Hindsight

Scripture – Luke 24:5-8: 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8Then they remembered his words.

Reflection: Most of the time hindsight really is much clearer than what I’m seeing now. Something happens – good or bad – and I look back and see all kinds of clues leading up to it. These women have just received the most astounding news of all time. Jesus is alive! God has raised Him from the dead. The men reminded them again of the things Jesus had told them. All at once, they remembered His words. All at once they understand what He was talking about.

Christ is alive today. He is interacting with us all the time. I’ll keep my eyes open and look for Him in the present, not just the past. I look back at the end of a day and I easily see where He’s been present. I’ll practice today seeing Him in the moment.

After today, I’ll be off-line for a couple weeks. I’ll probably be back in September. Thanks for sharing some of this journey with me.

An Invitation: A small group will be meeting tomorrow morning from 9:45 – 10:30am to share what we’ve learned and seen in this week’s readings. We’ll meet in the Pastor’s office at Bethel Baptist Church, 13330 Trenton Road in Southgate. Everyone’s welcome to join us.

Reading for Sunday, August 16
Luke 24:9-12: 9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

A Good Man

Scripture – Luke 23:50-56: 50Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Reflection: Joseph, a man from Arimathea, was a member of the Jewish Council. He was one of the leaders. He had not agreed with the decision of the Council.

Joseph reminds me there were good and faithful people serving within the Jewish establishment. It’s easy to get the impression they were all bad – all out to get Jesus – all closed to the truth. Yet here is Joseph.

In this present day I still struggle with grouping people into broad categories. Yet each person is unique – a person specifically created and love by God. I’ll be intentional about remembering that today.

What Stops You?

Scripture – Luke 23:44-46: 44It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Reflection: With this, God’s plan for the salvation of all people was accomplished. Jesus had completed what He came to do. I imagine there was a great deal of relief for Him, along with the satisfaction of a job well done.

I cannot imagine what it was like for Him. I can only thank Him for the hope with which we can all live today. All we have to do is believe in Him – trust Him – rely on Him. He’s done all the work that needs to be done. If you’ve not received this gift of eternal life, what stops you?