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2 Chron. 21:20 - He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed with no one's regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. NASU
Old James Ryan: My family is with me today. They wanted to come with me. To be honest with you, I...I wasn't sure how I'd feel coming back here. Every day I think about what you said to me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best that I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I've earned what all of you have done for me. Ryan's Wife: James? [looking at the headstone] Ryan's Wife: Captain John H Miller. Old James Ryan: Tell me I have led a good life. Ryan's Wife: What? Old James Ryan: Tell me I'm a good man. Ryan's Wife: You are. Ryan was concerned about his legacy. He wanted affirmation from his wife the one who knew him better than anyone else. He wanted to hear from her that he was a good man, that he had led a good life. Isn't that what most people want when they know they are coming down to their last few years or days? Why is it that we wait until our life is about over before we start to think about our legacy? Why can't we concentrate on our legacy when we are in our 20's, 30's, or 40's? Don't we know our life could end in one of those decades? Our scripture text is about King Jehoram who was going to die when he was 40 years of age. Most people care about their legacy but it is for certain not all people are concerned about what type of legacy they will be leaving.
How sad is that? He lived 40 years and when he died no one regretted this King's death. This is such a different picture from when King David died.
Jehoram made choices that only benefitted himself. In the end, he was stricken with an illness that lasted two years. He spent the last two years of his life in great pain according to the scriptures (2 Chron. 21:18-19). You can leave a great legacy by realizing Jesus helped you and therefore you will help others. Think on This: We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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John 13:2 - During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,…
John 13:21-22 - When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me." NASU
Jesus was betrayed by Judas. Judas was a part of the group known as the 12 disciples. We could say he was a part of the inner circle. He betrays the friendship he had with Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. He was a thief. He was greedy. He was the type of person who permitted the devil to have access to his heart. You would not want to associate with him. He would be exactly the type of person you would warn your children to stay away from him.
The pain that comes from betrayal is unique and it is so devastating it even hurt Jesus. Look at what the text says, "When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit,…" The word troubled means agitated. Jesus' spirit was agitated after he informed the disciples that Judas was going to betray Him. What He said to His disciples was this: John 13:18-19 - I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.' He prophesied His betrayal. He wanted them to know He knew it was going to happen to Him when He says, the one who was eating with Me was going to lift up his heel against Me. "Lifting up your heel" is a reference to a horse that lifts up its heels against the one who feeds and takes care of it.
Betrayal tells you a lot about the person who did the betraying. In Judas' case, he was not worthy of the spiritual gifts he possessed. Look what Luke 9:1-2 says, And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. Judas was one of the twelve as I stated earlier. Look at the power he possessed. He could cast out demons and heal people, but no he would rather give access of his heart to the devil and betray Jesus. What does this say about Jesus? Jesus, the one betrayed, offered one special ingredient to the relationship and that was TRUST. Jesus "trusted" His disciples offering them friendship and love and Judas cast all of that aside because he was greedy and not worthy of the spiritual blessings and benefits offered to him. If you don't ever want to be betrayed then you are going to have to go through life never trusting anyone. That doesn't sound like the way I want to live. I would rather trust people and if they betray me so be it. At least I trusted them. As my mom taught me "it is never wrong to do right." Let's be like Jesus and trust people. Think About This: Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. - William Shakespeare Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word John 12:42-43 - Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. NASU
The text says, "…many even of the rulers believed in Him, BUT…" They believed in Jesus as the Messiah or Christ. (Messiah is the Hebrew word and Christ is the Greek word for "anointed".) BUT, they would not confess Him to be the Messiah or Christ. If you are wondering why they would not confess Jesus to be the Messiah or Christ the answer is given to us.
Yes, we will all have to choose one day if we will confess Jesus to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God, or not. Choose wisely, my friend.
If you are going to live your life trying to get "approval" then the least you can do for yourself is to go after the "approval" of God. When your life is over the "approval" from God is all that will matter. Matt 10:32-33 - "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Romans 10:8-10 - But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART" — that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. We all will have to make the decision someday. Why not make your day today and confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Who are you playing for in this game of life? Are you playing for man or God? Do you want man's approval or God's? Think About This: Choice, not chance, determines destiny. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word John 12:3-8 - Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair;… But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me." NASU
Mary anoints Jesus with $24,000 worth of perfume. John says, "Costly perfume of pure nard…" What a display of love. What an act of selfless giving. What have I ever given to Jesus that was that costly? Nothing! Wow! Mary loves Jesus with a love that is truly amazing, and totally superior to any of my minor acts of love. But what does she receive for her self sacrificing act of love? She receives criticism and ridicule. The disciples treat her with indignation. Their actions remind me of what John said about Cain: 1 John 3:11-12 - we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous. Many times I have seen Christians harassed from evil people and John informs us why this has happened because the motive of the person who is doing the harassing is evil.
Isn't it amazing today how one Christian can do something for the Lord out of pure love, like Mary and this very same act will be called into question by other disciples? I can tell you right now from 35 years of experience in the local church I would rather have a congregation full of Mary's than even one Judas. She loves and it was evident by what she gave. Judas was filled with greed. He was a thief and gave nothing to help the cause. There are two lessons here for us the first is to be careful who you allow to influence you in life. Be influenced by loving and giving people and not greedy hateful people. The second lesson is don't allow criticism to stop you from doing good to others. Be like Mary and do all the good you can for Jesus and His creation. Jesus said, what Mary was doing was the right thing for her to do. Can you hear God telling you what you are doing is the correct action? Think About This: A Christian is the one who makes it easier for other people to believe in God. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word John 13:3-6 - knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. NASU
John 13:6-7 - So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter." NASU 1 Peter 5:5 - "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,…" NASU
If you would ask Peter where he learned about being clothed with humility, I think he would say in the upper room on the night when Jesus took a towel and girded Himself and washed the disciple's feet. When Jesus washes the feet of the disciples the lesson He was teaching was about "Humility". We don't have to wash a person's feet to show humility. There are many times in our life when we can show humility. How do you accept a promotion or a victory? How do you accept a defeat or a demotion? We can display "humility" in life without washing a person's feet as we should be doing. There is a very old saying that has been repeated many times by parents and coaches: "Win with Humility, Lose with Grace, and do Both with Dignity." I have to admit I saw this saying with a slightly altered ending that made me smile: "Win with Humility, Lose with Grace, but Don't Lose." If only it were that easy in life to not lose. Seriously, I would have to admit some of my greatest lessons I have learned have come by what I would classify as losses. The second lesson is one I have found very valuable and that is we don't always understand what is going on around us at first. Be calm. Don't jump to conclusions. Give the situation some time. Jesus was washing the disciple's feet and Jesus tells Peter you don't understand what I am doing right now but you will. Give it some time and you will see what I am doing. WOW! Who can relate to that message? I know I sure can. There have been so many times in my life where God did the exact opposite of what I wanted and had prayed for. God has shown me time and time again if I am His servant then I will trust Him and accept that when my prayer is answered with a "No" it is my best interests God has in mind. He has a better plan for you and me and that we can be sure of. Think About These: Stay Humble or Stumble. The best way to be right or wrong is humbly. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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