NEW Christian Fiction Book Series Announcement

Edgy, Christian, Fiction. That’s how I would describe: 

THE DIARY OF DANIEL SHEPHERD.

 

For years I have become increasingly alarmed by the relentless barrage of filth being targeted toward teen and young adult readers through the fiction they read for school and pleasure. Over the past six months I have discovered that the online fiction writing community is overwhelmed with authors who have agendas. And those agendas increasingly involve seducing, manipulating and otherwise brainwashing teens and twenty-somethings into sinful, harmful, godless, self-destructive lifestyles by glorifying and promoting characters who are bold and proud of their sin and corruption. These writers actually brag about what they’re doing in order to garner the attention of literary agents who are actively seeking out such Sin-inspiring storylines for the big publishers who, in turn, push those tales out to market as fast as they can print them.

This is genuinely frightening, because there are shockingly few Christian literary agents who are willing to represent Young Adult/Teen Christian fiction. Most Christian publishers carry shockingly few teen titles. The large Christian bookstore near me does not carry any and I would not consider the selection online to be very encouraging. How ironic, since the secular industry caters to youth and targets teens.

This is why I feel it is urgent to write for this genre and for this age group. Never fear, my work is YA crossover. It’s for grown-ups too, but it is written out of love for the next generation. 

Fiction provides us with the opportunity to walk a mile in a character's shoes, to experience what they do and feel what they feel. Christian fiction, like "My Utmost For His Highest," can inspire change by showing us what the church could be like. Books like "The Shack," help us to ponder deep and troubling spiritual questions, but for that to occur, true evil has to happen first. In my books, you can expect to explore vivid descriptions of the beauty of God's creation, to empathize with compelling and real-to-life characters, to go on grand adventures and sleuth into perplexing mysteries. The evil we encounter along this journey will be realistic, but when churches and families respond in both correct and incorrect ways, this allows us to ponder themes of forgiveness, redemption, and God's ultimate justice. Buckle in. It's going to be a bumpy ride, but the destination will be worth it. 

Parental Advisory: PG-13.

This book is going to be…different…edgier…than what you might expect from the genre because the villains in this story all too closely resemble real life. This isn’t lit for little kids, it is for those coming of age in a world full of traps set for them to fall into. The series THE SHEPHERD CHRONICLES won’t shy away from controversial topics. We’re going to go there… But we’re going to do so from a Christian worldview at the heart of compelling and intriguing storylines. There will be NO foul language or descriptions of sexual activity. There WILL be deep theological discussions between characters as they wrestle with issues. There will be no gratuitous violence or goriness. At no point will sin ever be glorified. But there will be blow by blow fights. There will be kissing. There will be crime. There will be acknowledgement of married love occurring in the bedroom. There will be real villains who commit real evil and realistic characters who have to deal with the aftermath.  There will be mystery, fun, adventure and love. But there will also be serious, ugly, realistic evil, harm and criminal behavior. This series will not shy away from addressing any and all of the major issues of our day in organic and believable ways. The difference is that instead of glorifying sin, this series will clearly maintain the line between right and wrong, good and evil and redemption will be a major theme. 

Imagine a mash-up of Wednesday and Footloose. You’d have a spooky, small-town mystery with lots of adventure. Welcome to Lost Valley where there’s a wicked secret hidden behind their righteous façade. Actually, there are LOTS of secrets… I invite you to come undertake a literary journey with Benny Shepherd and Lucy Wheeler as they go on thrilling adventures and solve chilling mysteries in a sometimes spooky, always spectacular Ozarkian setting while pondering deep spiritual truths.

Ten years after a catastrophic crash, Benny Shepherd discovers his brother Daniel’s diary, revealing the hidden dark side of their town and launching Benny into a series of autumnal adventures in the beautiful and perilous Ozark highlands. Guided by the secrets disclosed within the diary, Benny teams up with Lucy Wheeler to investigate the past, hoping to secure a future for their outcast families, but when they unearth a secret some worked so hard to keep buried, their very lives are endangered. The resolve of the unlikely sleuths will be tested, forcing them to wrestle with difficult spiritual questions as they retrace their sibling’s footsteps, searching for clues. Friendships are forged and shocking discoveries made as the mystery crescendos toward an ending no one could have foreseen. 

Thanks for taking the time to read to the end. Here is a link to the official BOOK TRAILER for THE DIARY OF DANIEL SHEPHERD, Volume I of THE SHEPHERD CHRONICLES:

BOOK TRAILER: The Diary of Daniel Shepherd

Can Women Be Pastors? A Close examination of 1 Timothy 3:1-7

This week, the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention disfellowshipped 3 churches for having a woman as their Senior Pastor and they kicked out Saddleback Church which recently came under fire for ordaining women as pastors and having a woman in the role of Teaching Pastor.  

As I began to study the Biblical requirements for an overseer of the church found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, I discovered something shocking. The passage contains 9 Male pronouns which, on the surface, would seem to strongly indicate that this position may only be filled by a man. But when I began to dig deeper, I learned that in the original Greek language, there are NO Male pronouns.  

Pronouns matter because the truth matters. I realize that our nation is embroiled in controversy over pronouns. On the one hand, some people use pronouns to deceive others about their gender. On the other hand, folks pitch hissy fits over individuals sharing their personal pronouns. Language should be used honestly. It is never ok to intentionally use misleading, deceptive or made-up pronouns. Nor is it wrong to use pronouns accurately. 

But, when it comes to the translation of Scripture, this can be an even more complicated issue. This is because the languages of the Bible, Hebrew and Greek, do not always include the same parts of speech or sentence structures that we use in English. Consequently, pronouns are often added to help the text read more smoothly in English, which is nice for eloquent Sunday sermons, but

What happens if the translators make a mistake that changes the meaning of the text or leads the reader to a wrong conclusion?

Bibles translations are the result of hundreds of scholarly contributors meticulously studying, discussing and debating the best way to translate the text. The result is that we have beautiful and accurate English versions of Holy Scripture which are instructive, helpful and inspiring, but they are not perfect. Only the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures are without error. 

In 1 Timothy 3:1-7, the qualifications and requirements to be an overseer of the church are provided. In most English translations, there are about 9 MALE pronouns that appear in this passage. But in the original Greek language—the exact words that God Himself inspired---there are NO exclusively male pronouns. There are only three places where an indefinite pronoun is used and each time the word tis appears which is best translated as one or anyone because it is not a gender specific pronoun. In the passage below, I have highlighted such indefinite pronouns in PINK. There is one instance where the neutral pronoun autos is used which can be translated as he, her, they or them. I have highlighted it in YELLOW. I have highlighted the pronouns in GREEN that do not appear at all in the Greek text but are new words, added to the word of God, by translators.

 

IP—Indefinite Pronoun which best translates as ONE or ANYONE

NP—Neutral Pronoun which may be translated as he/her/they/them

None—No Pronoun appears in the Greek Text at all

 

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (ESV)

 

A cursory reading of the passage strongly implies that this is a position that can only be held by a man. In Baptist churches, the office of Pastor is believed to include the role of Overseer, Elder and Shepherd. (Many denominations consider these three positions to be separate offices) Therefore, these requirements for overseers are viewed as disqualifying women from being pastors of Baptist churches based on the overwhelming male-centeredness of the English rendering. But here’s the problem: As you can see, there are NO male pronouns in the original Greek text. Below is an example of a translation that employs only the appropriate pronouns that God Himself inspired to be used.

 

This saying is trustworthy: Anyone who aspires to be an overseer, desires an excellent and noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, calm and of sound mind, organized, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunk, not a bully but fair, not contentious, not greedy or covetous; one that watches over one’s household well, keeping the children in cooperation with all dignity (If anyone does not know how to manage their own household, how will they take care of God’s church?); not a new convert or they may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, they must be well thought of by outsiders, so as not to fall into disgrace, into the devil’s trap.

 

I believe that every single word of the Bible (in its original languages) is exactly the word that God intended to be used with precisely the detail and nuance of meaning he desired. I am not implying malicious or deceptive intent on the part of the translators. I had to leave the "IF" out of the first sentence or it would have required the addition of a pronoun to make sense in English. But I wanted to avoid adding pronouns because this  is simply NOT a gender-oriented passage of Scripture. There is one male word and one female word in, what happens to be, one of the most difficult verses to translate in the entire Bible. Based on the interpretations of the early church father’s verse 2 is most commonly rendered as:

the husband of one wife

In Greek, this reads: aner heis gune. Aner is the Greek word for both Man and Husband. Heis is the word for One. Gune is the word for both Woman and Wife. Here are some possible translations of that phrase:

man one woman

husband one wife

the husband of one wife

a one-woman man

a man or a woman

a man and a woman

a husband AND wife

While I was attending Seminary, we would sometimes have philosophical discussions around the janitor’s room at the church where I was employed as we waited to clean up after an event. All of us were Seminary students and one of the discussions was over this passage. One of the Doctoral students admitted that no one really knows how to translate these 3 words. We all rely on what the church founders in the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries taught. But we simply cannot know for sure. Stop and think about that for a moment. Those three words are not translated the husband of one wife simply because linguistic experts truly believe that is the correct interpretation. The phrase is translated that way because no one can be 100% certain and the early church fathers translated it that way so modern scholars continue to do so based on that tradition.  Maybe they got it exactly right, but what if they didn't? Is it really worth breaking fellowship over a difficult and disputed passage? Imagine if the time spent arguing, searching and feuding online over this issue had been spent sharing the Gospel.

What if the intended meaning is to appoint a married couple to watch over each local church? A lot of the early churches met in people's homes.  Priscilla and Aquilla hosted a church in their home in Ephesus. There is also a married couple, Andronicus and Junia, who are listed among those church leaders highly esteemed by the apostles in Romans 16.  Another couple, Philologus and Julia, are greeted as well. If a husband and wife are one, as Scripture says, then how can one be called to a pastorate and the other not?  

Or what if the phrase is meant to indicate that a church should choose a man OR a woman? God used women such as Huldah and Deborah who are featured as important prophets in the Old Testament. Deborah was a judge. There are gates in Jerusalem named after Huldah which serve as a testimonial to remind us that the people would go out to her as she sat under a tree to receive judgements and wise advice. Several other women are on that esteemed list of early Christian leaders in the New Testament found in Romans 16 including Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis. 

I, for one, would not dare to pass judgement on a woman who loves God and faithfully serves him by proclaiming the Gospel and caring for the church. I would caution others against rushing to condemn a woman who has dedicated her life to the service of God by watching over His people, especially when the basis for such condemnation comes from a 3-word phrase of uncertain meaning combined with a disputed definition of the word pastor that some claim disqualifies her for the position. Now, the Bible does forbid a woman from usurping authority over a man in the church. That means that she can't push him down and use him as a stepstool to elevate her own position. Well, men shouldn't do that to women either. Pastors have been entrusted with the responsibility of introducing people to Jesus, discipling them, equipping them for ministry and then empowering them to use their gifts in the fullest way possible to serve God. As long as a pastor is doing that, it would be hard for a man or woman to run afoul of Scripture. I do not believe that a person's gender (and by gender, I mean biological sex) can disqualify her from performing the ministry God has called her to.  It seems like preventing half of Christians from preaching the Gospel and watching over the flock is something Satan might want, not something God would want. 

I would encourage you to ask yourself these questions: 

Is the good news about Jesus being shared? 

Are people being discipled and ministered to by a caring believer who loves them? 

Jesus gave the Great Commission to all believers.

The prophet Joel declared:

I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy...even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29)

Speaking of the equality of our standing and calling before God as his servants and his children, the apostle Paul wrote:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

The list in Romans 16 of those first century church leaders who were held in such high esteem by the apostles contained the names of men, women, married couples and family members. It was not their gender that qualified or disqualified them, it was their faith and life that qualified them.

What we can and should focus on is the qualities that an overseer should have AND those sinful, disqualifying personal traits that one should be without.

 

An Overseer SHOULD:

 

1. Be Above Reproach

          The word Anapileptos means to be blameless. A pastor should be someone that no one can bring a charge of wrong-doing against.

 

2. Be Calm

          Nephaleos describes a person who is serious minded. A leader should be difficult to rile up. One should remain calm, cool and collected.

 

3. Be of Sound Mind

Sophron is a compound word formed from sozo and phren which translates literally as a “Saved Mind.” Sozo is the word for salvation in the Bible. An overseer must be someone who is born again and has experienced the renewing of their mind, and the redemption of their thinking that comes from the Holy Spirit. Their mind should be full of Scripture which the Spirit can bring to bear in moments when their thoughts needs protection.

 

4. Be Organized

Kosmos is sometimes translated as well-behaved. But this type of structure involves even more. I envision this as someone who can see the whole picture. A minister should be an orderly thinker with a governmental mind to plan, prepare and watch over the ministries of the church. 

 

5. Be Hospitable

Philoxenos is the word for hospitable. A minister should be welcoming and friendly. This comes from two words. The first is the word for a host. The second word can describe a representative of the bridegroom who presents the marriage covenant to the bride and helps to make the wedding preparations. This is the role of a pastor—to present Christ’s marriage contract to his bride, the church and to get ready for the arrival of the groom. All Christians, in fact, are called to serve as God’s representatives and to invite people into a saving relationship with Him. Imagine if you were Isaac's representative, sent to present him in the best possible way to Rebecca to make a good impression for him by telling her what a good man he is, conveying his promises and his excellence. We know Jesus, the world doesn't. We have the privilege and honor of telling them about him.  Ministering a church service should look a lot like hosting a loving family gathering.

 

6. Be an Excellent Teacher

Didaktikos describes a person who is a skillful teacher, well-practiced in the art of instruction so they will be able to explain the nature of God and salvation, disciple others and train them to carry out the work of ministry. A teacher's conversation and worldview should be saturated with Scripture.

 

7. Be Fair

          Epieikes is contrasted with bullying. An overseer with this quality will be equitable, fair, mild and gentle.

 

8. Have a Good Reputation

          An overseer must be well thought of and lead a life that is a good witness to those outside of the church.

 

An Overseer MUST NOT:

 

1. Be a Drunk

Paroinos describes someone who is overly fond of alcoholic beverages and tends to indulge in them. Refraining from alcohol is also implied two of the other descriptors. A leader must be fully of the Holy Spirit and never impaired in their thinking, actions or decision making abilities.

 

2. Be a Bully

Plektes, derived from a word similar to plank, comes from the idea of flattening someone out. This word describes someone who runs over and bulldozes others both physically or spiritually

 

3. Be Greedy or Covetous

Aischrokerdes is someone who desires money so much they will cross boundaries to get it, someone who is willing to take advantage of others and use them for their own personal benefit. Aphilarguros is covetousness which pairs together with this. A pastor must not be jealous of what others have and this includes power. A pastor who is consumed with power will not allow church members to use their own gifts, let alone encourage and empower them as they should. 

 

4. Be Contentious

Amachos. Take a moment to look at that word…macho…A pastor must not be quarrelsome, a brawler or a contentious person. One must abstain from strife, arguing and fighting. Machisimo, or false bravado, is at odds with the ministerial life. Blustery, angry words and actions are out of line for a pastor. 

 

5. Be a Recent Convert

          It would be a mistake to place someone who is new to the faith and unconfirmed in a position of leadership over others. A novice might become arrogant and full of themselves, incurring judgement.

 

Final Thoughts

 

A further comparison is made between the way an overseer watches over their own household and the way one watches over the church. The passage describes someone who is a protector. A Shepherd must be someone who cares for, guards and defends their flock in the same way a parent watches over their own family. A pastor must gently usher the congregation into partnership in the same way that a loving parent brings their children into willing cooperation. An overseer must be the caretaker of the church. Take care of people.

 

The inappropriate addition of NINE male pronouns to the text of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 has caused people to obsess over the issue of sex to the point that a person’s gender is often the only qualification even being discussed for qualifying or disqualifying a person for the pastorate. This unfortunate circumstance has almost completely stifled any further discussion about the amazingly detailed description of the qualities and characteristics that a pastor should have. I hope you will help to shift the debate. 

If you would like more study on this issue, including a close look at 1 Timothy 2:12, click on the link to the previous article from this series below:

Can Women Teach Theology to Men?

The Last Supper: Passion Week Part 2

As Jesus returned to Jerusalem, he began making preparations to celebrate the Passover with his friends that Thursday evening. This last supper was to be the culmination of his disciple's training and a time when he would deliver essential teaching about the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit and what the future would hold for them, and for us. The Lord's Supper is meant to be a moment of reflection and remembrance, an opportunity for fellowship and a time of worship and thanksgiving. On the evening before Jesus was crucified, He established this memorial meal with His apostles. Luke 22:14-20 records the dinner: 

When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

When we call the supper Communion, it reminds us of the special relationship Jesus desires with us. We love a relational God who is personally invested in our lives and who earnestly desires connection with us.

The Passover was a feast God ordained for remembering how He delivered the people of Israel from bondage and slavery in Egypt. They sacrificed a lamb, placed it's blood as a covering over their door to protect them as a destroying angel passed them by, or passed over them and then ate a meal of roasted lamb, bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The next day, they left Egypt. Jesus is OUR Passover lamb. He was sacrificed for us so that we can be delivered from bondage and slavery to sin. His blood is our covering and protection from death. Let's take a moment and reflect on the powerful symbolism Jesus introduced as He ate the Passover with His friends.

 

Here are the 2 Elements of the Lord's Supper:

THE BREAD

At the dinner, Jesus presented His new Supper:

And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them and said This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 

The bread of the Passover was unleavened, meaning that it did not have any yeast in it. There is a popular saying in the Bible:

Don't you know that a little leaven, leavens the whole lump of dough? -1 Corinthians 5:6

Paul uses yeast to describe the invasive way that sin spreads. When Jesus used unleavened bread as a symbol of his body, it teaches us 4 things.

1. Jesus Lived A Sinless Life
The unleavened bread reminds us that Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life and we will one day be conformed to His image. 

Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as indeed you are. For Christ, our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old leaven or with the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

2. Jesus' Suffering and Death Was Substitutionary
His body was given for us. He was the substitute for us, taking the punishment we deserved for our sins. While it is true that, in accordance with prophecy, none of Jesus' bones were fractured, just like the bread, His body was broken for us. He was beat up, beaten with rods, scourged, forced to carry his cross until his body could take it no more, brutally crucified, then pierced through with a sword to puncture vital organs and make sure He was dead. 

He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities. The punishment for our peace was on him and by his stripes, we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

3. Jesus Rose from the Grave
Unlike a nice yeasty roll, unleavened bread does not mold. Unleavened Bread is the bread of haste. It is also much better to take with you on a journey because it won't go bad. 

Psalm 16:10, quoted again in Acts 13:35 declares: 

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol. You will not allow your Holy One to see decay. 

Because Jesus was sinless and perfect, he did not rot in the grave, but was raised to life. 

4. Jesus' Spirit Sustains Us
Jesus nourishes and refreshes our souls through His Spirit in our lives. In John 6:35:

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." 

THE CUP
After breaking the bread, Jesus presented the second element of his memorial meal, the cup.

 

In the same way, He also took the cup after supper and said: "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." 

If you were a young Jewish man in the 1st century and you wanted to gain a bride, you would go to her home and meet with the young lady and her father. After carefully making your intentions known and presenting a Covenant, or marriage agreement, you would pour a glass of wine. If the father approved of the Proposal, he would drink from the cup. If the prospective bride agreed, she would drink from the cup. If everyone drank from the cup, then you had an accord and the couple was betrothed. The bridegroom would then depart to go prepare a place for them to build their life together saying similar words to what Jesus said at the last supper as recorded in John 14:3:

I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself so that where I am, you may be also.

Sometimes in church we sing: "like a bride waiting for her groom, we'll be a church waiting for you." This is precisely the metaphor the Bible uses to describe Jesus’ relationship to his bride, the church. The cup of communion reminds us of our Covenant with Christ.

A young man would also leave a gift, a sign or promise of his true intentions toward the woman. In modern culture, an engagement ring is given. Jesus has also given us such a gift. In 2 Corinthians 1:22, we are told that God has:

...placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come. 

Other versions call the Spirit our Guarantee. Just like a bridegroom gave a gift to his future bride as a sign of his true intentions, Jesus has promised us a future home together in heaven and given us His Spirit as a token of his promise. 

He compares the fruit of the vine that we drink from the cup to his own blood. The Bible says:

For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. (Leviticus 17:11)

When we take the cup, we remember that Jesus spilled his blood for us, making atonement for our sins and reconciling us to God. With our drinking, we show that we have accepted his sacrifice and entered into a covenant with him.

 

Jesus ate a complete Passover meal with his disciples that evening. There is important symbolism in the other elements as well.

 

BITTER HERBS

At the original Passover meal, they were instructed to eat bitter herbs. For centuries these herbs have been used as a symbol for the bitterness of the captivity of the Hebrew people in Egypt under the harsh oppression of Pharoah. The herbs served as a reminder through the ages that God worked through Moses to set his people free. By that same line of thinking, we might stop and remember that we were all once in the bitterness and bondage of slavery to sin and oppressed by the devil, but Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and set us from bondage to sin. 

 

But I believe there is more to these bitter herbs. The bitter herbs that were native to the region were known as good medicine, able to cleanse, purify and detoxify the body. In the same way that the Hebrews were cleansed from the inside out physically, we need to be purified from the inside out--spiritually. 

 

Unlike the Passover meal, we do not eat bitter herbs at the Lord's Supper because Jesus has already endured the bitterness of the cross and provided all that is necessary for our cleansing and atonement. We need HIM to clean us up.

 

THE LAMB

 

We don't sacrifice a lamb, because Jesus is our Passover Lamb and the last sacrifice ever needed. As John the Baptist said:

 

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

 

When we eat the bread and drink the cup, we should remember the finished work of Christ on the cross and we should also remember that the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is ongoing.

 

When we accept Jesus, repent and are Baptized, we are JUSTIFIED in God's eyes. We are immediately put into a right standing and a repaired relationship with God---Forever. When we take the Lord's Supper, we are reminded that we are still being SANCTIFIED, or made Holy. We are being transformed to be more like Jesus. We experience Baptism once. We take communion over and over again. We receive the Holy Spirit once. He changes us and transforms us throughout our lives so that we look more and more like Jesus

 

Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

 

The repeated taking of communion reminds us that God isn't finished with us yet. He's still working by His Spirit in us, throughout our lives. 

 

Taking the Lord's Supper is a serious and wonderful occasion.

 

1. It is a MEMORIAL that helps us remember Jesus' sacrifice and teach others.

 

2. It is a time of THANKSGIVING as we consider with gratitude what God has done for us. 

 

3. It is an opportunity for FELLOWSHIP with other believers.

 

4. It is an act of WORSHIP where we connect with God and experience His Presence.

 

Jesus and His disciples highlighted the worship aspect by singing a hymn together at the conclusion of the meal, but truly, the entire supper is an act of worship.

 

At the supper, after Judas left, Jesus delivered a lengthy teaching emphasizing the importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives as our comforter, teacher and counselor and His very real Presence with us and within us. (John 14:15-27, 15:1-9, 26, 16:13) We should remember this in our own observance of communion. 

 

He shared these words to comfort his disciples and for those who accept his invitation: 

 

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don't let your heart be troubled or afraid. 

 

 

As He inaugurated the meal, Jesus said that he would not eat it again until his kingdom had come. There will come a day when the church will be united with Christ and we will eat a celebratory wedding feast together in heaven. Until then, we eat this meal to remind us of the joy that awaits us. Revelation 3:20 records Jesus invitation for all to come to his supper: 

 

I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

 

The invitation has been extended, will you eat supper with Jesus?

Here are links to the other articles in this series:

Palm Sunday: Passion Week Part 1

Psalm 22: The Song of the Cross (Passion Week Part 3)

Resurrection Sunday: The Whole Story (Passion Week Part 4)

Palm Sunday: Passion Week Part 1

 The final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry began with a unique entrance and a warm welcome to Jerusalem on Sunday. In just a few short days, he would be treated very differently. After our Lord raised Lazarus from the grave, many Jewish leaders wanted to see both of them dead. They could feel their grip over the people slipping as they turned their eyes toward Jesus. For this reason, Jesus and the disciples went East for a while until the time of Passover approached. On the way back to Jerusalem, he ministered in Jericho. After restoring sight to two blind men and enjoying a meal in the home of a short tax collector named Zacchaeus, Jesus and his disciples continued traveling toward Jerusalem but first they returned to Bethany, where they stayed with their friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

 

The following events are recorded in Matthew 21:1-17, Luke 19:29-44, John 12:12-19 and Mark 11:1-11, which I have quoted below:

 

1. Jesus Stayed Among Friends

 

When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” say “the Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.”   

 

Bethany, which means house of dates, is a village located along the road between Jericho and Jerusalem, about two miles outside of the city. Bethphage, meaning house of unripe figs, is a little over a mile south of Bethany. This is where Jesus and the disciples slept each night during the last week of his life. He would minister and teach in Jerusalem during the day and then seek refuge and rest among friends in the evening. Jesus is also called Emmanuel which means God with Us. Our Lord chose to spend time with people who loved him and to value those relationships during the last week of his earthly life. Our Creator is a relational God. We were created for a purpose which was deep fellowship and a loving relationship with Him. Jesus would soon redeem that purpose, restoring our relationship, and the manner in which he chose to spend the week of the Passion reminds us of the essence of that mission. I have to think that spending time with those he loved so much and those who had been his close companions helped him remember what all this was for and gave him strength to endure the trial that awaited him.

 

2. Jesus Used An Anticipated Means of Travel

 

Upon their arrival at Bethany, Jesus sent two disciples over to Bethphage to retrieve a donkey and bring it to him. Jesus had the men promise to return the colt when he was finished with it. Matthew’s Gospel adds that the colt was with its mother and they delivered both back to Jesus.

 

So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt? They answered them just as Jesus had said: so they let them go. They brought the donkey to Jesus and threw their robes on it and He sat on it.

 

Having displayed his power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave, and his power over creation by giving sight to the blind, Jesus now displayed his omniscience, giving specific instructions about the future. Matthew adds an important explanation as to why this is so important:

 

This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Tell Daughter Zion, See your King is coming to you, gentle and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.

 

Some of these words are recorded in Isaiah 62:11 and then again in more detail in Zechariah 9:9

 

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you, he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

 

Many Jews expected a worldly deliverance from subjugation to Roman rule, but Jesus had a much more important mission. He came to liberate us from the grip of Satan. He came to redeem us from the dominion of darkness. He came to free us from bondage and slavery to sin. Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem that day, not on a large, fully grown, well-trained and intimidating battle horse, but on a young donkey. He did not come that day to conquer the physical city of Jerusalem through force. He entered humbly, to bring us forgiveness. If an ancient King was on a mission of peace, he would not ride a war horse, but rather a donkey. King Jesus was on a mission of peace that day. He came to inaugurate a Kingdom that is not of this world. Luke informs us that as Jesus approached the city he wept, if only they knew what would bring them peace.

 

3. Jesus Hears the People Cry For Salvation

 

Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the trees. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

 

John clarifies that the leafy branches were Palm fronds. This is why we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry on Palm Sunday one week before Resurrection Sunday. Some speculate as to who was in the crowd and why they were there. John also answers these questions. The people who gathered to greet Jesus were those who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When they heard that Jesus was coming, the came out specifically for the purpose of greeting Him. They recognized that he was their Messiah and that he was bringing David’s Kingdom, though they didn’t realize it was a spiritual Kingdom. Luke notes that they shouted loudly and joyfully. The word Hosanna is a cry, asking God for salvation. Some translate it as save us, or save now. It’s like crying out to God Please save us. They were basically quoting from Psalm 118: 25-26 in which Hosanna is translated this way:

 

Save us, we pray, O LORD!

O LORD, we pray, give us success!

 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

 

The word Hosanna cries out for atonement. It wouldn’t be long before Jesus would provide such propitiation. Jesus had indeed come to save. It was his mission.

 

Matthew continues the story with more detail. On that day, or perhaps the next:  

 4. Jesus Responds to the Cries of the People

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken, saying “Who is this?” And the crowds kept saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee!” Jesus went into the temple and threw out all those buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. he said to them, "It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but your are making it a den of thieves." 

The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple complex, and He healed them. When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonders that He did and the children in the temple complex cheering “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus told them. “Have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants?” Then he left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

 

Herod, along with corrupt religious leaders, had basically monetized religion. They were living high on the 'something other than' hog at the expense of the poor. They had placed themselves in between the people and God, creating barriers to worship by adding to God's word and by profiting from selling the things people needed to make sacrifices to atone for their sin. Jesus came to tear the system down  and replace it. He would be the last sacrifice ever needed to atone for sin. They were all obsolete. He would provide what the people needed for their spiritual lives at great cost to himself and at no cost to us. He started by literally removing them from his house. Then he went about the business of his kingdom.

Faith was great on this day and Jesus healed many people. The religious leaders were displeased that the children were praising the Lord. Jesus quoted to them from Psalm 8:2

 

From the mouths of infants and nursing babies, you have established a stronghold on account of your adversaries in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.

 

There is power in praise and while people cried out for salvation and the children praised Jesus, the religious leaders were powerless to act. There is a special purity in the prayers and worship of young children. Jesus had previously said to let the little children come to him, that we must receive him the way a child would, that their angels always see the Father’s face and that the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as them. God ordained that their praise would create a stronghold. A stronghold is a place of safety, protection and strength. Ancient Kings would build mighty fortress castles to protect themselves. That day, through the praise of precious children, a spiritual stronghold was constructed to give us a foretaste of what the Kingdom of God is like. 

That day people received miraculous physical healing. Soon, they would be able to receive miraculous spiritual healing as well. When we praise God, we enter into His stronghold. When we cry out to Him, asking for salvation, He encloses us and keeps us safely within his love.

 

Conclusion

 

What is so remarkable is that the religious leaders saw Jesus performing these miracles, and yet they still wanted to kill him. They saw the proof that he was the Messiah but they either did not believe, or they did not want to relinquish power. Perhaps it was a little bit of both. Within a few days, they would seize their opportunity to end his life...or so they thought.

 

Many prophecies were fulfilled those days in Jerusalem. The secret was out. Jesus was the Messiah. Some rejoiced over this. Some doubted. Others resisted, as they still do today. The crowds cried out to him for salvation. Within a few days they would see that salvation, but it would come in a much different manner than what they expected.

 

Just as the people cried out to Jesus for salvation, the Bible assures us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. When we cry out to God for salvation, we are rescued, forgiven of our sins, redeemed, made new and restored into a right relationship with Him. Have you cried out to Him?

Here is a links to the other articles in this Passion Week Series:

The Last Supper: Passion Week Part 2

Psalm 22: The Song of the Cross (Passion Week Part 3)

Resurrection Sunday: The Whole Story (Passion Week Part 4)