This posting in our Spreading God’s Word blog is for everyone who uses the New International Versionª Bible (NIV) as their “Bible of choice”.  If you don’t think there’s really any difference between the NIV and the King James Verson (KJV), then you might be in for a bit of a surprise.  This quiz is courtesy of Rex Cobb.

Get out your NIV Bible and answer the following questions.  Do not rely on your memory!  Use your Bible.  Because the Bible is the final authority, you must get your answers from the NIV Bible verse — not from footnotes but from the text since footnotes are not part the Bible.

1. Fill in the missing words in Matthew 5:44. “Love your enemies, ________ them that curse you, _____________ to them that hate you, and pray for them that __________ and persecute you.”

2. According to Matthew 17:21, what two things are required to cast out this type of devil?

3. According to Matthew 18:11, why did Jesus come to earth?

4. According to Matthew 27:2, what was Pilate’s first name?

5. In Matthew 27:35, when the wicked soldiers parted His garments, they were fulfilling the words of the prophet. Copy what the prophet said in Matthew 27:35 from the NIV.

6. In Mark 3:15, Jesus gave the apostles power to cast out devils and to:

7. According to Mark 7:16, what does a man need to be able to hear?

8. According to Luke 7:28, what was John? (teacher, prophet, carpenter, etc.). What is his title or last name?

9. In Luke 9:55, what did the disciples not know?

10. In Luke 9:56, what did the Son of man not come to do? According to this verse, what did He come to do?

11. In Luke 22:14, how many apostles were with Jesus?

12. According to Luke 23:38, in what three languages was the superscription written?

13. In Luke 24:42, what did they give Jesus to eat with His fish?

14. John 3:13 is a very important verse, proving the deity of Christ. According to this verse (as Jesus spoke), where is the Son of man?

15. What happened each year as told in John 5:4?

16. In John 7:50, what time of day did Nicodemus come to Jesus?

19. Write the name of the man mentioned in Acts 15:34.So what do you think now of the “accurate, easy-to-understand, up-to-date NIV Bible”?  If you’d like to improve your score, and in fact score 100%, you can take this test using the KJV Bible. 

20. Study Acts 24:6-8. What would the Jew have done with Paul? What was the chief captain’s name? What did the chief captain command?

21. Copy Romans 16:24 word for word from the NIV.

22. First Timothy 3:16 is perhaps the greatest verse in the New Testament concerning the deity of Christ. In this verse, who was manifested in the flesh?

23. In the second part of First Peter 4:14, how do [they] speak of Christ? And, what do we Christians do?

24. Who are the three Persons of the Trinity in First John 5:7?

25. Revelation 1:11 is another very important verse that proves the deity of Christ. In the first part of this verse Jesus said, “I am the A__________ and O___________ , the _________ and the _______:”

Little space is provided for your answers, but it’s much more than you’ll need.  If you followed the instructions above, you not only failed the test but you received a big goose egg.

To all the NIV readers out there, do you have enough confidence in the NIV to tell God, OUT LOUD, that the NIV is correct in deleting these words & phrases?

One final but very important fact: the NIV Bible is copyrighted…”Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.”  

The KJV isn’t because there’s no need to copyright the Word of God.  Only the words of men need to be copyrighted.  

Something to think about.

What do you think?  Let us know.

To God Be The Glory!

]]> http://jeffandcindy.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/attention-all-niv-bible-readers-a-must-read/feed/ 27 Jeff & Cindy http://jeffandcindy.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/this-sinners-testimony/ http://jeffandcindy.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/this-sinners-testimony/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:08 +0000 Jeff & Cindy http://jeffandcindy.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/this-sinners-testimony/ ]]> Note: To see our most recent posting, please click here: http://jeffandcindy.wordpress.com/

God tells us to always be ready to tell another about the hope that is in us.  In 1Peter 3:15 God says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”  That’s what I’m going to try to do with today’s posting. 

I have to consider myself lucky because I can’t remember a time when God wasn’t at least a small part of my life. My parents sent me to Sunday school every week, and I attended regularly until I graduated from high school.   

After I went off to college, I only went to church when I was home on breaks.  In college I took a lot of Religious Studies classes along with my other courses.  I actually had enough of an academic background in theology to nearly qualify for a minor in Religious Studies.  But despite all the theological and religious book knowledge that I gained during those years, I still didn’t have a real relationship with the LORD. 

In college I found a very interesting reformed Christian radio station – and I listened occasionally.  What I heard made me think – but it was at odds with most of what I’d heard & learned through all my years of Sunday School, church attendance and college classes.  There was something about that radio station that made it different from all the others I’d heard. 

After college, I started out on my career.  I had a decent job.  I got married.  I didn’t lie, cheat, steal, smoke, or drink.  I was a decent, moral person – or, at least I thought I was.  Something was missing from my life – and intellectually I think I knew that what was missing was a relationship with Christ.  I watched all the Billy Graham Crusades on TV; even went to one in Washington.  Without fail, I’d always pray that “Sinner’s Prayer” — and I genuinely meant it every time!  And then without fail, a day or maybe a week later I’d be right back engaged in my old lifestyle.             

What about that change?  There really wasn’t any difference in my life.  I’d be more frustrated than ever that I couldn’t sustain this desire for the Lord.  I still didn’t have any sort of real relationship with God.  All around me, my life was changing – I now had a daughter and a wife to care for and that cared for me.  But within, I still hadn’t undergone any real change.  A dozen years ago my family moved to Carroll County and we  began attending a local church.  We also began regularly listening to another reformed Christian radio station.   

Then one day it finally dawned on me what set this reformed station apart from most of the others: everything they tried to say and do at that time was structured around what the BIBLE said.  What a concept?! So, I began to really read the Bible to see what “IT” had to say. I knew what my denomination said; I knew what the majority of TV Evangelists and radio stations said.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was listening more to what man was saying than to what God said.  Slowly I began to realize that all those years – in church, in Sunday school, in my college religious studies classes — I hadn’t been hearing or understanding the entire message of the Bible. 

The portion of the gospel usually presented in most churches – and the only part I heard in all my years in a certain denomination — was about God’s Love.  Growing up and in my church I never heard an honest, biblically based account of why I needed a Savior. As I read and listened more to the Bible, a clearer picture came into focus for me of the Bible’s Gospel — not the gospel of a specific denomination, pastor, or radio station – but the Bible’s gospel. 

It was then that I came to understand that all those years I was trying to change myself; I was trying to save myself.  Now, I didn’t think so at the time!  I was absolutely convinced I’d been doing things God’s way.  But if God truly is the author and finisher of our faith (as Scripture says) then what can I contribute?  God is the One who must circumcise my heart. He’s the One who makes me a new creation.  He’s the One who causes me to undergo the Change of rebirth. What can I contribute toward this new birth if it’s truly one from above? Nothing.

The salvation I had been seeking all through my adolescence, teen years, young adulthood and even into middle age was 99% grace, but I still had to do something myself.  God’s work wasn’t quite enough.  I had to do something.  I had to say a certain prayer or make a certain vow before I could then put myself into a position so God could save me.  No wonder I’d failed so miserably so many times. 

When I realized I wasn’t being faithful to what the Scriptures say, I was stunned.  All those years I’d considered myself reasonably well educated — almost had a minor in theology for crying out loud.  I went to church – but still I didn’t get it!  What a fool I was! The change that only God can bring about, I was trying to bring about on my own.  

So I began to check out in the Scriptures what I was hearing from these reformed sources.  I came to understand that my lifelong understanding of salvation that I had grown so accustomed to and comfortable with was incorrect.  As I delved more and more into what the Bible said, more & more I found I was 100% wrong!

And then you know what happened?  God began to open my eyes as I read the Scriptures.  Suddenly I had a desire for them I’d never had before.  I saw the gospel message of salvation through Christ alone revealed everywhere – not just in the gospels & New Testament.  But even in the Old Testament stories about the Flood, Joseph in Egypt, Joshua and Jericho, and even in the story of Jonah and the fish. For the first time in my life a relationship with the Lord began to develop.

I know I’m a filthy sinner.  I deserve an eternity in Hell paying for all my sins. What scares me is that my body still lusts after sin. There’s only one thing I’ve earned from God: His judgment for my sins.  “For the wages of sin is death” and the death God has in view is spiritual — separation from God.  That was the Bible teaches. 

My problem was I thought I needed a certain amount of personal desire and willpower before I could become saved; that I had to meet some preconditions in terms of my own will before God could or would change me. It’s only by the grace of God that I now understand this spiritual truth: that whatever desires I may have to know the Lord or to even try to do His will is a byproduct or a consequence of my salvation.  It isn’t the cause for it – it’s the result of it. 

My free will didn’t bring about The Change.  In fact, just the opposite is true: my desire to do the will of God is evidence that I’ve undergone the Change. 

By God’s grace and mercy only, today my core set of beliefs is structured around the Bible – alone and in its entirety.  Period.  Everything I see, hear and read must be weighed against what God says in His Word. 

Likewise, everything that shows up on this blog site needs to be weighed against what God says in the Bible.  Don’t trust us.  Trust only in God.   

To God Be The Glory!

Before Seth was born, according to the Biblical record, we know that the following events occurred:

a)      Adam and Eve were created on Day 6 of creation week in the Garden of Eden.

b)      They fell into sin, and they were driven out of the Garden.

c)       Eve conceived and bore Cain.

d)      Eve again conceived and bore Abel.

e)      These two sons grew up to manhood.

f)       Cain eventually killed Abel.

It was only after all of these events that Seth was born. Therefore, we know all of these above events took place within a span of 130 years.

While the Bible doesn’t give us a precise timeframe, from God’s account in Genesis we do know that Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden free of sin and communing with God only for a relatively short period of time.

Sin forever separated them from this paradise and their LORD…and our sin separates us from God as well.

BUT…

Although we’ve sinned against our holy God and Creator and although we deserve His wrath, His love for lost sinners was so great that He provided a way for us to be forgiven.  He sent His own dear Son into this world, the God-man, Christ Jesus.  Born of a virgin, He didn’t inherit our sinful nature. He perfectly kept His Father’s laws every single day of His life.  He went to the cross — not for His own sins, but for our sins.  He went as a sacrifice.  He went as a sacrificial lamb, crying out in effect “Father punish Me and let them go free.”

God put upon His own Son His wrath and anger for our sin. And because Jesus paid that debt, we can now be forgiven.  Jesus rose from the dead.  He gathered together with His apostles and He told them to go out into all the world and preach this gospel, this good news.

What is that good news?  That if men will but repent of their sin – “God I’m a sinner and I see it and I’m sorry.  I turn away from them in disgust, and lay hold upon Jesus Christ by faith. I believe that Jesus died on that cross and rose again.  I want Him as my Saviour” – if men will do that, then their sins will be forgiven.

We can only stand before a holy God because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.

To God Be The Glory!

What’s the most important question facing the world in 2012?  Is it finding cures for terrible diseases like AIDS and cancer?  Is it preventing future armed conflicts with China and North Korea?  Perhaps it’s ending the ancient clashes between the Jewish and Palestinian peoples. 

What’s the most important question facing yourself and your family today?  Maybe it’s how your going to pay for your daughter’s braces or the skyrocketing cost of college tuition.  Perhaps it’s how well you’re able to fund your 401(k) retirement accounts. 

 Those are all important questions in their own right.  However, the greatest question facing the world and all of us probably will surprise you because it may be one that you weren’t even thinking of, or maybe you’ve never given any real thought to it. 

 The question is this: what is the true Gospel?   

 I know what you’re thinking: why is this the most important question facing mankind?   Well friend, I’ll tell you why.  It’s by far the most important question facing mankind because only the true Gospel can save us all from our sins and from spending eternity in Hell.     

What does the word gospel mean?  Literally, it means “good tidings” or “good news”.  There are various types of gospels — ideological, political and religious.  Each has its own message and each has its own recognized authority that defines what that message is.   

 Hitler was the recognized authority behind the 3^rd Reich.  His gospel was one that promoted Aryan supremacy. 

Karl Marx was the recognized authority behind the Communist gospel, which touted the welfare of the state over the welfare of individuals. 

In 2004 John Kerry was the recognized authority behind the Democratic political party; consequently, he was the one who defined the Democrat’s message. 

Today, Barack Obama is the current leader of the United States – he defines our nation’s policies. 

Similarly, their Divine authorities establish religious gospels.   

Muslims believe God has established their message through the Koran, which serves as the written authority determining the Muslim gospel.   

Mormons believe that God spoke through the Bible plus the Book of Mormon – that serves as their authority. 

Roman Catholics believe God spoke through the Bible plus the Apocrypha, plus the visions of Joan of Arc, plus the visions of Fatima, plus the Pope’s infallible utterances. 

Charismatics believe God spoke through the Bible plus divine revelations through dreams, visions and tongues. 

As you can see, each of these gospels has a different divine authority:

Koran

Bible + Book of Mormon

Bible + Apocrypha + Joan of Arc + Fatima + Pope

Bible + Dreams + Visions + Tongues 

Having different divine authorities means you have different gospel messages.  I hope you can see this important point.  Latter Day Saints interpret the Bible based upon what they read in the Book of Mormon.  Catholics interpret the Bible based upon what they read in the Apocrypha and what they hear from other people such as the Pope.  Charismatic denominations interpret the Bible based upon their dreams and visions and what other people speak in strange languages. 

With all of these different gospels, how are we to know which one is true?  Can they all be true?  If they are not all true, whose gospel is the true one that alone can save us?  How many Gospels can save us from our sins?  

The Bible makes it crystal clear that only the gospel of Jesus Christ can save us from our sins.  Here are just some examples of the exclusive claims of the Bible: 

Jesus Christ is the only way: John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

No other name: Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.  

Only one Saviour: Isa 43:11 I, [even] I, [am] the LORD; and beside me [there is] no saviour. 

Other ways end in death: Prov 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. 

All others are thieves & robbers: John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  

That’s fine you say, but Mormons, Roman Catholics and Charismatics all believe in Jesus – so therefore, isn’t it sufficient to simply believe in Christ?  Look carefully at Luke 4:33-34: And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and he cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with Thee, [thou] Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know Thee who Thou art; the Holy One of God. 

From this passage, we see that Satan and his demons believe as well!  That tells us that, by itself, following a gospel broadly defined only by a belief in Christ is incomplete. Consequently, we must dig a little deeper to further define the boundaries of the true gospel. 

Let’s look at Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book. 

What is God saying in these verses?  Many people claim that this passage is only referring to the book of Revelation.  However, such an argument quickly crumbles when we examine it closely.  Consider our own alphabet: a change in the shape of one letter of the alphabet (the last letter, Z) changes the entire alphabet.  Or consider ourselves: cutting off one finger alters the entire human body.  In the same way, adding or deleting from Genesis or Psalms or Ruth or John or Titus or even Revelation changes the entire Bible.   God tells us that adding another message to His Word or deleting out portions we’re uncomfortable with results in us receiving the plagues spoken of in it. 

One of the greatest physical plagues throughout Scripture was leprosy, so is God telling us that Muslims, Mormons, Roman Catholics, Charismatics and others are going to be stricken with leprosy?  No, the physical plagues mentioned throughout Scripture, as terrible as they were for those on the receiving end, serve as pictures for us of the greatest plague: falling under God’s wrath as a result of our sins and spending an eternity separated from Him in Hell. 

That is the horrible consequence of following another gospel that adds to or takes away from God’s Word. If judgment and Hell typify the Bible’s plagues, then what are its “good tidings”?  The answer to that is the thread running throughout all of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation: God’s mercy and grace poured out upon His people in the salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ. 

This is the ultimate blessing for those who by God’s grace are following the gospel circumscribed by the Bible alone and in its entirety. 

Therefore, we can say that the Bible, the whole Bible and nothing but the Bible establishes the true Gospel.  God has provided a means of escape for mankind from spending eternity in Hell for our sins through the salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ.  May this Truth permeate all of our lives in 2012. 

 WHAT THINKEST THEE?   

To God Be The Glory!

Some might wonder how we got ourselves started down this path.  I can only speak for ourselves and not for anyone else, but my wife and I became quite alarmed at the lack of personal or individual outreaches today.  To be sure, there are many church-affiliated and church-run ministries endeavoring to faithfully proclaim the gospel — and they should be lifted up in prayer and supported by believers where possible.

Unfortunately, too many Christians (not all, but a great number) feel that once they write a check or attend church, then their personal obligation in carrying out the Great Commission is completed…at least until next service or the next time they write a check.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  When did the Great Commission end?

We sing that great hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers” and one of the stanzas says, “Like a mighty army, moves the church of God.”  Consider this: armies have Generals commanding thousands of troops into battle.  Look around…where is that army?  Instead of fighting in an army, many Christians today send the General into battle while they stay home; they abdicate their personal responsibility entirely to their pastors and elders forcing them to virtually all the ministry while they themselves do little or nothing.  Then when they attend church, they’re among the first to complain that unbelievers are taking over the church and their country.  Well the fact is that with no opposition, it is easy to conquer!

For ourselves, the time came for us to halt the practice of lazily consigning this ministry to others.  Flawed as we are, we nevertheless are striving to do what we can using the gift/talents the Holy Spirit bestowed upon us to have a personal outreach ministry available on the Internet for anyone to see 24/7/365 from anywhere in the world.  We certainly won’t win any webmaster awards; you won’t find glitzy multimedia presentations here.  But what you will find is a straightforward exposition of the doctrines of grace as outlined in the Bible.

Unfortunately, many outreaches are suffering from severe doctrinal erosion and are teaching ungodly religions and false gospels as acceptable paths to Heaven.  Many of the mass media outreaches are only out for the money. 

It is time for true believers to take back the fort, rebuild the army and move mightily.

We have a divine mandate as born again believers to go into all the world.  If our earthly boss tells us to do something, we do it immediately for fear of getting fired.  Why then do we seem all too eager to neglect the commission given to us by the One who redeemed us for eternity?

That’s the reason for this blog site and its accompanying website at http://home.comcast.net/~watkinsclan  Together, they represent our family’s outreach proclaiming the Gospel of the Bible to the world. .  We want to faithfully proclaim the doctrines of the Christian faith — and do so in a manner that it’s available anytime, anywhere should the LORD lead someone to these sites.  As the owners of these sites, we are accountable to God for what we post, the spirit of our conversations with other visitors, our faithfulness in meekly seeking to correct wrong doctrine, and when necessary ending unprofitable debates. 

We are sinners who deserve only the wrath of God for our disobedience; however, by His grace, He has clothed us with Christ’s righteousness and enabled us to work for His kingdom using this technology as our battleground.  Clearly, we are not the most talented soldiers on this 21st Century battlefield.  But we are doing our best to keep pressing forward against the enemy.  At times, we will slip but with God’s help He will enable us to stand up once again and keep fighting the good fight.

You can do the same thing we are.  Chances are, you have access to a large amount of free web space from your Internet service provider.  You can create text-based web pages quite easily — trust me, if I can do it then ANYONE can do it.  If you don’t have free personal web space available, then you can create your own blog site using Wordpress (that’s what we did).  To get a bare-bones site up and running like ours without fancy bells and whistles all one has to do is follow the instructions.  Again, if I can do it, you can too!  And in our economically troubled environment, you don’t have to worry about the price of such an outreach — it’s free!    

In closing, if you feel this blog site or its sister website faithfully reflects the gospel message as declared in the Scriptures, then please share it with others.  God is faithful and His Word will not return void.  It will accomplish the purpose He intends for it.  May the LORD richly bless you. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17  “All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”

We urge that in all comments, users make their primary appeal to that source.  When possible, please support your comments with Scripture.  In everything we do, let us edify our LORD and Saviour.  

To God Be The Glory!

This posting is about the New Testament word μονογενής, which is most frequently translated as “begotten”. This Greek word is used 9 times in the New Testament and we can learn a great deal about the gospel message from examining the use of this single but very important word.

The word monogenēs is translated as “only begotten” six times, as “only” twice, and as “only child” once. Of these nine usages, Christ Himself is being referred to in five of them. What is so very interesting however is what God is referring to in the remaining four passages – and that’s where I want to focus.

First, here are the five passages with Christ in view:

John 1:14 — And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 1:18 — No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].

John 3:16 — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:18 — He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

1 John 4:9 — In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Scripture uses this word in describing Jesus Christ, Who is eternal God and without beginning. A fair question one might ask is “What does God mean by saying Christ was the ‘only begotten’? Thanks be to God that we can let Scripture define itself as we examine it more thoroughly. Here are the remaining four times this Greek word is used – I encourage you to read the preceding and proceeding verses in each case to get the full context for the cited passages:

Luke 7:12 — Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

Luke 8:42 — For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

Luke 9: 38 — And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.

Heb 11:17 — By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son].

In each of these instances, the following traits are in evidence:
1. An only child is being featured
2. The child has died or is given up for dead
3. The child was raised or is rescued from death

See for yourselves. Each of these four passages serve as parables providing a glimpse into the gospel message. That message is that Christ is the only Son and that He endured the second death (eternal damnation) for all the people He came to save, and He arose again as proof that the price for sin had been fully paid.

To God Be The Glory for His inexpressible gift to us – and how throughout Scripture He repeatedly shows us the plan of salvation…if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

May you have a blessed 2012!

As we celebrate our Saviour’s incarnation and birth, we ask you to reflect on one aspect of the Christmas story that oftentimes get lost in the discussion/debates over how many Magi came to Bethlehem or whether the star was a supernova or alignment of planets.  The point to ponder is this: why did Mary & Jospeh remain for so long in Bethlemen after Christ’s birth?

The Magi definitely visited Joseph, Mary & Jesus in Bethlehem — and we know the three were then living in a house and no longer in the stable.  Couple this with Herod’s decree to kill all male children 2 years old and under and we can infer that perhaps 18 mos to 2 years had passed before the arrival of the Magi.   That begs the question: why did they remain in Bethlehem for so long?

Scripture doesn’t tell us, so all we can do is speculate.

Perhaps one reason was the difficulty of the journey back to Nazareth — and with an infant, the trip would be all-the-more dangerous.

Perhaps they decided to stay in Bethlehem because no one there was aware of the circumstances surrounding Mary’s pregnancy.  The same couldn’t be said about their neighbors in Nazareth.   No doubt she and Joseph would have been subjected to scorn and hostilities in Nazareth, with gossip and innuendo about Mary’s “unfaithfulness”.

Perhaps the Roman census took several years to complete and they needed to remain there to be counted.  This doesn’t seem plausible however because there definitely was an urgency to get to Bethlehem right away.  The Romans were an efficient bunch and they could probably conduct a census in a small, rural village quite quickly.

So we’re left pondering why they remained in this village for so long – far from their families, friends and Joesph’s occupation.  The only thing we can say with confidence is that they remained there because it was the LORD’s will for them.  They remained there so that the Magi could pay homage to the King of Kings.  They remained there to fulfill all that the Scriptures had predicted about the coming Messiah.

Does anyone else have other ideas as to why they called Bethlehem home for so long after Christ’s birth?  Let us know.

Merry CHRISTmas!

To God Be The Gloria (in excelsis deo too!)

Christmas means many things to me.  Family and friends are an important part of my holiday – being with my daughter and son-in-law, with my grandchildren and great grandchildren, and with my many dear friends.  During my life the Lord has blessed me to see my family grow – from my husband, daughter and me, then expanding to include 3 grandchildren and their families and now 6 great grandchildren.

God also has blessed me with many dear friends and, although my purse tells a different story, oh how rich I am in the things that truly matter!  As the years pass and loved ones move away it gets harder bringing everyone together in one place at one time on Christmas.  Some years the gatherings are larger, some years they’re smaller, but we always make the effort to gather together as much of the family as possible during the holiday.

I’m also very much aware of family and friends no longer with us – particularly Doug, my husband of 42 years.  Although Christmas sometimes is bittersweet, the best cure for easing these feelings has remained the same over time: being with friends and family.

Christmas is a time for exchanging gifts with those we love and care about.  The greatest of these gifts is the one given to us by our Heavenly Father, the giver of every good and perfect gift.  Christmas is a season when all of us can focus our eyes on the marvelous fact that God took on a human nature and became a human being so that He could be the Savior of all who would believe on Him.  More than anything else, that’s what Christmas really means to me.

Note from Jeff: Alice Mills is my 94 year young grandmother.  Merry Christmas Nana — and to everyone else!

To read Part 1, click on December 18th on the calendar

To read Part 2, click on December 20th on the calendar

To read Part 3, click on December 22nd on the calendar

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CHAPTER THE TENTH

After a short time, Peter and another Disciple took heart, and secretly followed the guard to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest, whither Jesus was taken, and where the Scribes and others were assembled to question Him. Peter stood at the door, but the other disciple, who was known to the High Priest, went in, and presently returning, asked the woman, who kept the door, to admit Peter too. She, looking at him said, “Are you not one of the Disciples?” He said, “I am not.” So she let him in; and he stood before a fire that was there, warming himself, among the servants and officers who were crowded round it. For it was very cold.

Some of these men asked him the same question as the woman had done, and said, “Are you not one of the disciples?” He again denied it, and said, “I am not.” One of them, who was related to that man whose ear Peter had cut off with his sword, said “ Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it with an oath, and said, “I do not know the man.” Immediately the cock crew, and Jesus turning round, looked stedfastly at Peter. Then Peter remembered what He had said – that before the cock crew, he would deny Him thrice – and went out, and wept bitterly.

Among other questions that were put to Jesus, the High Priest asked Him what He had taught the people. To which He answered that He had taught them in the open day, and in the open streets, and that the priests should ask the people what they had learned of Him. One of the officers struck Jesus with his hand for this reply; and two false witnesses coming in, said they had heard Him say that He could destroy the Temple of God and build it again in three days. Jesus answered little; but the Scribes and Priests agreed that He was guilty of blasphemy, and should be put to death; and they spat upon, and beat him.

When Judas Iscariot saw that His Master was indeed condemned, he was so full of horror for what he had done, that he took the Thirty Pieces of Silver back to the chief Priests, and said “I have betrayed innocent blood! I cannot keep it!” with those words, he threw the money down upon the floor, and rushing away, wild with despair, hanged himself. The rope, being weak, broke with the weight of his body, and it fell down on the ground, after Death, all bruised and burst, – a dreadful sight to see! The chief Priests, not knowing what else to do with the Thirty Pieces of Silver, bought a burying-place for strangers with it, the proper name of which was The Potters’ Field. But the people called it The Field of Blood ever afterwards.

Jesus was taken from the High Priests’ to the Judgment Hall where Pontius Pilate, the Governor, sat, to administer Justice. Pilate (who was not a Jew) said to Him “your own Nation, the Jews, and your own Priests have delivered you to me.  What have you done?” Finding that He had done no harm, Pilate went out and told the Jews so; but they said “He has been teaching the People what is not true and what is wrong; and he began to do so, long ago, in Galilee.” As Herod had the right to punish people who offended against the law in Galilee, Pilate said, “I find no wrong in him. Let him be taken before Herod!”

They carried Him accordingly before Herod, where he sat surrounded by his stern soldiers and men in armour. And these laughed at, Jesus, and dressed him, in mockery, in a fine robe, and sent him back to Pilate. And Pilate called the Priests and People together again, and said “I find no wrong in this man; neither does Herod. He has done nothing to deserve death.” But they cried out, “He has, he has! Yes, yes! Let him be killed!”

Pilate was troubled in his mind to hear them so clamorous against Jesus Christ. His wife, too, had dreamed all night about it, and sent to him upon the Judgment Seat saying “Have nothing to do with that just man!” As it was the custom of the feast of the Passover to give some prisoner his liberty, Pilate endeavoured to persuade the people to ask for the release of Jesus. But they said (being very ignorant and passionate, and being told to do so, by the Priests) “No, no, we will not have him released. Release Barabbas, and let this man be crucified!”

Barabbas was a wicked criminal, in jail for his crimes, and in danger of being put to death.

Pilate, finding the people so determined against Jesus, delivered him to the soldiers to be scourged – that is beaten. They plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and dressed Him in a purple robe, and spat upon him, and struck him with their hands, and said “Hail, King of the Jews!” – remembering that the crowd had called him the Son of David when he entered into Jerusalem. And they ill-used him in many cruel ways; but Jesus bore it patiently, and only said “Father! Forgive them! They know not what they do!”

Once more, Pilate brought Him out before the people, dressed in the purple robe and crown of thorns, and said “ Behold the man!” They cried out, savagely, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” So did the chief Priests and officers. “Take him and crucify him yourselves,” said Pilate. “I find no fault in him.” But they cried out, “He called himself the Son of the God; and that, by the Jewish Law is Death! And he called himself King of the Jews; and that is against the Roman Law, for we have no King but Caesar, who is the Roman Emperor. If you let him go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Crucify him! Crucify him!”

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail with them, however hard he tried, he called for water, and washing his hands before the crowd, said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person.” Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified; and they, shouting and gathering round Him, and treating him (who still prayed for them to God) with cruelty and insult, took Him away.

CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH

 
        That you may know what the People meant when they said “Crucify him!” I must tell you that in those times, which were very cruel times indeed (let us thank God and Jesus Christ that they are past!) it was the custom to kill people who were sentenced to Death, by nailing them alive on a great wooden Cross, planted upright in the ground, and leaving them there, exposed to the Sun and Wind, and day and night, until they died of pain and thirst. It was the custom too, to make them walk to the place of execution, carrying the cross-piece of wood to which their hands were to be afterwards nailed; that their shame and suffering might be the greater.

Bearing his Cross, upon his shoulder, like the commonest and most wicked criminal, our blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ, surrounded by the persecuting crowd, went out of Jerusalem to a place called in the Hebrew language, Golgotha; that is, the place of a scull. And being come to a hill called Mount Calvary, they hammered cruel nails through his hands and feet and nailed him on the Cross, between two other crosses on each of which, a common thief was nailed in agony. Over His head, they fastened this writing “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” – in three languages; in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin.

Meantime, a guard of four soldiers, sitting on the ground, divided His clothes (which they had taken off) into four parcels for themselves, and cast lots for His coat, and sat there, gambling and talking, while He suffered. They offered him vinegar to drink, mixed with gall; and wine, mixed with myrrh, but he took none. And the wicked people who passed that way, mocked him, and said “If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” The Chief Priests also mocked Him, and said “He came to save Sinners. Let him save himself!” One of the Thieves too, railed at him, in his torture, and said, ‘If Thou be Christ, save thyself, and us.” But the other Thief, who was penitent, said “ Lord! Remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom!” And Jesus answered, “ Today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.”

None were there, to take pity on Him, but one disciple and four women. God blessed those women for their true and tender hearts! They were, the mother of Jesus, his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene who had twice dried his feet upon her hair. The disciple was he whom Jesus loved – John, who had leaned upon his breast and asked Him which was the Betrayer. When Jesus saw them standing at the foot of the Cross, He said to His mother that John would be her son, to comfort her when He was dead; and from that hour John was as a son to her, and loved her.

At about the sixth hour, a deep and terrible darkness came over all the land, and lasted until the ninth hour, when Jesus cried out, with a loud voice, “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken me!” The soldiers, hearing him, dipped a sponge in some vinegar, that was standing there, and fastening it to long reed, put it up to His Mouth. When He had received it, He said “It is finished!” – And crying “Father! Into thy hands I commend my Spirit!” – died.

Then, there was a dreadful earthquake; and the Great wall of the Temple, cracked; and the rocks were rent asunder. The guard, terrified at these sights, said to each other, “Surely this was the Son of God!” – and the People who had been watching the cross from a distance (among whom were many women) smote upon their breasts, and went fearfully and sadly, home.

The next day, being the Sabbath, the Jews were anxious that the Bodies should be taken down at once, and made that request to Pilate. Therefore some soldiers came, and broke the legs of the two criminals to kill them; but coming to Jesus, and finding Him already dead, they only pierced his side with a spear. From the wound, there came out, blood and water.

There was a good man named Joseph of Arimathea – a Jewish City – who believed in Christ, and going to Pilate privately (for fear of the Jews) begged that he might have the body. Pilate consenting, he and one Nicodemus, rolled it in linen and spices – it was the custom of the Jews to prepare bodies for burial in that way – and buried it in a new tomb or sepulchre, which had been cut out of a rock in a garden near to the place of Crucifixion, and where no one had ever yet been buried. They then rolled a great stone to the mouth of the sepulchre, and left Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting there, watching it.

The Chief Priests and Pharisees remembering that Jesus Christ had said to his disciples that He would rise from the grave on the third day after His death, went to Pilate and prayed that the Sepulchre might be well taken care off until that day, lest the disciples should steal the Body, and afterwards say to the people that Christ was risen from the dead. Pilate agreeing to this, a guard of soldiers was set over it constantly, and the stone was sealed up besides. And so it remained, watched and sealed, until the third day; which was the first day of the week.

When that morning began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, and some other women, came to the Sepulchre, with some more spices which they had prepared. As they were saying to each other, “How shall we roll away the stone?” the earth trembled and shook, and an angel, descending from Heaven, rolled it back, and then sat resting on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his garments were white as snow; and at sight of him, the men of the guard fainted away with fear, as if they were dead.

Mary Magdalene saw the stone rolled away, and waiting to see no more, ran to Peter and John who were coming towards the place, and said “They have taken away the Lord and we know not where they have laid him!” They immediately ran to the Tomb, but John, being the faster of the two, outran the other, and got there first. He stooped down, and looked in, and saw the linen cloths in which the body had been wrapped, lying there; but he did not go in. When Peter came up, he went in, and saw the linen clothes lying in one place, and a napkin that had been bound about the head, in another. John also went in then, and saw the same things. Then they went home, to tell the rest.

But Mary Magdalene remained outside the sepulcher, weeping. After a little time, she stooped down, and looked in, and saw Two angels, clothed in white, sitting where the body of Christ had lain. These said to her, “Woman, why weepest Thou?” She answered, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.” As she gave his answer, she turned round, and saw Jesus standing behind her, but did not Then know Him. “Woman,” said He, “Why weepest Thou? what seekest thou?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, replied, “Sir! If thou hast borne my Lord hence, tell me where Thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus pronounced her name, “Mary.” Then she knew him, and, starting, exclaimed “Master!” – “Touch me not,” said Christ; “for I am not yet ascended to my father; but go to my disciples, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and to your God!”

Accordingly, Mary Magdalene went and told the Disciples that she had seen Christ, and what He had said to her; and with them she found the other women whom she had left at the Sepulchre when she had gone to call those two disciples Peter and John. These women told her and the rest, that they had seen at the Tomb, two men in shining garments, at sight of whom they had been afraid, and had bent down, but who had told them that the Lord was risen; and also that as they came to tell this, they had seen Christ, on the way, and had held him by the feet, and worshipped Him. But these accounts seemed to the apostles at that time, as idle tales, and they did not believe them.

The soldiers of the guard too, when they recovered from their fainted-fit, and went to the Chief Priests to tell them what they had seen, were silenced with large sums of money, and were told by them to say that the Disciples had stolen the Body away while they were asleep.

But it happened that on that same day, Simon and Cleopas – Simon one of the twelve Apostles, and Cleopas one of the followers of Christ were walking to a village called Emmaus, at some little distance from Jerusalem, and were talking, by the way, upon the death and resurrection of Christ, when they were joined by a stranger, who explained the Scriptures to them, and told them a great deal about God, so that they wondered at his knowledge. As the night was fast coming on when they reached the village, they asked this stranger to stay with them, which he consented to do. When they all three sat down to supper, he took some bread, and blessed it, and broke it as Christ had done at the Last Supper. Looking on him in wonder they found that his face was changed before them, and that it was Christ himself; and as they looked on him, he disappeared.

They instantly rose up, and returned to Jerusalem, and finding the disciples sitting together, told them what they had seen. While they were speaking, Jesus suddenly stood in the midst of all the company, and said “Peace be unto ye!” Seeing that they were greatly frightened, he shewed them his hands and feet, and invited them to touch Him; and, to encourage them and give them time to recover themselves, he ate a piece of broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb before them all.

But Thomas, one of the Twelve Apostles, was not there, at that time; and when the rest said to him afterwards, “we have seen the Lord!” he answered “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe!” At that moment, though the doors were all shut, Jesus again appeared, standing among them, and said “Peace be unto you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be no faithless, but believing.” And Thomas answered, and said to him, “ My Lord and my God!” Then said Jesus, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou has believed. Blessed are they that have not seen me, and yet have believed.”

After that time, Jesus Christ was seen by five hundred of his followers at once, and He remained with others of them forty days, teaching them, and instructing them to go forth into the world, and preach His gospel and religion; not minding what wicked men might do to them. And conducting his disciples at last, out of Jerusalem as far as Bethany, he blessed them, and ascended in a cloud to Heaven, and took His place at the right hand of God. And while they gazed into the bright blue sky where He had vanished, two white- robed angels appeared among them, and told them that as they had seen Christ ascend to Heaven, so He would, one day, come descending from it, to judge the World.

When Christ was seen no more, the Apostles began to teach the People as He had commanded them. And having chosen a new apostle, named Matthias, to replace the Wicked Judas, they wandered into all countries, telling the People of Christ’s Life and Death – and of His Crucifixion and Resurrection – and of the Lessons he had taught – and baptizing them in Christ’s name. And through the power He had given them they healed the sick, and gave sight to the Blind, and speech to the Dumb, and Hearing to the Deaf, as he had done. And Peter being thrown into Prison, was delivered from it, in the dead of night, by an Angel: and once, his words before God caused a man named Ananias, and his wife Sapphira, who had told a lie, to be struck down dead, upon the Earth.

Wherever they went, they were persecuted and cruelly treated; and one man named Saul who had held the clothes of some barbarous persons who pelted one of the Christians named Stephen, to death with stones, was always active in doing them harm. But God turned Saul’s heart afterwards; for as he was travelling to Damascus to find out some Christians who were there, and drag them to prison, there shone about him a great light from Heaven; a voice cried, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me!” and he was struck down from his horse, by an invisible hand, in sight of all the guards and soldiers who were riding with him. When they raised him, they found that he was blind; and so he remained for three days, neither eating nor drinking, until one of the Christians (sent to him by an angel for that purpose) restored his sight in the name of Jesus Christ. After which, he became a Christians, and preached, and taught, and believed, with the apostles, and did great service.

They took the name of Christians from Our Saviour Christ, and carried Crosses as their sign, because upon a Cross He had suffered Death. The religions that were then in the World were false and brutal, and encouraged men to violence. Beasts, and even men, were killed in the churches, in the belief that the smell of their blood was pleasant to the Gods – there were supposed to be a great many Gods – and many most cruel and disgusting ceremonies prevailed. Yet, for all this, and though the christian Religion was such a true, and kind, and good one, the Priests of the old Religions long persuaded the people to do all possible hurt to the christians; and christians were hanged, beheaded, burnt, buried alive, and devoured in Theatres by Wild Beasts for the public amusement, during many years. Nothing would silence them, or terrify them though; for they knew that if they did their duty, they would go to Heaven. So thousands upon thousands of christians sprung up and taught the people and were cruelly killed, and were succeeded by other Christians, until the Religion gradually became the great religion of the world.

Remember! – It is christianity TO DO GOOD always – even to those who do evil to us. It is christianity to love our neighbour as ourself, and to do to all men as we would have them Do to us. It is christianity to be gentle, merciful, and forgiving, and to keep those qualities quiet in our own hearts, and never make a boast of them, or of our prayers or of our love of God, but always to shew that we love Him by humbly trying to do right in everything. If we do this, and remember the life and lessons of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and try to act up to them, we may confidently hope that God will forgive us our sins and mistakes, and enable us to live and die in Peace.

THE END

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We hope you have been edified by this series over the last week.  If you have, please let us know.

To God Be The Glory!

To read Part 1, click on December 18th on the calendar

To read Part 2, click on December 20th on the calendar

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CHAPTER THE SEVENTH

As Our Saviour sat teaching the people and answering their questions, a certian Lawyer stood up, and said “Master what shall I do, that I may live again in happiness after I am dead?” Jesus said to him “The first of all the commandments is, the Lord our God is one Lord: and Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all Thy heart, and with all Thy Soul, and with all Thy mind, and with all thy Strength. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater then these.”

Then the Lawyer said “But who is my neighbour? Tell me that I may know.” Jesus answered in this Parable:

“There was once a traveller,” he said, “journeying from Jerusalem to Jericho, who fell among Thieves; and they robbed him of his clothes, and wounded him, and went away, leaving him half dead upon the road. A Priest, happening to pass that way, while the poor man lay there, saw him, but took no notice, and passed by, on the other side. Another man, a Levite, came that way, and also saw him; but he only looked at him for a moment, and then passed by, also. But a certain Samaritan who came travelling along that road, no sooner saw him than he had compassion on him, and dressed his wounds with oil and wine, and set him on the beast he rode himself, and took him to an Inn, and next morning took out of his pocket Two pence and gave them to the Landlord, saying “take care of him and whatever you may spend beyond this, in doing so, I will repay you when I come here again.” – Now which of these three men”, said our Saviour to the Lawyer, “do you think should be called the neighbour of him who fell among the Thieves?” The Lawyer said, “The man who shewed compassion on him.” “True,” replied our Saviour. “Go Thou and do likewise! Be compassionate to all men. For all men are your neighbours and brothers.”

And he told them this Parable, of which the meaning is, that we are never to be proud, or think ourselves very good, before God, but are always to be humble. He said, “when you are invited to a Feast or Wedding, do not sit down in the best place, lest some more honored man should come, and claim that seat. But sit down in the lowest place, and a better will be offered you if you deserve it. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

He also told them this Parable: “There was a certain man who prepared a great supper, and invited many people, and sent his Servant round to them when supper was ready to tell them they were waited for. Upon this, they made excuses. One said he had bought a piece of ground and must go to look at it. Another that he had bought five yoke of Oxen, and must go to try them. Another, that he was newly married, and could not come. When the Master of the house heard this, he was angry, and told the servant to go into the streets, and into the high roads, and among the hedges, and invite the poor, the lame, the maimed, and the blind to supper instead.”

The meaning of Our Saviour in telling them this Parable, was, that those who are too busy with their own profits and pleasures, to think of God and of doing good, will not find such favor with him as the sick and miserable.

It happened that our Saviour, being in the city of Jericho, saw, looking down upon him over the heads of the crowd, from a tree into which he had climbed for that purpose, a man named Zacchaeus, who was regarded as a common kind of man, and a Sinner, but to whom Jesus Christ called out, as He passed along, that He would come and eat with him in his house that day. Those proud men, the Pharisees and Scribes, hearing this, muttered among themselves, and said “he eats with Sinners.” In answer to them, Jesus related this Parable, which is usually called THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

“There was once a Man,” he told them, “who had two sons: and the younger of them said one day, “Father, give me my share of your riches now, and let me do with it what I please? The father granting his request, he travelled away with his money into a distant country, and soon spent it in riotous living.

When he had spent all, there came a time, through all that country, of great public distress and famine, when there was no bread, and when the corn, and the grass, and all the things that grow in the ground were all dried up and blighted. The Prodigal Son fell into such distress and hunger, that he hired himself out as a servant to feed swine in the fields. And he would have been glad to eat, even the poor coarse husks that the swine were fed with, but his Master gave him none. In this distress, he said to himself “How many of my father’s servants have bread enough, and to spare, while I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father! I have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy Son!”

And so he travelled back again, in great pain and sorrow and difficulty, to his father’s house. When he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and knew him in the midst of all his rags and misery, and ran towards him, and wept, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him. And he told his servants to clothe his poor repentant Son in the best robes, and to make a great feast to celebrate his return. Which was done; and they began to be merry.

But the eldest Son, who had been in the field and knew nothing of his brother’s return, coming to the house and hearing the music and Dancing, called to one of the Servants, and asked him what it meant. To this the Servant made answer that his brother had come home, and that his father was joyful because of his return. At this, the elder brother was angry and would not go into the house; so the father, hearing of it, came out to persuade him.

“Father”, said the elder brother, “you do not treat me justly, to shew so much joy for my younger brother’s return. For these many years I have remained with you constantly, and have been true to you, yet you have never made a feast for me. But when my younger brother returns, who has been prodigal, and riotous, and spent his money in many bad ways, you are full of delight, and the whole house makes merry!” – “Son” returned the father, “you have always been with me, and all I have is yours. But we thought your brother dead, and he is alive. He was lost, and he is found; and it is natural and right that we should be merry for his unexpected return to his old home.”

By this, our Saviour meant to teach, that those who have done wrong and forgotten God, are always welcome to him and will always receive his mercy, if they will only return to Him in sorrow for the sin of which they have been guilty.

Now the Pharisees received these lessons from our Saviour, scornfully; for they were rich, and covetous, and thought themselves superior to all mankind. As a warning to them, Christ related this Parable: – OF DIVES AND LAZARUS.

“There was a certain man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores and desiring to be fed with crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.

“And it came to pass that the Beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom – Abraham had been a very good man who lived many years before that time, and was then in Heaven. The rich man also died, and was buried. And in Hell, he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus. And he cried and said, “Father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that in thy life time thou receivedst good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now, he is comforted, and thou art tormented!

And among other Parables, Christ said to these same Pharisees, because of their pride, That two men once went up into the Temple, to pray; of whom, one was a Pharisee, and one a Publican. The Pharisee said, “God I thank Thee, that I am not unjust as other men are, or bad as this Publican is! The Publican, standing afar off, would not lift up his eyes to Heaven, but struck his breast, and only said, “God be merciful to me, a Sinner!” And God, – our Saviour told them – would be merciful to that man rather than the other, and would be better pleased with his prayer, because he made it with a humble and lowly heart.

The Pharisees were so angry at being taught these things, that they employed some spies to ask Our Saviour questions, and try to entrap Him into saying something which was against the Law. The Emperor of that country, who was called Caesar, having commanded tribute-money to be regularly paid to him by the people, and being cruel against any one who disputed his right to it, these spies thought they might, perhaps, induce our Saviour to say it was an unjust payment, and so to bring himself under the Emperor’s displeasure. Therefore, pretending to be very humble, they came to Him and said, “Master you teach the word of God rightly, and do not respect persons on account of their wealth or high station. Tell us, is it lawful that we should pay tribute to Caesar?”

Christ, who knew their thoughts, replied, “Why do you ask ? Shew me a penny.” They did so. “Whose image, and whose name, is this upon it?” he asked them. They said “Caesar’s”. “Then,” said He, “Render unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar’s.”

So they left him; very much enraged and disappointed that they could not entrap Him. But our Saviour knew their hearts and thoughts, as well as He knew that other men were conspiring against him, and that he would soon be put to Death.

As he was teaching them thus, he sat near the Public Treasury, where people as they passed along the street, were accustomed to drop money into a box for the poor; and many rich persons, passing while Jesus sat there, had put in a great deal of money. At last there came a poor Widow who dropped in two mites, each half a farthing in value, and then went quietly away. Jesus, seeing her do this as he rose to leave the place, called his disciples about him, and said to them that that poor widow had been more truly charitable than all the rest who had given money that day; for the others were rich and would never miss what they had given, but she was very poor, and had given those two mites which might have bought her bread to eat.

Let us never forget what the poor widow did, when we think we are charitable.

CHAPTER THE EIGHTH

There was a certain man named Lazarus of Bethany, who was taken very ill; and as he was the Brother of that Mary who had anointed Christ with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, She and her sister Martha sent to him in great trouble, saying, Lord, Lazarus whom you love is sick, and like to die.

Jesus did not go to them for two days after receiving this message; but when that time was past, he said to his Disciples, “Lazarus is dead. Let us go to Bethany.” When they arrived there (it was a place very near to Jerusalem) they found, as Jesus had foretold, that Lazarus was dead, and had been dead and buried, four days.

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she rose up from among the people who had come to condole with her on her poor brother’s death, and ran to meet him: leaving her sister Mary weeping, in the house. When Martha saw Him she burst into tears, and said “Oh Lord if Thou hads’t been here, my brother would not have died.” – “Thy brother shall rise again “, returned Our Saviour. “I know he will, and I believe he will, Lord, at the Resurrection on the Last Day ”, said Martha.

Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Dost thou believe this? She answered “ Yes Lord”; and running back to her sister Mary, told her that Christ was come. Mary hearing this, ran out, followed by all those who had been grieving with her in the house, and coming to the place where he was, fell down at his feet upon the ground and wept; and so did all the rest. Jesus was so full of compassion for their sorrow, that He wept too, as he said, “where have you laid him?” – They said, “Lord, come and see!”

He was buried in a cave; and there was a great stone laid upon it. When they all came to the Grave, Jesus ordered the stone to be rolled away, which was done. Then, after casting up his eyes, and thanking God, he said, in a loud and solemn voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” and the dead man, Lazarus, restored to life, came out among the people, and went home with his sisters. At this sight, so awful and affecting, many of the people there, believed that Christ was indeed the Son of God; come to instruct and save mankind. But others ran to tell the Pharisees; and from that day the Pharisees resolved among themselves – to prevent more people from believing in him, that Jesus should be killed. And they agreed among themselves – meeting in the Temple for that purpose – that if he came into Jerusalem before the Feast of the Passover, which was then approaching, he should be seized.

It was six days before the Passover, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead; and, at night, when they all sat at supper together, with Lazarus among them, Mary rose up, and took a pound of ointment (which was very precious and costly, and was called ointment of Spikenard) and anointed the feet of Jesus Christ with it, and, once again, wiped them on her hair; and the whole house was filled with the pleasant smell of the ointment. Judas Iscariot, one of the Disciples, pretended to be angry at this, and said that the ointment might have been sold for Three Hundred Pence, and the money given to the poor. But he only said so, in reality, because he carried the Purse, and was (unknown to the rest, at that time) a Thief, and wished to get all the money he could. He now began to plot for betraying Christ into the hands of the chief Priests.

The Feast of the Passover now drawing very near, Jesus Christ, with his disciples, moved forward towards Jerusalem. When they were come near to that city, He pointed to a village and told two of his disciples to go there, and they would find an ass, with a colt, tied to a tree, which they were to bring to Him. Finding these animals exactly as Jesus had described, they brought them away, and Jesus, riding on the ass, entered Jerusalem. An immense crowd of people collected round him as he went along, and throwing their robes on the ground, and cutting down green branches from the trees, and spreading them in His path, they shouted, and cried ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ (David had been a great King there) “ He comes in the name of the Lord! This is Jesus, the Prophet of Nazareth!” And when Jesus went into the Temple, and cast out the tables of the money- changers who wrongfully sat there, together with people who sold Doves; saying “ My father’s house is a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of Thieves!” – and when the people and children cried in the Temple “This is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth,” and would not be silenced – and when the blind and lame came flocking there in crowds, and were healed by his hand – the chief Priests and Scribes, and Pharisees were filled with fear and hatred of Him. But Jesus continued to heal the sick, and to do good, and went and lodged at Bethany; a place that was very near the City of Jerusalem, but not within the walls.

One night, at that place, he rose from Supper at which he was seated with his Disciples, and taking a cloth and a basin of water, washed their feet. Simon Peter, one of the Disciples, would have prevented Him from washing his feet: but our Saviour told Him that He did this, in order that they, remembering it, might be always kind and gentle to one another, and might know no pride or ill-will among themselves.

Then, he became sad, and grieved, and looking round on the Disciples said, “There is one here, who will betray me.” They cried out, one after another, “Is it I, Lord! – “Is it I!” But he only answered, “It is one of the Twelve that dippeth with me in the dish.” One of the disciples, whom Jesus loved, happening to be leaning on His Breast at that moment listening to his words, Simon Peter beckoned to him that he should ask the name of this false man. Jesus answered “ It is he to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it in the dish” and when he had dipped it, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, saying “What thou doest, do quickly.” Which the other disciples did not understand, but which Judas knew to mean that Christ had read his bad thoughts.

So Judas, taking the sop, went out immediately. It was night, and he went straight to the chief Priests and said “what will you give me, if I deliver him to you?” They agreed to give him thirty pieces of Silver; and for this, he undertook soon to betray into their hands, his Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER THE NINTH

The feast of the Passover being now almost come, Jesus said to two of his disciples, Peter and John, “Go into the city of Jerusalem, and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him home, and say to him, “the Master says where is the guest-chamber, where he can eat the Passover with his Disciples.” And he will shew you a large upper room, furnished. There, make ready the supper.”

The two disciples found that it happened as Jesus had said; and having met the man with the pitcher of water, and having followed him home, and having been shewn the room, they prepared the supper, and Jesus and the other ten apostles came at the usual time, and they all sat down to partake of it together.

It is always called The Last Supper, because this was the last time that Our Saviour ate and drank with his Disciples.

And he took bread from the table, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them; and he took the cup of Wine, and blessed it, and drank, and gave it to them, saying “Do this in remembrance of Me!” And when they had finished supper, and had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

There, Jesus told them that he would be seized that night, and that they would all leave him alone and would think only of their own safety. Peter said, earnestly, he never would, for one. “Before the cock crows,” returned Our Saviour, “you will deny me thrice.” But Peter answered “No Lord. Though I should die with Thee, I will never deny Thee.” And all the other Disciples said the same.

Jesus then led the way over a brook, called Cedron, into a garden that was called Gethsemane; and walked with three of the disciples into a retired part of the garden. Then he left them as he had left the others, together; saying  “Wait here, and watch!” – and went away and prayed by Himself, while they, being weary, fell asleep.

And Christ suffered great sorrow and distress of mind, in his prayers in that garden, because of the wickedness of the men of Jerusalem who were going to kill Him; and He shed tears before God, and was in deep and strong affliction.

When His prayers were finished, and He was comforted, He returned to the Disciples, and said “Rise! Let us be going! He is close at hand, who will betray me!”

Now, Judas knew that garden well, for Our Saviour had often walked there, with his Disciples; and, almost at the moment when Our Saviour said these words, he came there, accompanied by a strong guard of men and officers, which had been sent by the chief Priests and Pharisees. It being dark, they carried lanterns and torches. They were armed with swords and staves too; for they did not know but that the people would rise and defend Jesus Christ; and this had made them afraid to seize Him boldly in the day, when he sat teaching the people.

As the leader of this guard had never seen Jesus Christ and did not know him from the apostles, Judas had said to them, “ The man whom I kiss, will be he.” As he advanced to give this wicked kiss, Jesus said to the soldiers “Whom do ye seek?”- “ Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “Then,” said Our Saviour, “I am He. Let my disciples here, go freely. I am He.” Which Judas confirmed, by saying “Hail Master!” and kissing Him. Whereupon Jesus said, “Judas, Thou betrayest me with a kiss!”

The guard then ran forward to seize Him. No one offered to protect Him, except Peter, who, having a sword, drew it, and cut off the right ear of the High Priest’s Servant, who was one of them, and whose name was Malchus. But Jesus made him sheath his sword, and gave himself up. Then, all the disciples forsook Him, and fled; and there remained not one- not one- to bear Him company.

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To be concluded on the 24th with Chapters 10 and 11.

To God Be The Glory!