Lifted Up

Mark 16:1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." 8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. 14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” (John 12:32.)

Here is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and His doctrine of salvation.

Earlier, Jesus had said, (in John 3:14,) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”

Of course Jesus is speaking of the crucifixion, and everything that must take place in His death - accomplishing Perfect sacrificial payment for the sin of ALL mankind. In His crucifixion, Jesus was indeed lifted up upon a brutal, excruciating cross.

Doctrinally, He was also relating the measure of faith it would require to be saved. ONLY those who followed the instruction to look upon the brazen serpent as it was lifted up were spared from death. Those who refused to look at the serpent, (a depiction of their own sin – died.)

Jesus was explaining how no one would be forced to come to Him, but all would be “drawn,” wooed, loved - enhanced to come by the Holy Spirit of God, not at the point of force.

And on the day of His resurrection, we see yet another way in which Jesus was “lifted up from the earth.”

It was not just His crucifixion which saves those who are drawn to Him – it is also His resurrection! It is not just the fact He died; it is also the fact He conquered death and dying!

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

-Pastor Bill

The King Who Would Be King

Mark 11:1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3 And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here." 4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5 But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing the colt?" 6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' 10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" 11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

I was watching the news of the new pope the other day, and somehow it reminded me of the scene as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey.

New pope, St. Peter’s Square, and a massive gathering of people who were drawn to the setting by some white smoke…

There was a thronging crowd - but at the same time, the crowd didn’t truly seem to understand what they were thronging for. (My estimation.) What was it they expected, exactly?

What ARE people looking for any more? Are they looking for wisdom? Are they looking for peace? Are they looking for someone who can solve all their problems? Or are they just looking to be part of the crowd - and to be part of something that gives them a greater sense of identity or strength?

There they were, looking up to a distant window to a frail-looking figure in a white frock, feebly waving his hand back and forth. And they were cheering this man with all their hearts, and with all their strength, with the news that THIS MAN is the One.

But the One for what, I wonder?

And I think back to that setting a couple thousand years ago when another One rode into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Same crowd really - cheering with all their hearts, and with all their strength, for this One.

Things haven’t really changed very much, have they? People move very easily…in crowds. But they never really seem to know what the crowd is for, or where the crowd is going, or what the crowd truly believes. Does the crowd really believe in anything? Do you?

People, it seems, simply long to be part of something greater than themselves, and sadly, for most that is enough. It explains why there was an equally large crowd gathered four days later chanting for Jesus to be crucified.

-Pastor Bill

Grapes of Wrath

Rev 14:14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.  Rev 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. 2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! 4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested." 5 After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In the end, God reaped a harvest of souls.

Admittedly, there are those who are uncomfortable with the graphic presentation of God’s judgment. They prefer the loving Christ they have familiarized themselves with through the gospels and some of the teachings found in the New Testament. But it’s a funny thing we do when we skip over the judgment bits – moving on to what we may describe as the ‘loving bits.’ The truth is there is plenty of evidence of God’s impending judgment (His wrath,) throughout both Testaments. The fact God is the same yesterday, today, and forever escapes notice when it comes to judgment – but is counted on completely when it comes to love.

The main fact we can trust is: God knows. And thank God the judgment He makes and the wrath He pours out is not capricious…it is in fact PROTECTIVE…of those He loves and of those who love Him.

It has been well-said that heaven will be so heavenly in part because only those who love God will be there. I, along with the angels, am glad for His sickle because it sharpens my focus.

-Pastor Bill

In the Middle

Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb…  14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

At the mid-point of the Tribulation we clearly see there is no middle ground on earth.

There never has been.

I spent the first 38 years of my life thinking I lived in the middle-ground. It was the land in-between believing in Christ, (I did believe in Christ, as far back as I can remember,) and the living in the world, as if there was no eternity to live for.

That was a death-defying choice I was making back then, but I never realized it. I thought it would be cooler to stay in a sort-of inoffensive position, where I fed the flesh and never really acknowledged the Spirit except on the occasions of Christmas or Easter, or perhaps when I heard a particularly moving sermon or song.

I was bound for eternal death in that condition, but I never realized it because I was bound. And, blind. And, deaf. (I was dumb.) I could live the way I did because I was Spiritually dead – only I didn’t know it because I didn’t care to find out why.

With this presentation in overview form of what is to take place in the remaining years, (known as The GREAT Tribulation,) John takes the blinders off. There is no longer a way out - save for death. Those who choose to FOLLOW Christ in that day will do more than step into the Light – they will step into the fear of immediate death, (no longer loving their lives to death.) These will be days of meaningful choice.

Also note however, those who choose to ‘go with the anti-Christ flow’ will not be spared of anything. Just as today – there is absolutely no benefit to following the spirit of anti-Christ beyond perception. Reality is a rough deal during the Tribulation, because the result of your choice will be immediate. (Salvation – or sickle.)

-Pastor Bill