LIVING NOT DEAD

Read Mark 12

"But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ' I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, and the God of Jacob'? " He is not the God of the dead, but of the living you are greatly mistaken." (12:26-27)

The Sadducees, whom did not believe in the resurrection tried to trip up Jesus with a hypothetical situation. Using the Law of Moses, regarding a man dying without a heir, his wife was to marry his brother to raise an heir in his name. But, each of this man’s six brothers, one after another married his wife and died without an heir. So, the question to Jesus is in the resurrection (which they did not believe in) who would be the husband to this woman, since she married all seven (v. 18-23).First, in response to this marriage issue, Jesus revealed in the resurrection (which will happen) the woman would not be married to none of them, but be like the angels in heaven, which do not marry (v. 24-25).Second, in response to the resurrection issue and life after death, Jesus goes back to Moses to illustrate we are still alive after physical death awaiting a bodily resurrection. Jesus points to God speaking to Moses and at the burning bush, when at the least, the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have been physically dead for four hundred years (cf. Ex 3:6). But, God speaks in the present tense “I am the God of” these three, not in the past tense “ I was the God of” as though they don’t exist at that moment in time (v. 26-27).At the physical death of our body, our spirit then moves into the presence of God (cf. 2 Cor 5:8), awaiting the rejoining of body and spirit together (cf. 1 Thes 4:14-16), but until then we are alive in God’s presence with a spirit body with remembrance (cf. Rv 6:9-11). So, for the believer, God is the God of the living not the dead, in either of their states, with or without a body. At a believer’s funeral don’t say they “were” (past tense), say they “are” , because God is the God of the “living, not dead”. At this writing, I will bury my sister next week and at her funeral I will say, “Brenda is not was”. A.L., III ....

LEARNING THE SEASONS

Read Mark 13

"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. "Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door. (13:28-29)

Jesus’ disciples marveled at the magnificent temple complex built by Herod, and in the next breathe, Jesus reveals that not one stone will be left a top another (v. 1-2). From this, questions arises from them as to “when will these things be” and “what will the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled” (v. 3-4).

Jesus does not address the question of Herod’s temple complex being leveled to the very stone (v. 2), which happened in A.D. 70 by the Romans (Josephus, Wars 7.1.1). But, He moves on to describe the events and signs leading up to the future tribulation period and the signs of the antichrist being in the temple (v. 14 cf. 2 Thes 2:2-4) and His second coming with His angels (v. 24-27). Jesus gives them a series of events and signs to look for that lead up to His eventual second coming to earth (v. 5-27). Jesus illustrates this with a parable, that the events leading up to His eventual return are like the signs a fig tree gives when summer is near and coming but not yet, having tender branches and putting on leaves.

We know by observation the signs of our coming four seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall by events in nature and we respond appropriately with coats, or planting trees or wearing shorts or raking leaves. So, as believers knowing the end time prophecies in the Scripture and then reading the newspaper’s current events, especially in the middle east and with the nation of Israel, we know our prophetic summer is closer than you think because we have learned the seasons.

So, learn the seasons and respond appropriately. If you are older in life and your season of living is almost over, then finish the task God has given you, because your personal night is coming and no man can work (cf. Jn 9:4). If you see, like I see, the world events unfolding today, the rapture and the Lord’s coming is near, it is almost summer. Share the gospel with your loved ones, so at the master’s return no one in your house will be found asleep (v. 35-37). A.L., III

LIMITATIONS OF THE FLESH

Read Mark 14

But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." (14:29-30)

At the last Passover with His disciples, Jesus reveals that He is about to be betrayed by one of them (v. 17-21) and the rest would be scattered from Him as it was written in Zechariah 13:7, but He would be raised from the dead and go ahead of them into Galilee (v. 27-28).

Peter upon hearing this news boldly proclaims, “"Even though all may fall away, yet I will not." (v. 29). Jesus’ response to this was, “this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times." (v. 30). Peter persisted, that even if he had to die with Him he would not deny Him.

Before the hour of betrayal, this same Peter, could not stay woke with Jesus while praying in the Garden, his spirit was willing but his flesh was weak (v. 37-42). When the hour of betrayal occurred, Peter did stepped up and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest in defense but when Jesus had him cease his aggressions, they all fled as prophesied, some in haste, fled naked (v. 46-52 cf. Jn 18:10-11). Peter, while the in the courtyard of where Jesus was being trialed, after being approached, denied knowing Jesus as predicted (v. 66-72).

Growing up in my neighborhood, we had a saying, but putting it in nicer terms for this devotional, “Don’t let your mouth write a check, your body cannot cash”. Our human nature, apart from God often proclaims and boasts of our intentions for God’s kingdom out of human pride and that places limitations on our accomplishments because it is our flesh speaking not God. There are limitations of our flesh accomplishing things.

Men in their human flesh, but lead of God, outran Ahab’s chariot like Elijah (cf. 1 Kgs 18:44-46) and killed a thousand men with a jawbone like Samson (cf. Jg 15:14-15). Peter learned the limitations of his flesh. Peter would get another chance to redeem his boast, when Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection and promised another would gird him to bring him where he normally would not go, his flesh would be empowered by God to the point of death (cf., Jn 21:18-19). Your flesh alone has limitations, but God working through your humble flesh has no limitations. A.L., III

LAID HIM IN A TOMB

Read Mark 15

Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. (15:46)

Jesus has been crucified and confirmed dead by the Roman guards (v. 44, cf. Jn. 19:33-34) and it is getting late in the day headed toward the Sabbath, and the Jews did not want bodies on the cross during the Sabbath (cf. Jn 19:31). So, Joseph of Arimathea, who was waiting for the kingdom of God (v. 43) along with Nicodemas, who came to Jesus by night (cf. Jn 19:38-40), they took Jesus’ body, prepared it for burial and laid Him a tomb. They then rolled a stone in front of the entrance (v. 46). Then, the chief priests and Pharisees had Pilate set a guard and put a seal on the tomb (cf. Mt. 27:62-66). The end.

Two hopeful and devout followers of Jesus personally handled and prepared Jesus’s body, laid Him in a tomb, putting a stone in front of the entrance. The two hater groups of Jesus, got a Roman guard and put an official seal on the tomb on top of that. So, somebody’s hope is laid to rest and dreams ended and somebody’s object of hate is laid to rest and nightmares ended. Maybe or maybe not.

With God, when man thinks something is over and laid to rest for good, He reminds us it is not over and laid to rest until He says so. Unlike my favorite movie the “Gladiator” and the hero, Maximus, dies and is laid to rest at the end, so I will not see a part two with my hero.

With God the stories end differently. Jacob thinks his son Joseph is dead and laid to rest for twenty-two years but Jacob lives to see Joseph again. Daniel was thought to have been laid to rest in the lion’s den (eaten alive), instead he rested on the loins and came out alive. Aged, Sarah and Elizabeth laid to rest their hope of having a child , but God blessed their wombs to come alive and they had sons.

Likewise, for Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemas they thought they had laid to rest their hopes in Jesus and the kingdom of God for good when they buried Jesus, but their hopes came alive again after three days with all power in heaven and on earth. Have you laid to rest your hopes as well, well just remember Luke 1:37, "For nothing will be impossible with God." May your dreams arise again. A.L., III