WHAT IS JESUS DOING IN THE GRAVE?
I Peter 3:18-20
Jesus is crucified Friday, on a cross and buried by Joseph of Arimathaea (Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:45-46; Luke 23:50-53 and John 19:38). All four Gospel writers agree that it is Joseph of Arimathaea who buries Jesus. We have no doubt that Jesus is in the grave, but what is he doing? Is he resting from his labors? No, Jesus is in the earth preaching the Good News.
In the first letter of Peter, Chapter 3, verses 18-20 we read that Christ suffers on the cross for the sins of humanity. Christ, the Innocent, suffers for humanity, the guilty to bring humanity to God. On the cross Christ dies in the flesh, but God keeps his spirit alive. The spirit of Christ preaches the gospel to disobedient spirits of dead humans who live in the prison of death.
The spirits of those who are dead in the flesh live, just as the spirit of Jesus lives. Jesus is not in the grave preaching to the spirits of all the dead. He only preaches to the spirits of the disobedient people who live in the days of Noah. While Noah builds the ark God patiently waits for the people to repent but they refuse, and so only eight souls save from drowning in the flood.
The end comes when the living and the dead face the Judge to give an account of their lifestyle ( I Peter 4:5). This is why Jesus, dead in the flesh, but alive in spirit preaches to the disobedience spirits in the grave. These disobedient spirits died in the flood because they would not repent of sins. They died for their sins, but now Jesus dies for the sins of humanity which includes disobedient spirits who died in the flood. Jesus preaches to disobedient spirits so that they repent and live in the spirit with God eternally (I Peter 4:6).
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Face An Uncertain Future With Faith
Ecclesiastes 11:4-6
Face An Uncertain Future With Faith
Don't fear buying your home. This is the time to act, not fear. I know the economy is not good, but I also know that God is good. You can afford a home, so buy it. Listen, I have a word for you from God. That word comes to you from the book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11:4-6. The writer of the book appeals to you to know the future is uncertain, not just to you, but also to all of us. No one knows the future, and so we act without knowledge, we call action without knowledge, faith.
Listen to the writer of Ecclesiastes: Whoever observes the wind will not sow. (11:4a) Now the wind is the economy. If you look at the economy you can forget sowing. And so, don't look at the wind. The second part of that verse reads, whoever regards the clouds will not reap (11b). If you look at the clouds, unempoyment, you will not reap (purchase your home). So, forget the rate of unemployment, and purchase your home. Your have a job today, don't look at the clouds of tommorrow.
The next verse, 5, reads: just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.
The next verse, 6, reads: In the morning sow your seed, ( you are young, this is your morning season) and at evening (growing old) do not let you hands be idle; (even the aged must not fear purchasing a home) for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
We don't know about tommorrow, but we do not that God is with us today and in our tommorrow. And so, Ecclesiastes appeals to us to forget the wind and sow ( act:do); and forget the clouds and reap (act:do).
Go in faith, that's all we have, but it's also all we need. Remember, faith without works is dead (James 2:20). You have faith, now go and get your home, your wife, your car.
Face An Uncertain Future With Faith
Don't fear buying your home. This is the time to act, not fear. I know the economy is not good, but I also know that God is good. You can afford a home, so buy it. Listen, I have a word for you from God. That word comes to you from the book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 11:4-6. The writer of the book appeals to you to know the future is uncertain, not just to you, but also to all of us. No one knows the future, and so we act without knowledge, we call action without knowledge, faith.
Listen to the writer of Ecclesiastes: Whoever observes the wind will not sow. (11:4a) Now the wind is the economy. If you look at the economy you can forget sowing. And so, don't look at the wind. The second part of that verse reads, whoever regards the clouds will not reap (11b). If you look at the clouds, unempoyment, you will not reap (purchase your home). So, forget the rate of unemployment, and purchase your home. Your have a job today, don't look at the clouds of tommorrow.
The next verse, 5, reads: just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.
The next verse, 6, reads: In the morning sow your seed, ( you are young, this is your morning season) and at evening (growing old) do not let you hands be idle; (even the aged must not fear purchasing a home) for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
We don't know about tommorrow, but we do not that God is with us today and in our tommorrow. And so, Ecclesiastes appeals to us to forget the wind and sow ( act:do); and forget the clouds and reap (act:do).
Go in faith, that's all we have, but it's also all we need. Remember, faith without works is dead (James 2:20). You have faith, now go and get your home, your wife, your car.
Easter Time Is Women Time
MARK 16:1-8
EASTER TIME IS WOMEN TIME
In Mark’s gospel, two women, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome (Mark 16:1) know something that no one else knows: “Jesus is not dead, but alive.” These two women hear something that no one else hears, because they do something no one else does. Mary and Mary bring sweet spices to the tomb of Jesus to anoint him. Imagine these two women anointing Jesus, not with oil, but with sweet spices.
We should not be surprise to find these two women at the tomb of Jesus with sweet spices. Why? They were with Jesus in his time of trouble as he hangs on the cross, and anyone who is with you in trouble is also with you in death. Mark tells the story of Mary and Mary presence with Jesus as he dies, hanging on an old rugged cross. “There were also women looking on afar off: among them is Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome. Who also when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and many other women which came up with him to Jerusalem. (Mark 15:41-42).
The story of Mary and Mary reminds us that it pays to serve Jesus. Listen, these two women hear the news, “Jesus is alive,” only because they come to anoint his body. The disciples did not come to the cross to see Jesus crucified, because they fear the Romans. Remember Peter denies Jesus three times because he fears death. We do not blame the disciples for being afraid of Roman soldiers. Every one fears a brutal death.
Fears keeps the disciples far from the cross where Jesus dies. The disciples were not with Jesus is trouble, so it is no surprise that they did not come to the tomb to be with him in death, knowing their fear of Roman soldiers. Mary and Mary had some fear of Roman soldiers; this is why when Jesus dies on the cross they stand “afar off.” Even though they stand “afar off,” they conquer their fear, and come to the cross to be present with Jesus in death.
This is why Eastertime is the time to remember and admire the courage of Mary and Mary, women like Sojourn Truth and Rosa Parks, forerunner of Dr. King. It is God who sends John to prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus, the Christ; and it is God who sends Rosa Parks to prepare the way for the ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King. And so as we celebrate the “Rising,” of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ we praise God for brave women of all times, ages, and generations. Let the women of God, and the men, rise and say something:” Amen!”
EASTER TIME IS WOMEN TIME
In Mark’s gospel, two women, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome (Mark 16:1) know something that no one else knows: “Jesus is not dead, but alive.” These two women hear something that no one else hears, because they do something no one else does. Mary and Mary bring sweet spices to the tomb of Jesus to anoint him. Imagine these two women anointing Jesus, not with oil, but with sweet spices.
We should not be surprise to find these two women at the tomb of Jesus with sweet spices. Why? They were with Jesus in his time of trouble as he hangs on the cross, and anyone who is with you in trouble is also with you in death. Mark tells the story of Mary and Mary presence with Jesus as he dies, hanging on an old rugged cross. “There were also women looking on afar off: among them is Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome. Who also when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered to him; and many other women which came up with him to Jerusalem. (Mark 15:41-42).
The story of Mary and Mary reminds us that it pays to serve Jesus. Listen, these two women hear the news, “Jesus is alive,” only because they come to anoint his body. The disciples did not come to the cross to see Jesus crucified, because they fear the Romans. Remember Peter denies Jesus three times because he fears death. We do not blame the disciples for being afraid of Roman soldiers. Every one fears a brutal death.
Fears keeps the disciples far from the cross where Jesus dies. The disciples were not with Jesus is trouble, so it is no surprise that they did not come to the tomb to be with him in death, knowing their fear of Roman soldiers. Mary and Mary had some fear of Roman soldiers; this is why when Jesus dies on the cross they stand “afar off.” Even though they stand “afar off,” they conquer their fear, and come to the cross to be present with Jesus in death.
This is why Eastertime is the time to remember and admire the courage of Mary and Mary, women like Sojourn Truth and Rosa Parks, forerunner of Dr. King. It is God who sends John to prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus, the Christ; and it is God who sends Rosa Parks to prepare the way for the ministry of Dr. Martin Luther King. And so as we celebrate the “Rising,” of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ we praise God for brave women of all times, ages, and generations. Let the women of God, and the men, rise and say something:” Amen!”
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