WHERE IS THE GLORY?

“Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them. She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.” 1 Samuel‬ ‭4:19-22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Where is the glory? That was a good question then and it is a good question now.

Unlike many people who come to church now days, I am a little different in that I was raised in church from my birth on.  I think I was around 3 days old when I went to my first service.

Having said that, I have seen many things over my lifetime - especially when it comes to experiencing God’s presence.

I have been in many services where the presence of God is so “thick” that you can barely get out of your seat.  I have seen miracles and victories that make your spirit soar with faith.

But where is the glory now?  Yes, I still see God moving and I still feel His presence but it seems that experiencing that deep overwhelming presence of God is so somewhat of a novelty now.

The phrase “glory of God” comes from a Hebrew word “Phaneim” meaning the “face of God.”  This speaks of an intimacy with God - as in God turning to speak to you “face to face.”

“Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.” Exodus‬ ‭33:15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 There is another word called “Kabowd” which means "glory or  weight.”

Exodus 40:34 (NLT) 34 Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the LORD filled the Tabernacle. 

Romans 3:23 (NLT) 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 

God is basically saying "I will bring my presence among you and my weight will be upon you.  It will stamp upon you. It is that which comes into our midst with such a force that it makes a mark upon everyone in that place.”

So... glory has to do with countenance, sustenance, power, weight.

The Bible is filled with pictures of what God’s glory looked like:

- Adam and Eve were clothed in the glory. They did not know what their garments were made of.  Sin revealed their nakedness.  

- God's glory was then in the temple (tabernacle) – God made a covenant with His people that His glory would rest there.  The priest fell under the power (weight) of God's glory.

GOD'S PROMISE  "I will dwell in your midst."

Isaiah 4:5-6 (NLT) 5 Then the LORD will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land. 6 It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain. 

This was a prophecy that whenever we meet in an assembly together that God's glory would be prevalent. 

Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you."

Acts 2:4 (NLT) And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 

This glory spilled out to the church - A sign  tongues of flames rested upon them.  This was a token manifestation of God's glory.

Now…We know the gift of glory is upon us.  We know the grace of glory is with us.  But to walk in obedience to glory is often another thing.

The increase of God's glory in us can only be by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit to free us from bondages we carry  (flesh, fear, failure, success, the past, etc.)

This is elaborated in II Corinthians 3:411
     
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NLT) 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 

CHANGE - Transformed  gr. metamorphis – It is the concept of a caterpillar and butterfly.  There is an ongoing transformation taking place in us.
     
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT) 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

Glory – Greek - doxa – “splendor/ bright.”

Do you have a desire to know God?  To know His ways?  Do you want to line up with His will? Do you want to experience the Glory Of God?

Notice that Moses is the first student of the glory to say "Show me Thy Glory."

Adam wore the glory of God and walked in it.  Abraham followed and feared the glory.  Jacob encountered the glory of as he wrestled all night with an angel.

All these men were in touch with the glory of God but it is only Moses who sought after the glory.  He had a passion for it  v.15.  "If your presence won't go with us we won't go any further."

I pray that God so fills my life that His presence just “oozes” out of me.  That people would see and experience the “glory of God” that I have experienced and continue to experience.

I desire for this now generation (my kids and grandkids)  to experience God’s glory and presence in their lives.  I desire that we never have to ask the question “Where is the glory?”

I am hungry for more of God and His presence in my life and in the church that I pastor.  I am contending for “more” of God and His presence in my life.

I stand on this promise today - Colossians 1:27  "...Christ in you is the hope of Glory..."

HAS YOUR WELL RUN DRY?

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.” Psalms‬ ‭51:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you relate to this?

- You’re a Christian but lately the stresses of life are getting to you more and more.
- You are irritated by even the smallest inconveniences and problems
- You rarely laugh
- You are quick to snap at people
- You flop in bed each night, exhausted
- You have lost your joy in life

It is this last matter that I want to address to you today - that you’ve lost your joy amidst the stress and difficulties that are in your life.

Your Christian experience has been laborious rather than natural and flowing.  That, you are straining to make something happen rather than it flowing from your heart.  As a result, somewhere along the way, you have lost your joy.

Although not without troubles, the normal Christian life is to be brimming with joy.

“But the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” Luke‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy.” John‬ ‭17:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You might ask - “Where does that joy come from?” The fact is: Deeper joy is not found in power, position, or possessions, but rather in relationships.

We tend to get busy with our jobs and status and forget to relate to God in an intimate way.

We don’t relate to God through a religion, but rather through a relationship.

““I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John‬ ‭15:9-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus shares the simple but profound idea that a life of joy and fruitfulness comes by abiding in Him. That is, it is the closeness of the relationship that matters most.

His relationship with His Father was Jesus’ primary source of joy (He even referred to it as His “bread”).

In the same way, our greatest source of joy is a relationship. . . with God.

Jesus’ second greatest source of joy came from giving Himself away for those around Him.

If Jesus’ primary joy was His relationship with His Father, next in line was His relationships with those around Him.

After the disciples returned from doing ministry - the Bible states that Jesus was filled with joy (Luke 10:21).

Hebrews 12:1-2 teaches us how to keep the joy in our lives - it is “by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”

We can never take our eyes off of Christ and must always look forward inspire of the circumstances that surround us.

How Can I Have That Deeper Kind Of Joy In My Life?

1. Decide if you’re satisfied where you are or if you want your saucer full.

There’s a great old song that says, “I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘cause my cup has overflowed.” Do you want to live a life of overflowing joy?

Psalm 51:12 is a prayer that we all need to pray - “Restore to me the joy of my salvation.”

You will never get to that deeper joy unless you decide you’re dissatisfied with where you’re at right now.

2. Recognize that joy increases the closer you get to God.

You cannot be distant from God or preoccupied with other priorities in your life and still expect to enjoy a deeper joy.

Getting closer to God is not about being “religious;” it’s about abiding in the fullness of the joy of the Lord. It’s about receiving the abundant life He wants to give (John 10:10).

3. Search for ways to make those around you happy.

Stop believing the lie that joy will come as you put yourself ahead of others. Joy will come in your life through giving to those around you.

What can you do today that would bring a smile to your spouse’s face? What can you do this week that would cause your kids to say, “Cool!” Put a smile on their faces and there’ll be one on your’s too. Why? Because you’re investing in those important relationships.

4. Reject “instant happiness” temptations that are actually pathetic imitations of Jesus’ deeper joy.

The lure of pornography or becoming a shopaholic includes the promise that such things will make you happy. Watch out for the hook in those lures! Those shallow attempts at happiness are a pale and pathetic substitute for the lasting and deeper joy that Jesus offers.

Are you tired of living with your well dry? Step toward God this morning in the belief that He is the source of deeper joy.  Ask Him to saturate your life once again and fill you to overflowing with His Joy.  Put your eyes on Jesus and look past your problems and difficulties that you are facing right in life.  Draw close to Him.  Know that joy is waiting to return and fill you to overflowing.

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERS WHO END WELL

I’ve always been fascinated by everything to do with leadership principles and training.

What makes a leader? Is it a natural gifting that they are born with? Is it trained and developed? How is it sustained?  What are the makings of a great leader?  How do leaders leave a lifetime legacy?, Etc., etc.

Bobby Clinton (Professor from Fuller Theological Seminary -who has studied biblical leaders) makes a poignant observation that few leaders finish well. There are around 800 or so leaders mentioned in the Bible. There are about 100 who have data that helps you interpret their leadership. About 50 of these have enough data for evaluation of their finish. About 1 in 3 finished well. Anecdotal evidence from today indicates that this ratio is probably generous. Probably less than 1 in 3 are finishing well today.

He then shares six characteristics of individuals who finished well.

1. They Maintain A Personal Vibrant Relationship With God Right Up To The End.

Daniel is the classic O.T. leader who exemplifies this. In the N.T., Peter, Paul and John all demonstrate this. See their last writings—the tone, the touch with God, the revelation from God, their trust in enabling grace for their lives.

 2. They Maintain A Learning Posture And Can Learn From Various Kinds Of Sources— Life Especially.

Daniel is the classic O.T. leader who exemplifies this. See Daniel chapter nine for a late in life illustration of one who continues to study and learn from the Scriptures. Paul and Peter are the classic N.T. leaders with a learning posture (see 2Pe 3:18 and 2Ti 4:13).

3. They Manifest Christ-Likeness In Character As Evidenced By The Fruit Of The Spirit In Their Lives.

Daniel is the classic O.T. leader who exemplifies godliness (See the summary references to him in Eze 14:14,20). In the N.T. note the evidence of character transformation in Paul’s life (2Ti 2:24 and an illustration of it—the book of Phm). These were men who over a lifetime moved from strong

4. Truth Is Lived Out In Their Lives So That Convictions And Promises Of God Are Seen To Be Real.

Joshua’s statement about God’s promises never having failed him in his closing speech demonstrate this characteristic of someone believing God and staking his life on God’s truth (Jos 23:14). See the many aside truth statements that Paul weaves into his two letters to Timothy. See his famous stirring convictions echoed in Ac 27:22-25.

5. They Leave Behind One Or More Ultimate Contributions.

In a study on legacies left behind by effective leaders who finished well I have identified the following categories: saint, practitioners, mentors, public rhetoricians, pioneers, crusaders, artists, founder, stabilizer, researchers, writers, promoters.

Examples: Daniel’s ultimate contributions include: saint, (mentor), writer, stabilizer. Paul’s ultimate contributions include: saint, mentor, pioneer, crusader, writer, promoter.

Of course, in addition to these standard categories there are also unique legacies that leaders also leave behind. These have to be described individually for each leader.

6. They Walk With A Growing Awareness Of A Sense Of Destiny And See Some Or All Of It Fulfilled.

A sense of destiny is an inner conviction arising from an experience or a series of experiences in which there is a growing sense of awareness that God has His hand on a leader in a special way for special purposes. Over a lifetime a leader is prepared by God for a destiny, receives guidance toward that destiny, and increasingly completes that destiny. No Biblical leader who accomplished much for God failed to have a sense of destiny, one that usually grew over his/her lifetime.

Examples: Joseph’s dreams and his saving of the embryonic nation; Moses’ saving of the nation; Paul’s vision to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Think about this: What needs to change in your life to finish well? What characteristics do you need to develop in order to have a sustaining leadership over your lifetime? Who are the people mentoring you and who are yourself mentoring?

These principles apply to all sorts of leadership skills from being a top executive to being a parent of a two year old.  We all lead in some way but do we lead well and are growing in our leadership abilities.

I pray that God would hone in your abilities and make you to be the most awesome leader over the areas that have been assigned to you.  And… Above all things that you would end well in all your endeavors.  

James 4:8 “Draw close to God and God will draw close to you.”

I WANT MORE!

“When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.” Isaiah‬ ‭41:17-18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have been blessed over the past few weeks and years to see a renewed hunger and thirst for God that is developing in people across our nation.  There is an explosion of revival that is being felt and experienced in my lives and cultures.  Nations are being changed.  Stadiums are being filled and new churches are springing up all over with a people who are serious about kingdom life and making a difference here on earth.

I had begun to wonder if some of the great moves of God would permeate this next generation.  The truth is, yes He has and yes He will.  God’s spirit is blowing on all ages, cultures and peoples.

How many are hungry and thirsty for God today?  How many want of you want a move of God in your life?  How many would like to be part of revival that God is pouring out in these last days? 

Here’s the thing: When revival comes it will bring an intense desire in believers to be right before God in every area of our lives.



Revival is BELIEVERS receiving new life - becoming renewed. 

The very word “revival” implies that something WAS alive, but has died (or taken on a condition very much LIKE death), and is then resuscitated - given life again - restored. 


“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”” John‬ ‭7:37-38‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Are you thirsty today?  Do you want more of God? Do you feel empty and dry? Are you hungry for God to come and fill you?

John 10:10 … I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

God comes to quench your thirst and He brings His joy in our hearts also.

Leonard Ravenhill: “The reason we do not have revival is that we are content to live without it.”



WUEST’S TRANSLATION: “Let him be coming to Me, and let him be drinking.”



Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 

Do you want more of God?  Are you content to stay as you are or are you willing to make yourself available for God to use and fill?  Ask God to put a desire in your heart for more.  In fact, tell God, “I want more.  I want more of you in my heart and soul.  I want your presence in my life.  I am hungry and thirsty and I am will to do anything you want in order to be filled by you.  Revive me and saturate my soul with the presence of God.  I ask this in Jesus’ strong name.  Amen!”

THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

Philippians 2:5 (NKJV) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

Let's be honest for a minute: Keeping your mind on track and focused is a difficult task.

"Stuff" happens and our minds like to wander down rabbit trails.

Like many people, I got hit hard with the "cold bug" over the last few weeks.  There were days where every part of my body hurt - even my eyeballs and my hair.  (I'm not sure if the latter is possible but it hurt to just touch my head.)

If the sickness was the only thing - that would have been fine but my mind starting going into overdrive about my life and all I could hear was the negatives getting louder and louder.  At every turn I was a failure.

I tried to push through it.  I tried to get the victory.  All I could do is sit, mope, watch TV and mope some more.  On top of that Denise and I were starting to get at each other over the littlest things.

Sound familiar?

Our mind and its imaginations get us into a lot of trouble.  This is the place where much sin abides.  It is the place of which we need to gain control.  it is a war zone of many lies.

Notice what the Bible has to say about our minds:

1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV) ¹³  Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 

The NASB Bible tells us that we need to "gird up the loins of our mind" for actions.

We can't allow our minds to become soft and flabby.

This is a vivid phrase.  In the east, men wore long flowing robes which hindered fast progress or strenuous action.  

Around their waist they wore a broad belt or girdle; and when strenuous action was necessary, they shortened the long robe by pulling it up within the belt in order to give them freedom of movement.

Peter is telling his people that they must be ready for the most strenuous mental endeavors.  They must never be content with a flabby and unexamined mind. They must set to think things out and think them through.

It may be that we will have to discard some things.  It may be that we will make mistakes.  But as we strive to have the "mind of Christ," (Philippians 2:5), our hearts and minds will be "guarded" through the power of Jesus Himself (Philippians 4:7)

V. 13 tells us that we need to rest our hope on Jesus Christ.

This is the ONLY solution for flabby and worrisome minds.  It is the ONLY solution to have good mental health.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) ⁸  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. 

Our problem:  We do just the opposite.  2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us that we need to cast down vain arguments and bring every thought into the captivity of Christ.

You can beat the depression today and you can beat the "blues" that have overtaken you.

Last night my wife said something to me that really got me. She said, Where's your joy?"  She could see the negativity all over me.

I woke up this morning and decided that it's a new day and that my mind was going to be in God's hands.  "The joy of the Lord is my strength!"

I decided to move on.

I love how God speaks to the Children Of Israel.  He speaks frankly and forthrightly.  He tells them exactly how things are going.

Notice His admonition to them in the Book of Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 1:6 (NKJV) ⁶  "The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: 'You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. 

That's a message from God to many of you today.  You have dwelt long enough in your negative, stinking thinking.  It's time to pick up your bags and move on.  It's time for you to get back what God intends for you to have.  It's time for you have some joy in your life again.  

God flooded my soul today and wants to flood your heart and mind also.

May God give a day of peace and joy and of a sound mind!  

Amen!

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU KNEW THAT TODAY WOULD BE YOUR LAST DAY ON EARTH?

What would you say to your family if you knew this was your last opportunity? What wise words would you attempt to give that would relate your heart and soul?

Well… In Joshua 23 - the great leader Moses was given that very opportunity to address the children of Israel.  Mostly he wanted to point to THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.

Look at the following four verses Joshua 23: Vv. 3, 5, 10, 14

23: 3 "For the Lord your God is he that has fought for you.

23:5 you shall possess their land as the Lord your God has promised unto you.

23:10 The Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you as he has promised.

23:14 "Not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you."

I am forever amazed at the Faithfulness of God in the scriptures and in my own life.

It has been said, “A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument.” That is so true!  By my own life - I can prove the faithfulness of God in so many ways.

Let me give you a few words that will help you understand God’s faithfulness in our lives…

1. RELIANCE

The Israelites and their leader Joshua had to rely completely on God as they traveled through the land. Every time they tried to rely on their own strength - they failed.

When they faced difficulty after difficulty - they discovered that God was always with them.

When they had reliance on God - they found out that He never let them down.

Many people start out in their Christian journey today trusting God and seeking His direction for their lives and then at some point grow careless and forget about Him. God becomes crowded out at one point or another. 

Joshua was reviewing some of the things the Lord had done over the years for them and He said, "Remember that it was the Lord who fought for you. " 

There were many battles they faced that they just couldn’t handle on their own and they needed the intervention of God in order to come out of it victoriously.

Their reliance was totally on God.

We all face difficulty and problems and we all have situations that we cannot handle.  Trusting and relying upon God is the only way to move forward.

“But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

2. RESPONSIBILITY

Joshua reminded the people of God’s faithfulness, but there was another side to the coin. In this chapter he also reminded them of their responsibility. 

““So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left.” Joshua‬ ‭23:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Not only is God for us and will lead us forward but He also expects us to be part of the equation.

He tells them to heed His word and He warned them not to become sidetracked--don’t turn to the right or to the left. What did that mean? Don’t get entangled with things that are going to pull you away from God. 

It was so easy for these people to be lured away by other gods and to fall into idolatry. He’s telling them, "Don’t be lured away from God by other things around you--people who served other gods--becoming a part of their way of life. He warned them about intermarrying with the people of the land who served other gods and he said if you enter into a relationship with them, they will become snares and traps to you to lead you away from God. They will be like a thorn in your eyes--dragging you down until you will perish from this good land.

This happens to people all the time.  They start off well only to be sidelined by their favorite sin or by some distraction along the way.

When all of these THINGS pull us to the left and to the right--taking our focus off God, we are in the same boat as the Israelites and we must consider the consequences--these temptations to pull back will become snares and traps that cause us a lot of grief just as they did the Israelites. 

It doesn’t have to be sinful horrible things--just neglect of our responsibility to "seek first the kingdom of God--and then all of these things will be added to you..." 

Remember God’s faithfulness but don’t take it for granted and just live in a slipshod way.

3. KEEP GOING

The third thing that this scripture says to us is--"Don’t turn back-Keep on moving forward."

““But if you turn away from him and cling to the customs of the survivors of these nations remaining among you, and if you intermarry with them, then know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive them out of your land. Instead, they will be a snare and a trap to you, a whip for your backs and thorny brambles in your eyes, and you will vanish from this good land the LORD your God has given you.” Joshua‬ ‭23:12-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Turning back meant they would be willing to give up the promised land for the old life. You might ask, "Why would they ever do that?" One thing is that many times it is a subtle thing, we start letting up a little bit here and there. We stop taking our responsibilities seriously and making God a priority in our life. Many people who become careless in their church attendance find it is easier to stay home. Can’t get out of bed on Sunday morning--too hot, too cold, don’t like to be around people, don’t like the sermon topic--guess I’ll skip today. Won’t matter--won’t miss me anyway.

“...let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith...” Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Joshua was telling the people--"God has been faithful--you’ve come a long way. But don’t forget to keep focused--Don’t let yourself become entangled and tripped up by anything. It’s your responsibility to see to it that God stays in first place in your life.“

Keep moving forward--there’s nothing in the old life to turn back to.

Joshua speaks to us today, what is he saying through this scripture? Look at these life lessons:

1. God won’t let you down. He is faithful. We can rely on this.

2. Don’t you let Him down either. We have a responsibility as a Christian.

3. Sharpen your focus and keep moving forward. There’s nothing to go back to.

May God be with your day and this week!

WHY JESUS DID WHAT HE DID

I grew up in a tradition that really celebrated the Holy Week before Easter.  During the Holy Week, We would go to church morning and evening culminating on Easter Sunday with a celebration of Easter and the resurrection.

As you study scripture, each day, the week before Easter, is filled with events that surrounded the life of Jesus.

As an example, Thursday (Passover)  is called Maundy Thursday as it commemorates the Last Supper.  Maundy comes from the Latin word “command.”  It is here that Jesus “commanded his disciples to love one another.”

“He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26:18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There are two thoughts in the words of Jesus that I want us to think about.

1- My appointed time
2- Let’s celebrate

1. My Appointed Time

Jesus said, "My appointed time is near." Jesus was talking about His death. Jesus knew that He was going to die!  He was prepared to die.

We all have an appointed time to which we are going to die and we must be prepared.

The Passover meal was given so the people of Israel would remember how God delivered them from Egyptian bondage.

For us, it is a memorial about how God delivered us from bondage also by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Observance of the Lord’s Supper helps us in life and death. It’s helps us to understand the real meaning of life and helps us to prepare for our eventual death by trusting in Christ our Savior.

2. Let's Celebrate!

Jesus said, "My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples..."

I want to zero in on the word "celebrate."

Eating time often means a celebration time for us. WE LOVE TO EAT! (At least I do).

In a real sense, mealtime is a celebration time. It’s a time of joy and hopefully, good conversation as well. 

It’s been said that a good conversation can liven up a poor meal, and a bad conversation can spoil a good meal. 

It’s nice if we have the best of both: a good meal and a good conversation. We all should try to make our meals a time of joyous celebration. We don’t need to be fighting and arguing around the meal table. We should be thankful and happy.

When Jesus said he was going to celebrate the Passover with his disciples it was to be a serious time and yet, a time of joy.

When we observe the Lord’s Supper and remember our Lord’s death on the cross it should also be a serious time and yet a time of joy. Serious, because Jesus was serious about His mission of bearing our sins in His body on the tree, serious about becoming sin for us.

And yet, it should be a time of joy. We should be utterly excited and happy about the fact that Jesus made it possible for us to go to heaven! If this isn’t good news and reason for rejoicing, I don’t know what is!

I’m not suggesting that we should hoop and holler when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, but our prayers should certainly be filled with praise and rejoicing. As in, "Thank you! Thank you! Praise you! Praise you! Bless you! Bless you! I can’t thank you enough, Lord!"

In regard to celebration, you may wonder how Jesus could consider the Passover a time of celebration, knowing that His death was just around the corner.

He could and here is why.

“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The joy set before Him. Jesus could endure the cross with all of it’s torment and agony because He knew what was going to happen on the other side. He knew the eventual outcome of it all! 

He knew that He was going to live through it. He knew he was going to be resurrected! He knew he was going to be exalted in heaven! 

And more than anything, He knew he was purchasing our forgiveness and opening the door to heaven to us! HE COULD CELEBRATE WITH GREAT JOY BECAUSE OF THE JOY HE WAS BRINGING TO OUR LIVES!

Those who celebrate the best are those who celebrate on behalf of others. And that’s exactly what Jesus did for us. And what we must do for others. We endure many things for the sake of others! LIFE CAN AND SHOULD BE A CELEBRATION OF LIVING FOR OTHERS!

So, as you enter the next few “holy” days I want to encourage you to remember three things:

1- Remember that you must prepare for your eventual death.
2- Remember Jesus and celebrate what He has done for you. 
3- Remember that to live for Jesus means to live for others.

In doing so, you are making room for this to be the most special Holy Week and can celebrate the blessing of what and why Jesus did what He did.