reading those same Scriptures in the temple, but they didn’t fully understand what the Scriptures were talking about. Now Jesus, the greatest Teacher of all time, helps the disciples to understand the Scriptures that they had read all their lives.

1. Jesus reminds the disciples of the prophecies regarding the Messiah.

2. Jesus advises the disciples that they have been eye witnesses to the fulfillment of these prophecies.

3. Jesus tells the disciples to stay in Jerusalem “until you have been clothed with power from on high.” At that point, the disciples were probably looking at each other and shrugging their shoulders some more.

Jesus opened the disciples’ minds to the Scriptures. God doesn’t play favorites. If we ask God to help us understand His Word, He will do so. And we should be asking for enlightenment each time we study the Scriptures. The more we study the Scriptures, the more we will understand about God and the closer we will come to God. Studying the Scriptures is like giving your mind a refreshing bath; you feel mentally and emotionally clean.

The disciples were eye witnesses to Jesus’ death and resurrection. We too have seen God working in our lives; each time we share what God has done for us, we are glorifying Him.

God had definite plans for the disciples. God has definite plans for each one of us. Right now many of us are at home due to the threat of COVID – 19. Rather than becoming frustrated, ask God what He wants you to do during this time. Trust God that He has definite plans and purposes for you, even now.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that just as you had plans and purposes for the disciples, so you also have plans and purposes for us. Help us to seek your will for our lives and not to waste this precious time that you are giving us. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Luke 24: ³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” ⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

When Cleopas and his friend realized that Jesus had walked with them all the way to Emmaus, they were so excited that they nearly ran all the way back to Jerusalem! They must have been panting and near collapse as they informed their friends that they had seen Jesus. Just about the time the other disciples were ready to call these guys crazy, Jesus appeared. To prove that he was not a ghost, Jesus had the disciples touch him and see that he had a solid body. Then Jesus ate a piece of fish, something no ghost could ever do.

Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be resurrected. (Isaiah 53: 11 “After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied…”) Now the disciples were witnesses. The shock and joy of seeing Jesus in the flesh must have been incredible! The resurrection WAS real! Nobody had stolen Jesus’ body; his resurrected body was there in that room – clean, no sign of decay, no blood, no evil. The disciples were literally overjoyed!

For the rest of their lives, the disciples would never forget that night with Jesus! The Romans and the priests thought they had killed him, but they were wrong! It’s possible that in that room there were men who knew some of the people who had screamed for Jesus’ blood. Early the next morning, those disciples were probably out telling everybody they knew that they had actually touched Jesus. (Nobody ventured out in the streets at night if they could help it; you never knew when a Roman guard might decide to harass or arrest you.) And that experience and the experiences that followed in the next few days stayed with those disciples for the rest of their lives. They could face anything; they had touched Jesus!

PRAYER: Father God, this morning, we want to touch Jesus! Some of us are tired or frightened or anxious about loved ones. Some of us must work in dangerous places. Lord, touch us with your mighty power! Give us grace and wisdom and courage and joy, so that we will follow you no matter what you ask us to do. In Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.