Good Friday Ironically Based on Doctrine of the Sadducees

 While preparing for an Easter message, out of Acts 12:4, I discovered something interesting. The Good Friday position has its basis in a doctrine of the Sadducees. (Who didn't believe in a resurrection at all.)

From Phil Sawilowsky,

"The 3 feast all ran together as the feast of 1st fruits took place on the “morrow after Sabbath” Lev. 23:11. So it would depend on your view of what day he died. If a Wednesday or Thursday- must have a double Sabbath- rabbis take the Pharisee view that what ever day the PO falls on, it is a Sabbath thus require 2 Sabbaths in the same week.

Sadducee’s viewed only one Sabbath in a week which requires a Friday death.

Either way the 3 feasts are during the same week in Christ’s time and even today."

What would Jesus Do?

 What would Jesus do?

 

Recently I posted a response to an appeal to vote in favor of two public school levy increases. I simply commented that I would not voluntarily give the public school system any more of my money.

 

A supporter of the school system, a retired teacher and coach responded back to me, “What would Jesus do, Pastor?”

 

The following is the interaction between us.[1]

 

M.E.M.

Good question. I find that those who ask the question have an opinion generally associated with

assumptions attached to their political leanings. I’ve read the book that made the question popular, (In His Steps by Charles Sheldon). I was hugely impressed until my pastor pointed out that nowhere in the book are people encouraged to actually read the Bible and see what Jesus would do. 

I do not know what Jesus would do. But I do know what Jesus did do. I also know what Jesus taught. Jesus did pay a temple tax to avoid offense. Jesus taught us to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s. Jesus taught us that we wrestle against principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness in high places.

Our government gives us the ability to wrestle with those in high places through our vote. Our children belong to God and not to the government, and therefore I will cast my vote in favor of financial management. If the levy passes, I will then pay the tax so as to avoid offense.

 

J.H.

 The children belong to us, and each of us must do everything in our power to give them the best-possible educational experience. I have a hunch that Christ would agree. Luke 18:15-17

 

M.E.M.

Hunches are the problem. Is the "us" the children belong to the community or the parents? Jesus taught the parents to bring their children up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. Does the public school system do that? Aren't they, in fact, forbidden to do that? Luke 18:16-17 instructs us to bring children to the Lord. I am all for that. Less money for public schools so parents have more options to teach THEIR children about Jesus.

 

J.H.

Education for ALL is an essential component of nurturing. It is wrong to deny the best-possible education to every child simply because they are not following your particular path to the Lord.

 

M.E.M.

You are assuming that the best possible education is to be had in the public school system, provided they get more of our tax dollars. I make no such assumption.

 

 

 

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[1] M.E.M. is me. J.H. is the man who responded. The conversation is ongoing I hope. I enjoy fair dialog and believe it to be beneficial.

The Christian Who Sins Willfully

 The Christian Who Sins Willfully

 

Over the years of my ministry, I have found that there are times when Christians willfully choose to sin. They may not call it sin, but that is what it is. 

 

An illustration would be when a Christian chooses to divorce.

Before the divorce, before the choice to divorce, they probably hesitated and fought the impulse for some time. 

•            It might be because they don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. 

•            It may be because they know that it’ll cause themselves great pain. 

•            It may be that they understand the Bible teaches against divorce.

 

But it doesn’t matter. Once they come to the position of divorce, their emotions override Bible teaching. The Bible, in fact, becomes irrelevant to the issue. They have made a choice. 

•            No pastor. 

•            No counselor. 

•            No good friend. 

Nothing in the Bible is going to change their mind. 

 

There are other areas where Christians will make the same willful choice to sin. Their feelings, their emotions, their heart overrides the Word of God that particular area.

Dress standards

Gods Word clearly has something to say. So many Christians refuse to hear it. 

 

Worldly practices 

•            Alcohol 

•            Tobacco and these days 

•            Tattoos

 

Types of employment

 

Where we live 

 

Where we attend church

 

Whether our pastor has any say in our lives

Most would agree that the pastor leads the church. But too many believe he is to have no influence in their life choices. They see it almost as a “him against me” sort of thing. They do not recognize that with his call comes not only the ability to study and preach the Bible but also to discern things about life - their life. 

 

They may not believe the Bible speaks to their situation. They may believe that their choice is theirs to make, and the Bible has nothing to say about it. They will likely become upset with anyone who tries to use the Bible to teach against their decision. They will accuse the person who shows them what the Bible says as using it as a whipping stick against them. Sense they do not have any passages of Bible to support their choice, they assume that any passages that are opposed to their choice must be taken out of context. 

 

As Christians we have to avoid, we have to take care not to allow our heart, our emotions to become so strongly attached to a thing that we refuse to see what the Bible says about that thing. 

 

God said that He’s given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.[1] The Bible therefore will have some answer, some instruction for every choice we make we are going to make. It’s just a matter if we are open to hear, and see, and learn what the Bible says. We must come to the place that we believe God. He leads us through the Bible, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and through the authority of the pastor. 

 

Otherwise, the Bible is just a good book

 

 

 

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[1] 2 Peter 1:3 (KJV)

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

 

Some Things Should Not Be Celebrated

 Some Things Should Not Be Celebrated

 

Matthew 24:35-39 (KJV)

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 

Jesus said that, in the last days, just as they were in the days of Noah, unspiritual and unlearned/wicked men, would celebrate in the face of God’s judgment.

 

I fear we turn things that are meant to make us solemn and introspective into celebrations precisely so that we do not have to face the message God intends for them to give.

 

The Memorial of Our Lord’s Supper

It happens we are about to partake in the observance of the Lord’s Supper today. I was thinking of those churches that observe it weekly. Often I have seen them call it a celebration. consider that night Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. It was anything but a celebration. Jesus knew what was about to happen. The apostles were confused, and troubled. Who would betray Jesus? One would deny Jesus. Two of them would fail Jesus when He had asked them to watch and pray. All of them would flee Jesus when the soldier came for Him.

The resurrection is something to celebrate. What comes before is something to remember.

 

The Death of the Unsaved

I received word today that my best childhood friend has passed away. He was the same age as me give or take a few months. We had not had contact for many many years, but I followed his career enough to know, as well as any man can know, that he was not saved. The announcement gave the time of his “celebration of life.” I do not like that term to be used for either lost or saved. I believe we need to face the fact. This man or this women has died. They have gone the way of all men. They have a soul that is now locked into eternity; either with Christ or in hell. We must face it. All of us will die one day. The funeral service is God’s way of reminding us again and again to make our salvation sure.

 

The Disobedience of the wayward Christian

What is it in man that, even those who profess to know Christ as Saviour, we are so prone to live “Not Thy will but mine be done.” O, we will claim to be Christians, claim to believe the Bible and even claim to obey the Bible - as long as it doesn’t interfere with what we want to do. And then the crazy part, they want to rest of us to rejoice with them when they have found a way to get out of the way of God.

 

I for one do not plan to celebrate those things God means to teach us hard lessons.