April 2, 2016
Jesus was determined to go to Jerusalem. As he traveled from Galilee, he sought to take the direct route through Samaria, but they would not “receive” him. Their rejection was a foreshadowing of the rejection he would face in Jerusalem. Yet, he “set his face” to go there. It was time. The reason for his coming was at hand. The betrayal, the rejection, the cross, the death and the burial… all these stood between him and his ascension back to the Father. He “set his face” to endure all these, looking past them to the time when he would be “taken up,” having completed his mission. Like a mother giving birth, who sets her face to endure the labor, Jesus “set his face” to endure the cross in order to experience the joy that was set before him (Heb. 12:2). Looking past the dark shadow of the cross, Jesus “set his face” to the bright glory that awaited him with the Father. Those who follow Jesus have a similar way of facing life, setting their face on being with Him, they order their lives accordingly.
April 1, 2016
Jesus took his inner circle of disciples up on a mountain to pray. As usual, they fell asleep, but they awoke suddenly to discover a change. The veil separating this world from the next had been pulled back. They saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about his soon approaching exodus from this world. Even more, Christ’s true majestic glory was revealed as they glimpsed His person with unveiled faces. Peter’s sleepy mumblings were silenced by the Father saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
So, looking and listening, what is observed? Here are two observations: 1) Moses and Elijah are alive and identifiable, giving evidence of the afterlife with God. 2) The Divinity of Christ is supported both by the visible revelation of His person and the audible testimony of His Father. How do these two observations encourage you today?
March 31, 2016
Jesus predicted his own death, burial and resurrection. No one took His life. He gave it willingly. The disciples didn’t really understand Christ’s claims until after His resurrection. When the disciples became eye witnesses of the risen Lord and were filled with the Holy Spirit, they went from frightened, unschooled followers to courageous, emboldened proclaimers of the gospel. And so Christ-followers greet one another even until this day saying, “He is risen!” He is risen indeed!
March 31, 2015
What is the cost of discipleship?
After Jesus described how He would suffer, be killed, and rise on the third day, He explained the cost of being one of His disciples. His instruction?
1) Deny yourself – Surrender your will to Christ’s Lordship.
2) Take up your cross daily – Die daily to sin through Christ’s sacrifice.
3) Follow Me – Walk in the Spirit, filled with Christ’s resurrection power.
April 1, 2014
Jesus took his inner circle of disciples up on a mountain to pray. As usual, they fell asleep, but they awoke suddenly to discover a change. The veil separating this world from the next had been pulled back and they could see to the other side. They saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about his soon approaching exodus from this world. And they witnessed a glimpse of Christ’s true majestic glory. John would again see Christ unveiled before leaving this world, as recorded in the Revelation, and it would leave him laying on the ground at Christ’s feet. God the Father silenced Peter’s mumblings as he awakened bleary-eyed and talkative with, “This is my Son, my Chosen one. Listen to him.”
March 31, 2014
This is the most important question Jesus asks. Some answered other prophets, some called him teacher, but Peter called him “the Christ,” the Messiah. the Anointed One of God. This question is still the most important that each of us must answer. Perhaps C. S. Lewis described the importance of how we answer this question best:
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” – C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
April 2, 2013
Practically, if you want to plow a straight furrow, you have to keep your eyes forward. Plowing requires forward focus. Following Jesus is similar. If you want to be His follower, you must keep your eyes on Him. Clinging to your past, you will lose sight of where Jesus leads. Following Jesus requires total surrender to His leading.
March 31, 2013
Jesus predicted his own death, burial and resurrection. The disciples didn’t understand Christ’s claims until after his resurrection. It was on the basis of this historical event that the disciples went from frightened, unschooled followers to courageous, emboldened proclaimers of the gospel. And so we greet one another even until this day with, “He is risen!” He is risen indeed!
March 31, 2012
Are you ashamed to witness? It isn’t considered polite to talk about Jesus and the Gospel. In a day when “R” rated language is everywhere, saying “Jesus” is only acceptable as a curse word. It’s “intolerant” to speak of Him otherwise. I wonder, will Jesus be ashamed of you on that Day?
February 27, 2011
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Luke 9
Pastor Gary Combs concludes the SAFE series with this final message from the book of Luke entitled “Lose Your Life.” Jesus told his disciples that if they strived to save their lives that they would lose them, but if they decided to lose their lives for his sake they would save them. It’s a paradox, but the call of Christ is the call to come and die… so that you might fully live!