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There is an amazing event that occurred just after Jesus died on the cross. It is only mentioned in the gospel of Matthew.
Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
A lot of graves in those days were caves in a mountain with cork shaped stones sealing them. The shaking of the earth may have opened the graves, or perhaps they were opened by an angel as was the case when Jesus' tomb stone was rolled away, after three days. What I see in this resurrection is that Jesus did not need his flesh and blood body to raise the dead. He is God the Son, a Spirit with all power over life and death.
John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus had already said to Martha whose brother Lazarus had died, that he is the resurrection and the life.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
If you can only see Jesus as a human, you cannot see that he is the Son of God with power to raise the dead. Those risen were after the resurrection of Jesus, he raised them by his eternal power. Believe in Jesus as the eternal son of God who came to earth in a human to bleed and die as payment for our sins. Believe this and ask him to save you. He came to seek and to save that which was lost.
A final thought. Those risen by the resurrection power of Jesus Christ may have been some of the Old Testament believers. Both Jacob and Joseph wanted their bones brought back to Israel. Maybe they were some of the resurrected first fruits? What is so amazing is that Jesus has power to bring life after death. The Bible also says that the Father and the Holy Spirit have power to raise the dead.The soul and spirit live forever. There is no use for corruptible bodies of dust that return to dust. The life is in the spirit and soul. God will give us new bodies in his time.
Our rest home ministry piano playing friend, Chuck Thomas died yesterday. I miss him but know that he lives with Jesus. We shall be together in the sweet by and bye with instruments and singing. All glory to God forever.
James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Afflictions get our attention and can be used by God to correct us or to have a closer walk with him. The world has been afflicted with the China Virus. How we use this time is important. Let us draw closer to God in prayer and the reading of the Bible. Truth is, the news can make you depressed. Instead of dwelling on our problems we could sing the psalms and other spiritual songs. Instead of being depressed as the world we are blessed in the Lord. Let's not forget others in our blessings.
Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Put on your happy face mask and rejoice in the Lord.
The apostle Paul saw that false apostles had come into the Church at Corinth and were puffing themselves up and pretending to have authority, preaching a false gospel. We have false leaders today preaching a prosperity message and fleecing the flock.
2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
False ones will get the surprise rejection of God at the judgement. All those big name preachers who are wanting power over the people to control them instead of preparing them to do the good works they are gifted to do. Evil workers will be judged.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
There will always be bad apples in the church, in the police, in the civil rights leaders, in the teachers. in business and in government. It is our responsibility to beware, to warn others and if possible to remove them by voting or other legal ways. Martin Luther King said we should not be judged by our color, but by our character. In the end the false ones must face the Lord.
The world needs truth, mercy and hope. We hear "Black lives matter", but in truth all lives matter to God and without him nothing matters. People need Jesus and the truth of God. Let us look at some hidden truths starting in the old testament.
Zec 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
Zec 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
The old testament spoke prophecies that were revealed in the new testament.
Mat 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Mat 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
Mat 27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Mat 27:6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.
Mat 27:7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
Mat 27:8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.
The price paid for the life of Jesus was thirty pieces of silver, the lowest price paid for a slave. The Jewish leaders were careful to keep the law, while at the same time violating the spirit of the law. They were guilty of conspiring to kill Jesus, they used Judas to get to him. They had no mercy for a repentant Judas. The silver was unclean because it was blood money. The payers of the blood money were truly the unclean things in the house of the LORD.
Jesus at an earlier time warned the Jewish leaders saying:
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
It seems to me that the punishment of the chief priests will be greater than for Judas. Judas tried to repent and they had no mercy for him. The priests had a higher position and were to be the spokesmen for the word of God. They missed the mark. But before blaming these key players, it was our sins that brought Jesus to earth, to willingly die to pay the price for them. It was all our sins that he came to die for. Knowing this and receiving him we are given the hope of eternal life with the Lord and the redeemed and that is the truth.
Gen 50:15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.”
Gen 50:16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died:
Gen 50:17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
Gen 50:18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
Gen 50:19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Gen 50:21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Don't you just like a happy ending. The brothers who hated their father's favorite son and sold him into slavery never had peace. They thought with the father gone that Joseph would get even, but instead they were forgiven.
Joseph is a type of Christ. He had grace for his brothers. Jesus gave us grace too. He loved people and suffered excruciating pain, was nailed to a cross to deliver us from our sins. That is love. None of us deserve to be forgiven. Joseph showed his love and godly character by forgiving his brothers. "God meant it for good", it is God's doing. Love, forgiveness and kindness shown is to be aware that we are blessed of God. Give God the glory and live at peace with those who will receive peace.
2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Psa 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
We see the fulfillment of this prophecy of David in Matthew 21.
Mat 21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
Mat 21:16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Who were the enemies that were stilled? They were the chief priests and the scribes, The chief priests were plotting to kill Jesus. They were angry with the children for calling out Hosanna ( save us now) to the Son of David. Praising Jesus is strength to the children.
Luk 19:37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
Luk 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Luk 19:39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Luk 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Jesus loves the little Children.
Mat 18:3 ... Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
I see little children as having innocent trust. The chief priests were once innocent children, but they grew up to be bitter blind guides who were to kill Jesus. Lord may we keep our innocence in trusting you completely.
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
The weapons of our spiritual warfare are not of the flesh but of the spirit. An enemy stronghold in the spirit are demons that have made a place of strength, a fortress. Ephesian 6 shows to us the spiritual weapons that we have as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
"The Corinthian Christians tended to rely on and admire carnal weapons for the Christian battle. Instead of the belt of truth, they fought with manipulation. Instead of the breastplate of righteousness, they fought with the image of success. Instead of the shoes of the gospel, they fought with smooth words. Instead of the shield of faith, they fought with the perception of power. Instead of the helmet of salvation, they fought with lording over authority. Instead of the sword of the Spirit, they fought with human schemes and programs. (Guzik)"
Our country is in many spiritual battles against the strongholds of the devil. We are to restrain the darkness by the light of truth. Put on the spiritual weapons and keep them on. Our offensive weapon is the sword of the spirit of truth, the word of God. Our defensive weapon is faith in God and his word.
