Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 26:³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” …. ⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. ⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him… ⁵⁹ The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward….⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.” ⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

DISAPPOINTMENT! ARREST! TRIED ON FALSE CHARGES! BETRAYED BY A CLOSE FRIEND! All of these things happened to Jesus on that Thursday night. Jesus and the disciples went out to a place where there was an olive press so that he could pray, but the disciples were exhausted and fell asleep, leaving Jesus to pray alone. Then a mob came to arrest Jesus, led by Judas, who had promised to indicate Jesus by a kiss. (This is ridiculous, right? Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was witnessed by thousands of people, he taught for days on the teaching steps of the temple, and he healed people and performed miracles. So why does Judas feel it necessary to point out Jesus? Perhaps Judas was fed up and disgusted. Jesus hadn’t behaved the way Judas wanted and Judas was ready to let the religious leaders have him. Or was it that Judas already was demonically influenced and the demons just got a further hold on him?

Then there were the trials. Trials were not supposed to take place at night; however, the religious people hated Jesus so much that they were willing to ignore their own tradition. Besides, the Sabbath was coming and they wanted to tie up all the loose ends so that they could celebrate the Passover Sabbath properly.

And finally, Peter denied knowing Jesus. To his dying day, Peter never forgot that moment when he claimed he did not know Jesus, only for Jesus to look straight across that courtyard into Peter’s eyes. And at that moment, Peter knew that Jesus had heard him and that this was the moment Jesus had predicted earlier in the evening. It was a terrible moment for Peter and yet a very important one. As a leader of the early church, Peter would be compassionate with others because he remembered that moment in the courtyard.

Today, some of us or our friends or family members are undergoing unimaginable suffering. We are sure that nobody can possibly understand what we are going through. But Jesus knows! Jesus cares! The sufferings of that night were only the prelude to the agonies Jesus was to suffer on Good Friday.

There is a Savior. His Name is Jesus. And He cares!

PRAYER: Father God, hear our cries! We are suffering! We are afraid! Some of us are alone with nobody to comfort us or to help us! But you, O Lord, are the God who hears and sees and knows. Please, Father, save us. Help us. And give us your peace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Matthew 26:⁷ On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. ²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” ²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” ²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” ²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” ²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the^[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹ I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” ³⁰ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

The Passover had come and Jesus and the disciples were celebrating it together with bread and wine. As an observant Jew, Jesus had celebrated 32 Passovers; now he was celebrating the last Passover he would see as a man. Jesus knew his time was short. Jesus also knew that Judas had already done a deal with the religious rulers. All during Jesus’ ministry, Judas had been the treasurer; however, he also had been systematically stealing. What a sad situation! Judas was sent out to preach and to do miracles just like the other disciples. Judas had seen Jesus raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out demons, and heal the blind and lame; yet, none of this moved Judas. Jesus even washed Judas’ feet just as he did for the other disciples.

Jesus knew what would happen that night. Jesus knew that when the Romans came to arrest him, his disciples would desert him. But Jesus also knew that those same disciples would later repent and would become heroes of the faith. The real tragedy was Judas, because Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of the lowest kind of slave. When Jesus gave Judas that piece of bread, even then Judas could have still repented. Judas could have pulled Jesus off into a corner and confessed his betrayal, and Jesus would have forgiven him. Judas could have refused to meet up with the soldiers….but he didn’t.

Judas’ tragedy is our tragedy. So many times God has moved in our lives, and yet we have made excuses, brushed Him off, or even taken credit when all the time it was God who helped us. Now we all are facing the threat of COVID – 19 and many of us are turning to God. But if that threat passes and we survive, will we continue to be faithful or will we give ourselves the credit and turn away from God?

As we consider the events of that Passover night, we must ask ourselves this question: would I do any better than Judas?

PRAYER: Father God, please forgive us! So many times we have promised to follow you, only to draw back. Lord, forgive us. Give us faithful hearts so that we will follow you, no matter how difficult things may be. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, forgive us! Lord, save us! In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 21:33 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. 34 When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. 35 But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

36 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?” 41“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

45 When the chief priests and Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew He was speaking about them. 46 Although they wanted to arrest Him, they feared the crowds, because they considered Jesus a prophet.

Jesus is in the last few days of his life. He is trying as hard as he can to teach his disciples as much as possible before he has to leave them. In those last few days, Jesus crammed in so much wisdom about the kingdom, and he did it in the form of parables. We cannot possibly study all of those teachings in a short devotional, but this parable as much as any illustrates what Jesus knew was going to happen to him.

Jesus knew he was going to die. Jesus knew that it would be the religious people who would have him killed out of fear and anger and jealousy. Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies already spoken about him centuries earlier. Jesus also knew that he was that stone that the builders had rejected. But was Jesus saying these things to the religious leaders out of hatred? No! Absolutely not! Jesus loved those Pharisees. Jesus was preparing to die just as much for the Pharisees and the Roman soldiers and even for Herod and Pontius Pilate. And had the Pharisees allowed Jesus’ teachings to penetrate their hearts, they could still have turned and followed him.

Jesus was going to die. But he was offering all who heard him the opportunity to repent and follow him. Had the Jews not handed Jesus over to the Romans, the Romans would probably have arrested him anyway. Rome did not tolerate anyone who remotely looked like a potential leader of an uprising. Only a few years earlier, the Romans had crucified a number of Jewish rebels, so one more crucifixion was no big deal to them. And the saddest part of the whole thing was that Jesus KNEW those Pharisees. Jesus was both God and man, and as God he knew those Pharisees. He could look at those Pharisees and remember them as little boys when they still really wanted to serve God, before their hearts became proud and hard. How it must have broken Jesus’ heart as he looked at those Pharisees, especially the younger ones, and foresaw the suffering they would eventually have at the hands of the Romans. And the greatest tragedy was that while Jesus was offering eternal life, most of the Pharisees were choosing something else and something less.

Today many of us stand on the brink of eternity. As I am writing this, we have learned that the Prime Minister of England is now in Intensive Care and terribly sick. Social media feeds give us stories of suffering and death. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to follow Jesus. None of us is promised tomorrow.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to live as a man and die for our sins and to rise from the dead, conquering death and the grave. Lord, help all who read this to realize it was love that sent Jesus to the cross, love that kept him there, and love that raised him from the dead. Please, Lord, let everyone who reads this come to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. In Jesus’ mighty Name. Amen.

Matthew 21:² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” ¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. ¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” ¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Jesus has entered Jerusalem in fulfillment of the Scriptures, and now it’s crunch time. The disciples might have had an inkling that things were building to a climax, but they probably anticipated that this would be the time when Jesus would FINALLY have to abandon all this humility and show himself for what he really was, the one true Messiah who would deliver Israel. Even though Jesus had been trying to advise the disciples all along that he would have to die, they refused to believe it. After all, why should a man who could raise others from the dead have to die himself. No! At the last minute, Jesus was going to pull off a miracle.

Jesus’ first actions once he entered Jerusalem were to cleanse the temple and then to heal the blind and the lame who were already in the temple. Traditionally, anyone who was maimed was not supposed to enter the main part of the temple; however, these people were probably in the outer court, next to the money changers and those selling livestock. There were also children in the outer courts of the temple. Those kids knew miracles when they saw them, and they were shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

Signs and wonders were happening all over the place, and meanwhile the sour religious leaders could only be indignant. How many of those men would later repent and beg God for one single miracle? We will never know. We only know that when God was manifesting His mighty power, those who claimed to represent Him were both blind and lame – blind because they did not recognize Jesus as Messiah, and lame because their religion had tied them up so that it was as if they had chains on their feet. Their religion kept them from following Jesus.

God has not changed; He is still the same. The same power that purified that temple, that healed the blind and the lame, is still available today. And throughout the world, God is still working. While many have died with COVID – 19, there have also been miraculous recoveries of very elderly people who might have died. While we grieve for the health workers who have died, let us remember that the vast majority of health workers are alive and working. Each one of these lives represents a miracle! Let us hold on to hope and thank God that He is still working!

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that your hand is not shortened, that your power to heal has not departed this earth! Father, protect those caring for COVID – 19 patients. Protect the family members of COVID – 19 victims. And help us to rejoice and be grateful at the healings you are bringing. In the mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 21:As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ⁵ “Say toDaughter Zion,     ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” ⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna^[b] to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[c] “Hosanna^[d] in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT A MESSIAH WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE! When the Messiah came, he would be riding on a white horse, dressed in glowing robes, and wearing a shining crown…..except he rode a donkey, wore his everyday clothes, and his head was bare. Nonetheless, the common people recognized the Messiah! They even spread their cloaks on the road and waved palm branches and shouted the traditional greeting to the Messiah. ‘Baruch ha ba, Ha Mesheach, Yeshua! Baruch ha ta Adonai!” And they also shouted, “Hosanna!” Interesting choicer of words! “Hosanna” means “Lord, save us!” Now why would a crowd of commoners shout that at someone they thought might be the Messiah?

Most people were sure that when the Messiah came, he would establish a military kingdom and kick out the Romans. Certainly, the Romans deserved kicking! The Roman soldiers didn’t want to be in Israel and they took it out on the local people, bullying and demanding. And perhaps the common people also wanted to be saved from their religious rulers. It wasn’t only the Romans who bullied and took advantage. Some of the religious rulers had the same reaction. So, the common people were willing to beg for relief from anybody who showed up who might be a possibility.

Today, social media is flooded with all kinds of information and misinformation about COVID – 19. In response to general panic and confusion, self – styled experts have arisen to advise on diet, hygiene, exercise, etc., etc. In the quiet of their homes, many people today are saying, “Hosanna! Lord, save us! Save us from COVID – 19! Save our jobs! Save our families! Save our economy! Save us!”

We can do the best we can, but some of us might die with COVID – 19, particularly those of us who are health workers. But while we are concentrating on all kinds of practices or different kinds of masks or hand sanitizers or rubber gloves, how are we preparing for eternity? If you died today, would you go to heaven? What assurance do you have?

The crowds in Jerusalem who cheered – and later who mocked – Jesus had no idea that many of them were fated to die at the hands of the Romans when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Many of these people were hoping that their religious practices would save them or that their charitable acts. But they were wrong. Nothing any of us can do will be sufficient to earn a place in heaven. This is why Jesus had to come and live as a man and then die a shameful undeserved death on a cross. But Easter proved that Jesus’ sacrifice was worth it. Jesus conquered death and the grave. Trust him!

PRAYER: Father God, we are afraid. We fear for our families, for our friends, for our communities, and for our countries. We have no control in this situation. Lord, teach us to trust you and to follow you completely. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. We turn our lives over to you now. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Matthew 12:¹⁵ Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. ¹⁶ He warned them not to tell others about him. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ¹⁸ “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry out;
    no one will hear his voice in the streets.
²⁰ A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
²¹     In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Jesus had just healed the withered hand of a man who had probably had a stroke or some injury in the past – “Fantastic!” you say? Well, the Pharisees were ready to kill him; they just needed to come up with a workable plan. So, Jesus moved out of the synagogue to another location, followed by everyone who was ill. After healing these people, Jesus asked that they not tell others about him. Jesus was not in the business of self – advertisement; he had come for a totally different reason. Jesus was the Messiah and had come in fulfillment of the prophecies. The verses quoted come from Isaiah 42: 1- 4, in which the prophet describes the behavior of the coming Messiah.

The Messiah would not quarrel or cry out or make lots of noise in the streets. This is why Jesus quietly withdrew from the synagogue and requested that people not tell others about him. Of course, that request failed! There’s no way that in a small town where everybody knew Shimuel, the man with the withered hand, they would keep quiet once Simon’s hand had been healed. “Hey, Shimuel! Come over here! I want to see your hand for myself! What did this Jesus say when he healed you? Did you feel anything? Does your hand really work?”

But what is meant by the remarks about bruised reeds and smoldering wicks? Think about reeds. As long as a reed has not been injured, it can withstand enormous amounts of wind. The wind blows, and the reed merely waves back and forth. But bruise the stem of the reed, and the next gust of wind might break it entirely. And what about a smoldering wick? By the time the wick of a candle or a lamp is smoldering, there is very little left of the flame; one pinch, and the flame will be out completely. Isaiah prophesied that when Messiah came, he would be so gentle that he could handle bruised reeds or smoldering wicks without injuring them.

Today COVID – 19 has convulsed the world. The CDC is now recommending that everybody wear masks. Many people are struggling with anxiety, depression, and fear. Even people who thought they were strong have found themselves quietly sobbing in a corner. At this point, many of us feel like bruised reeds or smoldering wicks. We NEED a Messiah! And we’ve got one!

Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it abundantly. All of us have always needed Jesus the Messiah; we just didn’t realize our need because things were going well for us. Some of us have been insulated by good incomes, comfortable living situations, and stable communities. We have mistaken economic well being for God’s favor. But God’s favor does not depend on money or social position. God’s favor rests upon those who fear Him and who will follow Him, no matter the cost.

Today, you might identify with that smoldering wick or that bruised reed. Never mind! Jesus knows our every weakness! Turn to Him!

PRAYER: Father God, help us! We are frightened! We are weary! Our emotions are in a turmoil. We don’t know which way to turn and we suddenly realize that all the things that we trusted have failed us. Help us to put our trust in You instead. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus, the Messiah, in fulfillment of your promises! Thank you that even though we are as weak and helpless as bruised reeds or smoldering wicks, that you can restore us, if we will trust you. Help us to totally trust you all the days of our lives. In the matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 12: ⁷ If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” ⁹ Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, ¹⁰ and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” ¹¹ He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹² How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” ¹³ Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”

So far, the Pharisees refused to believe the teachings of Jesus about the Sabbath. For the Pharisees, the Sabbath had become an idol just as massive as any gold – plated statue that had ever been fashioned. Now Jesus was turning everything they KNEW and BELIEVED about the Sabbath upside down! This upstart! How dare he question them? THEY were the experts! Who did this guy think he was anyway?

But God had ordained the Sabbath as a time of rest and joy and celebration of His goodness, not as a time of misery. And even the Pharisees in all their legalism had made allowances for emergencies that might take place on the Sabbath. If a sheep belonging to a Pharisee fell into a pit, it was legal to save the sheep’s life by lifting it out. And Jesus, finding the loophole in the legalistic reasoning, asks the basic question: “How much more valuable is a person than a sheep?” Surely, at the back of the crowd there must have been some of the common people snickering at this reply. “OOOO! Good one, Jesus! How are they going to reply to that one!”

Having made the point that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath, Jesus heals the withered hand. Let’s look at that again. For a hand to “wither,” it takes time – months or even years. Tissues don’t just shrivel up over night. So this man’s hand had probably been like that for a long time. And if it was the man’s right hand, it was even more significant. The right hand was the social hand, the hand with which one ate, the hand with which one paid money. The left hand was used to wipe one’s bottom after defecation. If someone in that day lost the use of his right hand, it was a double catastrophe. And in addition, those with physical deformities were barred from entering the synagogue and therefore were cut off from formal worship. But now Jesus healed the man merely by asking him to stretch out his hand. Wow! What a miracle!

Do the Pharisees give glory to God and rejoice because this man has been restored? Nope! Their response was to go out and plot how they could kill Jesus, the man who had just done a miraculous healing.

For the Pharisees, being right was more important than mercy, goodness, or loving kindness. The Pharisees had reduced religion to a series of rules – the old wine skins that Jesus had mentioned previously. Now the Holy Spirit was coming in new ways doing wonderful healings and restorations. The tragedy for many of the Pharisees was that they were so caught up in their rules that they failed to see the new thing God was doing.

PRAYER: FATHER GOD, TODAY MANY OF YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER FROM COVID – 19. ALL OF THEIR LIVE MATTER! PLEASE, LORD, HAVE MERCY AND HEAL THEM, PROTECT THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEM AND WHO WORK WITH THE PUBLIC, AND STOP COVID – 19. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN.

Matthew 12: 1- 8 At that particular time Jesus went through the fields of standing grain on the Sabbath; and His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick off the spikes of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, See there! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful and not permitted on the Sabbath.”

There was nothing wrong with picking standing grain; in fact, this practice was allowed according to Deuteronomy 23:25; however, the disciples were doing this on the Sabbath! Over the years, the Pharisees had made lots of rules to supplement those given to Moses, and there was a long list of things one could and could not do on the Sabbath. As the years went on and technology developed, the lists of acts forbidden on the Sabbath became longer and longer. One Jewish American who grew up in New York City 100 years ago described the employment of the “Shabbas Goy” – the Sabbath Gentile, who went throughout the apartment building turning on lights, lighting cook stoves, and doing other small acts that the ultra – orthodox considered work and therefore something that could not be done on the Sabbath.

But were the disciples wrong in feeding themselves? No. And Jesus goes on to point out that when David was fleeing from Saul and he and his men were hungry, they at the loaves of the showbread that were supposed to be reserved for the priests. (Matthew 12:3-4) Jesus also pointed out out that “in the Law on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the sanctity of the Sabbath and yet are guiltless.” (Matthew 12: 5)

The Pharisees were obsessed with rules! They were certain that if they just followed enough rules, they would surely make it into heaven. But they were absolutely wrong! In the beginning, God instituted certain rules so that people would pay attention to Him, so that people would stay healthy, and so that people would get enough rest. Recently there has been an upsurge in the number of books and articles on the benefits of taking regular Sabbaths once a week. Hmm! Who knew that God was so smart?

But the Pharisees had totally lost sight of the reason for the rules in the first place. The rules were not a ladder by means of which people could earn their way to heaven. The rules were to help point people back to a God who loved them so much that He wanted them to stay healthy, to live long and productive lives, and to love Him for Who He was. And that’s where things went wrong.

When I was taking piano lessons as a kid, periodically, we would have recitals. These recitals would start with the little kids hacking their way through beginning compositions, frequently with no sense of rhythm or anything else. Those kids were playing notes all right, but to call it music was a stretch. The same kind of thing can be heard on Karaoke nights at restaurants. Some people who get up to sing should have remained in the audience; their sense of pitch is terrible, their timing is worse, and the tunes get lost from the time they open their mouths! And this is what had happened to the Pharisees.

Now, were all the Pharisees wrong? No! Certainly, among the Pharisees, there were men who truly longed for God and were seeking Him. Nicodemus, who came to Jesus at night (John 3:1-21) was not just a Pharisee, but a leader of the Pharisees. It was to Nicodemus that Jesus disclosed some of the most precious truths about His mission, about the Holy Spirit, and about the love of God for the world. Did Jesus make a mistake? Certainly not! Jesus knew Nicodemus better than Nicodemus knew himself. Jesus knew that Nicodemus had an incredible hunger for God and that he had spent his whole life searching for God and trying to please God. Jesus imparted some of the greatest truths of the kingdom to Nicodemus in the most loving fashion possible.

While all the Pharisees could do was to criticize, Jesus was trying to remind them that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was God’s way of giving people a chance to step back, to reflect, and to rest. Today many families are sheltering due to COVID – 19. Why not look on this as an opportunity to celebrate a Sabbath, to be quiet, to rest, and to reflect. Certainly, there is a lot of stress, but if we allow it, there can also be a lot of peace as well.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for giving us the Sabbath and for reminding us that this is one of Your good gifts to us. Help us to be quiet and to allow your Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts. In the matchless Name of Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 11: 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.

27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

We are all stressed! If you are one of the critically needed professions, you are working with the fear of COVID – 19 in the back of your mind all the time. Learning to wear a mask and perhaps gloves, learning not to touch your face, and washing your hands as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer – all of this is stressful. If you are sheltering at home with children and other family members, by now you have realized what a big debt you owe to their teachers! If you are in an area with COVID – 19 cases, you wonder what will happen next. If your area has not yet been hit, you wonder when it will be. Yes. We are all stressed!

In times such as these, we are tempted to think that Jesus lived in a much simpler and safer age and therefore could not possibly understand what we are going through now. WRONG!!!! Actually, Jesus lived in a very dangerous age. First, there were lots of diseases such as malaria and typhoid and other “fevers” that could strike suddenly, killing people within hours. It’s possible that some of these fevers might have been diphtheria, since that really can kill people quickly. Cholera lurked, waiting for someone to drink infected water. And then there were the Romans, the occupiers, the bullies who could force anybody to carry their gear at any time. No. Things weren’t safe in Jesus’ day either.

How can we find Jesus? How can we find this rest that He has promised? It’s actually as simple as asking. People who make a mystery of prayer are wrong. Prayer is a conversation with God, not a one – way recitation. Find a quiet place away from other people – your closet or the bathroom or the laundry room, if you have one. (Laundry rooms are good; how many family members are going to follow you there?) And then tell Jesus what’s going on, how you are feeling, your hopes and your fears. Then be quiet. And in the stillness, you might not hear any words, but the peace will come.

PRAYER: Jesus, today, we need your peace! We need rest! We need help! Please help us to get quiet before you and to feel the peace that you want to give us. We ask this in your precious Name. Amen.

Matthew 11:20 “Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”

For hundreds of years, the Jews had looked down on Tyre and Sidon. After all, those two cities belonged to the Philistines and were dedicated to the worship of idols. And if Tyre and Sidon were anathema, Sodom and Gomorrah were even worse! After all, Sodom and Gomorrah were so evil that God literally rained fire from heaven down upon those two cities to destroy them. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum are all clustered together on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. Within a short time after Jesus’ pronouncements, all three villages sank into oblivion, their actual locations forgotten. Today Bethsaida and Capernaum have been largely preserved due to monuments and churches of various kinds; however, Chorazin is little more than basalt ruins inhabited by rock badgers.

Why were Jesus’ predictions so harsh? These three villages were the scenes of some of Jesus’ greatest miracles, and yet, the people failed to repent. They were willing to follow Jesus for entertainment, but their hearts were hard and their spiritual eyes were blind. Never since the days of Elijah and Elisha the prophets had anyone been raised from the dead or healed of leprosy! Jesus was preaching and teaching about the kingdom of God, using parables that should have spoken to the hearts of all his hearers. When Jonah finally obeyed God and went to Nineveh to preach, everyone in the entire city, including the king, fasted, dressed themselves in sack cloth, and sat in ashes and repented. Jesus observed that had he preached in Tyre and Sidon, demon – ridden as they were, their inhabitants would have copied the example of the Ninevites and repented.

Folks in the rural southern United States are fond of saying, “Even a blind hog can find an acorn once in awhile.” This means that even if someone is not very bright, if they keep trying, they can still find what they are seeking or succeed at the task they have attempted. If the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum had actually been hungry for more of God, they would have immediately recognized Jesus as the miracle – working Messiah foretold in Scripture and would have repented. As it was, these unfortunate people were worse off than the proverbial blind hog searching for acorns.

Today the world is convulsed over the COVID – 19 pandemic. The things that people valued so highly have proven to be worthless. COVID – 19 does not regard social position, wealth, fame, or professions. Even Prince Charles and Boris Johnston have tested positive for COVID – 19. But while people are caught up in fear; meanwhile, God is doing great things throughout the world. Health care givers are sacrificing, ordinary people are doing great acts of kindness. While some people are dying from COVID – 19, there are also people who are recovering. God is still working; it is high time we paid attention! The people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum had no idea that they were standing on the brink of eternity. Today, we are in a similar position; none of us has been guaranteed tomorrow. Joshua told the Children of Israel, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Today we have the same choice. Jesus Christ came as a man, died for the sins of the world, and conquered death and the grave. Will you follow Him today?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, today we are terrified of the possibility of death for us or for our friends and families. But you conquered death and the grave. We admit that we are sinners and are helpless. Lord, we cannot save ourselves. Save us, Lord, and help us to follow hard after you all the rest of our lives, however long or short they might be. In your Name, Jesus. Amen.