A Last Supper, A New Covenant

“This cup
is the new covenant
in my blood,
which is poured out for you.”  ~ Luke 22:20



Covenant has the meaning of marriage.  It is to “come together;” a bonding of two or more, and relinquishing of self and others to be one with whom you go into faithful covenant, marriage.  When in Christ we’re in the church, the bride of the Lamb – a good marriage is to be:  “In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman” (1 Cor 11:11).

The blood is the symbol and mechanism of atonement, a merciful cleansing, forgiveness of sin by the Lord alone.  Christ’s sacrifice, sheading, pouring out of the Lamb’s, Jesus Christ’s blood.  As a marriage covenant in love, mercy, grace, and a faithful union as one; Christ’s covenant is bound,  “poured out for you” in love, mercy, grace, a faithful union as one, and by Christ’s blood promise.  Jesus drank to an everlasting promise of faithful marriage to his bride – the church, everyone saved by grace due to God seeing their faith in the Bridegroom, Jesus.

Christ Jesus has sworn to be faithful by the covenant that He “poured out for you” upon the cross with His blood.  Christ is faithful in this marriage.  Whoever will propose to Him, Christ will accept, becoming their bridegroom.  Are you willing to drink of the covenant cup?  Are you receptive, accepting the promise of faithful love “for you” by Christ’s blood promise?  Will you become faithful, forsaking all others, in faithful marriage, to be one in Christ?

Drinking of Christ’s cup, 

Owen <><

… after a little while you will see me. John 16:16

Jesus’ disciples struggled with understanding why he would leave them.  He began to prepare them for his crucifixion and miracle Resurrection.  Jesus said:
"In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." (John 16:16)

That first Easter weekend was definitely a fearful and confusing time.  Jesus' death left fear in their hearts, who would teach and lead them?  Doubt hung over Christ’s resurrection initially.  Jesus knew their hearts, after the Resurrection He asked everyone in the upper room, “Why are your hearts filled with doubt?” (Luke 24:38)  But, God’s word came through true, changing their hearts, because, right there, in front of their eyes stood Jesus! (Luke 24:31, 35-49).

Today our fear has faded, but confusion remains.  Doubt has become a veil to shroud truth of a risen Savior.  C. S. Lewis wrote, “Some people probably think of the Resurrection as a desperate last moment expedient to save the Hero from a situation which had got out of the Author's control.”  So, God messed up, and Jesus was surprised by the betrayal and Friday’s crucifixion.  We need a better ending to the story for our hero!?!  Is that right?  Come on! The story isn’t that shallow.

After a little while, on the Resurrection Day, his words became clear.  When Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women took spices to Jesus’ tomb early Sunday morning, they were greeted by two angels.  They encouragingly spoke to the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” (Luke 24:1-12)

Now, our story begins, Christ is alive, He is in us who receive the truth, and expect to see Jesus after a little while.  Until we see him, we know His Resurrection is promised to us, we live with Christ’s Holy Spirit us. So much more than I can truly grasp!  We Praise him! Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah! Glory in His hope and truth, that, “… after a little while you will see me.” Hallelujah!

Looking to see you in a little while Lord,

Owen <><

HE Said, we said… ...about forgiveness

HE Said...

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

~ Jesus, his comment following his teaching disciples how to pray; Matthew 6:14-15   

we said ...

“If God forgives us we must forgive ourselves also. It is not for us to say we can’t. God is the judge, not we. If He forgives, we dare not deny God’s power.”

~ Reinhard Bonnke

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. … Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”

~ C.S. Lewis

“Unforgiveness is spiritual filthiness, so get washed in the water of God's Word to forgive and stay clean.”

~ Joyce Meyer

To be a follower of Christ is to live by Jesus’ words and example.  Jesus’ life is an outpouring of mercy, grace, compassion, and forgiveness – to live like him is summed up by being forgiving of self and others; to live any other way is to deny Christ.

~ Owen Mannin  

Life with anger, hate, vengeance, spite, and an unforgiving heart is easy - turmoil and sleeplessness does not require effort.  Christlikeness can be hard, it requires a bending of the will to live and have a transformed mind that thinks like Jesus.  Living in obedience to Christ's command to love brings peace and a good night's sleep. ... Owen <><

 

From Palm Branches to the Cross: Did God’s Will Change?

Have you ever asked yourself, “Have I misunderstood what God's will is?”  Don’t criticize yourself; we all have misconceptions about God’s will and what we read in the Bible.

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, it makes for an interesting side note in the last days Jesus with His disciples.  Apostle John wrote how the people, “took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’” (John 12:13).

Why did the people wave palm branches and cry "Hosanna!"?  The same, fickle people, who welcomed Jesus, then on a whim, wanted the Christ crucified – why?  During that time political zealots used the palm branch as a symbol of insurrectionary rebellion, to conjured images of resistance and establish an independent Israel – free of Rome.  Things are no different today, people mix being Christian with their politics and Israel still fights for sovereignty.  The palm branches the people waved were nationalistic, a political expectation they had for Jesus – not for His deity and kingdom of peace.  And, the word Hosanna, Aramaic meaning "save, please," how is it used – spiritually or politically? 

Jesus turned out to be a great disappointment to the people of Israel, and a few days after waving their palm branches and crying "Hosanna," they turned on Him and cried, twice, "Crucify Him!" (Matt27:22-23; Mark 15:13-14, Lk 23:21, John 9:6, 15) 

So, was God’s will that the people praise Jesus as Lord when they waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna!”?  Then, did God’s will change, that Christ go to the cross for our atonement?  Or, have so many of us been operating on a misconception?  Waving a palm branch is no different than waving a rebel’s flag, it is rebellion, hope for a political messiah; not kneeling to the Messiah, the Lord of lords, the King of kings, God our Christ, our Atonement.

Thinking,  Owen <><

Rotten to the Bone

“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” 
Proverbs 14:30

 

We worry. 

We feel belittled, robbed of things, status, whatever – envy. 

We fear dilemma in sickness, employment, on and on goes the list.

We simmer over family matters. 

We boil over wrongs at church and in society.

We are stunted be selfish ambitions, greed, envy, lust.

We rot, our bones rot. 

 

After teaching the disciples throughout His ministry, Jesus becomes elated when they finally catch on to His teaching, he exclaimed, “You believe at last!" (John 16:31)

 

Jesus had taught a lot of things, but the focus of his teaching was to bring peace of heart through complete trust in God, the Lord’s provision to our soul – the comfort over matters of the mind, emotions, security, thoughts, anxiety, even of our spirit in eternity … everything of heart or soul. 

 

He then said to the disciples, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

 

Stress is known to shorten life.  Only in humility can one confess Christ, no form of envy can give you eternal life.  So, I wonder today, do you, do I, have that humility to have peace in our heart, a truth and peace beyond our understanding that the Lord is in control, in every situation, forevermore, giving your very body life.  Or do we have worry, that glitch rooted within envy, rotting us to our inner being, making us:  rotten to the bone.

  

If Jesus spoke to you for a moment today, would He, could He, say to you:  “You believe at last!"

 

At last, at peace,  

 

Owen <><

On Being a Disciple: What do we look like?

Apostle Paul taught the basics of being a disciple to young Timothy and the congregations to whom he wrote the epistles.  Paul engaged in discipleship, his goal was for each person to become someone like himself, someone committed to Jesus.  There should be no difference today.  Paul wrote to the early church the same advice we need today:     

·         “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings … continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, …” 2 Tim 3:10-15

·         “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”  1 Cor 11:1

The sign points where Christ folowers are to go:
 Into the Community to find new disciples.

Today things haven’t changed from when Paul taught how to be a Christ follower. We, like Christ worshippers in the day of Paul, are still a New Testament church.  Discipleship today, as then, is to look like this:

1.      A disciple submits to a teacher who teaches him or her to follow Jesus.

2.      A disciple learns Jesus’ words.
3.      A disciple learns Jesus’ way of ministry.
4.      A disciple imitates Jesus’ life and character.
5.      A disciple finds and teaches other disciples for Jesus.

I must challenge you to change your world:

 

Is the church today, are you, engaged in the above five activities as a follower of Jesus?

What would happen if each of us were to introduce and disciple one person to Christ a year?

To the point,

Owen <><

“The Necessity of Prayer” #5 - Jesus said, "Knock”

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8

In carrying out the Father’s plan, we’ll encounter obstacles along the way. Persistent praying may be required. When we knock on someone’s door, we usually do more than one rap; even ringing the doorbell takes a couple pushes.  When we know someone is home and busy, we wait … then knock again, a little harder, and a little longer.  But, they do respond, as Christ responds to our knocking, He opens the door and provides mercy and revelation.

 

In Mark 10 (vv 47-52) a blind beggar becomes an example of someone who has faith; he begins to knock on Jesus’ door; he is persistent at calling to Him for mercy, knocking.  Calling out to the Lord, “Help me Lord Jesus!”  His sight is given to him due to his faith – but, not on his first cry for mercy, only after calling out to the Lord again and again, shouting over the voices of those trying to suppress his calls – his determined knocking on Christ’s door brought a miracle, but only after Jesus asked him what he wanted.  Just as we do, when someone knocks on the door, we respond to the knock, open the door and once we know their need we welcome them in. 

To calls out in faith reveals how determined you are.  Why?  Because you know Jesus is listening and willing to answer.  Determined, persistent prayer renders Christ’s attentive ear, and He will show mercy and bless you.  You are a beggar, and as the blind man was a beggar, when you pray, ignore those who are self-righteousness s, of little faith, and the distractions of the evil one or those of disbelief… pray, knock, pray knock, knock stronger, longer, louder … all the more to drown all faithlessness.  With determined, unshakable knocking, the Lord will open the door and He will ask, “What do you want me to do for you?”  Tell Jesus your need, a person of faith in Christ will receive from the Father what they ask (John 15:16).  He is the Great Physician, Healer, Provider, not the guesser.  Then, on hearing your need, He will answer your faith; He will give you mercy.

Pounding on His door,

Owen <><