Words of Encouragement for April 20, 2011

Meditations in John 18

Read John 18:1-11

“Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth….” John 18:4

Jesus, after He had taught and comforted His disciples and then prayed for them, went forth over the Brook Kidron to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed to His Father in agony over the cup of suffering for the sins of the world which He was about to bear, saying: “Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done” (Luke 22:42; cf. 22:39ff.). Judas knew the place because Jesus often went there with His disciples; so Judas came, bringing with him a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, with lanterns and torches and weapons, to arrest Jesus. What did Jesus do? He knew what would happen to Him. He knew He would be arrested, tried, mistreated, and crucified. Yet the Scriptures tell us: “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?” (v. 4). And when they told Him that they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth, He did not hide His identity, but said, “I am He” (v. 5). [Literally, Jesus said, "I am."] When Jesus said this, they drew back and fell to the ground (v. 6). When Jesus again asked them who they were seeking, He told them that He was the one they were looking for and asked them to let His disciples go. When Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus said to Peter: “Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?” (v. 11). Luke tells us that Jesus touched this man’s ear and healed him (22:51). Matthew tells us that Jesus also said: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (26:53-54).

The point we should certainly here see is that Jesus willingly obeyed the Father and went the way to the cross to redeem us. Jesus went forth to meet those who sought to arrest Him. Though His enemies and their soldiers had no power over the almighty Son of God and fell backward to the ground at His presence, yet He permitted them to take Him. Though Peter was ready to fight for Jesus, Jesus told Peter to put away his sword, telling him that He could call for more than 12 legions of angels, but to do so would not fulfill the Scriptures which told of the Messiah’s sufferings and death for the sins of the world – and also of His glorious resurrection – (cf. Isaiah 53 & Psalm 22). Jesus Christ, “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Why? That He might redeem you and me! That He might suffer and die for our sins and win for us forgiveness and life everlasting! “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them … For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:19,21).

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for willingly going forth to suffer and die for our sins and redeem us unto God. Graciously grant us faith to trust in You for forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation. Amen.

Read John 18:12-24

“Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him, and led Him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year….” John 18:12-13

After Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was taken to the home of the high priests and first to Annas, who had been high priest but was deposed by the Romans. Before Annas, Jesus was questioned regarding His disciples and His teaching and then sent to Caiaphas, the current high priest and a son-in-law to Annas.

Before Caiaphas and the Jewish council (Matthew 26:57-68), witnesses were sought against Jesus that they might have grounds to condemn Him. When they could not find two or three witnesses whose testimony agreed, Caiaphas placed Jesus under oath, saying, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63). Jesus answered, “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64; cf. Daniel 7:13-14). The high priest then tore his clothes and said Jesus had committed blasphemy because He was claiming to be the Messiah and God Himself. The Jewish Council said that Jesus was guilty of death and then mocked Jesus and abused Him.

In the morning, because it was not legitimate for them to conduct a trial and convict a person at night, the Jewish Council again met to officially try Jesus and find Him guilty of death (Matthew 27:1; Luke 22:66-71). Again Jesus was asked if He was the Christ, the Son of God. When Jesus told them that He was, they found Him guilty and led Him off to Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, to attain the death penalty for Jesus, since they themselves were not permitted by the Romans to put any man to death.

Why was Jesus so hated of the Jewish rulers, and why was He condemned for telling and teaching the truth about Himself and the sinful world in which He lived? Because the truth hurt – it revealed their sinfulness and the shortcomings of their religious system! Who wants to hear that they are sinners who need to repent? Who wants to hear that good works, sacrifices and the observances of certain religious rites won’t make them right with God or save them? Who wants to hear that apart from saving faith in Jesus, God’s own Son, and His shed blood upon the cross for the sins of the world, there is no forgiveness, no salvation, no true religion and no hope? Even today, religious rulers and religious people don’t like to hear these things, but it is true! If you hold to your own righteousness and your own religious works, you will join in condemning the Jesus Christ of the Bible. If you believe the truth and acknowledge that it was because of your sins that Jesus died – if you trust in Christ Jesus, God’s own dear Son, as your Savior – you will have life in His name!

Dear Jesus, Son of God and our Savior, grant that we not reject and condemn You for speaking the truth about our sins or about You and Your redemptive work. Through the Scriptures, reveal to us our utter sinfulness before God and graciously grant us faith to trust in You and Your blood shed for us upon the cross. Amen.

Read John 18:15-18; 25-27

“Art not thou also one of His disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.” John 18:25

Are you a disciple of Jesus? What would you answer if a “yes” could mean arrest and possibly even death? Peter had just witnessed the arrest of Jesus by armed soldiers. He had foolishly struck the servant of the high priest with a sword and cut off his ear. Now, he was in the enemy camp, so to speak, in the courtyard of the high priest and warming himself at their fire. He had come to see what would happen to Jesus (cf. Matt. 26:58), but now he was being challenged and accused of being one of Jesus’ disciples. Three times this happened, and three times Peter denied knowing or following Jesus. Peter, who had earlier the same night stated that he was ready to die with Jesus, now had denied his Lord three times (cf. John 13:36-38). What would you have done?

These events in the life of Peter prove and illustrate the truthfulness of the Scriptures when they say: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12; cf. 10:1-13). If we rely upon ourselves, upon our own strength or determination, we will fail. Don’t do it! Don’t boast in yourself and what you will or will never do! But if we place our confidence in the Lord, He will make us stand. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us (cf. Philippians 4:13).

It is a serious thing to deny our Lord, yet we do it more often than we think. We tend to sneak into the enemy camp – out into the world – and go to school and do our work and hide the fact that we are Christians. We are careful not to talk about Jesus and His Word, lest people be offended and maybe even speak evil of us. But consider these words of our Lord Jesus: “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). Will Jesus be ashamed of you?

It was a grievous sin which Peter committed in the courtyard of the high priest, but we too are oft times guilty of the same. Peter repented. “He went out, and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75); but rather than despairing, as Judas did (Matthew 27:3ff.; cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10), Peter also trusted that Jesus would forgive him. Indeed, the Lord is “good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon” Him (Psalm 86:5). Jesus died for Peter’s sin, for our sins, and for the sins of the whole world (cf. 1 John 2:1-2). After His resurrection, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to reaffirm his love for Him; and Jesus reaffirmed Peter’s call as an apostle (John 21:15ff.).

We too ought be moved to sorrow over our denials of Jesus – of being ashamed of Him and His words “in this adulterous and sinful generation.” But we can also be assured that when we turn to Jesus for forgiveness, He cleanses away our sins and receives us as His own dear children (cf. 1 John 1:7-9; 2:1-2). And when we trust in Jesus and His working in us rather than in ourselves and our own strength, He will enable us to boldly follow Him!

Dear Lord Jesus, forgive us for denying You and being ashamed of You and Your words in this adulterous and sinful generation. Cleanse our hearts, fill us with Your Spirit, and enable us to boldly confess You before men. Amen.

Martin Luther’s Large Catechism

The Apostles’ Creed

1] Thus far we have heard the first part of Christian doctrine, in which we have seen all that God wishes us to do or to leave undone. Now, there properly follows the Creed, which sets forth to us everything that we must expect and receive from God, and, to state it quite briefly, teaches us to know Him fully. 2] And this is intended to help us do that which according to the Ten Commandments we ought to do. For (as said above) they are set so high that all human ability is far too feeble and weak to [attain to or] keep them. Therefore it is as necessary to learn this part as the former in order that we may know how to attain thereto, whence and whereby to obtain such power. 3] For if we could by our own powers keep the Ten Commandments as they are to be kept, we would need nothing further, neither the Creed nor the Lord’s Prayer. 4] But before we explain this advantage and necessity of the Creed, it is sufficient at first for the simple-minded that they learn to comprehend and understand the Creed itself.

5] In the first place, the Creed has hitherto been divided into twelve articles, although, if all points which are written in the Scriptures and which belong to the Creed were to be distinctly set forth, there would be far more articles, nor could they all be clearly expressed in so few words. 6] But that it may be most easily and clearly understood as it is to be taught to children, we shall briefly sum up the entire Creed in three chief articles, according to the three persons in the Godhead, to whom everything that we believe is related, so that the First Article, of God the Father, explains Creation, the Second Article, of the Son, Redemption, and the Third, of the Holy Ghost, Sanctification. 7] Just as though the Creed were briefly comprehended in so many words: I believe in God the Father, who has created me; I believe in God the Son, who has redeemed me; I believe in the Holy Ghost, who sanctifies me. One God and one faith, but three persons, therefore also three articles or confessions. 8] Let us briefly run over the words.
Article I.

9] I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

10] This portrays and sets forth most briefly what is the essence, will, activity, and work of God the Father. For since the Ten Commandments have taught that we are to have not more than one God, the question might be asked, What kind of a person is God? What does He do? How can we praise, or portray and describe Him, that He may be known? Now, that is taught in this and in the following article, so that the Creed is nothing else than the answer and confession of Christians arranged with respect to the First Commandment. As if you were to ask a little child: 11] My dear, what sort of a God have you? What do you know of Him? he could say: This is my God: first, the Father, who has created heaven and earth; besides this only One I regard nothing else as God; for there is no one else who could create heaven and earth.

12] But for the learned, and those who are somewhat advanced [have acquired some Scriptural knowledge], these three articles may all be expanded and divided into as many parts as there are words. But now for young scholars let it suffice to indicate the most necessary points, namely, as we have said, that this article refers to the Creation: that we emphasize the words: Creator of heaven and earth. 13] But what is the force of this, or what do you mean by these words: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker, etc.? Answer: This is what I mean and believe, that I am a creature of God; that is, that He has given and constantly preserves to me my body, soul, and life, members great and small, all my senses, reason, and understanding, and so on, food and drink, clothing and support, wife and children, domestics, house and home, etc. 14] Besides, He causes all creatures to serve for the uses and necessities of life sun, moon, and stars in the firmament, day and night, air, fire, water, earth, and whatever it bears and produces, birds and fishes beasts, grain, and all kinds of produce, 15] and whatever else there is of bodily and temporal goods, good government, peace, security. 16] Thus we learn from this article that none of us has of himself, nor can preserve, his life nor anything that is here enumerated or can be enumerated, however small and unimportant a thing it might be, for all is comprehended in the word Creator.

17] Moreover, we also confess that God the Father has not only given us all that we have and see before our eyes, but daily preserves and defends us against all evil and misfortune, averts all sorts of danger and calamity; and that He does all this out of pure love and goodness, without our merit, as a benevolent Father, who cares for us that no evil befall us. 18] But to speak more of this belongs in the other two parts of this article, where we say: Father Almighty.

19] Now, since all that we possess, and, moreover, whatever, in addition, is in heaven and upon the earth, is daily given, preserved, and kept for us by God, it is readily inferred and concluded that it is our duty to love, praise, and thank Him for it without ceasing, and, in short, to serve Him with all these things, as He demands and has enjoined in the Ten Commandments.

20] Here we could say much if we were to expatiate, how few there are that believe this article. For we all pass over it, hear it and say it, but neither see nor consider what the words teach us. 21] For if we believed it with the heart, we would also act accordingly, and not stalk about proudly, act defiantly, and boast as though we had life, riches, power, and honor, etc., of ourselves, so that others must fear and serve us, as is the practise of the wretched, perverse world, which is drowned in blindness, and abuses all the good things and gifts of God only for its own pride, avarice, lust, and luxury, and never once regards God, so as to thank Him or acknowledge Him as Lord and Creator.

22] Therefore, this article ought to humble and terrify us all, if we believed it. For we sin daily with eyes, ears, hands, body and soul, money and possessions, and with everything we have, especially those who even fight against the Word of God. Yet Christians have this advantage, that they acknowledge themselves in duty bound to serve God for all these things, and to be obedient to Him [which the world knows not how to do].

23] We ought, therefore, daily to practise this article, impress it upon our mind, and to remember it in all that meets our eyes, and in all good that falls to our lot, and wherever we escape from calamity or danger, that it is God who gives and does all these things, that therein we sense and see His Paternal heart and his transcendent love toward us. Thereby the heart would be warmed and kindled to be thankful, and to employ all such good things to the honor and praise of God.

24] Thus we have most briefly presented the meaning of this article, as much as is at first necessary for the most simple to learn, both as to what we have and receive from God, and what we owe in return, which is a most excellent knowledge, but a far greater treasure. For here we see how the Father has given Himself to us, together with all creatures, and has most richly provided for us in this life, besides that He has overwhelmed us with unspeakable, eternal treasures by His Son and the Holy Ghost, as we shall hear.

Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday

Scripture Readings appointed for Sunday are: Psalm 16; Jeremiah 31:1-6; Colossains 3:1-4; and Matthew 28:1-10. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.

The Adult Bible Class will consider the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Remember to Pray

Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation, as well as for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – for Sam Rusch, who has had repeated stays in the hospital; for Wade and Lisa Pugh, who are recovering after surgeries – for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families and for Christians who are alone and have no congregation. Continue to pray for Lutheran congregations which desire to remain faithful to Christ and His Word, for the Lutheran churches in the Philippines and Japan, for Christians in Nigeria, Haiti and Chile, and for believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.

Events and Announcements

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Worship will be held at 7 p.m. each evening. Holy Communion will be obeserved as a part of worship on Thursday.

Easter Breakfast at the church, hosted by Mike and Kathy Hawes, begins at 8 a.m. Sunday and all are invited.

Easter Bible Study and Worship will follow at their usual Sunday times.

The choir continues to practice after church services. More voices are welcome.

On-line video of worship services can be found at: http://goodshepherdrogers.org/blog/worship-service-video/.

Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

[Scripture in this Newsletter is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.]