November 14 – Matthew 28 & Mark 16

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 28 & Mark 16. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

When I was young (somewhere between five and seven years old) I had a project I was working on and I borrowed a pair of my father’s adjustable pliers. I do not know why but these pliers where designed to come apart; a fact that I was not aware of.  While using them they did just that; came apart. I was petrified that I had broken the pliers. I did not ask permission to use them, so instead of owning up to my error I took the pliers and hid them behind a shelving unit in the basement. From the moment I hid them I began rehearsing my story for the day when I would get caught. I have never gotten caught for my crime (I even checked for the pliers sometime in high school and they were not there anymore. I am assuming they were found apart, put back together with a question as to how they ended up falling behind the shelf). However, that day I began a practice in my life of preparing a statement for wrongs committed.

Have you ever done it in your life? You do something wrong so you begin talking to yourself preparing your statement … what your going to tell, how your going to tell it, what details you are going to add (embellished or not), what details you will conveniently leave out, and on and on. Now I do not know why you do it, but as an adult I know why I do it. I do it because I do not think quickly on my feet. I like to be prepared. I write an outline/manuscript of my sermons because I do not think quickly on my feet. I was never the kid to raise my hand to answer a question, because I took a while to process the question. My daughter is now three years old, very perceptive, so my wife has started spelling things, and we got in an argument because I have a hard time processing what she is spelling. My brain processes slowly in many regards, and because of that I gave rehearsed explanations for my crimes.

In our reading today we see that very thing play out with the Jewish leaders. When the women go to Jesus tomb the tomb is empty. Jesus is not there. The men who were supposed to be guarding were doing their job but they had no power over God. Jesus resurrected. However, this empty tomb meant possible death for these guards. What were they to do? What were they to say? Well the Jewish leaders had their backs. They gave them a prepared statement to go to the Roman officials with. Now this was not to protect the guards, but to control the story.

The Jewish leaders did not want people believing that Jesus actually resurrected. They wanted people to believe His disciples stole the body. So they prepared and rehearsed and shared their story. But friends, as we know, there is greater power in truth. Truth needs no preparation. Truth needs no rehearsal. Truth needs no thought. Truth is truth, and it will stand the test of time. That is the beauty of the Gospel. The tomb of Jesus is empty. He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!

November 13 – Luke 23, and John 18 & 19

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Luke 23, and John 18 & 19. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Serf Publishing Inc.

The reason the Jews chanted crucify was they felt threatened. They felt threatened by the claims Jesus made. They felt threatened that He might mess up the power they had by causing a revolt, and bringing the hand of Rome down even stronger. So to get rid of the threat, they sought Jesus death. I do not believe any of this went unnoticed by Pilate.

When Jesus was placed on the cross, Pilate had a sign simply reading … “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (John 19:19 NLT) Did Pilate do this because he really believed Jesus was the King of the Jews? I do not believe so. Did he do this because he couldn't stand what the Jewish leaders were making him do? Possibly. Did he do this to get back at the Jews? Absolutely. I am sure he saw these people as a problem, so just to grind it in, he did something that made them mad.

And did it ever. Like little children crying to their parents to make someone else change their behavior, they objected and said … “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to “He said, I am King of the Jews.” (John 19:21 NLT) They did not want people believing that Jesus was their King. But they did not get their way. Pilate told them no.

What the Jews did not understand is that what Pilate had written was the truth. Jesus was the King of the Jews. His family tree took Him all the way back to King David. His blood line was pure royalty, both as a descendent of David and as the Son of God. Now the King of the Jews was about to become the savior of the world. These men who sent Jesus to cross, who felt threatened by His claims, did what was necessary. Their fear brought salvation to the world. For that I am thankful. 

November 12 – Matthew 27 & Mark 15

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 27 & Mark 15. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: Microsoft Clip Art

It is hard to imagine crucifixion as a good thing. Its history dates back all the way to the Assyrian Empire … the same empire that ended up destroying the northern kingdom of Israel in 725 B.C. It was a rather rudimentary procedure … they basically took a log, sharpened the end, impaled a person through their stomach and then placed the log in a hole in the ground to let the person slowly die. By the time the Romans arrived on the scene and the Jewish leaders chanted crucify, crucifixion had become a perfected art form, designed to cause the most excruciating death possible. Crucifixion could take hours, or days, or even up to a week to claim the life of its victim.

With all that in our minds it is hard to see the cross as anything but gory. So we have canceled all that out. We now look at the cross as a decoration for our churches and our homes. We now wear crosses on our necklaces. We now use the symbol as a marking that we belong to Christ. Why? Because of what Christ did on the cross. Christ paid our debt on the cross. The cross which was gory has now become a symbol of glory.

It is through Jesus that the terrible cross became beautiful. Think about that as you listen to the words of Selah’s song Beautiful Terrible Cross. If you cannot see the video in your RSS reader or email click here. 

November 11 – John 14-17

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from John 14-17. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

In our reading today we find Jesus discussing in great length what is about to happen to Him. While He discusses it in great length, there is a lot of detail that was probably confusing to the disciples. In fact it was confusing to me and I have the ability to look back with the cross and resurrection already in mind. Regardless this is a wonderful discussion given by Jesus that reveals His true identity and purpose on this earth.

The discourse concludes with Jesus offering a prayer for Himself, the disciples who made up the remaining eleven, and all followers to come. This prayer ends with Jesus praying for us, the followers throughout the ages. As I finished the prayer I wandered if Jesus would look at the church today and feel sad for the state it’s in. Look back at the words of His prayer … “May they experience such perfect unity that they world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” (John 17:23 NLT) Do you think the church makes Jesus proud?

I do not know the answer to that per say, but I do not the church today is not unified. How many “brands” of Christianity exist? How may different doctrines have split churches? How many worship wars have wreaked havoc on congregations? How many building programs have created a wedge between people of faith?

As a minister of a “restoration” church it my mission to seek unity. I love the phrase, “in matters of faith unity, in matter of opinion liberty, in all things love.” I also love the saying, “not the only Christians but Christians only.” These remind me that no matter what difference we may have, there is only one church and that church is made up of all people who have found a life saving relationship with Jesus Christ. When we begin to live like that, we begin to fulfill the prayer of Jesus. 

November 6 – Matthew 24

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 24. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Our reading today had the disciples seeking clarification on a teaching of Jesus after He predicted the destruction of the Temple. This clarification turned into a teaching on the coming days. Now many turn this teaching of Jesus into a discussion on the last days. I am not confident that this is a true discussion on the last days of this earth. O certainly there are elements that point to the last days, but the majority of the conversation points to what will happen to the disciples after the resurrection.

There are several reasons we read into this passage end times discussion. In a few places the text specifically talks about the end of days. In those instances that is probably the implied teaching. But we must be careful to only read that in those sections. Other sections are Jesus preparing His disciples for what they will face as they carry the message of the gospel to the world.

We must be careful when reading the Bible to seek the author or speakers intended purpose. Too many times we come to the Bible with our theological point of view regardless of the truth. Just imagine if you read the Bible each time for the first time, with no understanding of Christianity. How would that alter the way you read the Bible? I know for me it would be transformational. Next time you sit down to read, clear your mind and absorb the Bible with a fresh mind. 

November 5 – Matthew 23 & Luke 20 & 21

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 23 & Luke 20 & 21. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

I apologize for the lack of posts these last few days. We have been out of town and while I have had internet access I did not have the ability to use my laptop to post. Thank you for your understanding.

There are many areas that people feel uncomfortable discussing in a church setting ... sex and money tend to be two that top the list. However, Jesus does not steer clear of either; especially when it comes to money. Jesus was not uncomfortable with it. We only are because we often have a warped view of money; mainly because we look at it as ours.

One day Jesus was in the Temple with His disciples. As He stood there watching the crowds he noticed two distinct people. The first was a group of people. They were wealthy people. Tradition and historical records have taught us that the money was given in such a way that when it was placed in the offering jars a sound would ring out. The sound indicated the level of the gifts. Through this wealthy people were able to show off what they were giving.

The second was a single widow. This widow came to the time of offering and dropped in two small coins. These coins wouldn’t have made much of a racket, especially in a crowded and noisy Temple. While the masses missed what she had done, the creator of the universe did not. He saw more than anyone in the crowd would have seen even if they were watching … He saw her heart.

She did not give for show. She did not give to be honored by those around her. She didn’t give because of an obligation. She gave because of love. Jesus indicated this much as He called to attention her gift … “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.” (Luke 21:3-4 NLT).

Our giving reflects our heart. Our giving reflects our love of the church. Our giving reflects our love of our God. Be honest with yourself … if you were in the Temple, what would Jesus say about your giving?

Want to hear more about how to handle your finances join us for worship at West Side as we take a Clear Thinking Approach to Stewardship.