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January 6, 2019 - “The Path of Godliness” Psalm 1

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Introduction

Our solitary life is in a balance. Who we are and what we may become is a personal choice. We make desperate measures we think for our good but do much damage to our souls. It is not a dead end when we make a wrong choice. The great lessons in life are painfully discovered in our breaking points. Amidst the maze of life we can be redeemed from our frailties and failures. In the agony of our souls we search our hearts to sort out the noble from the mundane. We come to our own senses and find our home back to God. In solitude we dwell in the presence of the Lord and listen to his still voice. In darkness we nurture our souls in light of the Scriptures. We embrace and cherish the Bible that we have so long taken for granted. In coming back to God and in obedience to his Word, we can learn our lessons well in life and make a fresh start.

I grew up as a religious person. Despite my religiosity, my whole being could be summarized in one word: restless. When I was thirteen years old, my aunt gave me a strange gift. It was a New Testament Bible. I would rather have received any other gift for I wondered what good this book could ever do in my life. Four years in high school, the Bible was a closed book to me. Four years in college, the Bible was a dead book to me. Yet, through all those years I wrestled with the agony of my soul. I knew what was good but was bound with guilt. My motives were defiled expressed in secret misdeeds. In my sinfulness I was restless! In the malady of my soul amidst my utter restlessness I welcomed to end it all by placing my life into my bare hands. In that desperate moment I looked up to heaven and uttered a short prayer, “God if you are real, show yourself to me.” In 1980 during my fourth year in college, I heard of the gospel of Jesus through the ministry of the Campus Crusade for Christ. The core of the gospel truth that spoke to my heart was John 3:16. In response to the great love of God who gave his Son for my behalf, I turned away from my sin and yielded my life to Jesus Christ.

That unexpected crossroad of knowing Jesus Christ defined my life. At last, I found rest for my soul! The first thing I did was to go home to find the book I despised. When I found the Bible, I pressed it hard into my heart with a word of deep gratitude, “This is the best gift I ever received in my life.” Since then I learned and still do to walk with God every day guided by his Word. That was almost forty years ago. To this very day I hold in my hands this Book of Life.  And I have no room for regrets.

The Bible is the final authority of the Christian faith and life. Our knowledge of God and how we conduct our lives rest upon our attitude to the Holy Scriptures. Our destiny, here and now and for eternity, is determined on how we handle the living and enduring Word of God. It is for this reason that we remind ourselves of the historic account when Moses gave his final word to his own Hebrew people.

In the renewal of their covenant to the LORD their God prior to entering the Promised Land, Moses gave this solemn charge to his own people. The essence of his parting word applies to every people of the world.

“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deut. 30:19-20a)

The covenant of God for Israel is binding for us. A blessed life is governed by the Word of God. To this noble end we are called to “listen to his voice.” This noble call is echoed by the psalmist for all of us.

There is a clear distinction that sets apart those who treasure the Bible from those who do not. The very first chapter of the Book of Psalms is a song of prayer that defines the great contrast between the righteous and the wicked. The righteous are blessed for they live by the Word of God (1:1-3). And the wicked who despise it are unfortunate (1:4-6).

A.  The Righteous (1:1-3)

Who are the righteous in the sight of God? The righteous walk in godliness, delight in the Scriptures and live a fruitful life.  

1. The Path of the Righteous

Those who are right with God walk in the path of godliness.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” (1:1)

Blessedness dispels the notion of shallow happiness based on favourable circumstances. Rather, the biblical thought of blessedness speaks of the highest good bestowed by God to whom he extends his sufficient grace. To be blessed is to experience the fullness of life being assured that God works all things together for our ultimate good and for his glory. A blessed man can be poor but remains grateful and generous in life. A blessed woman in the bed of sickness despite her pain enjoys the sweet communion in the abiding presence of God. A blessed person under severe persecution finds his solace in the safekeeping of God and learns to repay good for evil. Blessedness is to have inward stability and restful peace in whatever circumstance in life. Anchored upon this biblical perspective, the psalmist declared a defining stand of blessedness.

First of all, a blessed person does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. In the time of the judges in the Old Testament, this was the awful description of the Hebrew people, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Judg. 21:25). In such condition of lawlessness, every man or woman was right in his or her own perspective. The people disregarded their covenant with God and each one became a law to his or her own self. The same attitude of lawlessness is applied in our own time in the name of human rights. On this premise, each one is entitled to his own opinion and we need to respect our own differences, sad to say, on the ground that everything is relative and there is no such thing as absolute. In a secular world each one is entitled to his own opinion and no one has the right to persuade others of his own convictions. And in a pluralistic society we hear many voices with a common argument, “We can speak about anything under the sun, but leave me alone in my belief about God.” We live in perilous times where we create our own gods and define our own standards on what is true or false and on what is right or wrong. The counsel of the wicked defies and distorts the authority and absoluteness of the Bible as the Word of God. In the New Testament, Apostle Paul gave his final instruction to Pastor Timothy. This prophetic word is true to our day.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Tim. 4:1-3)

Secondly, a blessed person does not stand in the way of sinners. In the period of the judges, each person was entitled to one’s own opinion and had the freedom to do his or her own thing. What does this mean? Israel broke their covenant with God and disobeyed the Ten Commandments. When we see ourselves in our own generation, we are not better than the Israelites. The way of sinners defies the commandments of God. There is a steady moral breakdown in the land manifested in religious hypocrisy. The solemn warning of Paul to Timothy is staggering.

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5a)

Paul gives us a strong word, “Have nothing to do with them” (v. 5b).

Thirdly, a blessed person does not sit in the seat of mockers. We go back to the days of the judges. There was no law in the land for each one became a law to his or her own self. Their brazen lawlessness was an outright rebellion against God in defiance to his commandments and mockery to his warnings. There was no fear of God in Israel. We, too, need to answer a serious question for ourselves, “Where is the fear of God in our land?” The seat of mockers speaks of those who are in authority who see themselves above the law and untouchables driven in their greed for money and power. Are we not also guilty of making a mockery of God when our conscience becomes dull to entertain the thought that it is alright for us to live in sin as long as we can make it a secret for ourselves? We only wear out ourselves in despair when we wear masks to portray a good image in betrayal of our true selves. No one can play with God without facing its dire consequences. Apostle Paul gives us a stern warning, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Gal. 6:7).

As in the period of the judges, our present world reflects the spirit of lawlessness where every person is entitled to his own opinion and conviction and not bound to the authoritative and absolute Word of God. In this dark and sinful world, we brace ourselves to be maligned and destroyed in our uncompromising stand for what is true, right and just. Blessed are those who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. This is the narrow path and less travelled road of the righteous.

 2. The Delight of the Righteous

What sets apart the righteous before God?

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (1:2)

To delight literally means to rejoice in one thing with inner contentment. Above all things, the great joy of the righteous is the Holy Scriptures. The righteous anchor their whole being in the Word of God. In intimate communion with God they meditate upon the Law of the LORD day and night. The Bible is the daily bread of the righteous to govern their lives.

Throughout the historical revelation of God, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, the LORD upholds the primacy of the Scriptures as the absolute rule of life for his covenant people and the firm foundation of life for all nations. The sovereign LORD, the God of heaven and earth, made this clear to Joshua, the successor of Moses, to lead the Hebrew people. This divine instruction is for all of us.

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Jos. 1:8)

This solemn charge defines our life. It is a command with a promise. We ought to anchor our lives upon the Scriptures and to obey it with all our heart. And we can be assured that God will graciously bless our lives to make a godly difference in this world.

Every Hebrew must treasure the Law of the LORD. Every Christian must live by the Holy Scriptures. And every human being must be governed by the Word of God.

3. The Legacy of the Righteous

Does it really make a difference for us to abide in the Scriptures? Here is a beautiful portrait of a blessed life anchored upon the Word of God.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (1:3)

This is a delightful metaphor. Like a tree planted by streams of water, a righteous person is rooted upon the living Word of God and established upon the inexhaustible sufficiency of God. Like a tree which yields its fruit in season, a righteous person bears the fruit of godly character to be a source of joy and channel of blessing for others. And like a tree whose leaf does not wither, likewise, a righteous person receives the gift of eternal life and enjoys the grace of living in its fullness.

In summary, like a living and a fruitful tree, the psalmist described a righteous person with this statement, “Whatever he does prospers.” What does this mean? Anyone who delights in the Scriptures will grow in spiritual discernment to ascertain and do the will of God under divine blessing. We do understand not all things go well with us. Yet, in all our experiences in life, good or bad, nothing will be laid to waste if we learn our lessons well. At times we can have a firmer grasp of the goodness of God and can better appreciate his blessing for our lives when he disciplines us of our sinfulness and affirms his great love for us. Down the road of life we all go through a humbling process so we can learn the redemptive lessons in life. In this way we learn to swallow our pride and walk in the humility of Christ. And so we yield with a humble heart, “Father, not my will, but Thy will be done.”

A.  The Wicked (1:4-6)

The righteous live in godliness and find their delight in the Law of the LORD. The righteous are like a tree which is much alive with bountiful fruitfulness. The works of the righteous are under the blessing of God. On the contrary, the wicked gratify their sinful desires as they defy God and spurn his Word. The psalmist speaks on the irreconcilable contrast of the wicked from the righteous.

1. The Vanity of the Wicked

How did the psalmist portray the wicked? Here is the awful plight of those who turn away from God and disobey his commandments.

“Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.” (1:4)

The chaff or the husk is the seed coverings and other debris separated from the seed in threshing grain. On the outside, the chaff appears to look like a grain. In the inside, it is empty and without a seed in it. The chaff is comparatively a picture of worthlessness.

What does this disheartening imagery has to do with our lives? Unfortunately, there are those who set their hearts on earthly goods and think they can buy anything in life. There are those who embrace a humanistic view of life and perceive they have the freedom to do what they like. And there are those who desire for authority and use their power to influence others for their selfish ends. What does the Bible say into all these? We always need to remind ourselves of the word of God.

“‘This is what the LORD says: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.” (Jer. 9:23-24)

The beloved Apostle John wrote a close parallel of this revealing truth.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 Jn. 2:15-17)

We, in our fallen nature, are proud. We are inherently and deceitfully proud. We are inclined to take pride of anything under the sun. Sad to say, we even boast of our knowledge about God. This should not be. Our true knowledge of God should teach us to walk in the innocence of a little child. Such lowly attitude is a despised virtue for those who have no heart for God and who disregard his decrees. The wicked declare their freedom outside of God. They are free, indeed, without a moral compass that leads them to nowhere like chaff blown by the wind.

2. The Judgment of the Wicked

If we rebel against God and treat his Word as garbage, we deserve our own disgraceful and dreadful lot.

“Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.” (1:5)

God hates those who are proud in their heart. The wicked may boast in their wisdom, power and riches. They may see themselves invincible and indestructible for they are in control over the affairs of man. Yet a time is coming when their mockery and laughter will turn into weeping and mourning. In the end, the wicked will stand before God in dread and be cast away from the company of the righteous in disgrace.

 3. The Destruction of the Wicked

We only make fool of ourselves when we think we can play around God.

“For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (1:6)

God holds everyone accountable for he makes a clear distinction between those who fear him and to those who despise him. Here and now, the God of heaven discerns our hearts and watches over the affairs of every human being on earth. The righteous are wise to search their hearts and make things right with God. The wicked are defiant and carefree to go on with their evil ways that lead them to their irreversible destruction. Such was the dreadful path of Cain who murdered his own brother Abel. Cain was restless throughout his life and for all eternity. The path of the wicked is open and wide for men loved darkness instead of light. Indeed, our life is in a balance. We can choose our own eternal destiny with the kind of life we choose. We can delight in the Scriptures and live in godliness. Or we can choose to despise the Bible and live in sin. In this crucial crossroad of life, the final decision is ours.  

Conclusion

Where is our life leading to? It is time for us to watch our steps on what kind of road we trod. Few would dare to walk in the path of the righteous for it involves total submission and sacrificial obedience. The road of the wicked is much more appealing and many would follow it for sin is a pleasure. Now what must we choose? Sin is enjoyable but distasteful. Righteousness is painful but delightful. If we truly care for our souls, we would rather stand for what is righteous for our good than wallow in the mud of sin for our disgrace. In the narrow path of blessedness, how then should we nurture our souls?

Define your moral standards. The psalmist says it well. Do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. Do not stand in the way of sinners. And do not sit in the seat of mockers. Our lives are established upon the seat of authority that defines our moral stand on how we conduct ourselves. In our waywardness it is much easier to conform to the allurements of this world and satisfy our carnal desires. In our pursuit for our ultimate good we hate every form of evil. And the best safeguard is intimacy with God.

Deepen your biblical convictions. The psalmist gives a nonconforming stand. Delight in the Law of the LORD and meditate on it day and night. What we feed our mind nourishes our heart and transforms our being. Never take for granted the Word of God. Godliness and greatness anchor upon the authority and power of the Scriptures. The Bible nourishes our souls and refines our character. A righteous and stable life is seasoned through daily meditation of and grateful obedience to the Scriptures.

Influence with godly impact. The psalmist makes a powerful portrait. The righteous are like a tree planted by streams of water bearing fruits in season and whose leaves do not wither and whatever they do prospers. Apart from God and his Word there is nothing we can do that satisfies and lasts. God can do great wonders in our lives if we cherish the Scriptures in our hearts. To this ultimate end we have no greater joy as fathers and mothers but to see our beloved children walking in the truth.

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September 16, 2018 - “Delivering the Final Reforms” Nehemiah 13:1-31

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Introduction

As a covenant people of God, we ought to be men and women of honor who keep our word. We mean when we say “Yes.” And we mean when we say “No.” “Anything beyond this,” says Jesus Christ our Lord, “comes from the evil one” (Matt. 5:37). Jesus declared this truth in his Sermon on the Mount primarily addressed to the Hebrew people whose ancestors had made an oath in the name of the LORD their God. He reminded the Israelites, “Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord” (v. 33). And he gave them a clear command that they should be cautious not to swear at all either by the heaven above or by the earth below—or by the city of Jerusalem. All what Jesus required for the people was to honor their word. This instruction is for all of us.

Jesus made a serious teaching. Anything beyond “Yes” or “No” comes from the evil one. Satan does not have one word for he can appear as an angel of light but in reality he is the father of lies. This is in great contrast of the nature of God who is absolutely true and trustworthy.

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Num. 23:19)

Every Hebrew man and woman needs to treasure this divine revelation. This was the word of the LORD given to the prophet Balaam who had been hired by King Balak of the Moabites to bring curse upon Israel. At first, Balaam stood his word for God. Unfortunately, he changed his position in favor of the king because of a sumptuous bribe.

The Hebrew nation needs to understand one solid truth. Why is it that despite their stubbornness and rebellion they stand to this very day as the covenant people of God? Listen to the word of the wise: “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD” (Prov. 21:30). No human opinion and deceitful scheme could ever unsettle and destroy the Word of God. The LORD God of Israel is true to his word and trustworthy to his promise. And this is the same standard of truthfulness that God demands for every Jew and Gentile.

Unfortunately, in our fallen nature we are inclined to play with our word and break our promise. We make fool of ourselves when we say one thing and do the contrary. When we believe what is true yet deceitfully live in sin, take heed of this apostolic warning, “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him” (Titus 1:16a).

To say “Yes” or “No” is to make a moral stand. We make a deliberate choice for what is true or false and dwell in light or darkness. There is no middle ground. If we do not keep our word to make a decisive stand, we yield ourselves under the domain of the evil one. Should we repay the grace and goodness of the LORD with ingratitude and disobedience? Sad to say, Israel did not keep his covenant with God. And they pierced their hearts with misery and grief. Likewise, if we are careless in honoring our word, we do much damage and disgrace to our souls.

Israel was back to square one. When Nehemiah the governor of Judah returned to King Artaxerxes in Persia, Israel had fallen back to their former lifestyles and broke their covenant with God. They desecrated the holy temple (13:1-9). They neglected the house of God (13:10-14). They violated the Sabbath (13:15-22). And they committed unholy marriages (13:23-30).  Nehemiah went back to Judah and instituted reforms.

Let us be careful not to condemn the Israelites. If we do, we, likewise, condemn ourselves. When we say, “Yes,” do we really mean it? And when we say, “No,” do we truly stand for it? We ask ourselves, “Where is the honor in keeping our word?” Our principled walls are breaking down and our moral values deteriorating before our very eyes. The virtue we need to redeem in our church and homeland is the sanctity of our word. In light of the moral Law of God written in the human conscience, we must learn as a people to say, “Yes” and “No.” “Yes” to what is righteous. “No” to what is evil. And there is no crossroad where the two can meet. The masterpiece of the evil one is compromise.

A.  The Desecration of the Temple (13:1-9)

Israel defiled the temple. With the insidious permission of a Jewish priest, a sacred room in the holy temple became a secular storage room of an Ammonite. This evil thing happened when Nehemiah was back in Persia. Upon his return in Jerusalem, he consecrated the temple.

 1. The Exclusion from Jewish Assembly

In the Law of Moses, Israel must safeguard their holy assembly.

“On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.) When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent.” (13:1-3)

In Deuteronomy 23:3-6, the Ammonites and Moabites were forbidden from Jewish assembly because of their animosity against Israel.

2. The Wickedness of Eliashib

A wicked thing was committed in Jerusalem.

“Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with Tobiah, and he had provided him with a large room formerly used to store the grain offerings and incense and temple articles, and also the tithes of grain, new wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers and gatekeepers, as well as the contributions for the priests.” (13:4-5)

Eliashib was not an ordinary priest. He was the high priest of Israel in Judah (13:8). Yet he was closely associated with Tobiah who was an Ammonite (2:10) and one of the primary enemies of the Jews (4:3; 6:12). The close association between the two was a result of the intermarriage between their families (13:8). What favor did Eliashib give to Tobiah? He reserved for Tobiah a large room in the temple exclusively used as storeroom for the Jews for temple worship.  Eliashib committed this sacrilege in the absence of Nehemiah.

“But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission and came back to Jerusalem. Here I learned about the evil thing Eliashib had done in providing Tobiah a room in the courts of the house of God.” (13:6-7)

Nehemiah came to Jerusalem on the 20th year of King Artaxerxes of Persia (2:1). On the 32nd year of the king, Nehemiah returned to the city of Susa (13:6). Within his twelve years of governor of Judah, the fear of God was restored among the Jewish people. When Nehemiah went back to Persia, Eliashib the high priest made an unholy alliance with Tobiah and desecrated the holy temple of God. Eliashib could have thought that Nehemiah would never come back to Jerusalem and he dared to abuse his religious authority and power for personal advantage. The wicked deed of Eliashib was an outright defiance against God and caused a moral breakdown amongst the Jews.

Nehemiah could have had stayed for several years in the city of Susa and resumed his royal task as the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes in Persia. It was during his absence in Judah that Eliashib defiled the temple. He gave Tobiah a room in the temple courts and the Ammonite was given access in joining the holy assembly of the Jews. This was the enemy of the Jews who made a laughing stock of the wall of Jerusalem and who hired Shemaiah the prophet to intimidate Nehemiah. When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem with the permission of the king, he learned about the evil deed of Eliashib.

 3. The Consecration of the Temple

Nehemiah was outraged of the evil deed of Eliashib the high priest.  

“I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room. I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense.” (13:8-9)

We could imagine the pagan gods of Tobiah among all his unclean household goods to have been stored and secured inside the room in the temple courts. In righteous indignation, the governor forcibly threw all the unclean belongings of the Ammonite from the sacred room. And Nehemiah ordered the Levite priests to purify the desecrated room and restored its use for worship in the temple.

B.  The House of God Neglected (13:10-14)

The evil deed of Eliashib, we could understand, had a devastating repercussion among the Jewish community. He lost his divine authority to lead his people for godly worship.  The grievous sin of the high priest despised the holiness of God and corrupted the spiritual life of the people. When the holy temple was desecrated, the Hebrew people were demoralized and neglected the house of God.

1. The Levites Neglected

The Levites were directly affected.

“I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and singers responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields.” (13:10)

When the holiness of God was despised and the temple was defiled, the spiritual life of the Hebrew people collapsed. The solidarity of the Jews who build the great wall of Jerusalem in 52 days was shattered. The Jews broke their covenant and neglected the house of God. The gravity of their sin as a people was disheartening. All the Levites were forced to earn for their living and abandoned their ministries in the temple!

 2. The Officials Rebuked

It appeared that the officials of the land tolerated the sin of Eliashib.

“So I rebuked the officials and asked them, ‘Why is the house of God neglected?’ Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.” (13:11)

The leaders of the land lost their moral ground to lead the people. The spiritual deterioration in the dark days of the judges had returned and the Hebrew people did their own thing for their selfish ends. Nehemiah sternly rebuked the government officials and commanded them to redeem their authority and power as public servants to lead the people to the LORD and observe their covenant with God.

 3. The Offerings Restored

The officials of the land obeyed the word of Nehemiah. Not by coercion as an authoritarian ruler. They listened to him as the governor esteemed by the people because of his godly life and exemplary leadership.

“All Judah brought the tithes of grain, new wine and oil into the storerooms. I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because these men were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their brothers.” (13:12-13)

The Israelites moved as one people and observed their covenant. They yielded themselves to the LORD and gave their tithes and offerings to God. And the Levites were back to their noble task in the house of God.

 4. The Pleading of Nehemiah

Nehemiah knew the hidden pain of leading his wayward people. In instituting reforms, he firmly held onto the LORD who alone could change a sinful human being and rebuild a fallen nation.

“Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.” (13:14)

In total dependence to the LORD, prayer was the lifeblood of Nehemiah. God alone could sustain him in all his troubles and could bless all his painstaking labors. Without God, his ultimate source of strength and encouragement, all his works for his people would be in vain.

C.  The Sabbath Violated (13:15-22)

The temple was desecrated. The house of God was neglected. Nehemiah, who was back in Jerusalem, also learned that the Sabbath was violated by his own people and foreigners.  

 1. The Jewish Men Warned

Nehemiah discovered that the Sabbath day for rest and worship was used by Jewish men for business and trade.

“In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.” (13:15)

In the Law of Moses, men and animals must rest on the Sabbath day. Nehemiah saw that the Hebrew men from different localities in Judah treaded in winepresses and loaded their all sorts of merchandize on donkeys and treated Jerusalem as a profitable marketplace during the Sabbath. Nehemiah warned his countrymen not to violate the Sabbath.

 2. The Phoenician Men Warned

Nehemiah also warned the men from Phoenicia.

“Men from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah.” (13:16)

If the Jews themselves violated the Sabbath, what could be expected from the foreigners? The people from Tyre, a principal seaport of the Phoenician coast in the Mediterranean, brought with them their most celebrated product of purple dye made from mollusks found on their sea shores besides their metal works and glassware. The Sabbath became a lucrative day of business. Nehemiah rebuked the Phoenicians.

 3. The Jewish Nobles Rebuked

And the Jewish officials were not spared.

“I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, ‘What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn't your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.’”  (3:17-18)

The officials did not only tolerate the ongoing business during the day of rest and worship. They themselves were involved and had their own share in the profiteering business during the holy Sabbath. Nehemiah rebuked them affront. They were courting a national disaster as their forefathers in desecrating the Sabbath for the love of money.

 4. The Gates Closed During the Sabbath

To stop the systemic trade during the day of rest and worship for the Hebrew people, Nehemiah closed the gates in Jerusalem during the Sabbath that ultimately discouraged the traders, Jews and Gentiles alike.

“When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. But I warned them and said, ‘Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will lay hands on you.’ From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath.” (13:19-21)

Nehemiah gave a strong warning to implement the ordinance. He made a clear directive to those who were insistent and spent the night by the wall in order to sell their products at daybreak when people would enter Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Nehemiah warned them once. Should they not listen and would come the next Sabbath, Nehemiah warned them: “I will lay hands on you.” The people knew Nehemiah meant his word. And they no longer came to do business in Jerusalem on the Sabbath.

To secure the gates of Jerusalem from importunate traders, Jews and Gentiles alike, Nehemiah committed to the LORD the Levites as gatekeepers on the Sabbath.

“Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember me for this also, O my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.” (13:22)

 D.  The Unholy Marriages (13:23-30)

The holy temple was desecrated. The house of God was neglected. The Sabbath was violated. Nehemiah was disheartened to learn about the unholy marriages committed by his own people. He was shocked that the family of the high priest himself was involved. The final reform that Nehemiah undertook meant the painful tearing apart of intermarriage families between the Jews and Gentiles.

1. The Intermarriages of the Jews

When Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he was confronted with a serious problem about forbidden intermarriages.

“Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.” (13:23-24)

The women whom the Jewish men intermarried came from idolatrous cities. Ashdod was the principal city in Canaan where the temple of Dagon was built. Dagon was the ancient chief god of the Philistines worshiped by the Canaanites long before Abraham entered Canaan. Ammon was the territory of the Ammonites who worshiped their national god Molech that involved child sacrifice. And Moab was the place of the Moabites who worshiped their national god Chemosh, like Molech, with sacrifice of children as burnt offerings.

What were the grievous effects of the intermarriage of the Jews with the pagan Gentiles?  The children could not speak Hebrew the language of the Jews. The Jews who intermarried were acculturated with pagan culture and lost their identity as Hebrews. And this also meant that the Jews who intermarried embraced the idolatrous worship of the pagans.

2. The Indignation of Nehemiah 

Nehemiah was outraged in righteous indignation.

“I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God's name and said: ‘You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women. Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?’” (13:25-27)

This was the height of the governor’s anger. Nehemiah rebuked the men and cursed them. He beat some of them and pulled out their hair. He compelled them to make an oath not to give in their sons and daughters to marry their pagan neighbors.  And he warned them not to follow the footsteps of King Solomon who married foreign women whom she loved and embraced their idols. The downfall of the Hebrew people could be traced in their idolatrous worship. The nightmare of Israel was again encroaching at the door. And the Jews seemed not to care!

 3. The Consecration of the Priests

Nehemiah lost his temper when he discovered the evil deed of Eliashib.

“One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me. ‘Remember them, O my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.’ So I purified the priests and the Levites of everything foreign, and assigned them duties, each to his own task.” (13:28-30)

Eliashib desecrated the temple in conspiring with Tobiah. He also became the father-in-law of Sanballat’s daughter. Eliashib defied God and befriended the enemies of the Jews! And he was the high priest!  

What more could Nehemiah say at the height of this wickedness? He was dumbfounded. All what he did was to act right there and then. He directly approached Eliashib and drove him away from his presence! Ironically, the name of Eliashib in Hebrew meant “God restores.” He did not live up to his sacred name and holy vocation. Definitely, Eliashib was removed from his office as the high priest. And Nehemiah purified and consecrated the holy ministry of the Levite priesthood. This was the most difficult reform the governor of Judah had ever encountered.

 4. Provisions for the Temple

The holy temple was desecrated. The house of God was neglected. The Sabbath observance was violated. And the covenant marriage was defiled. Nehemiah consecrated the temple. He renewed the care for the house of God. He restored rest and worship on Sabbath. And he redeemed the sacredness of the Levites and priesthood.

Given all these reforms he secured the sufficient needs of the temple: “I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits” (13:31a). And Nehemiah pleaded, “Remember me with favor, O my God” (13:31b). Men could forget him and devalue his work. God would not and never will.

Nehemiah ended where he began. When he heard that the wall in Jerusalem was broken down and his people were in great trouble and disgrace, he prayed and fasted for the welfare of his countrymen. After the wall was rebuilt and his people were secured, they were again in great distress and disgrace but this time because of their sinfulness. Just as he restored the wall of Jerusalem for the security of his own people, so he instituted reforms to rebuild his fallen nation. As in the beginning so it was in end, he pleaded with God for the welfare of his own people. His pleading should be the cry of our hearts: “Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done.”

Conclusion 

The wall of Jerusalem was restored but there was a moral breakdown of the principled walls of the Hebrew people. The temple was desecrated. The house of God was neglected. The Sabbath was violated. And they committed unholy marriages. Just as when Nehemiah first came to Jerusalem and restored the broken wall for the welfare of his people, so he came back to Jerusalem and instituted reforms to rebuild his fallen nation. What legacies can we bring home from Nehemiah’s reforms for his countrymen?

Sanctify our devotion to God. Nehemiah consecrated the temple when it was defiled. We are the living temples of God. We desecrate ourselves if we cherish any sin in our heart. We mourn how deceitful our hearts are and plead with God to cleanse us from the inside. Then we can worship the LORD in deep reverence and rest in his presence with great delight.

Nurture our solidarity in our covenant. Nehemiah confronted the people who neglected the house of God and they brought their offerings to the Levites. When we give ourselves first to the LORD, we offer our lives for one another and seek for our ultimate good. Our covenant bond is anchored upon the beauty of grace. Freely we receive. And freely we give with grateful heart.

Enrich the primacy of delightful worship. Nehemiah warned those who violated the Sabbath and restored the heart of worship on the day of rest. True worship observes the harmonious cycle of work and rest. We glorify God in the works of our hands and in the quietness of our souls.

Safeguard the sacredness of our home. Nehemiah was outraged against the Jews who intermarried with pagan Gentiles and he entrenched the sanctity of a covenant family among his people. May our beloved sons and daughters become godly men and women who will build godly homes reflecting the grace and glory of God. So we plead, “Oh, LORD, remember us with favor.”

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July 14, 2019 - “Deliverance from Darkness: The Demon-Possessed Man” Mark 5:1-20

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Introduction

We have a common Enemy whom we have taken for granted. Satan, the devil, is real and alive and at work relentlessly to deceive the world and destroy the people of God. As the master of deceit, Satan appears as angel of light, but inwardly he is a roaring lion bent to devour anyone.

Throughout the Scriptures as written in the gospel narratives, it was during the earthly ministry of Jesus that recorded the staggering presence and intensified activities of Satan and demons. We firmly stand on three fundamental reasons. First of all they knew that Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God to neutralize the domain of darkness. Secondly, they knew who really Jesus is. The poor carpenter from a remote village in Nazareth was not an ordinary human being.  Satan and his demons knew that Jesus the Messiah is the incarnate eternal Son of God in heaven, the Almighty Creator of the universe and the sovereign Lord of all creation. This great mystery was hidden from mortals as Jesus dwelt with human beings. And thirdly, Satan and his demons knew that Jesus came to redeem people from the powers of darkness and usher anyone who believes and repents into the kingdom of God. The Devil and all his demons used all their powers on every front to derail and destabilize the redemptive work of God in Christ. Yet, as light cannot be overcome by darkness, so Jesus rules above all authorities and powers of darkness. The encounter of Jesus with a demoniac (Mk. 5:1-5) showed his dominion over demons (5:6-13) and delivered a man from the grip of Satan (5:14-20). We now enter the territory of the Enemy. In our faithful study of the Scriptures may God protect us from the Evil One.

A.  The Demoniac in Gadara (5:1-5)

The encounter of Jesus with a man in Gadara was a direct confrontation with demons. Such encounter was beyond natural realm for mortals to comprehend and handle. The graphic power encounter unveiled the presence of evil spirits on earth to deceive and destroy human beings.

 1. The Region of Gerasenes

In the earthly ministry of Jesus, he had traveled in the province of Judea teaching the kingdom of God and making miraculous wonders as a great crowd followed him. Jesus told his apostles that they would cross over the Sea of Galilee. While they were on the boat a violent storm hit them. The disciples feared for their lives. Jesus spoke to the wind and the waves and all was calm. The apostles were filled with wonder. The disciples have yet to comprehend that Jesus is God and Lord over nature. Having crossed over to the other side of the sea, the apostles have yet to internalize that he is the same God and Lord over spiritual and demonic beings. The gospel narrative gave this account, “They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes” (Mk. 5:1). The region was also called Gergesenes or Gadarenes.

The locality where Jesus had crossed over Galilee was Gadara. This was a city about six miles (10 kilometers) southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Gadara was primarily a Greek city of the region of the Decapolis and the capital city of the Roman province of Perea. The ruins of Gadara, present-day Um Qeis, included two theaters, a basilica, baths, and a street lined with columns. Gadara was an ancient large and beautiful city. Jesus had a clear purpose coming to the city of Gadara.

2. The Demon-Possessed Man

On the seashore at Gadara, Jesus encountered a demon-possessed man. Mark wrote in his gospel account.

“When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.” (Mk. 5:2-5) 

Luke wrote in his gospel record.

“They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.” (Lk. 8: 26-27)

Matthew gave a parallel account.

“When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.” (Mt. 8:28)

It can be observed that both Mark and Luke spoke of one demon-possessed man while that of Matthew cited two demon-possessed men. The difference on the same historical account should not be taken as a contradiction. The variance upholds the freedom of the gospel writers based on their intent of the particular event. It appeared that in the gospel narratives of Mark and Luke, they have focused on the one man because of his significant role in the ministry of Jesus in the Decapolis.

In this biblical perspective, we focused our study on the man recorded by both Mark and Luke. The Scriptures gave weird descriptions about the man. First of all, he was demon-possessed. An evil spirit took control over his body, mind, emotion and will. This meant that the man greatly suffered for while he remained conscious of his personal being he was powerless to act on his own volition. Secondly, the demon that possessed the man was hyper violent. The violence of the demon was contained to the possessed man inflicting harm to his own self. The man daily cried out aloud and cut himself with stones. Thirdly, the demon that possessed the man was very powerful. No human being could subdue him and he easily broke chains tied on him. And fourthly, the demon had possessed the man for a long time. In such woeful state the man lived in the tombs naked and the people were much afraid of him. For sure the demon-possessed man was known throughout the region.  

B.  The Encounter with Jesus (5:6-13)

The encounter of Jesus with the man was phenomenal. It revealed who Jesus is and demonstrated his divine authority over demons. The eyewitnesses were filled with awe and dread.

 1. The Demoniac Trembled Before Jesus

The demoniac trembled at the feet of Jesus. Mark and Luke gave a similar account in their gospel narratives.

“When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!’For Jesus had said to him, ‘Come out of this man, you evil spirit!’” (Mk. 5:6-8; cf. Lk. 8:28)

Matthew, in his parallel account, made a record of the pleading of the demons to Jesus. “What do you want with us, Son of God,” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” (Mt. 8:29)

Two astounding revelations were written on this biblical account. First, Jesus is the Son of the Most High God. The evil spirit recognized Jesus and he prostrated at his feet. The Scriptures teach that demons, together with Satan, are fallen angels who rebelled against God and cast out of heaven. Secondly, demons tremble at the word of Jesus. The evil spirit was filled with dread when Jesus commanded him to get out of the man. And thirdly, demons are certain of their eternal doom. The evil spirit pleaded to Jesus not to torment him before the appointed time. In light of the teachings of the Scriptures, the appointed time for the final judgment of all demonic powers and human evildoers will take place at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Satan himself is fully aware of this. It is written in the Book of Revelation that the devil “is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short” (Rev. 12:12b). So he works without rest.

 2. Jesus Asked the Name of the Demoniac

The encounter of Jesus with the demon-possessed man unfolded a horrible fact beyond human comprehension. Mark gave this record.

“Then Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘My name is Legion,’ he replied, ‘for we are many.’” (Mk. 5:9-10a)

Luke wrote a parallel account.

“Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ ‘Legion,’ he replied, because many demons had gone into him.” (Lk. 8:30)

The word “legion” as understood in the time of Jesus was a principal unit of the Roman army, consisting of 3,000 to 6,000 infantry troops and 100 to 200 cavalrymen. In this particular case, the biblical record speaks of the literal meaning of the word legion in a strict military sense. The poor man in Gadara was inhabited with many demons—not dozens or hundreds but of thousands! Imagine a man possessed by a thousand demons. This staggering truth is inconceivable for us human beings.

 3. The Demoniac Pleaded with Jesus

The demoniac trembled before Jesus and made his desperate plea. Mark wrote in his gospel narrative, “And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area” (Mk. 5:10b). Luke gave a parallel account, “And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss” (Lk. 8:31). The word of the evil spirit gave us a glimpse of the spiritual world. In the scriptures, the word “Abyss” is also known as the bottomless pit or chaotic deep. Abyss is the prison of disobedient spirits. When Satan rebelled against the Most High God in heaven, many of the myriads of angels followed in his rebellion against their Creator. Multitudes of the fallen angels were cast out of heaven. And many of these fallen angels were imprisoned and tortured in the Abyss. An angel from heaven ruled over the demons in the Abyss. The name of the angel of God in charge of the Abyss is Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek, which means “Destroyer” (Rev. 9:11). The legion of demons knew of this dreadful prison and they desperately pleaded with Jesus not to order them to be cast into the Abyss. At the Second Coming of Jesus, Satan and all fallen angels, including those imprisoned in the Abyss, will be thrown into the Lake of fire and they will be tormented day and night forever (Rev. 20:10). The legion of demons knew of their eternal doom. They begged Jesus of their temporary freedom on earth.

4. Jesus Cast Out the Demons

Jesus had given the order for the demons to come out of the man who had become their dwelling place for a long time. Now they were filled with dread if Jesus would cast them out to the Abyss. They made a desperate plea which Jesus granted. Mark wrote in his gospel narrative.

“A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, ‘Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.’ He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.” (Mk. 5:11-13; cf. Lk. 8:32-33) 

Matthew gave a parallel account.

“Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.’ He said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water.” (Mt. 8:30-32)

When Jesus commanded the evil spirit to disclose his name, he was compelled to tell the hard truth about his true identity. The name of the evil spirit is “Legion.” Look closely at the number of the herd of pigs. The poor man—and the other man—were inhabited with “about two thousand” demons! We give a careful thought on this dreadful account. Jesus allowed the legion of demons to go into the pigs than for them to indwell a human being. The rushing of the pigs into the lake was not merely a commotion among the herd being possessed by the multitude of demons. Rather, it was an intentional, communal and outrageous movement of the legion of demons that showed their true evil character bent to destroy primarily human beings without sparing animals.

In her book, The Beautiful Side of Evil, Johanna Michaelsen speaks of the devil as the master of deceit. Likewise, demons are deceiving spirits. What is the beautiful side of Satan and demons? They appear as angels of light to deceive and allure people on what seems to be true and good. Inwardly, however, they are roaring lions looking for victims whom they can devour. This calls for utmost vigilance. The utter destruction done by the demons to the herd of pigs is the ultimate end Satan seeks to inflict on any human being in any corner of the world. Whom should we anchor our faith and entrust our life? Jesus Christ alone whom the demons recognized as the Son of the Most High God can save us from our sinfulness. And Jesus Christ alone can deliver us from the powers of darkness. This was true to the man whom Jesus delivered from the legion of demons. What Jesus did for the poor man—he can do it for us.

 C.  The News in Decapolis (5:14-20)

The breaking news about the demon-possessed man spread like a wildfire. The peoples in the Transjordan region were gripped with fear.

 1. The Breaking News in Gadara

The people in the city of Gadara were dreadful. Mark wrote this account.

“Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.” (Mk. 5:14-17) 

Luke made a parallel narrative.

“When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.” (Lk. 8:34-37a)

Matthew gave this gospel record.

“Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.” (Mt. 8:33-34).

Based on these three gospel narratives we can see the bigger picture. The flash report was done by the caretakers of the herd who witnessed the event. The whole community rushed into the scene. They saw the man dressed and sane seated at the feet of Jesus. And they also saw the thousands of pigs floating on the lake. What was their response? They were overcome with fear and pleaded Jesus to leave their place.  Why were the people overcome with fear and pleaded to Jesus to leave their region? For sure they were not afraid of the man who was delivered from demons for his deliverance made them safer in their community. They were afraid of Jesus whose power to cast out demons could spell economic disaster for them as a community. Hog-raising was their primary livelihood. Around two thousand pigs lost instantly. At present average value of hogs cost them a staggering loss of eight million pesos! Out of dread the Gadarenes pleaded for Jesus to leave their place.

2. The Command of Jesus

Jesus never forces himself on anyone. He made his decisive and graceful exit in the sight of the people. Luke wrote in his gospel account.

“So he got into the boat and left. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” (Lk. 8:37b-39a).

Mark recorded a parallel narrative.

“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’” (Mk. 5:18-19)

This is the most touching part of the story. The man begged to go with Jesus in deep gratitude of his deliverance and his wholehearted devotion to Jesus. But Jesus forbade him to do so. Instead he sent him away home to be with his loved ones and share to them the great wonder and abounding mercy of God on him. This brought indescribable joy and peace inside his family. Indeed, Christianity begins inside the home.

 3. The Good News in Decapolis

The man took Jesus at his word. “So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed” (Mk. 5:20; cf. Lk. 8:39b). The man became the first Gentile missionary whom Jesus had sent to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. And the name of Jesus our Lord and God was made known among the Gentiles in the region of the Decapolis. 

Conclusion

The encounter of Jesus with a demon-possessed man in Gadara reveals the dreadful reality of Satan and his demons actively at work in an unsuspecting world. It is inconceivable on our part that a certain man was possessed by a legion of demons! Jesus cast out the demons. The man was delivered from demonic possession. He went home and became the first Gentile missionary who shared the gospel of Jesus Christ to his own people. We give a careful thought on the spiritual world.

Demons know Jesus and they tremble before him. In light of the Scriptures, we enter the world of spiritual beings. Among the creatures of myriads of angels, Satan and fallen angels made an irreversible decision and irredeemable rebellion against God. They were cast out from heaven down to earth. When the legion of demons saw Jesus they recognized him as the Son of God and they trembled at his feet.

Demons are evil spirits bent to destroy human beings. A legion of demons inhabited a man to destroy his life. Satan and demons masquerade as angels of light but inwardly they are ravening wolves in sheep clothing to deceive and destroy individual persons. Their primary agents are false teachers and scheming evildoers who are experts in twisting the Scriptures and turn away peoples from the gospel truth.

Jesus alone can deliver us from any foothold of demons. Jesus delivered the man from legion of demons and he proclaimed the gospel of Christ to his family and countrymen. The Enemy can have a foothold in our unbelief, pride, bitterness, hypocrisy, greed, covetousness, indulgence, lust, infidelity, insincerity, indolence and occult activities. From any demonic influence we come to Jesus for our wholesome deliverance.

I grew up from a religious family surrounded by so called spiritual powers at work within our clan. From my father’s side I had an aunt who was known as a medium who communicated with spirits. From my mother’s side I had a close relative who was known as a faith healer who had a direct contact with spiritual beings. Our family had no conscious involvement with these spiritual powers at work within our kin. My father had much reservation on mediums and faith healing and he did not entertain their existence. Such worldview on his part was unsettled when a crisis hit our home.

I was then in my second year in college. Religious as I was, yet my father and mother noticed that I could hardly concentrate in my studies and bewildered with my failing grades. Such unusual development disturbed them because I had excelled in my studies on primary and secondary levels. I had nothing to explain to them. Then one morning my aunt who was a medium unexpectedly arrived in our house. To my surprise she went close to me and held onto me with a glaring look in her eyes. She told my parents that a spirit closely accompanied me day and night and caused much disturbance in my life. Out of desperation my father decided that I would go through a spiritual cleansing rite.

Inside our house, our relatives prepared a sacrificial altar laid on the floor. On it were lit candles, a chicken, boiled eggs, cooked glutinous rice, cigarettes and wine. I stood before the altar. I was surrounded by at least four relatives led by my aunt. She offered a prayer and they fell into trance. Her body shrieked and started singing and dancing around as she touched me from head to foot. She was accompanied with the other relatives doing weird movements as they feasted on the offerings laid on the altar. The neighborhood watched in silence. My parents stood nearby in bewilderment. And I had no idea what was really taking place.

Then my aunt stopped and gazed at me with fiery eyes. And she spoke before the crowd. Obviously, a spirit was speaking through my aunt who served as a medium. The spirit claimed he saw me when I came to a resort in our hometown for a day of outing with my friends. The spirit took a special notice on me. Since then the spirit accompanied and watched over me day and night. Then the spirit warned that he will take my life should I pursue my dream to become a priest. Yes, it was on my fourth year in high school that I was qualified and enlisted to a vocation of priesthood—my childhood dream. My father, however, did not give his consent. Instead of entering the seminary, I enrolled in a university.  

Then the spirit gave a final demand before he would leave at that given ritual. The spirit spoke, “Bring to me the shirt he wore when he came to the resort so I can bring it with me.” I could hardly recall the shirt which I have used. Several shirts had been brought to my auntie but she rejected them one piece after the other. When a certain colored shirt was brought to my aunt, she grabbed it swiftly, wrapped it hard around her body and danced around rejoicing. Then she ran outside our house toward the foot of a coconut tree at our front yard. There she passed out.  

After the cleansing ritual did I feel better? No it was not. I became more religious and struggled a lot with my studies. I was utterly desperate and cried out for deliverance from my sinfulness and restlessness. In 1980, on my fourth year in college, the gospel truth spoke in my heart, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. At last, I found peace and rest in God! I sealed my loyalty to God with a simple ritual. In solitude I took a lily flower. Then I vowed, “Satan, this flower belongs to you. But from now on, my whole life belongs to Jesus alone.”

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June 9, 2019 - “The Breakdown of the Holocaust: The Decree to Protect the Jews” Esther 8:1-17

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Introduction

We pause awhile and listen to the anguish of an embattled soul. Elie Wiesel (1928-2016) is a Romanian Jew holocaust survivor during the Second World War. In 1960 he wrote the internationally acclaimed book, The Night. This is a personal memoir about his nightmare when he was imprisoned in the Nazi death camps in Auschwitz, Germany at the age of 15. His first night ripped his heart.

“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams into dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never.”

Elie Wiesel was horrified on his first night at the concentration camp. And never will he forget the dreadful holocaust. In the history of Israel the dread of annihilation was imprinted in the core of the Jewish people long before the modern holocaust. Like Elie Wiesel, never will Mordecai forget the 13th day of Nisan when Haman gave the decree of genocide against the Jews in the Persian Empire. Mordecai trembled and bewildered. The imperial decree could not be repealed based on the law of the Persians and Medians. All the Jews mourned in dread because they were good as dead.

Mordecai persuaded Queen Esther to intercede before King Xerxes. The Jewish community prayed and fasted. The king rediscovered the patriotism of Mordecai who saved his life from an assassination plot. The king honored Mordecai and commanded Haman to administer the royal honor before the peoples in the citadel of Susa. Then Esther revealed to the king the evil plot of Haman and she disclosed her nationality as a Jew. The king was outraged of Haman who dealt with him in deceit. Haman trembled before the king and the queen. And Haman was hanged in the gallows which he prepared for Mordecai.  

These historic events were phenomenal. The king promoted Mordecai as the highest official of the land in place of Haman (8:1-2). A new decree was given by the king for the Jews to defend themselves to avert the decreed holocaust (8:3-8). Mordecai administered the new decree to all the provinces of the empire (8:9-14). And the Jews rejoiced (8:15-17). No one could ever conceive such great reversal in the royal palace.

 A.  The King Promoted Mordecai (8:1-2)

Our sovereign God can do great wonders in our lives even in worst circumstances when we are in a deadlock and no way out. In all our troubles the invisible hand of God is at work beyond our human grasp. Never should we forget and go astray from this reassuring grace of God. Mordecai and Esther could hardly comprehend the movement of heaven in opening a way out from the holocaust decreed in the Persian Empire.

 1. Mordecai Appeared Before the King

A top secret inside the royal palace was shed to light.

“That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.” (8:1)

The secret was unveiled at the right moment. The deceitful Haman was out of the picture. Mordecai was welcomed inside the royal palace. The king was delighted that the father of the queen was the Jewish patriot who saved his life. The great unveiling comes with great fortune. The vast estate of Haman was give to the queen.

 2. Mordecai Took the Place of Haman

The realignment of power in the royal palace was astounding.

“The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.” (8:2) 

At the king’s command, Mordecai became the prime minister of the empire. And with the authority of the queen, Mordecai became the royal administrator of all the estate of Haman. Zeresh, the wife of Haman, saw these things coming when she came to know that Mordecai was of Jewish origin. What explanation could we offer into all these great transitions in the empire? The sovereign God mightily worked in silence.

Here is an interesting word from Psalm 125. “The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to evil” (v. 3). The royal crown given to Esther and the signet ring entrusted to Mordecai came from the good hands of King Xerxes. And with the royal authority given to Esther and Mordecai, the whole Persian Empire was safe and secure.

B.  The King Issued a New Decree (8:3-8)

In the whole realm of the empire, however, one people were in the edge of extinction. Mordecai and Esther were certain that their fellow Jews were in great danger. Haman secured an imperial decree and had given glaring fund in the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. Anyone who would kill a Jew would be rewarded with great fortune. It was on this ground that the Jews were sold by Haman into destruction. Worst, the decree was irreversible based on the law of the Medes and Persians. Mordecai and Esther had only one option to avert the decreed holocaust.

 1. Esther Pleaded Before the King

Once more Esther placed her life at stake and pleaded before the king.

“Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him. ‘If it pleases the king,’ she said, ‘and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?’” (8:3-6)

Esther made her plea in utmost care. She yielded to the royal authority of the king and trusted on his wise judgment. She sought for the favor of the king in respect and honor. She upheld the decree of the king could not be repealed. She asked the king to issue another decree to overrule the decree that Haman had devised and written. She begged the king for mercy so that her family and people to be spared from annihilation. And she humbly fell at the feet of the king and earnestly pleaded in tears.

2. The King Granted a New Decree

Mordecai was summoned before the king. And the king gave his word to Esther and Mordecai.

“King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, ‘Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows. Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring—for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked." (8:7-8)

The king made a wise judgment. He noted the tragic end of Haman who made a decree in the name of the king for the destruction of the Jews. He upheld the imperial decree sealed by the signet ring of the king as binding and irrevocable. And he made a command that a new decree be done by Mordecai and Esther on behalf of the Jews. And the new decree would be sealed with the royal signet ring in the name of the king. Mordecai and Esther sat down and wrote a new imperial decree.

In the reign of King Xerxes three historic reversals occurred. First was the enthronement of Esther as queen of the empire in place of Vashti. Second was the promotion of Mordecai as prime minister of the empire in place of Haman. Third was the new decree written by Mordecai and Esther to address the irrevocable decreed done by Haman. Note well that these three interwoven reversals were all meant for the amazing preservation of the Jewish people.  Indeed, the God of wonders works in mysterious ways. We look up to him in awe and bow down in worship.

C.  Mordecai Administered the Decree (8:9-14)

The realignment of power inside the royal palace had a vast impact throughout the Persian Empire. Under the authority of King Xerxes and Queen Esther, Mordecai administered the new decree on behalf of the Jewish people.  As a side light, the orphan whom Mordecai had adopted as his daughter and nurtured in the Hebrew faith inside the home was now the royal queen of the empire to whom he honored and obeyed. Yet as a royal queen with great authority and power, Esther remained as a humble and loyal daughter to Mordecai her beloved father. The glorious beauty inside the home of Mordecai and Esther radiated in the royal palace and in the whole empire.

 1. The Writing of the Decree

Mordecai administered in the writing of the new imperial decree.

“At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.” (8:9-10)

Under the same authority of the royal king, Mordecai went through the same process as Haman did with irreconcilable motives and ends. Haman did it out of deceit and bitterness to destroy the Jews. Mordecai did it with transparency and integrity to preserve his own people.

2. The Essence of the Decree

What is the core of the new imperial decree?

“The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies. The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.” (8:11-12) 

Here was the great difference between the edicts done by Mordecai and Haman. Haman commanded the peoples in the empire to annihilate the Jews and guaranteed for their destruction for he did not give them any room to defend themselves. Mordecai was wise enough to make a new decree. He recognized the irreversible decree done by Haman. So he made a new decree that gave room to preserve his own people. The Jews were given the right to defend themselves from anyone who would attack and destroy them. And this would take place on the 13th day of the month of Adar which was set by Haman to annihilate the Jews.

3. The Observance of the Decree

And the new decree was a binding law over the whole empire.

“A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. The couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king's command. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.” (8:13-14) 

The breaking news spread like a wildfire in the whole Persian Empire.

D.  The Jews Rejoiced in the Empire (8:15-17)

The effect of the decree of Mordecai was in great contrast with that of Haman. When Haman issued his decree, the Jews mourned and the peoples were empowered to decimate the Jews. When Mordecai issued his decree, the Jews celebrated and the peoples were frightened before the Jews. And who should not? Esther, the majestic queen of the empire, and Mordecai, the great prime minister, were of Jewish blood.

 1. The Celebration in Susa

The Jews in the citadel of Susa were jubilant.

“Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.” (8:15)

When Haman issued his decree, the Jews in Susa mourned in sackcloth. When Mordecai issued his decree, the Jews celebrated with great joy.

 2. The Rejoicing in the Empire

The Jews in the whole empire rejoiced.

“For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating.” (8:16-17a)

The dread of Haman was blotted out. It was filled in with indescribable joy in honor of Mordecai. The Jews throughout the empire celebrated.

3. The Conversion to Judaism

What was the impact of the new decree in the whole empire?

“And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.” (8:17b) 

The fear of the Jews fell on many people from the royal palace and in every province in the empire. And a great conversion to Judaism took place. We understand such massive conversion was not necessarily a religious enlightenment but primarily politically motivated for self-preservation. We have to respect though that such move was out of volition and not of coercion. And such conversion had opened the door for many god-fearers in the land to acknowledge the LORD as the God of Israel who alone is the living God of heaven and earth and the sovereign Lord and supreme authority over all. The peoples of other race and creed have to understand that the decree issued by Mordecai was not for Israel to conquer and destroy other peoples but essentially for the Jews to defend themselves from those who would attack and annihilate them. Because of the decree of Mordecai, the dread of the ancient holocaust against the Jews fell on the peoples of the empire.

Mordecai and Haman had occupied the same awesome royal position but with different agenda and irreconcilable behaviors. Haman was outraged to Mordecai and his personal vendetta reached to a national level toward the Jewish holocaust. Haman was a master of deceit and abused his immense power to destroy the Jews. Mordecai was totally different. He upheld the sacredness of his royal position to secure the stability of the whole kingdom. His undefiled loyalty to God made him a great leader and a true public servant to preserve his own Jewish people and to deliver the common good for all the peoples in the whole empire.

Conclusion

It is such a staggering thought that the destiny of a nation is in the hands of those who seat in authority. So when the wicked rule the people mourn but when the righteous reign the people rejoice. Haman devastated the Jews with his irreversible decree of holocaust. The king executed him when his evil plot was exposed. And the king promoted Mordecai as the prime minister in his place. Then Esther pleaded before the king on behalf of the Jews. The king mandated Mordecai to make a new decree. Mordecai issued a decree for the Jews to defend themselves from their enemies. The Jews greatly rejoiced and many Gentiles were converted to Judaism in fear of the Jews. Where are we as a nation?

Where are the righteous rulers in our land? Mordecai became prime minister over the empire. The wise grieve with a serious concern. When will our people ever learn to choose righteous leaders to govern us?

Where are the faithful intercessors in our land? Esther placed her life at stake and pleaded before the king for the sake of her own people. We plead for divine mercy over our land as we serve as social conscience for our countrymen even when it may mean for us to die for our motherland.

Where are the ideal laws in our land? Mordecai made and administered a decree to preserve the Jews. May God raise wise legislators, honest administrators and upright judges in our land for our common good.

Where is our redemptive witness as a covenant people? Many Gentiles became Jews in fear of Mordecai as a righteous leader in the land. Jesus alone can save a sinner and change his life. Yet, our godly testimony is a compelling force for people to come to their senses and bow before God.

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DCBC’s theme verse for 2020 : Matthew 5:13-16

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April 21, 2019 [EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE] - “Jesus Has Risen!” Luke 24:1-12

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Introduction

Ngayong araw ng Linggo ay ipinagdiriwang ng pandaigidigang Kristiyanismo ang pagkabuhay na muli ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo. Sa lahat ng mga relihiyon sa buong daigdig, tanging ang Kristiyanismo ang may dakilang Tagapanguna na nabuhay mula sa kamatayan. Si Jesus ay namatay ngunit nabuhay at buhay magpakailanman! Sa pagkabuhay na magmuli ni Jesus ay katibayan na siya ay isang ganap na Diyos (Rom. 1:4). Dahil siya ay nabuhay mula sa kamatayan, siya ang tanging Tagapagligtas na makapagpapawalang sala sa mga makasalanan (Rom. 10:9-10). At sa kanyang muling pagkabuhay, iniluklok siya ng Diyos Ama sa Langit bilang Panginoon ng lahat sa sansinukob (Phil 2:9-11).

Sa sanlibutan na puno ng kasinungalingan, sa pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus na totoo at mapagkakatiwalaan, tayo ay may banal na pananampalataya sa isang matibay na katotohanan sa liwanag ng Banal na Kasulatan. Sa lipunan na laganap ang panghihinagpis dahil sa kasalanan, sa pagkabuhay muli ni Jesus, tayo ay may Tagapagligtas na makapagpapatawad sa ating kasalanan at kapahingahan sa ating kaluluwa. Sa Inang Bayan na talamak ang katiwalian, sa pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus, tayo ay may Panginoon kung saan mananagot ang lahat at may hangganan ang bawat kasamaan. Sa sangkatauhan na gumagawa ng mga sariling diyos-diyosan, sa pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus, mayroon tayong Diyos na karapatdapat sambahin, ibigin at paglingkuran. Sa gitna ng kaguluhan at pasakit sa daigdig, mayroon tayong kapanatagan sa puso, katatagan sa kalooban, katiyakan sa kinabukasan at kabuluhan sa buhay—dahil si Jesus ay nabuhay at siya ay buhay magpakailanman!

Ang pangunahing lugar na katibayan nang pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus ay sa yungib na kanyang libingan sa Jerusalem. Sa araw ng Biyernes, ikatlo ng hapon, si Jesus ay namatay sa krus sa Kalbaryo. Si Jose na taga Arimatea ang humingi ng pahintulot kay Pontio Pilato para ilibing ang bangkay ni Jesus sa isang yungib na kanyang pagmamay-ari na wala pang naililibing. Si Jose ay miyembro ng Sanhedrin ngunit hindi siya sumangayon sa hatol ng Konseho para sa kamatayan ni Jesus. Sinamahan siya sa paglilibing ng ilang mga babaeng alagad ni Jesus. Binalot ang katawan ni Jesus ng damit na leno at inilatag sa ibabaw ng bato sa loob ng yungib. Pagkatapos ay sinarhan ang bunganga ng yungib ng malaking bato. Ang sumunod na araw ay Sabado. Sa araw ng pamamahinga ay naghanda ang mga babaeng alagad ng mga pabango. Sasadyain nilang puntahan ang libingan kinabukasan upang lagyan ng pabango ang katawan ng ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo. Sa bukangliwayway sa araw ng Linggo naganap ang isang dakilang himala na bumago sa takbo ng kasaysayan ng mundo. Subaybayin natin ang kagilagilalas na pangyayari ayon sa Ebanghelio ni Lukas. Laking gulat ng mga babae na wala sa kuweba ang katawan ni Jesus (24:1-3). Lalo silang nanggilalas nang nagpakita sa kanila ang dalawang anghel na nagpahayag na nabuhay muli si Cristo (24:4-8). Karipas na nagbalita ang mga kababaihan sa mga apostoles at mga alagad na buhay si Jesus ngunit hindi nila pinaniwalaan (24:9-11). Tumakbo si Simon Pedro, kasama si Juan, sa libingan at namangha sila na wala nga doon ang katawan ni Jesu-Cristo (24:12). Sa araw na iyon ay nagpakita si Jesus sa dalawang alagad sa Emmaus na nagbalita sa mga alagad sa Jerusalem (24:13-35). At kinagabihan ay nagpakita si Jesus sa kanyang mga apostoles at mga alagad sa kanilang kinaroroonan sa Ikalawang Palagad sa Jerusalem (24:36-49). Sa araw ng Linggo, subaybayan natin ang mga pangyayari at maingat nating tignan ang mga katibayan na nagpapatunay na si Jesus nga ay tunay na nabuhay mula sa kamatayan.

A.  The Empty Tomb (24:1-3)

Una nating subaybayan ang pagpunta ng mga kababaihang alagad sa libingan ni Jesus.

 1. The Women Disciples at the Tomb

Bago pa man magbukangliwayway ay tumungo na sila sa libingan na dala ang kanilang mga inihandang pabango para sa katawan ni Jesus.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.” (24:1) 

Kaugalian sa kultura ng mga Judio ang maglagay ng mga pabango sa katawan ng isang yumao. Hindi nagawa ito ng mga babae sa araw ng Biyernes dahil hindi nila inaasahan ang kamatayan ni Jesus. Sinadya nilang puntahan ang libingan upang balutin ng pabango ang katawan ni Jesus. Ang paglalagay ng pabango ay tanda ng kanilang pagdadalamhati at pagmamahal sa ating Panginoong Jesu-Cristo.

 2. The Open and Empty Tomb

May isa silang suliranin habang sila ay patungo sa libingan. Inaasahan nila na sarado ang kuweba ng libingan. Sino ang mag-aalis ng malaking bato sa bunganga ng yungib kung saan inilibing si Jesus? Laking gulat nila noong sila ay dumako sa libingan.

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (24:2-3)

Ito ang unang katibayan. Ang bato ay naigulong mula sa bunganga ng yungib. Sino ang gumawa nito? Malamang ay hindi batid ng mga kababaihang alagad na sa araw ng Sabado ay pumunta ang pamunuan ng Sanhedrin kay Pontio Pilato upang pabantayan ang libingan ng mga sundalong Romano at lagyan ng selyo ang bato sa ngalan ng Emperador ng Roma. Ginawa nila ito na tiyakin na walang sinuman ang makagagalaw sa katawan ni Jesus. At sinumang mag-aalis ng bato at sisira sa selyo ng Roma ay tiyak na mapaparusahan ng kamatayan.

Bakit ginawa ng Sanhedrin ang bagay na ito? Dahil pinangangambahan nila ang sinabi ni Jesus na sa ikatlong araw siya ay mabubuhay na magmuli. Para sa Sanhedrin ito ay lapastangang kasinungalingan na mas mabigat kaya sa winika ni Jesus na siya ang Anak ng Diyos na katapat ng Diyos Ama sa Langit. Sino nga ba ang gumulong sa malaking bato ng yungib? Ang gumawa nito ay ang anghel ng Diyos. Sa pagbubukangliwayway ay nagkaroon ng matinding pagyanig sa libingan at iginulong ng anghel ang malaking bato at nasira ang selyo ng Emperador ng Roma.

Ito ang pangalawang katibayan. Wala sa libingan ang katawan ni Jesus! Lingid sa mga kababaihan, ang mga unang saksi sa pagkabuhay ni Jesus ay walang iba kundi ang mga sundalo na nagbantay sa yungib. Ngunit nang iulat nila ito sa Sanhedrin, pinalabas nila na ninakaw ng mga alagad ang katawan ni Jesus. At sinuhulan nila ng malaking pera ang mga sundalo upang ipakalat ang kasinungalingang ito sa mga tao.

Sa bahagi ng mga kababaihan sa loob ng libingan ay gayon na lamang ang kanilang pagtataka na walang laman ang libingan. Dala nila ang mga pabango. Ngunit wala ang katawan ni Jesus!

B. The Two Angels (24:4-8)

Walang mahagilap na salita ang mga kababaihang alagad habang sila ay nasa loob ng kuweba na nagtataka at nababahala. Nasaan nga ba ang katawan ni Jesus?  

1. The Appearance of Two Angels

Dito nagpakita ang dalawang anghel.

“While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.” (24:4)

Tumayo sa kanilang kalagitnaan ang dalawang nagniningning na lalaki Sila ay mga anghel na isinugo ng Diyos. Sila ang nagpagulong sa malaking bato ng yungib. Nanggilalas ang mga kababaihan sa presensiya ng mga anghel.

 2. The Message of the Angels

At nagsalita ang mga anghel sa mga kababaihan.

“In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” (24:5-7)

Ito ang pangatlong katibayan. Nagpatotoo ang dalawang anghel na si Jesus ay nabuhay ayon sa katuparan ng sinabi ni Jesus sa mga alagad. Noong malapit na ang takdang kamatayan ni Jesus ay inihayag niya ang kanyang sarili na siya ang Mesiyas at Anak ng Diyos. Naganap ito sa Caesaria Philippi sa Galilea. At pagkatapos niyang maihayag ang kanyang sarili at sinimulan na niyang ituro sa kanila patungkol sa kanyang kamatayan at pagkabuhay na magmuli.

Para sa mga alagad, ang tanging tumimo sa kanila ay ang kamatayan ni Jesus. Hindi naitanim sa kanilang isipan ang pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus. Una sa lahat ay dahil hindi sila makapaniwala na si Jesus ay mamamatay sa krus.

Doon sa loob ng yungib, pinagtibay ng dalawang anghel ang kaganapan ng pahayag ni Jesus sa mga apostoles. At maliwanag ang kanilang mensahe sa mga kababaihan, “Why are you looking the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen!” At pinaalalahan nila ang mga kababaihan sa salita ni Jesus patungkol sa kanyang kamatayan at pagkabuhay na magmuli.

 3. The Recollection of the Women

Napagtanto ng mga kababaihang alagad ang winika ni Jesus: “Then they remembered his words” (24:8). Naliwanagan ang mga kababaihan sa salita ni Jesus na pinagtibay ng dalawang anghel. At labis ang kanilang kagalakan na si Jesus nga ay buhay!

 C. The Report of the Women (24:9-11)

Sa nag-uumapaw na kagalakan ay dagliang tumungo ang mga kababaihan sa kinaroonan ng mga alagad.

1. The Breaking News to the Disciples

At abot-abot ang hininga na puno ng kagalakan na nag-ulat ang mga babaeng sa mga apostoles at alagad.

“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.” (24:9-10)

Ito ang ikaapat na katibayan. Nag-ulat ang mga babaeng alagad na nakakita sa dalawang anghel at nakapakinig sa kanilang salita na si Jesus nga ay buhay. Ang ulat na ito ay hindi mula sa isang babae lamang. Higit tatlong babaeng alagad ang personal na nakasaksi sa presensiya at testimonya ng mga anghel. Sa Batas ni Moses, ang isang bagay ay napagtitibay sa dalawa o tatlo na mga saksi. Ang kanilang dakilang ulat ay mula sa dalawang anghel. Siyanga, ang mga anghel ng Diyos ay magpakakatiwalaan dahil ang kanilang salita ay pawang katotohanan.

 2. The Unbelief of the Disciples

Sa yugtong ito ay hind makapaniwala ang mga alagad sa dakilang balita.

“But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” (24:11)

Para sa mga ibang alagad, ang pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus ay isang kahibangan. Hindi sa pinararatangan nila na nagsisinungaling ang mga nag-ulat na mga kababaihan. Kundi, sadyang hindi sila makapaniwala na si Jesus nga ay buhay dahil imposible itong mangyari. Ang himala na ito ng pagkabuhay ay sadyang hindi arok sa kaisipan ng tao.

D. The Witness of Simon Peter (24:12)

Ano ang ginawa ni Simon Pedro? Kasama ni Juan, silang dalawa ay kumaripas patungo sa libingan ni Jesus. Iisa lamang ang kanilang layunin. Totoo ba na wala sa libingan ang katawan ni Jesus?

 1. Peter Rushed to the Tomb

Daglian ngang kumaripas ng takbo si Simon Pedro papuntang libingan,  “Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb” (24:12a). Sa salaysay ng Ebangelio, naunang nakadako si Apostol Juan sa libingan ngunit si Simon Pedro ang unang nakapasok sa loob ng kuweba.

 2. Peter Saw the Strips of Linen

Ano ang nasaksihan ni Simon Pedro, kasama si Juan? Ito ang salaysay sa Ebanghelio ni Lukas, “Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves” (24:12b).  

Ito ang panglimang katibayan. Nakita nina Pedro at Juan ang mga damit na leno na pinambalot sa katawan ni Jesus na nasa ayos at kusang nakababa sa pinaglatagan kay Jesus. Ibig sabihin, walang gumalaw sa katawan ni Jesus. Kung may gumalaw o di kaya may nagnakaw sa kanyang katawan ay makikita na wala sa tamang lugar ang mga damit ng leno na ipinambalot sa katawan ni Jesus. Bakit kusang bumaba ang damit na leno at nasa ayos na lugar? Ito ang matimbang na paliwanag. Sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos ay nabuhay na magmuli ni Jesus at siya ay napagkalooban ng “glorified body” o maluwalhating katawan na hindi nasasaklaw sa limitasyon ng pisikal na mga bagay.  

3. Peter Was Gripped With Wonder

Ano ang kabuluhan ng mga pangyayari na ito kay Simon Pedro? Ito ang ating mababasa sa Ebanghelio ayon kay Lukas, “And he went away, wondering to himself what had happened” (24:12c). Hindi dahil sa kawalan ng pananampalataya ni Simon Pedro sa pagkabuhay ni Jesus. Bagkus, siya ay labis na namamangha sa isang dakilang himala na sadyang mahirap paniwalaan batay sa kaisipan ng tao. Sa bahagi ni Simon Pedro, ang pinakamatibay pa rin na katibayan ay ang personal niyang makita si Jesus na kanyang pinakamamahal na Panginoon.

Dito natin maidaragdag ang ikaanim at pinakamahalagang katibayan. Si Jesus nga ay personal na nagpakita sa mga alagad noong gabi ng Linggo nang pagkabuhay na muli ni Jesus. Ito ay naganap sa loob ng isang pinid na silid sa Ikalawang Palapag sa isang bahay sa Jerusalem. At ano ang katibayan na siya nga si Jesus? Ipinakita niya sa kanila ang mga pilat sa kaniyang mga palad at tagiliran mula sa sugat ng mga pako at tabak.

Sa maingat na pagsusuri, may isang seryosong bagay na kapansinpansin sa mga makatotohanang katibayan sa pagkabuhay ni Jesus. Lahat ay nasaksihan ng dalawa at higit na mga saksi. Higit dalawang babae ang nakakita sa naigulong na bato at ang libingan na wala doon ang katawan ni Jesus. Dalawang anghel ang nagpakita sa mga kababaihan. Nagpakita si Jesus sa dalawang lalaki sa Emmaus. Sina Pedro at Juan ang pumunta sa yungib at nakita nila ang mga damit na leno na kusang bumaba sa lugar kung saan nailatag si Jesus. At si Jesus ay nagpakita sa mga apostoles at mga alagad noong gabi ng Linggo sa Ikalawang Palagpag sa Jerusalem. Ayon kay Lukas, may isang pagkakataon na si Jesus ay nagpakita sa mga higit 400 alagad. Sa Banal na Kautusan, napagtitibay ang isang bagay sa patotoo ng dalawa o tatlo o higit pang mga saksi!

Conclusion

Sa araw ng Biyernes si Jesus ay namatay at sa ikatlong araw, Linggo, siya ay nabuhay mula sa kamatayan. Siya ay nagpakita sa kanyang mga alagad at pagkatapos ng 40 mga araw, siya ay nanumbalik sa Langit at iniluklok ng Diyos Ama sa kaitaastaasan. Ang kamatayan ni Jesus, ang kanyang muling pagkabuhay at pagkaluklok sa kaitaasan ay matibay na pundasyon ng Kristianismo na wala sa anumang relihiyon. Sa kanyang muling pagkabuhay ay napagtitibay na siya ay ganap na Diyos, tanging Tagapagligtas ng sangkatauhan at dakilang Panginoon ng lahat. Sa dakilang pundasyon ng katotohanang ito tayo ay nagdiriwang.

Una sa lahat, sambahin natin si Jesus na ating Diyos. Noong nakita ni Tomas ang mga pilat sa mga kamay at tagiliran ni Jesus ay kanyang winika kay Jesus, “Aking Diyos at Panginoon.” At siya ay sumamba kay Jesus. Si Jesus na ating sinasamba ay hindi isang dios-diyosan na walang buhay. Si Jesus ay tunay na Diyos at siya ay buhay magpakailanman.

Pangalawa, mahalin natin si Jesus na ating Tagapagligtas. Noong nasaksihan ni Pablo si Jesus na nabuhay mula sa libingan ay nabago ang kanyang buhay. Mula sa isang makasalanan siya ay naging dakilang misyonero na nangaral ng Mabuting Balita ng kaligtasan. Si Jesus na ating Tagapagligtas ay namatay para sa ating kasalanan at nabuhay na magmuli para tayo ay mapawalang-sala sa harapan ng Diyos.

Pangatlo, paglingkuran natin si Jesus na ating Panginoon. Ipinangaral ni Apostol Pedro, “Binuhay ng Diyos si Jesus…na siya ang Mesias at Panginoon.” Winika ni Apostol Pablo, “Lahat ng tuhod ay maninikluhod at bawat labi ay magsasabi, “Si Jesus ay Panginoon.”  Si Jesus ay buhay magpakailanman. Sambahin natin Siya sa ikaluluwalhati ng Diyos Ama.

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April 19, 2019 [GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE]- “The Word of Assurance” Luke 23:32-33, 39-43

Click READ MORE to read the full sermon.

Introduction

Kailanman ay huwag nating ipagsawalang-bahala ang kasagraduhan ng buhay at ang kaligtasan ng ating kaluluwa. Para sa ating kaligtasan, mapapahalagahan lamang natin ang kamatayan ni Jesus kung kikilanlin natin ang bigat ng ating pagkakasala.

Sa takdang araw ng ating kamatayan ay napakahalaga na magkaroon tayo ng katiyakan para sa ating buhay. Ang kamatayan ay nakatadhana sa bawat nilalang. Subalit ang salitang kamatayan para sa marami ay isang bagay na hindi dapat pag-usapan sa iba’t-ibang kadahilanan. May mga takot na harapin ang katotohanan ng kamatayan. May pag-aalinlangan ang marami sa kaisipan na walang sinumang nakakatiyak sa katayuan ng isang yumao sa kabilang buhay. Mayroon din naman na walang pakundangan sa paghamak na ang kamatayan ay katapusan ng lahat ng bagay at walang anumang buhay sa pagyao ng isang nilalang.

Ang mga kaisipang ito ay salungat sa dakilang katuruan ng Banal na Kasulatan. Sadyang napakahalaga na ating maunawaan ang tunay na kabuluhan ng kamatayan ayon sa itinuturo ng Salita ng Diyos. Una sa lahat, ang kamatayan ay kaparusahan sa ating kasalanan. Ito ay bunga ng pagsuway ni Adan sa utos ng Diyos doon sa Hardin ng Eden. Dahil sa kasalanan ng unang nilalang na nilikha ng Diyos ay pumasok ang kasalanan at kamatayan sa sangkatauhan. Winika ng Diyos kay Adan:

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Gen. 2:16)

Noong sumuway si Adan, kasama si Eba, sila nga ay nahatulan ng kamatayan. Pangunahin dito ay ang ispirituwal na kamatayan. Sila ay nahiwalay sa Diyos at pinalayas sa Garden ng Eden. Kasama din dito ay ang pisikal na kamatayan. Sila ay tatanda hanggang sila ay mamamatay. Pinakamabigat sa lahat ay ang walang hanggang kamatayan. Kung sila ay mamamatay sa kanilang kasalanan ay maihihiwalay sila ng walang hanggan mula sa Panginoon at sila ay mahahatulan ng walang hanggang pagdurusa sa Impiyerno o Dagatdagatang Apoy.

Pangalawa, si Jesu-Cristo ang tanging handog upang tayo ay matubos sa ating kasalanan at magkaroon tayo ng buhay na walang hanggan. Ito ang dakilang paliwanag ni Apostol Pablo, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man (Adan) the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man (Jesus) the many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5:19).  Sa liwanag ng Banal na Kasulatan, lahat tayo ay makasalanan at ang kaparusahan nito ay kamatayan. At ang tanging paraan para sa ating kaligtasan mula sa ating kasalanan ay ang kamatayan ni Jesus bilang kabayaran sa lahat ng ating kasalanan. Sa katotohanang ito ay higit nating mapapahalagahan ang tagpo doon sa Kalbaryo kung saan namatay si Jesu-Cristo sa krus.

Isa sa mga huling salita ni Jesus sa Krus ay dakilang katiyakan ng kaligtasan para sa isang makasalanan. Winika ni Jesus sa nagsising kriminal na kasama niyang napako sa krus, “Sinasabi ko sa iyo ang katotohanan, sa araw na ito ay makakasama mo ako sa Paraiso.” Pagmasdan nating mabuti ang mabigat na tagpo sa Kalbaryo (23:32-33). Suriin natin ang magkaibang tugon ng dalawang kriminal kay Jesus na kasama niyang napako sa krus (23:39-42). At panghawakan natin ang dakilang salita ni Jesus sa kriminal na pakumbabang kumilala kay Jesus (23:43). Ang tagpong ito ang maglalahad ng nilalaman ng ating puso.

A. The Dreadful Sight at Calvary (23:32-33)

Madugo ang huling araw ni Jesus sa Jerusalem. Hinatulan siya ng Sanhedrin ng pamumusong dahil hindi sila makapaniwala na si Jesus ang Diyos Anak. Tinanggihan siya ng mga Judio na siya ang Mesiyas. Hinatulan siya ni Pontio Pilato ng rebelyon laban kay Caesar. Doon sa Kalbaryo ay ipinako siya sa krus sa pagitan ng dalawang kriminal.

 1. Two Crucified Criminals

Kasama ni Jesus ang dalawang kriminal na nahatulan ng kamatayan. Ito ang nasusulat sa Ebanghelio ni Lukas, “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed” (23:32). Sa panahon ng Kaharian ng Roma, ito ay pangkaraniwang tanawin. Ipinapako sa krus ang mga kriminal alinsunod sa batas ng kaharian. Ang kamatayan sa krus ay napakabigat na kaparusahan. Mabigat ang batas ngunit kinakailangan itong maisakatuparan para masupil ang mga gumagawa ng mga karumaldumal na kasalanan. Sa kabila ng makatarungang paghatol sa isang makasalanan ay nangingibabaw pa din naman ang kasagraduhan ng buhay. Kahit sa pinakahuling hininga ng isang makasalanan ay bukas ang pintuan ng Langit sa sinumang magsisisi sa kanyang kasalanan.

 2. The Crucified Christ

Sa pagitan ng dalawang kriminal, kasamang napako si Jesus sa krus.

“When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.” (23:33) 

Sa mata ng Sanhedrin, ang pamunuan ng Israel, si Jesus ang dakilang sinungaling. Ayon sa kanila, siya ay isang hamak na nilalang at maralita. Hindi sila makapaniwala na si Jesus ang Anak ng Diyos na kapantay ng Diyos Ama. At dahil hindi nila mahatulan si Jesus ng pamumusong sa ilalim ng Kaharian ng Roma, ang ipinaratang sa kanya sa harapan ni Pontio Pilato, ang gobernador ng Judah, ay rebelyon laban kay Caesar.

Sa mata ni Pontio Pilato, si Jesus ay hindi karapatdapat hatulan ng kamatayan. Binalaan siya ng kanyang asawa na hindi niya dapat hatulan si Jesus dahil siya ay matinding nanaginip na si Jesus ay walang kasalanan. Subalit sa hangarin ni Pontio Pilato na paboran ang mga Judio siya ay naghugas kamay at pinatawan niya ng kamatayan si Jesus batay sa kaso sa kanya ng Sanhedrin na rebelyon. Ito ang nakasulat sa ulunan ni Jesus sa krus, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

Sa mga Israelita, umaasa sila na si Jesus ang kanilang Mesiyas bilang hari na magliligtas sa kanila mula sa Kaharian ng Roma. Ngunit nang naging maliwanag sa kanila na walang balak si Jesus na iluklok ang kanyang sarili bilang isang politikal na hari at magtayo ng kanyang kaharian, siya ay kanilang tinanggihan at hinatulan. Iisa ang kanilang sigaw laban kay Jesus, “Ipako siya!”

Sa mga apostoles at mga alagad, ang pagkapako ni Jesus sa krus ay kamatayan ng kanilang pag-asa. Tulad ng mga Israelita, nangarap din naman sila na maging hari si Jesus at maghari sa bansang Israel. Hindi nila lubos na tarok na ang kamatayan ni Jesus ang paraan nang pagliligtas at paghahari ng Diyos sa Israel at sa lahat ng mga bansa.

Sa mga sundalong Romano, ang pagpako kay Jesus ay walang habag na responsibilidad na may paghamak at panlilibak. Ipinako nila si Jesus na sa isip nila ay naghahariharian laban kay Caesar. Tanging ang kapitan ng mga sundalo ang takot na kumilala na si Jesus ay inosente at matuwid.

Mula sa Langit, ang mga anghel ay nanghilakbot. Batid nila kung sino si Jesus. Siya ang pinakamamahal na bugtong na Anak ng Diyos Ama. Si Jesus ang dakilang Lumikha ng sansinukob at Panginoon ng lahat. Nakapanghihilakbot na si Jesus ay mamatay doon sa krus!

Noong 1899, ang mga alipin na Kristiyanong Aprikano sa Amerika ay lumikha ng isang dakilang awit at naisama ito bilang kauna-unahang Negro spiritual song sa Episcopal Church hymnal noong 1940. Ito ang pamagat ng awit: Were You There. Ito ang buhay na mensahe ng awit.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

 Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?

Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?

O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?

 Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?

Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?

O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they pierced Him in the side?

 Si Jesus na Lumikha sa atin ang siyang nag-alay ng kanyang buhay upang tubusin tayo sa bigat ng ating pagkakasala! Siya ay walang iba kundi ang pinakamamahal na Anak ng Diyos. Pagharian nawa tayo ng banal na pagkatakot sa kamatayan ng ating Panginoong Jesus.

B. Two Lives in Contrast (23:39-42)

Ano ang tugon ng dalawang kriminal kay Jesus na kasama nilang napako sa krus? Magkasalungat ang tugon ng dalawa kay Jesus. Kung tutuusin ay sinasalamin nito ang uri ng ating mga buhay.

 1. The Unrepentant Criminal

Ang una ay nilibak si Jesus.

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’” (23:39)  

Ipinapakita lamang ng kriminal ang kawalan ng pananalig kay Jesus. Hindi nakakitaan sa kanya ang kababaang-loob. Bagkus, nangibabaw sa kanya ang pagkamakasarili. Mabigat, walang pakundangan na hinamak niya si Jesus at ipinasailalim sa isang mapanlibak na pagsubok. Wala sa puwang ng kriminal na siyasatin ang kahungkagan ng kanyang puso. Ang tanging nangingibabaw sa kanya ay sariling kapakinabangan. Nakalulungkot mang sabihin ngunit sadyang may mga nilalang na hindi kumikilala kay Jesus at sila ang nagtatakda kung ano ang dapat gawin sa kanila ng Diyos para sa kanilang sariling interes.

 2. The Penitent Criminal

Kakaiba ang tugon ng pangalawang kriminal. Pakumbaba niyang kinilala ang kanyang pagiging makasalanan at namanhikan na ipagkatiwala ang kanyang tanang buhay sa kamay ng Panginoong Jesus. Isapuso natin ang binitiwang salita ng pangalawang kriminal.

a.    The Solemn Rebuke

Sinaway niya ang kanyang kapwa kriminal.

“But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don't you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’” (23:40-41)

Una sa lahat, nanaig sa kanya ang banal na takot sa Diyos. Kanyang winika, “Hindi ka ba natatakot sa Diyos dahil ikaw ay nasa ilalim ng pantay na pagkahatol?” Sa bahagi ng pangalawang kriminal, napagtanto niya na hindi patas ang naigawad na kaparusahan para kay Jesus tulad ng hatol para sa kanilang dalawang kriminal.

Pangalawa, kinilala ng pangalawang kriminal ang kanyang pagkakasala. Tapatan niyang winika, “Makatarungan lamang tayong maparusahan dahil kinakailangan nating pagdusahan ang ating mga ginawa.” Hindi niya pinagtatakpan ang kanyang kasalanan. Hindi siya gumawa ng anumang dahilan sa kanyang nagawang pagkakasala. Hindi rin niya ipinagtanggol ang kanyang sarili bilang isang kriminal. Bagkus, kinilala niya ang kanyang sarili bilang isang makasalanan na nararapat parusahan sa kanyang nagawang kasalanan.

Pangatlo, kinilala niya ang pagiging inosente ni Jesus. Winika ng pangalawang kriminal sa kanyang kapwa kriminal, “Subalit ang taong ito ay walang nagawang kasalanan.” Isang hiwaga kung papaano ito nagpagtanto ng pangalawang kriminal. Malamang, may kakaiba lamang siyang damdamin kay Jesus habang maingat niyang pinagmamasdan ang kababaang-loob at pagpapatawad ni Jesus sa gitna ng panlilibak at pasakit doon sa krus. Sa kaibuturan ng puso ng kriminal ay napagtanto niya na inosente at walang kasalanan si Jesus.

Nasaan ang ating banal na pagkatakot sa ating Diyos? Bilang mga makasalanan ay wala tayong karapatan na ipangatuwiran ang ating sarili at magreklamo sa makatarungan nating kaparusahan. Bagkus ay pakumbaba tayong manikluhod sa habag ng ating Panginoong Diyos.

b.    The Humble Petition

Isapuso natin ang kahilingan ng pangalawang kriminal. Ito ang naisulat sa Ebanghelio ni Lukas, “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’” (23:42). Ito ay marubdob na kahilingan ng isang mapagpakumbaba at nagsisising makasalanan. Sa bingit ng kamatayan, walang ibang tinawagan at pinanghawakan ang kriminal kundi si Jesus. Sa kabila ng lahat ng kanyang mga kasalanan ay lubusan siyang nagpasakop kay Jesus at makapiling siya sa kanyang kaharian. Ang pagsamo na ito ang pangangailangan nating lahat na makasalanan.

 C. The Reassuring Word of Jesus (23:43)

Ano ang tugon ni Jesus? Sa unang kriminal na hindi sumampalataya at humamak sa kanya, si Jesus ay nanahimik na may panlulumo at paghihinagpis sa kapahamakan ng isang kaluluwa. Ngunit sa pangalawang kriminal na sumampalataya at nagpakababa, si Jesus ay nagbigay ng buhay na salita na dakilang saligan ng buhay at kaligtasan sa bingit ng kamatayan. Manikluhod tayo na ang huling salita ni Jesus sa nagsising kriminal ay kanyang maigawad para sa bawat isa sa atin.

“Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (23:43)

Maingat nating himayin ang huling salita ni Jesus sa kriminal.

1. The Absolute Truth

Una sa lahat, winika ni Jesus, “I tell you the truth.” Ito ay katotohanan at pawang katotohanan. At bakit hindi? Si Jesus ay Diyos ng katotohanan. Winika ni Jesus, “Ako ang katotohanan” (Jn. 14:6). Ang buhay ni Jesus ay kapahayagan ng katotohanan ng Diyos. At ang bawat salita ni Jesus ay katotohanan na mapanghahawakan ng kriminal na salita ng buhay.

 2. The Present Reality

Pangalawa, winika ni Jesus, “Today.” Ang kaganapan ng salita ni Jesus sa kriminal ay sa pangkasalukuyan. Sa takdang oras kung kailan nagsalita si Jesus ay salita ng katiyakan sa oras din na iyon. Sa bingit ng kamatayan ng kriminal ay makatitiyak siya na ang kanyang tanang buhay ay nasa mapag-ingat na kamay ng Panginoon magpakailanman.

3. The Redeeming Grace

Pangatlo, winika ni Jesus “You will be with me.” Ang makasama ng kriminal si Jesus ay kapahayagan ng mabiyayang pagtubos ng Diyos. At ang katubusan ay sa pamamagitan ng kamatayan ni Jesus sa krus. Si Jesus ay namatay para sa buong sangkatauhan. At ang unang nabiyayaan nang pagliligtas ng Diyos ay isang hamak at nagsising kriminal!

 4. The Eternal Home

Panghuli, winika ni Jesus, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Kamangha-mangha na ang unang nilalang na nakasama ni Jesus papasok sa Langit ay walang iba kundi ang nagsising kriminal. Ito ay napakaganda at nakakaaliw na balita para sa ating lahat na makasalanan.

Conclusion

Katagpuin natin ang Diyos sa Kalbaryo. Tatlong nilalang ang napako sa krus. Sa pagitan ng dalawang kriminal napako si Jesus. Hinamak ng unang kriminal si Jesus. Katahimikan ang tugon sa kanya ni Jesus na may pagdalamhati sa kapahamakan ng isang kaluluwa. Sinaway ng pangalawang kriminal ang kanyang kasama at nagsumamo siya sa ilalim ng habag ng Diyos. Winika ni Jesus sa nagsising kriminal, “Sinasabi ko sa iyo ang katotohanan, sa araw na ito ay makakapiling mo ako sa Paraiso.” Sa bingit ng kamatayan ay iginawad ni Jesus sa kriminal ang salita ng katiyakan ng kaligtasan.  Siyasatin natin ang ating kalooban.

Tayo ba ay tulad ng unang kriminal na walang takot sa Diyos at hinamak si Jesus?  Sa ating panahon, bukambibig ng marami na sila ay may takot sa Diyos at kumikilala kay Jesus. Ngunit kung susuriin ang takbo ng kanilang pag-iisip, pananalita at gawa ay kanilang paimbabaw na itinatatwa ang Panginoon. At mabigat sa kalooban na marami ang walang pakundangan na nilalapastangan at minumura si Jesus na ikapapahamak ng kanilang kaluluwa. Hindi ito ikinalulugod ng Diyos.

Tayo ba ay tulad ng pangalawang kriminal na nanikluhod sa Diyos at nagpasakop kay Jesus? Batid ni Jesus ang ating puso. Ang sinumang nagpapakababa ay itataas ng Diyos. Sa sinumang sumasampalataya ay kalulugdan ng Panginoon. Sa bawat nagsisisi ay patatawarin ng Poong Maykapal. Bukas ang pintuan ng Langit sa sinumang nagpapakababa, sumasampalataya at nagsisisi. Doon sa Kalbaryo, ialay natin ang ating buhay sa Diyos. Dinggin nawa ng Panginoon ang samo ng ating puso, “Jesus, alalahanin mo ako sa pagdating ng iyong kaharian.” At manahan tayo sa katiyakan ng kaligtasan batay sa salita ni Jesus, “Sinasabi ko sa iyo ang katotohanan, sa araw na ito ay makakasama mo ako sa Paraiso.”

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April 14, 2019 - “The Agony in Gethsemane” Matthew 26:36-46

Click READ MORE to read the full sermon.

Introduction

If we could have a glimpse on the agony of Jesus in Gethsemane, we only make fools of ourselves when we turn our ears deaf to his pleadings and harden our hearts to his tears. Ours is a generation who observes the season of Lent in vacation and recreation. We have lost the moral sensitivity to cherish the suffering of Christ and become careless to give ourselves a spiritual retreat to care for our souls. And God forbids for us to go through all the motions in observance of the Lent as a religious ritual without an intimate communion with the Lord.

Let us examine our calendar and search our hearts. Where is Jesus Christ in all our activities during the Lent? And where is our heart into all our personal reflections about the pain of God? The unspeakable sorrow of our Lord Jesus Christ in Gethsemane should lead us down on our knees and pour our hearts to God in tears.

The apostles thought their night with Jesus in Gethsemane, as usual, would simply be a time of rest. Their previous days were loaded. It was on a Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a young donkey with a great crowd who hailed him as their king. Every day he taught in the temple courts. As people flocked to him the Sanhedrin made up their mind to kill him. On Thursday night in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, he joined supper with his apostles and gave his farewell address to them. They proceeded to Gethsemane where Jesus pleaded to his Father in heaven three times to spare him from death (26:36-39, 40-42, 43-46). The apostles had no idea that would be their last night with Jesus.

A. The First Petition (26:36-39)

Jesus knew the hour of his death had come. In few hours he would be crucified on a cross. The dread of crucifixion terrified him. He faced the greatest temptation of his life. At Gethsemane he pleaded with God his Father if he could be spared from the horrible death on the cross. The apostles were clueless of the inconceivable pain of Jesus.

 1. Jesus in Gethsemane

Jesus closed the night with his apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem with a solemn prayer (Jn. 17:1-26). John wrote in his gospel narrative.

“When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.” (Jn. 18:1)

Luke wrote in his gospel: “Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’” (Lk. 23:39-40)

And Matthew gave this parallel account: “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’” (Mt. 26:36)  

Gethsemane was the retreat place for Jesus and his apostles. That night, Jesus knew that the power of darkness under Satan worked at its peak to unravel the disciples and to pin down Jesus. Amidst the unsuspected fierce spiritual battle, Jesus focused on the primacy of prayer. Jesus exhorted his apostles, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

2. The Sorrow of Jesus

Jesus faced the fiercest warfare and the greatest temptation of his life under the scheming influence of Satan who orchestrated for his death. Jesus himself was unsettled to the core that compelled him to wrestle in earnest prayer. Matthew narrated the inner struggle of Jesus.

“He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’” (Mt. 19:37-38)

Mark wrote a parallel gospel account.

“He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’” (Mk. 14:33-34)

The gospel writers recorded the indescribable anguish of Christ. The Greek word used for sorrow which Jesus described of his anguish literally means “very sad,” “deeply grieved” and “exceeding sorrowful.” Jesus confessed to his core disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”  And he requested for James, Peter and John to keep watch and pray with him.

 3. The Prayer of Jesus

Jesus gave room for himself in prayer. Matthew wrote in his gospel.

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’” (Mt. 19:39)

Luke narrated, “He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed” (Lk. 23:41). And Mark gave this record.

“Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “Take this cup from me. Yet not I will, but what you will.” (Mk. 14:35-36)

Jesus sought privacy for himself. He went a little farther enough for him to pour out his bewildered soul without disturbing his disciples. Alone he knelt down and prayed in the dark. And he earnestly pleaded to his Father in heaven if it was possible for him to be spared from death.

 B. The Second Petition (26:40-42)

Jesus rested awhile in pouring out his soul to God. He went to his disciples and see how they were. He knew their pain when he bid them farewell. He was in great sorrow yet he took time to watch over them.

 1. The Disciples Asleep

Jesus kept in touch with his close disciples. “Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping” (Mt. 26:40a; Mk. 14:37a). They were indeed physically tired and emotionally drained.

 2. The Request of Jesus

Jesus sought for prayer support. Matthew wrote in his gospel account.

“Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Mt. 26:40b-41)

Mark gave a parallel record.

“Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep?” Could you not keep watch for one hour?” Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Mk. 14:37b-38)

An hour of prayer is all what Jesus asked. And he particularly addressed it to Simon Peter. True, Jesus asked his disciples to intercede for him. Yet, he was more concerned for them. The apostles, especially Peter, have to watch and pray so that they will not fall into temptation. Jesus saw their will to pray but he understood they were dead tired.

 3. The Pleading of Jesus

Again, Jesus was left alone. Mark recorded, “Once more he went away and prayed the same thing” (Mk. 14:39). Matthew wrote in his gospel:

“He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’” (Mt. 26:42)

That night the conspiracy for his death was already sealed between the Sanhedrin and Judas Iscariot under the influence of Satan who worked behind the scenes. Jesus knew the dread of crucifixion as a slow torture of inconceivable and unbearable pain. Yet, he knew the ultimate reason for his horrible death on the cross. Through his death on the cross he would become a sin offering bearing upon himself all the sins of humankind and for him to bear the fullness of the wrath of his Father on behalf of sinners for the redemption of the world and the reconciliation of sinners to God. This was the reason why the Father sent him on earth. Ah! Jesus pleaded if there would be other way. Overwhelmed in sorrow, Jesus had no one to pour out his embattled soul but his Father in heaven.

C. The Third Petition (26:43-46)

In the bewilderment of his soul, Jesus wrestled with his heavenly Father in intimate prayer. His time of rest was to see his disciples. And for the second time he came to watch over them.

 1. The Disciples Asleep

Jesus found them in deep sleep. “When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy” (Mt. 26:43). This time Jesus did not bother them and respected their much needed rest.

 2. The Yielding of Jesus

What more could Jesus do? “So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing” (Mt. 26:44). And he poured out his soul to the point of death. Luke gave this graphic record.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.  And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Lk. 23:42-44)

When Jesus pleaded three times, he did not question the decree of God concerning his death for that could not be changed. Rather, he expressed the inconceivable anguish of his soul to face his horrible death on the cross. He groaned in much prayer as if his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. The Father knew the pain of his Son but turned deaf to his pleading. He sent his angel to encourage him. Jesus yielded in full submission. Finally he prayed, “Father, your will be done not mine.”

3. The Hour Has Come

Jesus rested his case. And he went back to his disciples. The gospel narratives according to Matthew and Mark, gave a touching account.

“Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!" (Mt. 26:45-46)

“When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Mk. 14:40-42)

The night when Jesus was arrested at Gethsemane, the eleven apostles were more devastated to have found out that the unsuspected traitor who betrayed Jesus their Lord was one among them—Judas Iscariot.

 Conclusion

Indeed, the hour has come. Jesus knew his time of death arrived. The thought of his dreadful crucifixion terrified him. Anguished gripped his soul to the point of death. Where could he find solace for his bewildered soul? At Gethsemane he spent his final night. He asked his eleven apostles to watch and pray with him. They all slept for their much needed rest. Jesus was left alone restless. In solitude he poured out his soul to God with just one plea. Three times he pleaded if he could be spared from horrible death on the cross. The silence of his Father crushed his heart. In earnest pleadings his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood. An angel of the Lord encouraged him. At last he yielded, “Father, Thy will be done, not mine.” Now, let us be still before God.

Do we embrace the pain of Christ? Jesus confessed, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Jesus is the author of life. And he trembled on the curse of death. It crushed him to face the hour of his death on the cross. The dread of crucifixion shattered his soul. It terrified him with inconceivable grief to bear the despicable sinfulness of humankind. And he was horrified to suffer the fullness of the wrath of God on behalf of sinners. At Gethsemane he poured out his bewildered soul and groaned in unbearable pain. And all his pain was meant for you and me. See his overflowing tears. Hear his despairing cries. Feel his trembling heart. Sense his gasping breath. Unless our conscience is dumb and seared to the agony of Jesus.

Do we nurture the care for our souls? Jesus entreated his disciples, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” And Jesus requested to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?” In the hour when darkness reigned, Jesus coveted the much needed company to wrestle with him in prayer so that they would altogether withstand the temptation of the Evil One. The apostles failed to see the coming danger. Dead tired they rested and slept. When Judas Iscariot arrived to betray the Lord, they were caught off guard and fled Jesus. We are embattled, oppressed and tempted. Let us be still before God—watch and pray—and he will sustain us with grace and courage.    

Do we yield to the will of God? Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus faced the greatest temptation of his life. Three times he pleaded with his Father in heaven for him to be spared from death. In deep anguish of his soul, his sweat fell to the ground as drops of blood. An angel appeared to strengthen him. In the end, Jesus obeyed his Father. And he offered his life for all of us. We embrace the cross and yield our all to Jesus Christ.