Thought for September 3, 2024

  •  301: World's oldest republic, San Marino, founded by Saint Marinus
  • 1777: American flag flown in battle for the first time--Cooch's Bridge Delaware
  • 1783: Treaty of Paris officially ends Revolutionary War
  • 1833: New York Sun begins publishing--1st daily newspaper in U.S.
  • 1880: Jesse James gang robs Mammoth Cave stagecoach
  • 1928: Ty Cobb's last hit
  • 1939: Britain and France declare war on Germany after invasion of Poland
  • Born: Ferdinand Porsche, Charlie Sheen, Shaun White, 
  • Died: Oliver Cromwell, Vince Lombardi, Frank Capra, 
Thought:
Reading Mark 14:47 this morning. The chief priests, the scribes and the elders have seized Jesus in the garden. One of those with Jesus took his sword, struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Try and picture this scene in your mind this morning. It is dark, the garden now lit by torches. Judas kisses Jesus and He is seized. And one of His followers has a sword and cuts off the ear of the chief priest's slave. In Mark's account we next read Jesus confronting the crowd and saying that this has happened to fulfill scripture. From the other gospels, we understand this event more fully.
  • John tells us that it was Peter who had the sword and used it. Anyone surprised? Peter had just told Jesus he was ready to die with Jesus [14:31]. What should I learn from this. I get confused with what dying for the Lord means. Some are martyrs who give their lives for the kingdom. But, for me, most of then time the dying is not physical death, but death to self so that Christ can be in control--on the throne. Matthew reports that Jesus said that those that live by the sword die by the sword. Every time I read that I think about non-violence. But maybe there is more to it. Maybe Jesus is teaching us something here. Those who live by the physical sword, die by the physical sword. Similarly, those who live by the spiritual sword [the word of God], die by that sword. Our spiritual weapon is the word and we battle using that weapon. And scripture tells us that the word of God stands forever. 
  • Matthew also tells us that Jesus told Peter to put away the sword because He didn't need it. Jesus says that His Father would send 12 legions of angels to help if He asked. What a reminder to me when I try and do things in my strength. I got a little sword--Jesus has legions of angels. 
  • Peter attacked the slave, Malchus. This is what I find myself doing. the battle is with the force of wickedness and evil, but I want to strike out against the person. This helps me understand why we are told to love our enemies and do good to them. Our battle is not against their flesh, but against the forces of evil. Now, I also notice that the one person most unlikely to be armed was Malchus. Like Peter, I go after those least able to defend themselves. 
  • Jesus healed. Jesus repaired and replaced that which Peter had damaged. Just like Jesus--He gives life, heals, forgives. Now I have always wondered what the chief priests, high priest, scribes and elders thought when Jesus healed the ear. Who can do that but God? We are here to arrest and try this man Jesus. He just performed another miracle in our presence. What are we thinking. Just like Larry, they ignore His grace, His mercy, His power. I get so busy with my agenda, I forget His. 
What a story, repeated in all the gospels. Lord, help me learn what You want me to know and then live like I believe it.

Blessings
Larry

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought for July 19

History: 1553: Lady Jane Gray deposed after 9 days 1692: 5 people hung during Salem Witch Trials 1848: First women's rights convention -Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Wesleyan Chapel at Seneca Falls NY 1910: Cy Young wins his 500th game 1941: US Army flying school at Tuskegee AL dedicated 1945: USS Cod saves 51 sailors from Dutch sub--only sub-to-sub rescue 1957: Firing of first rocket with nuclear warhead-Nevada 1984: Geraldine Ferraro is first major party female VP candidate 1996: Olympics open in Atlanta 2007: Madmen debuts 2018: Duck Boat sinks in Table Rock Lake killing 17 Born: Samuel Colt, Edgar Degas [painter], Lizzie Borden, Charles Mayo [Mayo Clinic], George McGovern, Al Haig, George Hamilton IV, Vikki Carr, Ilie Nastase, Stuart Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch,  Died: Syngman Rhee [President South Korea], Clyde Beatty [circus animal trainer], Mary Jo Kopechne [passenger with Ted Kennedy], Jack Warden, Frank McCourt [Angela's Ashes], James Garner, Garry Marshall
Read more

Thought for November 23, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!  1664: Blaise Pascal is converted following a vision. He wrote the date and time of his conversion and said, "Fire. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. Not of philosophers and intellectuals. Certitude, certitude, joy, peace. The God of Jesus Christ." Laid the foundation for the law of probabilities; genius in hydrodynamics and hydrostatics developing Pascal's principle of pressure; taught the experience of God through the heart rather than reason; mathematician and philosopher. 1783: Annapolis Maryland becomes U.S. Capitol until June 1784 1863: Patent for making color photographs granted 1889: First jukebox debuts in Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco 1897: Pencil sharpener patented 1904: Summer Olympics in St. Louis close [1st Olymics in U.S.] 1921: President Harding signs an Act prohibiting doctors from prescribing beer or liquor for medicinal purposes 1923: Cecil B. DeMille's first "The Ten Commandments" premiers
Read more

Thought for April 5, 2024

1722: Easter Island discovered 1792: First Presidential veto 1815: Mt. Tambora erupts. Largest eruption ever witnessed. Created year without summer in 1816--frost and snow in North America in June and July. Largest part of eruption on April 10th. Killed 10,000 in initial blast.  1906: Mt. Vesuvius erupts killing 100 1923: Firestone begins producing inflatable tires 1936: Tupelo almost completely destroyed by a tornado--216 die 1972: Baseball strike costs 86 games 2063: On "Star Trek", earth has its first contact with the Vulcan species Born: Thomas Hobbes, Joseph Lister, Booker T Washington, Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Gregory Peck, Arthur Hailey. Gale Storm, Frank Gorshin, Colin Powell, Pharrell Williams Died: Robert Raikes [Sunday School], Douglas MacArthur, Howard Hughes, Abe Fortas, Sam Walton, Allen Ginsberg, Saul Bellow, Charlton Heston, Honor Blackman Thought: Reading Daniel 1:5-7 this morning. Continuing with the thoughts about Nebuchadnezzar's plan. Having brough
Read more