Easter Sermon

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the disciples and their journey with Jesus. They, like us, had to move through many seasons – whether despair or elation, destiny or discouragement – they continued through as they watched the plans of God unveil in their lives. This all started with them being chosen by Jesus to be His disciples…

1. Chosen

I remember growing up and waiting to be picked in gym class. Some of you have fond memories of those days, being the first one that would be picked and running over to the side of your team and having them rejoice at the fact that you were there and that just your simple presence was ensuring your team the victory. And then there are the high fives and the chest bumps and the jeering of the other team who just wasn’t lucky enough to get you… OK, I’m not bitter. I’m just stirring up some repressed memories.

But, maybe you were on the other end of the spectrum. You were that kid who would stand behind that really tall girl and just give into the fact that the reason you weren’t picked first was because they couldn’t see you. Yes, that is what it is. They couldn’t see you. And then the girl is picked. And you are left standing there – exposed. Finally, everyone is picked except you and Willard – you know, the kid who eats his boogers for lunch. And the person picking teams is looking to you and then over to Willard and then back to you and then back over to Willard and you’re thinking to yourself – NO! PICK ME! PICK ME! And then you hear the words come out of this mouth. They come forward so slow. “I guess we’ll take… Willard”. The other team relents and takes you on their team and you feel like you just became the anchor that was taking this ship down.

That feeling of being looked over… that feeling of being forgotten… that feeling of being chosen last. It brings strong emotions. This was an emotion that the disciples had all felt. You see, in Jewish culture, there were two roads that you would go down as a young boy. The first was the hope of every parent in Jewish culture. It was the road of being chosen by the rabbi. The rabbi would pick certain young men who would come under their tutelage. These boys would follow the rabbi from town to town and learn from the rabbi and possibly, became a rabbi themselves one day who would then take people under their wings and teach them the way. This was the first road… the first path.

The other road was learning your father’s business and taking over the family trade. Whether it was carpentry or fishing, you would learn everything that you needed to know from your father and your father would assure that you had a firm understanding, grasp and ability to make the business your own. It is into this world that we find those first disciples who were called to follow Jesus.

It happened early on in the Gospels where Jesus is teaching by the sea and he calls his first disciples – who just happened to be fishermen. Fishermen who were working with their father. Fishermen who had been overlooked. Fishermen who were now hearing the call of the rabbi saying – ‘Come, follow me.’

I’ve heard people say, ‘How could they just leave their father there holding the nets?’ ‘How could they just leave the family business like that?’ On the other hand, ‘How could they not?’

For them, this was the chance of a lifetime. This was a golden opportunity and they had to take it. And for the father, I believe that there was no greater compliment to a dad then to have their son chosen to walk with a rabbi - especially a rabbi who had the following of Jesus. At the time that Jesus calls these first disciples to himself, the Bible tells us that He was teaching and that there were so many people there that Jesus had to use a boat as a pulpit just so he wouldn’t be crowded out. This was a rabbi who had an incredible amount of influence and one who was choosing these disciples to follow him.

So, these disciples followed Jesus and spent time with Jesus. They saw the miraculous. They saw the lame walk. They saw the blind see. They saw Him walk on water. They heard his teachings. They saw His faith. They saw His prayer life and reliance on His Father.

These disciples had an idea of what they were part of. A telling example is when Jesus looks at Peter and says, ‘Who do you say I am?’ And he replies, ‘You are the Christ. The Son of the Living God.’ Essentially, Peter is saying ‘You are the Messiah that we’ve been waiting for!’

Messiah, to a NT Jew, meant the fulfillment of what they and their parents and their grandparents and their great grandparents had been waiting for… stories past on from generation to generation of one who was going to come to make everything right… one who would make sense of this life. Now, in front of them, this one stood. And this one… this Messiah… was calling them to follow Him.

From this incredible feeling of elation and joy, came a sense of loss like no other…

2. Loss
Many of us know the story of Jesus and what happened on Good Friday. Whether it was the stories that we were told in Sunday School or the graphic rendition put together by Mel Gibson in the ‘Passion of the Christ’, we have some knowledge of what happened to Jesus.

I still remember when the depth of the loss became real to me. I was eighteen or nineteen and I was invited to this Christmas Cantada. Now, I wasn’t sure what a cantada was – and I’m still not too sure – but I found out that it was a play and a musical… at least this one was. Now, the church that I was in at this time was huge. It could sit a thousand pretty easily and I was in the last row. I was this little hoodlum, with my Duke starter jacket on who was there simply because it was Christmas and I was trying to make m parents happy. So I sat there, reluctantly, and watched.

Now Jesus comes in. I’ll never forget it. The ambiance was perfect. The music was joyous. The lights were bright white. The people were swinging around these palm branches and singing out ‘Hosanna! Hosanna!’ I can’t tell you why – maybe it was the lights or the music or the atmosphere, but I was caught up in this moment. I was into it. And then I saw Jesus. Jesus was riding up on a donkey. The people were singing to Him. The music was for Him. The praises were to Him. The lights were bright and on Him and there was a happy feeling in my gut and a smile began to infect my face – which wasn’t a common occurrence. And then everything changed.

The music went dark and the lights went red. The palms that were being held by the masses were dropped in heaps and replaced with fists which were pumping in the air. The beautiful lyrics which were being sung only moments earlier transformed into chants of ‘Crucify Him!’ ‘Crucify Him!’ The people, the same people who had just been praising him, grabbed him and threw him to the soldiers who stood by. They began whipping Jesus and beating Him with their fists and with the kicks. They then put Him on a cross and nailed Him there - hands first and then His feet. The music stopped. The movement stopped. The voices dissipated. Jesus was lifted up on the cross for all to see.

It was there, at that moment, that I got it – it made sense. I’ll never forget lifting the collars of my coat and covering my eyes because the tears began to fall, one after another. They took Him down and placed Him in a tomb. I felt the loss at that moment - the loss for me. The confusion – why did they do that? The pain – how could they do that? The hopelessness – now what am I to do?

It was there, at the foot of the cross and the base of the tomb, where we see the disciples questioning everything that they knew – everything that they believed. ‘It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.’ – you can hear one saying. ‘He was supposed to lead us in an uprising and we were supposed to win this battle’ – you could hear another. But instead they stood there in loss. Being brought from a place of hope and worth, only 3 years prior, and then taken to the depth of despair.


3. Redemption

It is in the midst of this despair that we see the redemption story becoming clear. It is in the story that highlights a woman and her trip to the tomb. This woman sees that the tomb is there, but that the stone which sealed it shut had been removed. Her immediate response is terror. ‘How could they take him? How could they steal him? Who would do such a terrible thing?’ She gets to the door, afraid to look in… afraid of what she might find. She looks and to her chagrin… it’s an empty tomb.
The disciple Luke tells us that as they are looking in bewilderment, two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. They spoke. ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!’

After this, we see moment after moment from the famous walk on the road to Emmaus to his appearance before the disciples, from his meeting with doubting Thomas to his ascension into heaven. There is a redeeming quality that takes place… a bringing back into focus.

I remember going to get glasses when I was young. The doctor would look at me and tell me to sit behind a machine. It looked like a magical contraption. I’d rest my chin on a smooth, shiny plate and lean my forehead into the padding. Everything I saw was blurry. I was looking through lenses, but the lenses offered me no hope to see. And then, one by one, the doctor would put a lens down and then put it up again. “Which is better?” He would say, “Lens one or two”. Again and again he’d do this until my vision was perfect – crystal clear.

I imagine that this would’ve been like the experience that the disciples were having on that morning. Foggy. Blurry. Confusing. Their reality made no sense. And then, the report of the tomb being empty. Lens one or lens two. And then, the road to Emmaus takes place and the testimony of Jesus’ resurrection comes again. ‘Lens one or lens two.’ Then, the upper room. He shows them His hands and His feet and the wounds which were there. Lens one or lens two. He sees Thomas and says, ‘Thomas, put your finger here. Thomas, take your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Lens one or lens two. And finally, Jesus, giving the Great Commission, goes to take His place at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Lens one or lens two. We see the disciples saying, “Yes! I see! This makes sense! I understand now! I get it!” And at that moment, the disciples are redeemed or brought back into the full understanding of the message of Jesus.

4. Purpose
And it was in that moment, that moment of understanding and clarity, that Jesus says this, “You have purpose! There is a reason for your existence! It is not by chance that you are here.”

Let that be the message of Easter. Let it be a message that God is in the business of taking broken hearts and broken dreams and thoughts that we messed up too much and our regrets and our pains and all those things which bring us down or cause despair in our hearts. That He can take all of this and say, “No. We’re not done yet. Yes, it’s been hard. Yes, it’s been tough. Yes, I know that there is pain. But the message of Easter is this… ‘We’re not done yet. We’re not finished. In fact, we’re just beginning. We’re just getting started.’

Listen, if you are here today and that made sense to you, then receive it. God is not done with you. You haven’t strayed too far. You haven’t messed up too much. You haven’t hurt Him too bad. His arms are open wide and He’s saying to you, ‘Come!’

The message of Christ is simple… ‘Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’ He doesn’t say, ‘Fix it yourself. Get your life together and then come see me and watch what I’ll do.’ He says, ‘Come as you are and then, and only then, can we walk this thing called life together. Arm in arm. Hand in Hand. Together.

Maybe today, you want to take that step into relationship with Jesus. Let’s pray today for that …

Christian Justice - Part One

Let me preface what you are about to see with a clear statment. Some of you will not be interested in this blog post. Some of you will be VERY interested in this blog post. It is the lesson that I'll be teaching this coming Wed. about Justice with reference to the book of Isaiah. You'll see it exactly as I wrote it with questions to ask and places to pause. I am doing this because I think that there are people out there who care about justice and want to play an active part in seeing it come to pass - they just need a subtle push. For some of you, let this be your push! Enjoy.

Christian Justice – Part I

What comes to your mind when I say the word “justice”?
What are some synonyms to this word “justice”?

So, the definition of the word justice is:
1. The quality of being righteous
2. impartiality; fairness
3. the quality of being right or correct
4. reward of penalty as deserved

Justice has a lot to do with ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’. Can you list some things that you would say is ‘right’ in life when it comes to the lives of teenagers? Can you give me a list of ‘wrongs’?

If we have a wrong idea of what’s right and what’s wrong in our minds, how can that affect your idea of ‘justice’?

Sometimes it is ignorance which keeps us from understanding injustice. Ignorance doesn’t mean we’re dumb, it simply means that we don’t know.

Can you give me an example of something that happened at school that demanded ‘justice’? do good on a test, kids get in a fight, cheat on test, graffiti

The Bible uses two words to look at justice. The first is ‘mish-pawt’ (pronouced) and means properly a verdict (favorable or unfavorable), a sentence or a divine law. Let’s read some verses using this word ‘mish-pawt’:

Lev 24:22 I am the LORD your God, and I demand equal justice both for you Israelites and for those foreigners who live among you. (H4941)

Pro 2:8 God sees that justice is done, and he watches over everyone who is faithful to him. (H4941)

Isa 5:16 But the holy LORD God All-Powerful is praised, because he has shown who he is by bringing justice. (H4941)

Psa 105:7 The LORD is our God, bringing justice everywhere on earth. (4941)

Hos 12:6 So return to your God. Patiently trust him, and show love and justice. (H4941)

Mic 6:8 The LORD God has told us what is right and what he demands: "See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God." (H4941)

Zep 3:5 All who do evil are shameless, but the LORD does right and is always fair. With the dawn of each day, God brings about justice. (H4941)

What are some things that we can learn from these verses about God and ourselves?

There’s another word that the Old Testament (Hebrew) uses for this word ‘justice’. This word is ‘tsaw-dak’. This word means ‘to be right in a moral or forensic sense’. So, we saw that ‘mish-pawt’ meant a verdict, ‘tsaw-dak’ means that thing which is right.

Deu 32:4 The LORD is a mighty rock, and he never does wrong. God can always be trusted to bring justice. (H6663)

Job 34:17 The mighty God is the one who brings about justice, and you are condemning him. (H6662)

Psa 45:7 You love justice and hate evil. And so, your God chose you and made you happier than any of your friends. (H6664)

Psa 58:11 Everyone will say, "It's true! Good people are rewarded. God does rule the earth with justice." (H6662)

Psa 97:6 The heavens announce, "The LORD brings justice!" Everyone sees God's glory. (H6664)

Isa 24:16 From all over the world songs of praise are heard for the God of justice. But I feel awful, terribly miserable. Can anyone be trusted? So many are treacherous! (H6662)

Isa 61:10 I celebrate and shout because of my LORD God. His saving power and justice are the very clothes I wear. They are more beautiful than the jewelry worn by a bride or a groom. (H6666)

Zec 8:8 and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their God, faithful to bring about justice. (H6666)

When we see this, we almost always see it equated with what God is bringing with Him. He’s bringing this sense of ‘rightness’ with Him and when we see injustice, we can be sure to know that He wants to be at work in the midst of it.

Can you give me any examples of injustice in the Bible?
How do we see God responding in the midst of that injustice?

In our lives, we all have seen things or been in situations that seemed ‘unfair’. Whether it’s someone being picked before us in gym class to not getting the scholarship we need for college, we’ve all faced unfairness in some way. There’s another word we’re going to look at today – “oppression”.

Definition: “Oppression is unfairness taken to extremes.”

Oppressors use lies and force to take what rightly belongs to someone else.

Can you give me some examples of oppressors from today or history that you read about or saw on TV?

What made them oppressors?

God is very patient with failures and mistakes and slips and backslides and screwups but is incredibly intolerant of oppression.

Let’s read a portion of scripture that we’re focusing on today. Isaiah 1:10-17

“Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah?” vs. 10

Who does it appear that Isaiah is talking to?

Can anyone tell me the story of Sodom and Gomorrah?

History tells us that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in the time of Abraham who lived around the year 2000BC. In his time Sodom and Gomorrah were completely destroyed. Isaiah lived around 700BC – 1300 years later.

This would be like me calling you after a city that was destroyed in 700AD. What made the story of Sodom and Gomorrah one that was remembered for 1300 years and then even over double that after this reference?

What were some of the attributes of Sodom and Gomorrah that Isaiah was trying to put on Judah?

Let’s keep reading.

“The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations – I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood…” vs. 11-15

If God were saying this message today to the church, what would it sound like? What words would be different?

If I was Judah, I would feel pretty helpless right now. Here, God has basically said that I could give as much money in the offering as I could and it wouldn’t make Him happy. I could pray till I was blue in the face and He won’t listen or even look at me. He’s telling me that all my special church services that I attend are worth nothing in His eyes.

If you were to look at an individual who gave money to the church, attended every time there was a service and prayed, would you think that this is what God would be saying to him? Why or why not?

The good news is that God gives hope. He’s in the hope business. This portion continues to say… “…Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong. Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” Vs. 15-17

I love how the CEV puts it. “Stop doing wrong and learn to live right. See that justice is done. Defend widows and orphans and help those in need.”

I’m a simple guy and I love simplicity. God, through Isaiah, makes this so simple for us.

Just from reading this, what do you think is more important in the eyes of God – coming to youth group or seeking justice? Coming to church or seeking to overturn injustice?

Let’s look a little deeper at this verse. We see the command from Isaiah – ‘Stop doing wrong!’ We have to remember that Isaiah was not an evangelist at this moment trying to get people to turn to God. He is talking to the ‘church’. He is talking to believers.

What wrong doing do you see in some people who follow God today?

If you don’t want to answer this aloud, you don’t have to. But if you do, you can. What wrong doing have we seen when we look in the mirror?

The command, right after ‘stop doing wrong’ is "learn to live right". If the command is to learn, this means that it is not innate. It is something that we have to develop or learn.

What are some things that we can do to ‘learn to live right’?

Next, two words ring loud – “Seek Justice”. This word seek can mean to tread or follow or ask or question. It gives the idea that we should look intently for justice and, if we don’t find it, begin to question why it isn’t there. Conversely, we should locate where we do see justice and find out what is allowing that situation to be just, learn from it and apply it elsewhere.

“Encourage the Oppressed” is the next command. The King James Version of the Bible says ‘relieve the oppressed’. The word used here can mean ‘to be straight with’ or ‘to be honest with’ or ‘to be right, honest or happy with’. When I first read this I thought to myself, ‘I wouldn’t want to be straight and honest with someone who is oppressed – it said that I was supposed to encourage them, not depress them.’ Then I started thinking. They know their situation. They know what’s going on. And, if my heart’s right and I really want to help them out of their oppression then my honesty will be a sense of encouragement toward them.

Let’s take a moment and look at the oppressed. Give me some examples of those who are oppressed in some different categories:
1. In the world
2. In the US (country)
3. In Arizona (state)
4. In Wickenburg (city)
5. In our school

The next command is to ‘Defend the cause of the fatherless’.

What does it mean to defend?
In your opinion, who are the fatherless?
Can you think of some other people who need defending?

Lastly, we read that we are to ‘plead the case of the widows’.

What is life like for a widow?
What does it mean to plead their case?

I am a fan of simplicity and pleased that God used Isaiah to make this portion of scripture so simple for me. Unfortunately, its simplicity to understand does not lessen its difficulty to implement. I see the need. It’s immense. It’s vast. It’s more than I can handle at some times. But if not you… then who? And if not now… then when?

I hope you enjoyed!
GP
www.gphintz.com

Photos from our Food Drive 3

Hope you enjoyed,

GP

www.gphintz.com

"When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, 'Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside (the dish) to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.'" Luke 11:37-41

Lord, help me always be willing to give what is inside my dish to the poor... Help me to never focus so much of my energy on keeping the outside of my bowl shiny and beautiful for the world to see at the detriment to that which is within. Allow me to forfeit a bright, beautiful dish for a vessel which is being poured out and used and of great worth - not for its monetary value, but for its purpose and reason for existence.

GP
www.gphintz.com

Mexico Mission Trip Video - RAV 2008

Hello y'all! I hope you enjoy this video. If you want a truly clear picture of what our mission trip at Rancho Agua Viva in Ensenada, Mexico was like, I think that this video will truly answer any questions you may have! Enjoy!

www.fpcwickenburg.com

www.igniteyouthgroup.com

www.aguaviva.com

GP

www.gphintz.com

The Tin Man - Where's My Emotions?

The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939 and starred Judy Garland. It has been a hit for generations and still one that kids and adults alike both reference. The cast of characters includes Dorothy, Toto, The Scarecrow, The Lion, The Tin Man, The Wizard, The Wicked Witch of the West and a variety of others. I’d like to take a few of these characters and look a little deeper at their search and talk about those things which they were looking for.

The Tin Man:

Now, the tin man’s desire is found in the song he sings when he meets Dorothy:

When a man's an empty kettle he should be on his mettle,

And yet I'm torn apart.

Just because I'm presumin' that I could be kind-a-human,

If I only had heart.

I'd be tender - I'd be gentle and awful sentimental

Regarding Love and Art.

I'd be friends with the sparrows ...

and the boys who shoots the arrows

If I only had a heart.

Picture me - a balcony. Above a voice sings low.

Wherefore art thou, Romeo? I hear a beat....

How sweet.

Just to register emotion, jealousy - devotion,

And really feel the part.

I could stay young and chipper

and I'd lock it with a zipper,

If I only had a heart.

Now, we can see from this song that the tin man believed that there were certain things that would happen if he had a heart. He'd be able to register emotion. He'd feel like he belonged. He'd appreciate things more. He'd hold on to his youth. The tin man believed that if this one thing could change in his life that he'd be so much better. He believed that his life would be different. If only this one thing could happen.

What about you? What's that one thing that you're holding out for that will make everything perfect? That perfect someone? That new job? That raise? That 98" flatscreen TV? (now that would be sweet!) We all have things that we're holding out for. Things that we want. Things that we need. The problem comes when we believe that those things will alleviate all of our pains, hurts and lack of purpose in life...

The tin man wanted something that was more than just 'stuff'. He wanted to feel. He wanted to sense emotion. I talk with people who cut themselves and they tell me that they do it to feel. They tell me that the pain that they're afflicting on themselves becomes greater than the pain buried in their hearts.

There's a verse in the book of Joel that reads, "…rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster." Joel 2:13

In Old Testament Bible times the people would rip their clothes and throw ashes on their head to show the world and themselves that they were turning to God. Here, Joel says something very interesting. He said, 'don't worry about your clothes, but look to your hearts'. He's encouraging them to open their hearts to God... to feel again... to sense emotion again... to allow the reality of their life and their failures to hit them again...

Now, following this, Joel gives a picture of God that is steeped in emotion. 'Gracious'. 'Merciful'. 'Slow to Anger'. 'Abounding in Love'. He's saying 'Rip your hearts open for a God who understands and feels emotion. Be real and be honest before a God who loves you. Don't be afraid for you have nothing to fear for He is abounding in love'.

Maybe you know what it feels like to bury emotion deep. Maybe you know what it's like to cut yourself to cover the pain. Maybe you know what it feels like to not feel. Well, today God is calling you to take a risk. He's asking you to open your heart before Him. He's asking you to be real with Him. He's asking you to open the steel door which holds all of your emotions and let Him in. His promise is that it may hurt, but He'll be with you every step of the way.

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

GP

http://www.gphintz.com/

Blood Padding

I came across a beautiful picture of God's love that has really rocked me to my core. As you know, i've been reading through the Bible and spending a great amount of time in the Pentateuch. I've been studying God's movement among His people and His grace and His justice and His specific plans for His people's actions and His temple. His specific measurements and ingredients for the Tent of Meeting and Tabernacle have definitely been overwhelming. However, last night i read something awesome in a book i'm reading. It was talking about the ark of the covenant and it read like this:

"On the Day of Atonement the high priest took a goat and sacrificed it. Then the goat's blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. God dwelt above the mercy seat in a cloud of glory, so that blood was put between the visible manifestation of God's presence and the broken law within the ark. So blood was put between God and the broken law... the priest could put blood between a holy God and the broken law so his sin could be covered and removed." Man's Problems and God's Answers by J. Dwight Pentecost

We see from the book of Deuteronomy 10:1-5 that the tablets put into the ark were the second set that were written by the hand of God, however it is so important to understand the symbolism behind these tablets. I had never considered the fact that the tablet of the law inside of the ark was broken at one time - not just physically broken, but also symbolically. I knew that Moses threw the original to the ground. I knew that it had been broken, but never connected the idea of a 'broken law' until now.

The blood was put between God and the law - the law which was symbolically and actually broken by His people. And through the blood of that goat, forgiveness was attainable for one year. And through the blood of Jesus, forgiveness is attainable forever. It is the only thing that stands between a Holy God and the broken law of our lives. Just something to think about...

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

Nikolai Ge's Judas

This is a painting entitled 'Judas' done by the Russian Painter Nikolai Ge (1831-1894). He was a student at the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia. I think that it encompasses the emotion of my previous blog... Take a moment and really look at the details of the painting and then close your eyes to listen...

GP

www.gphintz.com

Judas' Pavement of Decisions

Reading through Matthew, I'm saddened by the few verses that i see dedicated to Judas Iscariot in Matthew 26. I mean, i know what's going to happen and i know the end of Judas' story, however it's still amazing for me to sit back and read the words.

"Then one of the twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went to the chief priests and asked, 'What are you willing to give me if I hand him (Jesus) over to you?' So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas looked for an opportunity to hand him over." vs. 14-16

Just going through this short portion of scripture, i see the digressing steps that are leading Judas to his demise. Deep down, i had always hoped that Judas was sought out by the evil priests and taken advantage of. That he was tempted and lured into his poor decisions. But, this portion of scripture tells me quite the contrary. I see the chief priest asking themselves, 'How the heck are we going to get this Jesus? We need to get him, but how?' And then i see Judas who 'WENT TO' them.

Now, it's probably not by chance that this portion of scripture is preceded by the anointing of Jesus and the alabaster box of precious oil and the statement that the disciples became very 'indignant' about the oil being poured over the head of Jesus. In their minds, that oil should've been sold and the money given to the poor. And even though most of their intentions were probably pure, you have Judas - the treasurer - sitting there watching all of this money disappear over the head of Jesus. And in John 12 we find out that the one who made a vocal disapproval of this action was none other than Judas himself. 'Why wasn't this sold for 300 pence and given to the poor?' And this is followed by a clear picture into the heart of Judas, 'This he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the money bag and often took some for his own use.'

Seeing this ointment and money poured over the head of Jesus must've enraged Judas. And the Bible says that he 'WENT TO' the chief priests. The word for 'went to' is the Greek word 'poreuomai' and means 'to pursue the journey on which one has entered'. So, we see Judas pursuing a journey on which he had already started. When did he start this journey? Was it the day he was born? Was it the day he met Jesus? Was it the first time that he stole from the treasury?

I am unable to pinpoint the exact point when Judas started his journey which led to his demise. However, i am able to look at my life and the lives of many people who have lived on this earth and understand that life is a progression... a path... a road to travel which is paved by the decisions which we make. The choices aren't always easy, but they will direct us as one decision folds into another which folds into another which folds into our destiny.

Every day we are forced to make decisions which will take us closer to God or further away. Maybe they aren't as 'extreme' as stealing from the purse of God, but they may be a question of what we'll say, do or see... It is one idea... followed by one decision... followed by one action.

Today, let's ask ourselves about the decisions we've been making. Where is the road of our life taking us? Where is our pavement headed? And, if it's not headed toward the destination that we desire, let's turn the car around before our 'right' decisions become a speck on the horizon that can't be seen with the naked eye...

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

Sin, Death and Cannibalism

Going into my study on the book of Leviticus, i must admit that i was fairly pessimistic. I have read the book before and could equate my reading time as a great high in Genesis (one of my favorite books in the Bible), a slight decline of excitement into Exodus with an incredible boring lull in Leviticus which carries me through the remainder of the Pentateuch. However, i am pleased to say that i am thoroughly enjoying my time in Leviticus and came across an incredible set of verses that i'd like to share with you.

The portion of scripture is highlighting the 'sin offering' which was the animal sacrifice that the Jewish people would make to atone (or amends for) their sin and is found in Leviticus 6:24-30. Now, i haven't made sense of every detail yet, but i find a striking resemblance here to some very common New Testament words of Jesus.

"The Lord said to Moses, 'The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the Lord ... it is most Holy... Whatever touches any of the flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is splattered on a garment, you must wash it in a Holy Place... Any male in the priest's family may eat. It is most holy.'"

Here's a description of what Jesus did and said. "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19-20

The Sin Offering? One who takes away the sins of the world? One who washes clean? One who can be taken and eaten?

I'm reminded of my Catholic upbringing and one of the prayers that has been singed into my brain stem from weekly repetition...

"...Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us
You take away the sins of the world
Receive our prayer..."

Now I've studied about the scapegoat and the laying on of hands by the priest and sending the goat from the camp and if you're unfamiliar with this story, i'd encourage you to study it out or stay tuned and we'll cover this in the future. However, this portion of scripture in Leviticus gives us insight into the words of Jesus - 'this is my body'.

'Body' in this context is the Greek word 'soma' which simply means 'the body of a man or an animal'. Flesh. Meat. Body. So, when Jesus is saying this, He's declaring that this bread was His actual flesh. Now i'm not going to debate transubstantiation right now, but i do want you to see the word picture that the disciples are seeing. They are quite familiar with Leviticus. They've learned about offerings their entire lives. They had read Leviticus 6 many times and now Jesus is standing before them saying, 'Take and eat my body'. What a vivid picture of Jesus telling them, 'Listen up guys! I am the sin offering. I am here to take away your sins and the sins of the entire world. You guys are worthy. You guys are my priests. You guys, come on, take and eat the sin offering today. This is it guys.'

So, what we see here is the realization that Jesus has come for a greater purpose than to be a great teacher. We see that Jesus is calling them out of a life of mediocrity and telling them that they were worthy to be called priests. We see that Jesus is saying, 'Yes guys. You are priests now. You have a mission and today I'm allowing you to see yourself, not as fishermen or tax collectors, but as priests. Priests for a Holy God. Take and eat.'

Now, in this same way, we are called to take and eat. We are called to partake in the Lord's supper. We are called to 'do this in remembrance of me'. Understanding that when we do, we are taking of the sin offering. We are receiving that free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. And we are accepting the realization that we are called to be God's priests on this earth. No matter what our occupation may be. No matter what our family may see us as. No matter what our history looks like. When we take and eat, we are lining ourselves up with the will and plans of God and saying, 'Yes!'

1 Peter 2:5-6 "As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him - you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

The sin offering has been made and we are encouraged to take and eat of it. If you've not made that decision in your life, i'd encourage you to stop, find a quiet place and spend some time communicating with God. You speak, but also be quiet before Him and allow Him to minister to you. His plans for you are great - take the first step today.

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

A Tux to Talk About

Oftentimes, when i reach a more difficult passage to understand in the Bible, my first inclination is to simply skip over it or move on to the next concept, idea or parable. I had this temptation when i stumbled across Matthew 22, but fought it to comprehend.

I wanted to know what Jesus was talking about with the wedding feast and why did the poor sap get kicked out of the party just because he wasn't wearing the 'right' clothes. I mean, come on, i've been at weddings where the "distant cousin" comes in with jean shorts and a metallica t-shirt on, smelling of cheap beer and cat urine. Sure, many whispered of his arrival, but no one would kick him out. He was still family.

And this simple truth - family - is what i have discovered. The concept of wedding clothes here is very important; not only for the actual story, but for what the story represents to its listeners. Matthew 22 starts with a parable that's equated to the Kingdom of Heaven and a king who is preparing a wedding feast for his son. The people who were originally invited paid no attention and went back to their homes and some, who were left over, actually murdered those who had brought the invitations. When the king heard this he was ticked! He sent out his army, killed the murderers and destroyed the entire city. Then, he was still going to have a party so he sends some more servants back out.

These servants have only one agenda - 'Invite as many people as you can find'. In fact the king says, 'Go into the highways and as many people as you find - invite'. And this is exactly what the servants do. In fact, the Bible says that they invite both 'good' and 'bad'. (Matthew 22:10) I was intrigued by this verse and wanted to see what the Bible meant by 'good' and 'bad'. I found out that the word used for 'good' is "agathos" and means 'upright, honorable, good, pleasant, etc.' On the other hand, the word 'bad' is "poneros" and means 'of bad nature or condition and, in an ethical sense, evil or wicked'.

I found this comparison in another portion of scripture from Matthew - chapter 7. The Bible says,

'Every good tree brings forth good fruit while every corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that doesn't bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. By their fruit you should know them.' 7:17-20

Now 'corrupt' is the word "sapros" and actually means 'rotten, putrefied, unfit for use, worthless, etc.' And so we see that the fruit of 'good' or 'bad' is actually produced by what is inside - whether rotten or healthy.

At the actual wedding feast there is one man in our parable that is noticed by the king and this man is chastised for not having a 'wedding garment' on. This man was probably still wearing the clothes that he was out working in or that which he was sitting in the streets in. The man was speechless and the king has him bound and cast out of the party and into the darkness.

Now, i spoke of how i just wanted to skip this passage over. I didn't want to deal with the 'reason' behind this one individual being kicked out when all of the others were allowed to stay. None were 'religious' or 'worthy' of having an audience with the king. Why was this one chosen? The answer is simple. Not because of what he had, but because of what he didn't have.

The wedding garments were there. The wedding garments were available. My main trouble with this verse was seeing this wedding feast through the eyes of today. Imagining some derelict trying to tie a bow tie and putting on a cumberbum in order to partake in the festivities. However, the word for garments found in the King James is 'raiment' and is equated with an 'outer covering' or 'cloak'. This was something that he would "put on". Something that was available. Something that was there. Something that was accessible to all.

The Jewish audience would've been quite familiar with the passage that Jesus was alluding to found in Zephaniah 1:7-8 "Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited. On the day of the Lord's sacrifice I will punish the princes and the king's sons and all those clad in foreign clothes."

The raiment that Jesus was speaking about was Himself. The disciples would be sent out to invite all - the good and the bad. There will come a day of reckoning where all will stand before the King and it'll be at that moment where we all will be seen for who we really are and if we have chosen to 'put on' the right clothes for the party.

Maybe you're hearing this story for the first time and it is making sense to you. Maybe you want to know that when you're standing at the wedding feast of God that He'll come to you and throw His arms around you. Maybe you want to put on this spiritual raiment today. Well, Jesus died and rose again so that we could have life and His gift of eternity is free. Simply turn to Him, ask for forgiveness and commit your life to follow Him. There's no prescripted prayer, just a heart that longs for their creator crying out for a relationship.

Be encouraged!

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/

Shooting the Wounded? Hope not...

It has been said that the church is the only army which shoots its wounded...

I pray that this isn't true... but sometimes i'm forced to stop and think...

Please pray for Ted Haggard today.

GP

http://www.gphintz.com/