Milo

TAKING REFUGE
Psalms 6–12

“O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save and deliver me from all who pursue me” (Ps. 7:1).

When we sense our weakness, we hurry to take refuge in a majestic God who acts on behalf of those who love Him.

Overview
David, deeply aware of his weaknesses, took refuge in God (Pss. 6–7). God’s creative work (Ps. 8) and His present rule (Ps. 9) gave the psalmist confidence. Victims can find refuge with God the King (Ps. 10), who dispenses justice from His heavenly throne (Ps. 11).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 6: The Cry of the Faint. In deep distress David experienced his own weakness, and cried to God for mercy.

“I am faint” Ps. 6. Many expressions in the Psalms remind us of our frailties. This psalm of David expresses our weakness graphically. David, aware that he had no strength left to face life’s challenges, described his feelings of weakness. His bones were in agony, his soul in anguish. He was worn out from groaning; he flooded his bed with weeping and drenched his couch with tears. His eyes grew weak with sorrow.
These expressions may seem strange coming from a man who boldly faced the giant Goliath and fought fearlessly against Israel’s enemies. But they remind us that there is nothing unmanly about tears, and nothing shameful in feeling helpless. They also remind us that we have complete freedom in our relationship with God to express our feelings to Him honestly.
David’s words also help us understand why he is commended as a man after God’s own heart. David was totally honest with himself and with the Lord. He was realistic about his weaknesses, and honest about his fears. Dishonesty—an attempt to maintain a “macho” image—keeps us from acknowledging our weaknesses. And keeps us from full dependence on the Lord.

Psalm 7: A Call for Judgment. God’s sovereign rule is partly expressed in His judgments on mankind. David called on God to judge (punish) the wicked and to make the righteous secure.

“If there is guilt” Ps. 7:3–5. David did not fear to call on God to judge, for he himself had been careful to do what was right. It’s dangerous to ask God to judge others if we are guilty of their sins!

“Arise, O LORD, in Your anger” Ps. 7:6. The Scriptures do teach the anger of God. But God’s anger is unlike ours. (1) It is provoked by sin and injustice. (2) It is righteous, in that it never overreacts nor is vindictive. (3) It may be expressed in present judgments on sinners, but most often is reserved for the final judgment to take place at history’s end.
David’s call for God to arise in anger and judge is rightly motivated. David did not rejoice at the prospect of the wicked suffering. His concern was to “bring an end to the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.”
We too can call on God to express His anger at the sins in our society. And we can work to implement just laws, intended not to punish so much as to end violence and make the righteous secure.

Psalm 8: God’s Majestic Glory. God’s glory is glimpsed in creation, but is most clearly revealed in the Lord’s amazing decision to love and care for humankind.

“What is man?” Ps. 8:3–5 David was impressed at the glory revealed in creation (vv. 1–3). Yet what stunned him was the realization that God has chosen to be “mindful” of mankind. The word means to pay compassionate attention to.
Secular man scoffs at the notion that earth is any more than a tiny speck in a minor arm of 1 galaxy of 100 million stars in a universe estimated to hold 100 million galaxies! Yet David identified the greatest wonder: God bends down and pays close attention to this particular speck, for it is the home of humanity, and God has chosen to make human beings the focus of His loving care.

“You made him ruler” Ps. 8:6–8. It is to man’s honor and glory that God has made us “ruler over the works of Your hands.” This position implies creation in God’s image, for God is ultimate Ruler of all things.
It’s important to note the distinction between “rule” and “exploit.” Too often people have taken authority as a right to use things or others for one’s benefit. Here “rule” is actually “responsibility to care for” what God has created. Because God exercises loving care over us, permitting mankind to exercise loving care of the creation is a magnificent gift. It is what David here calls crowning “with glory and honor.”

Psalm 9: In Praise of God’s Reign. God is known by His justice. His rule was revealed in the fate of the wicked and David’s enemies.

“You have upheld my right and my cause” Ps. 9:1–6. David praised God, for he saw the defeat suffered by his enemies as evidence that God is sitting on His throne, “judging righteously.” Here David may be remembering the military victories won over surrounding nations, which enabled him to extend Israel’s territory and influence.

“He will judge . . . in righteousness” Ps. 9:7–10. David celebrated the Lord, for he knew God not only reigns forever, but “will judge the world in righteousness; He will govern the peoples with justice.”
Christianity is not, as has been suggested, a faith of “pie in the sky by and by.” It is a faith rooted in the conviction that God rules, and will surely judge. The conviction that God rules enables a person who is oppressed or in trouble to find refuge and hope now.
Trust in God may not change our circumstances, but it changes us! The mere fact that we can experience peace despite persecution is the most convincing evidence that God is real.

“The LORD is known by His justice” Ps. 9:16. Those who do not know God by faith will learn of Him later, for God is and will be known by His justice. The moral order of the universe means that the wicked will fall into the pits they dig for others, and their own feet will be snared in the traps they have hidden. Hitler’s Germany illustrates this. By treating others brutally, the Nazis became the cause of their own downfall and a vivid illustration of retributive justice.

Psalm 10: The Psalm of the Victim. Because God takes a hand in human affairs, the victim can commit himself to the Lord as King. See DEVOTIONAL.

Psalm 11: Righteousness Affirmed. The believer can take refuge in God, because God is righteous and will surely punish the wicked.

“The LORD is in His holy temple” Ps. 11:4. This phrase is no call to worship, but pictures God standing in the place of judgment. The psalmist identified the “holy temple” with God’s “heavenly throne,” and said that from it God examines the sons of men.
Because God hates the violence which the wicked perpetrate on the innocent, we can take refuge in Him. Even though the foundations of our society seem to crumble, we can be sure “upright men will see His face.”

DEVOTIONAL
Psalm of the Victim
(Ps. 10)
The Greek philosopher Plato argued that it was better to have wrong done to us than to do wrong. Few today would agree with him. Being a victim seems somehow shameful, weak.
But in Psalm 10, the poet explained far better than Plato ever could why victims are more blessed than persecutors. If at any time you feel like a victim-misused by your boss, by a friend, family, or even by “the system,” this is a psalm you might turn to. If you do you’ll find no prescription for changing circumstances. What you’ll find is a description of what happens inside the perpetrator, and inside the victim.
The perpetrator (vv. 1–11) is described by words like pride, arrogance, and boastfulness. His apparent success feeds these attitudes, and prosperity leads the victimizer to assume he is safe. Others are dismissed as weak, and God either fails to know or doesn’t care.
On the other hand, the victim (vv. 12–15) experiences his helplessness. This leads him to commit himself to the Lord. In his suffering the victim has nowhere to turn but to God.
God, “King forever and ever” (vv. 16–18), hears the afflicted. The Hebrew concept of “listen” implies not only hearing but responding. God as Ruler of the universe will act to judge the wicked and to defend the oppressed.
This psalm of the victim recognizes the fact that injustices may exist for a time. But it reminds us that the people who persecute us do so out of a deadly pride and arrogance, and will surely be punished. On the other hand, being victimized brings us closer to the Lord.
How much better to be a victim who knows God, than a victimizer who scoffs at Him!

Personal Application
The next time you suffer as a victim, thank God that you are not the victimizer.

Quotable
Thrice blest is he to whom is given
The instinct that can tell
That God is on the field when He
Is most invisible.

Then learn to scorn the praise of men
And learn to lose with God,
For Jesus won the world through shame
And beckons thee His road.-F.W. Faber

Psalms

INTRODUCTION
Psalms is a collection of 150 religious poems which enrich the spiritual life of God’s people. The Psalms touch on every human experience and on every aspect of the believer’s personal relationship with God. In powerful images they guide us today to worship, to praise, to trust, and to hope in the Lord.
Hebrew poetry does not rely on rhyme or even rhythm for its power, but rather on parallelism, the matching or echoing of thoughts. Thus one line will reflect, contrast with, or reinforce the idea introduced in another, so that the original thought is enriched. This kind of poetry alone can be translated in all languages without loss of power or beauty.
Many technical terms are found in introductions to individual psalms. These reflect use of the psalms in Israel’s public worship, and apparently indicate musical accompaniment, the type of psalm or occasion when used, etc.
The Psalms are organized in five “books.” Each book was added to the official collection at a different date. Various types of psalms—of praise, worship, confession, imprecation, messianic hope, etc.—are found within each book in apparently random order. Superscriptions identify a number of authors of the psalms, including David (73), the sons of Korah (12), Asaph (12), and others.
As no other book of Scripture, Psalms guides us to focus our thoughts on the Lord, and enrich our private as well as public worship.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
I.
Book I
Psalms 1–41
II.
Book II
Psalms 42–72
III.
Book III
Psalms 73–89
IV.
Book IV
Psalms 90–106
V.
Book V
Psalms 107–150

GOD’S GREAT MERCY
Psalms 1–5

“But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple” (Ps. 5:7).

God’s great mercy is reserved for those who delight in the Law of the Lord and refuse to walk in the way of the wicked.

Overview
There are two moral paths, each with its own destination (Ps. 1). Resistance to the Messiah, God’s Son, is futile, for He is destined to rule earth (Ps. 2). David found peace when fleeing from his rebel son Absalom by remembering God (Pss. 3–4). David was confident that his merciful God would bless him even though he had to wait for his prayers to be answered (Ps. 5).

Understanding the Text
Psalm 1: “Two Moral Paths.” There are only two moral paths a human being can take. This psalm graphically describes each.

“Walk . . . stand . . . sit” Ps. 1:1. Conformity to worldly morality has three stages. Walking “in the counsel of the wicked” is listening to their views. Standing “in the way of sinners” is acting as the wicked do. Sitting “in the seat of mockers” is adopting their hardened, immoral attitudes.
My wife and I have been shocked just this week to review some of the TV “comedy” shows that our nine-year-old Sarah wants to watch between 7 and 8 P.M. Their innuendos and often explicit statements clearly deny biblical morality, and we’ve had to declare such programs off-limits. The progression from walking, to standing, to sitting, reminds us that it’s dangerous to take even that first step away from godly moral thought.

“He meditates” Ps. 1:2. Note again the importance of our thought life. If we fill our minds with and delight in God’s Law, we prosper morally and spiritually. Today we say of computers, “garbage in, garbage out.” Long ago God said this of the human mind. If you and I want to prosper spiritually we must guard our thoughts and our minds, and reject the “counsel of the wicked.”

“The way of the wicked will perish” Ps. 1:6. In this life the ways of the wicked and godly exist side by side, competing for our allegiance. In the end, the two ways part-forever.
We must choose one of the two, and help our children choose, for there is no third way.

Psalm 2: “Messiah’s Rule.” The psalmist ridiculed those who resist the Lord and His Anointed One (2:1–6). The Anointed One speaks, announcing His commission from and relationship with God (vv. 7–9). The psalm concludes with a word of grace, calling for a submission which will bring blessing (vv. 10–12). Psalm 2 is frequently quoted in the New Testament (cf. Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Acts 4:25–28; 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 2 Peter 1:17; Rev. 19:15).

“An iron scepter” Ps. 2:9. The rod of iron symbolizes complete authority. God’s Messiah, Jesus, will enforce God’s will despite human resistance.

“Be wise; be warned” Ps. 2:10–12. Each human has the opportunity offered rulers in this psalm. We can freely choose to serve the Lord, and find blessing. Or we can resist to the end, and be destroyed when His wrath flares up.
Jesus is Lord. Every human being must make a choice for Him—or against Him.

Psalms 3–4: “Psalms in Flight.” Each of these psalms reflects the thoughts and feelings of David as he fled Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion (see 2 Sam. 15–18). The imagery is powerful as David reflected on his relationship with God, and found a peace which enabled him to sleep despite imminent danger.

“God will not deliver him” Psalm 3:1–2. Many who rebelled against David seemed to feel that God had abandoned him. Second Samuel tells us that Shimei accused the fleeing king of being a “man of blood” (16:7). Very likely David himself, remembering his sin with Bathsheba and other earlier failings, wondered if God was with him when the rebellion broke out.
Accusations are always hard to bear. When they are made by those who have been our friends, or by our own consciences, they are particularly painful. Add misfortune, when everything seems to be going wrong, and anyone might wonder if God were still with him or not.
Such experiences cause stress, rob us of sleep, and frequently make us so anxious that we become ineffective. We each need what David found in his situation—a way to relieve the stress and restore inner peace.

“You are” Ps. 3:3–4. What David did was to focus his thoughts on God, and to remember who God is. David had known God as a shield (“protector”), as his glory (“greatest value”), as one who lifted up his head (“source of strength”). Remembering who God had proven Himself to be in his life, David prayed to God with confidence.
When we consider who God is, and all He has done for us, we too find the freedom to come to God in prayer. When we cry out to God, we lift the burden from our back and place it on His.

Ancient warriors protected their bodies with shields made of layers of hardened skins, often studded with metal. David remembered how often God had shielded him from danger. Though David was fleeing for his life, the image of God as a shield (Ps. 3:3) brought inner peace and enabled the threatened king to rest.

“I lie down and sleep” Ps. 3:5–8. David found peace through prayer. He shifted his burden to God and, sure that the Lord would sustain him, was able to rest.
Prayer, addressed in confidence to a God whom we know loves us, is the secret of peace for you and me. This kind of prayer drains the tension from us. It frees us from fear even when thousands of enemies seem to surround us.

“Know that the LORD has set apart the godly” Ps. 4:1–3. The selah at the end of Psalm 3 means “pause, before going on.” Here it seems to unite Psalms 3 and 4, leading most commentators to believe both psalms reflect on David’s flight from Absalom.
David’s enemies misjudged both David and God. Despite his flaws, David was honest in his devotion to God. And God was devoted to David. When we have this kind of relationship with God we can share David’s confidence that “the LORD will hear when I call to Him.”

“Who can show us any good?” Ps. 4:4–8. The defeatist looks at surrounding troubles, and despairs. David, however, looked up and found a source of joy in the knowledge that God’s face was turned toward him. The image of God’s face “shining on” a person means to look with favor; to look with the intent to do good.
So David found his good and his joy in God, not in an earthly abundance of “grain and new wine.”
How much wiser David’s course of seeking peace and joy in the Lord. Our fortunes on earth can change radically, as David’s flight from Jerusalem shows. But God is unchanging. If we find our joy in the Lord, that joy will be with us always.

DEVOTIONAL
Waiting
(Ps. 5)
I remember one summer when I was a child, how hard it was to wait for our summer vacation. The next day we were going up to Cedar Lake, to stay at Uncle Duane’s cabin. As I sat on the front porch, waiting, I was sure that tomorrow would never come, that we’d never get in the car, never pull into the driveway set back from the lake, and never run down to the shore.
When we get older, waiting can be even more difficult. Usually the things we wait for are much more important. Waiting for a job. Waiting for a sickness to pass. Waiting for an answer to a life-changing question.
This psalm of David reminds us that he was familiar with waiting too. He waited for Saul to die so he could become king. Even after that, he waited years to be acknowledged by all Israel. How did David handle waiting, and still remain confident and hopeful? This psalm tells—and shows—you and me how to wait with confidence and expectant hope.
First, David expressed his emotions as well as his requests to God (vv. 1–3). He was persistent in “morning by morning” sharing his sighing and his needs.
Second, David remembered the character of God (vv. 4–8). God does not take pleasure in evil, and destroys the wicked. But David, by God’s grace, was not numbered with the wicked. By God’s grace David was one who worshiped the Lord, and who followed God’s leading.
Third, David expected God to act in accord with His character (vv. 9–12). The wicked will be declared guilty. But God will act to protect those who love Him. “Surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous” is an affirmation of faith. Even though he had to wait, David knew—because of who God is—that blessing would surely come.
What a ground of expectation for us as we wait. We expect the best, because of who God is. God Himself and His character are the foundation of our hopes.

Personal Application
When waiting is most difficult, meditate on God’s character, and be reassured.

Quotable
My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.
Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper and I the underside.
The dark threads are as needful in the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttle cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.-Author unknown

Song of Songs

INTRODUCTION
This book, taken by some as an allegory of the believer’s relationship with God, is better understood in its plain sense as a lyric love poem. Its joyful and sometimes erotic portrayal of the relationship between a lover and his beloved reminds us that intimacy within marriage is a gift, given by the God who created human beings male and female.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
I.
Falling in Love
Song 1:1–2:7
II.
Growing Desire
Song 2:8–3:5
III.
Wedding Song
Song 3:6–5:1
IV.
Separation
Song 5:2–8:4
V.
United Again
Song 8:5–14

CELEBRATION OF LOVE
Song of Songs 1–8

“I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me” (Song 7:10).

This ancient love song reminds us to rejoice in God’s gift of marital intimacy, and to welcome that gift without hesitation or shame.

Background
Debate concerning Song of Songs focuses on two questions: What is this poem really about? and, What is the role of Solomon?
Some have been uncomfortable with the erotic elements in this poem, and have sought to “sanctify” them with a typical or allegorical interpretation. Commentators have suggested the poem is actually about the relationship between God, as Lover, and His Old Testament or New Testament people as His beloved. It is best, however, to take the book in its plain sense as love poetry, celebrating the joys of desire and intimacy experienced by a man and woman who become husband and wife. In this view there is nothing vulgar or “unspiritual” in the experience of sex, which God created to deepen the bond of commitment in marriage.
The text identifies this love poem as “Solomon’s.” Many characteristics of the Hebrew text suggest an ancient origin, and there is no good reason to doubt that it does date from the 10th century G.p. Still, Solomon’s role is not clear. Some believe that this love poem was not composed by him, but was dedicated to him on the occasion of one of his weddings.
However we understand Solomon’s role, Song itself remains one of the world’s most sensitive and beautiful poems; a joyous and moving celebration of married love.

Overview
This lyric poem captures the joy and passion of two people who fall in love (1:1–2:7), experience growing desire (v. 8–3:5), and marry (v. 6–5:1). They are separated for a time (v. 2–8:4) but then are united again (vv. 5–14).

Understanding the Text
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” Song 1:1–2:7. Falling in love was as delightful for the ancients as for us. He sees her as the “most beautiful of women,” while she thinks, “How handsome you are, my lover!” It’s almost impossible not to think of the modern teenager, who breathlessly tells her friends how she was almost ready to faint when he touched her, when we read, “Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love” (2:5).
There’s something special about first love. For those of us who have been married for years, this section of Song reminds us—and helps us appreciate the mature love that has grown from those early, giddy feelings.

This poem alternates speakers, sharing the thoughts of the Beloved, the Lover, and a chorus of friends.

“I looked for the one my heart loves” Song 2:8–3:5. The old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder, is reflected in the longing expressed in these verses.

“Let my lover come into his garden” Song 3:6–5:1. Many believe Solomon, seen approaching with a host of retainers in 3:6–11, met the bride-to-be while visiting his kingdom in disguise. On his return she discovered her lover was king of the land, who intended to take her to his royal palace.
The next major section describes the physical charms of the bride (4:1–15), and finally moves to the marriage bed (v. 16–5:1). There in delicate symbolism that is found often in ancient Near Eastern love poetry, the lover comes “into his garden” to “taste its choice fruits.”
While the imagery is delicate and tasteful, its erotic intent is unmistakable. (See DEVOTIONAL.)

“Where has your lover gone, most beautiful of women?” Song 5:2–8:4 Again the lovers were separated. Each was restless, and thought of the other’s charms. The memory of their intimacy had not reduced, but intensified their desire.

“I have become in his eyes like one bringing contentment” Song 8:5–14. Reunited, the couple retreated to enjoy their relationship, and they learned that a love that burns “like blazing fire” does in time become a comfortable intimacy “bringing contentment.”

DEVOTIONAL
Recapturing Sexual Love
(Song 4:1–5:1)
“Sex” has been a four-letter word for far too many years. Playboy, the movies, and increasingly TV, exploit our sexuality by portraying situations that titillate and arouse. We can pick up the telephone, dial a number, and listen as a stranger invites us to imagine joining her as she describes explicit sex acts. Even PG-13 films now strive not only for a quota of filthy language but also a quota of scenes advertising immorality.
What’s happened is that the world has recognized the importance of sex, and set about so distorting sexuality that Christians have become somewhat embarrassed about being sexual creatures.
Reading Song of Songs, and especially these verses that so erotically and yet sensitively portray sexual love, reminds us that Hollywood didn’t invent sex. God did. It reminds us that sex isn’t “evil.” Sex is a gift given to us by God. Our Creator, who made us male and female, designed our bodies for every sexual delight. And He sanctified sex by making foreplay and intercourse a bonding act, intended to unite one man and woman in a unique and exclusive relationship.
It’s this that we Christians have to recapture. We need to cleanse from sex that slimy but tingly sense of sin with which it is associated in the modern world. We need to purify our marriages of any residue of shame. And we need not only announce to the world that sex in Christian marriage is a pure and fulfilling delight, but also commit ourselves to exploring that delight fully with our spouse.
It is perhaps here that Song of Songs makes its greatest contribution to our lives. It reminds us that sex-talk can be beautiful, and need not be dirty. And it reminds us that true spirituality does not rule out the full enjoyment of the sexual side of married life.

Personal Application
Recapturing sex from the world begins in the Christian home.

Quotable
“Sex is holy as well as wholesome . . . it is the means by which we may cooperate with God in bringing into the world children of His own destined for eternal life. Anyone, who has once understood that, will be quite as careful as any Puritan to avoid making jokes about sex; not because it is nasty, but because it is sacred. He would no more joke about sex than he would joke about the Holy Communion—and for exactly the same reasons. To joke about it is to treat with lightness something that deserves reverence.”—William Temple

ALIVE AGAIN
Luke 24

“Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” (Luke 24:26)

We share today the glory into which the resurrected Christ has entered.

Background
Resurrection. The Gospels report several incidents where Jesus brought the dead back to life. This was not resurrection, but resuscitation. In resuscitation biological life is restored. But the individual remains mortal, and must experience biological death again.
On the other hand resurrection is not a restoration of biological life. It is a transformation of the individual; a transmutation from mortality to immortality. The resurrected never again die, but live forever with the Lord. The resurrected are not subject to suffering or pain, or to the limitations that restrict mere men.
Christ entered into the glory of the resurrected life when He burst triumphant from His tomb.

Overview
The first day of the week angels told awed women that Jesus had risen (24:1–8). Peter and John hurried to view the empty tomb (vv. 9–12). Jesus revealed Himself to two followers He met on the road to Emmaus (vv. 13–35). He met with all the disciples and “opened their minds” to the Scriptures (vv. 36–49) before being taken up into heaven (vv. 50–53).

Understanding the Text
“On the first day of the week” Luke 24:1. From the very beginning of the church, Christians have held services on the first day of the week rather than the seventh. The Sabbath (Saturday) memorialized Creation and God’s rest. The first day (Sunday) celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, and our victory over sin in Him.
Each Sunday as we worship let’s commit ourselves to live in the newness of life that Jesus brings.

“Then they remembered” Luke 24:2–8. It was only when the women saw the angel and were reminded by him that Jesus had promised to rise again that they remembered.
If they had remembered earlier, how differently they would have felt during the nights and days Jesus’ body lay in the grave. If they had remembered earlier, they would have come to the tomb with hope and expectation.
When a loved one dies, those who are left behind always grieve. But if we remember the empty tomb—and what it promises to us—we will come to the graveside of our believing dead weeping tears that glisten with the promise of joy.
Jesus arose. And so will we.

Many believe that the first-century tomb shown here is similar to that in which Jesus lay. The track in which a massive stone rolled (24:2); the low cut door at which Peter stooped (v. 12); the tiny window through which dawn’s light fell on the empty graveclothes (v. 12); all fit the details of the Gospel account. And the Garden Tomb lies near a mount that some identify as Calvary. Whether or not this is like the actual tomb is unimportant. What is important is that Jesus arose!

“You are witnesses of these things” Luke 24:36–49. Later Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples. Seeing His hands and His feet, hearing His familiar voice, every doubt was overcome, and His disciples believed.
It was then, after faith had come, that they were able to understand the Scriptures. Verses that had been familiar suddenly were filled with a meaning they had not grasped before.
And then Jesus said a strange thing. The disciples were to “be witnesses” to all the things the Scripture had predicted would happen. They were to confirm the Word of God by testifying to its truth!
In one sense, of course, nothing you or I can say can confirm or detract from the Word of God. God’s Word is truth, whatever men say about it. Yet in another sense we do bear witness to its trustworthiness.
The 11 Jesus chose would preach the prophecies, and then would say, “I saw them fulfilled.” Even as today you and I share the Gospel and say, “I know it’s true. I have seen God’s promises fulfilled in my own life. I have experienced God’s forgiveness, and seen Jesus Christ change me.”

DEVOTIONAL
Downcast Disciples
(Luke 24:13–35)
That Resurrection morning, as two of Jesus’ disciples trudged along the dusty road to Emmaus, a town about seven miles from Jerusalem, their faces were downcast. Mournful and gloomy, they undoubtedly made dreary companions that Easter morn.
Yet when Jesus joined them in the guise of a stranger, the two disciples revealed they had a host of Resurrection facts! They even told the friendly Stranger about the empty tomb.
Yes, some of their company had talked with angels, who said Jesus had risen from the dead.
Yes, two disciples had gone to the tomb, and found it empty. But they hadn’t seen Him.
So as these disciples trudged along, their faces sad, their hearts burdened, mourning the triumph they thought a tragedy, Jesus traced the Old Testament passages which predicted the Messiah’s death and foretold His resurrection. And even then the two disciples couldn’t shake their gloom.
Downcast disciples.
Downcast disciples, walking along the road with Jesus by their side.
Downcast disciples, mourning as though their God really were dead rather than with them, and triumphantly alive.
If you think that this is strange, think for a moment about your own life. Have you forgotten what the two on the road to Emmaus didn’t know? Do you find that you have a downcast mood that slips up on all of us now and then. But when it does, that’s the time to remember the lesson of the road to Emmaus. Our feelings do not fit the facts! We’re not alone anymore. Jesus lives, and our resurrected Lord walks our road with us.
When we focus our attention on Him, and realize how close beside us He is, that downcast mood will be replaced by joy.

Personal Application
Resurrection means the risen Christ is with you and me today.

Quotable
“The Lord who took on our life had to die to give us His divine life. But death could not keep Him, so He rose again on the third day. My deepest rejoicing is in the living Word of God assuring us of the victory of Jesus over death, for I know that the little Child who was born in Bethlehem had to suffer before I could be saved. I cannot therefore be grateful enough to Him. I pray that I daily may know Him more and more, that I do not harden my heart when He speaks to me, that when He clearly speaks to me, I may obey Him, and that above all I may adore Him as my God and Saviour.
“If we love Him above everything else in life, He will give us power to master our problems, overcome our fears and rise above every temptation and every sin. And then we shall be granted a foretaste of life eternal even in this mortal life.”—Charles H. Malik

THE FINAL HOURS
Luke 22–23

“With loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed” (Luke 23:23).

Carefully Luke, like each of the evangelists, traced Jesus’ final hours from betrayal to burial.

Overview
Judas agreed to betray Jesus for money (22:1–6). At the Last Supper Jesus spoke of a New Covenant in His blood (vv. 7–23), spoke again on greatness (vv. 24–30), and predicted Peter’s denial (vv. 31–38). Events now moved quickly. Jesus prayed (vv. 39–46), was arrested (vv. 47–53), disowned by Peter (vv. 54–62), and mocked by His guards (vv. 63–65). He was taken before Pilate and Herod (v. 66–23:16), condemned (vv. 17–25), crucified (vv. 26–43), died (vv. 44–49), and was buried (vv. 50–56).

Understanding the Text
“They were afraid of the people” Luke 22:1–6. During major religious festivals Jerusalem overflowed with pilgrims. Excited and volatile during these times, both the Roman government and the Jewish leaders kept close watch, hoping to avoid a spontaneous riot. Luke pictured the religious leaders, desperate to get rid of Jesus, actively “looking for” some way to dispose of Him.
When Judas appeared to bargain for money they were delighted: What they feared to do openly they would gladly do in secret!
What a simple test this suggests for us to apply to our own lives. If afraid or ashamed to do anything openly—don’t do it at all!

“Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve” Luke 22:1–6. The expression does not imply Satan entered against Judas’ will. Instead it suggests that Judas’ own openness to evil gave Satan an opportunity to work through him.
If you have ever feared Satan’s power, this passage in Luke indicates how fallible the ruler of evil is. Satan inspired Jesus’ betrayal. He eagerly choreographed Christ’s steps to the cross. And all along Satan was ignorant of the fact that the cross would be the instrument of his own defeat!
Satan is powerful, yes. But he is not a god. His struggle against God is destined for utter defeat, and God is able to transform the most evil acts along the way into instruments of His good.

“This cup is the New Covenant in My blood” Luke 22:1–23. The term “covenant” is one of the most significant in Scripture. In Old Testament times a covenant was a binding legal agreement, whose nature was determined by the parties involved. Between two businessmen it was a contract. Between nations it was a treaty. Between ruler and people it was a constitution. But between God and human beings, the basic force of “covenant” is a commitment. God’s ancient covenant with Abraham is marked by His statement of what “I will” do. God’s temporary covenant with Israel established through Moses, the Law, specified what God would do if Israel obeyed—or disobeyed. The “New Covenant” Jesus spoke of at the Last Supper, instituted at His death and sealed by His own shed blood, is God’s commitment to forgive the sins of those who believe in His Son, and to transform their character from within (cf. Jer. 31:31–34; Heb. 10:16–18).
As we read the chapters which trace Jesus’ last day, we need to remember that Christ went to the cross knowing what His death would mean for you and me. Jesus suffered willingly. And He Himself is our guarantee: He is Himself the divine commitment to forgive us, and to make us new.

“Which of them was considered to be greatest?” Luke 22:24–30 Some, noting that Matthew’s Gospel placed this dispute at a different time and place, cry “discrepancy,” and so “prove” the Bible is not without error after all. Such folks have never had children.
I don’t know how many dozens of times I’ve heard the same argument between Sarah and our Matthew. Or how many times Sarah has asked the same question, blithely forgetting or ignoring the answer she’s been given again and again. The necessary assumption underlying the cry of “discrepancy,” that any human being will talk about something important to him once, and only once, seems utterly amazing to me.
So I’m not surprised that the disciples, still unaware of Jesus’ imminent death, went back to arguing about who would be greatest in Christ’s kingdom. And I’m not surprised that Jesus once again contrasted the “greatness” of secular rulers with that servanthood which makes a man great in the eyes of the Lord.
A discrepancy in Scripture? No. A flaw in the disciples? Yes. And a flaw in us if, like the Twelve, we expend our energies in the pursuit of status—while a dying world cries out for help and hope.

“I confer on you a kingdom” Luke 22:28–30. Luke now added something not found in Matthew. At the Last Supper Jesus added these words, and the promise that one day the 12 disciples would sit on thrones to judge Israel’s 12 tribes.
There’s plenty of “greatness” ahead for us all. But that’s for history’s end, not for now. Today there’s servanthood. And the greater our willingness to serve, the greater our future reward will be.

“That is enough” Luke 22:35–38. Earlier the Twelve and also 72 were sent out to minister, and told to take no money or extra clothing with them. Jesus mentioned this, and reminded His disciples that when they did go, they lacked nothing.
He then seemed to revise His instructions. Most take this unexpected reversal either as sarcasm, or as a way of emphasizing the seriousness of the immediate crisis. Surely His saying, “Buy a sword,” suggests imminent danger. But when the disciples showed Him two blades, He said, “That is enough.”
Today, two are still enough. They are enough to symbolize the dangers of this present world. Yet they are not enough to protect us from those dangers, any more than two swords in the hands of untrained disciples could protect Jesus from the approaching mob.
It’s important for us to recognize the danger to be found in the world. But it is just as important, in our helplessness, to realize that we cannot rely on worldly means for our defense.

“He touched the man’s ear and healed him” Luke 22:47–53. When the mob arrived, a disciple tried to use one of the two swords. He swung (wildly?) and succeeded in slicing off one man’s ear!
Jesus, saying, “No more of this!” touched the man and restored his ear.
At the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry He had said, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Now, about to go to the cross, He took love a step further. Even as your enemies seek to destroy you, make them whole.

“The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter” Luke 22:54–62. Only Luke added this detail. It was not the crowing of the cock that made Peter realize what he had done in disowning Jesus. It was the fact that, as the cock crowed a third time, Peter glanced up and met Christ’s eye.
Later Peter wrote an epistle that quotes Psalm 34:14: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous” (1 Peter 3:12). The meaning is that God is watching over His own, eager to do them good. God watches us, as Christ looked at Peter, with love! The guilt Peter suddenly felt was not in Christ’s look, but reflected from Peter’s own eyes.
Sin has a peculiar impact on us. It makes us look away from God, trying to forget that He always sees us. Thus sin keeps us away from the one Person we most need when we fail. Let’s learn two things from Peter’s experience. First, after doing wrong, look quickly to the Lord. The love you see in His eyes may move you too to weep bitterly. But in that process you will be healed. And second, look unceasingly to the Lord. If you never look away, the love in Christ’s eyes will keep you from sin.

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” Luke 23:26–42. The thief on the cross is healthy corrective to the superficial treatment of Jesus by Pilate and Herod (see DEVOTIONAL). At first both thieves mocked Jesus. But in time one asked Jesus, “Remember me.”
There’s no guarantee that facing death will bring a person to consider eternity. There were two thieves, but only one stopped his ridicule after a time. Only one said, “Remember me.” Still, that one thief reminds us that as long as life lasts, it’s not too late to appeal to God in Jesus’ name. And that because the longest life is but a brief moment compared with eternity, we must call on Jesus while we can.
After all, He did die to save us. As the Crucifixion account reminds us, it’s a matter of Jesus’ death—and our eternal life.

“Wrapped it in a linen cloth” Luke 23:50–56. Jesus died. He was buried. And there these chapters—but not His story (or history) end.

DEVOTIONAL
Hoping for a Miracle
(Luke 22:66–23:25)
The trial of Jesus was a disappointment to everyone. Pilate kept on saying, “There’s no basis for a charge against this Man” (23:4). The Jewish leaders kept on desperately trying to find something that would move Pilate to order Christ’s execution (vv. 2, 5, 10, 14). The carefully recruited crowd got hoarse shouting out, “Crucify Him!” on cue. And poor Herod, who’d wanted to see Jesus for a long time, was upset because when Jesus was brought to him in chains, Christ wouldn’t perform a miracle for his entertainment!
Barabbas, a convicted insurrectionist and murderer, was satisfied. He was released instead of Jesus and slipped away, never to be mentioned again.
But I’m sorriest of all for poor, superficial Herod. I imagine he sulked for hours. All those months hoping to see a miracle, and then—nothing! What in the world would Herod talk about at his next dinner party? How he finally saw Jesus, and Jesus wouldn’t perform?
Actually, Herod reminds me of a lot of Christians. One recent survey suggests that people shop for churches as for a commodity. They check out agencies. They ask about the preaching. They find out who goes to the church. They listen critically to the choir. Are there enough activities for children? For teens?
Even then all too many come on Sunday and go away disappointed, because for some reason God or the preacher didn’t perform well that day. Like Herod, they came to be entertained. They came “hoping for a miracle,” and God wasn’t putting on a special performance for them that day.
We can see clearly what was wrong with Herod’s attitude. The Son of God was about to go to the cross, and all that Herod cared about was being entertained! But can we see this flaw in ourselves? Have we ever stopped to think that church isn’t supposed to be entertaining?
Church is to be a gathering place for a community of faith; a company of men and women who worship the crucified Saviour, and who commit themselves to minister to a lost and suffering mankind.

Personal Application
What you come to church for determines what you take away.

Quotable
“It’s hard to imagine—Paul having the gift of entertainment.—Barnabas being the minister of entertainment rather than the minister of encouragement.—Jesus selling tickets to the feeding of the 5,000.—Peter peddling his ’Feed My Sheep’ seminars.
“Far too often, we’ve tried to bring ministry, music, and entertainment together, and in so doing we’ve lost the integrity and true meaning of the church. No one can honestly say they’ve been called by God to entertain.”—Glenn W. Harrell