Take Up My Cross

Luke 22:7-23 [7] Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. [8] So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” [9] They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” [10] He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters [11] and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ [12] And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” [13] And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. [14] And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. [15] And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. [16] For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” [17] And he took a...

Luke 22:1-6 [1] Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. [2] And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. [3] Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. [4] He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. [5] And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. [6] So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. (ESV) The feast of the Passover - where the angel of the Lord passed over the Hebrews, rescuing them out of slavery from Egypt. Here, God prepares to pass over the sins of His chosen as well - but death happens, and it happens to Jesus. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot - who was "entered into" by the devil. Demon-possessed? But what strikes me here is that this is not out of God's plan. God the Father planned for this betrayal. He knew it woul...

What in the world is "seeker-friendly"? GotQuestions.org places it as Basically, the seeker-sensitive church tries to reach out to the unsaved person by making the church experience as comfortable, inviting, and non-threatening to him as possible. The hope is that the person will believe in the gospel They go on the trash out lots of stuff. My opinion is that the article is rather extremist, but nevertheless a good read. https://www.gotquestions.org/seeker-sensitive-church.html  The short of it is that seeker-friendly (though they will not admit to this) is driven by the notion that man's feelings are more important than God's truth. To convince people to believe God, we have to keep them comfortable, not step on their toes... Now this is in direct contrast to what God does. By chapter 3 of Genesis, God tells us through the Bible that man is sinful. Oh, oops. I think that's offensive! Hey, guess what, let's quietly not mention it cos it'll offend...

[1] In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: [2] “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” [3] Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, [4] “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? [5] Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. [6] You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. [7] “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. [8] Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and tha...

Luke 21:34-38 Watch Yourselves [34] “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. [35] For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. [36] But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” [37] And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. [38] And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him. (ESV) Seeing that the next chapter opens with Judas preparing to betray Jesus, this is sobering - these is His last public teaching recorded in Luke. And His teaching here is perhaps the most important - that we should watch ourselves not to be absorbed in this world and forget about Jesus' eventual return. And He tells us not just to stay waiting, but al...

Actually on much second thought I believe this section should start at verse 27, and the paragraphing should be ignored (paragraphing wasn't part of the original Greek text) Luke 21:27-33 [27] And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” The Lesson of the Fig Tree [29] And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. [30] As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. [31] So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. [32] Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. [33] Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (ESV) Jesus returns in power and glory - as the redemption of His disciples. He tells them to watch the signs - that these...

Luke 21:5-24 [5] And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, [6] “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” [7] And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” [8] And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. [9] And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” [10] Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. [11] There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. [12] But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, d...