Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

 

PREMEDITATED SACRIFICE

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

Matthew 20:18-19

[i] 18"See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

Little Lori Ann was 14 when she slipped into the back row of our rowdy, fun and growing youth group. The patch over her eye gave it away immediately as I looked at her precious innocent face. Lori was the girl with facial cancer. The surgeon had to remove her eye to try to save her life. Over the next two years, the cancer spread throughout her face and neck. As she walked steadily towards death, her faith grew stronger. We became very close and talked as a father and daughter would about death, heaven and Christ's provision for eternal life. Lori grew to love her Savior.

The week before her death, her doctor came into her room and told her that they had done all they could. The medicines weren't working. Soon the tumors would take over. With faith like an 80-year-old saint, Lori looking at her doctor and without a whimper said, "I appreciate all you've done, but don't worry, I won't die when the medicine runs out, I'll die when Jesus takes me home."

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Lori's last words before she closed her eye for the last time were to her mom as she softly whispered, "Mom, I hope some day you'll know Jesus like I do."

QUESTIONS:
1. If Jesus knew when He'd die and how He'd die, why didn't He change the plan and run?
2. What do you think His disciples thought when he told them the fate that was ahead of Him?
3. How can a 16-year-old like my friend Lori have such great faith?

LIFELINE:
Just before Lori died, she said to her mom, "Mom, I hope you can get to know Jesus the way I do." Faith is shared most intimately at home.

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

Matthew 17:1-6

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified.

Read Time magazine, U.S. News, or Newsweek around Christmas time or Easter and they'll have their traditional feature about the mysteries of Jesus of Nazareth. You can count on the content being a watered down, liberal viewpoint that will quote various "experts" on exactly who this literary figure that has been the central focus of mankind (positively and negatively) really was.

I always wonder why they don't quote those who knew Him best.

For example, they could begin with God Himself who said, "This is my beloved Son." ... or Peter who said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." ... or John who said, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." ... or His ultimate judge, Pontius Pilate, who said, "I find no fault in the man." ... or Jesus Himself who said, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father ... I and my Father are one." Even His enemies made no mistake who He claimed to be (God) and they crucified Him for it (blasphemy).

Those who knew Him best all agreed. This man was God in the flesh, the second person of the triune God, the Living Word, Immanuel, God is with us.

QUESTIONS:
1. Why does the modern media elites like to belittle the deity of Christ?
2. Why are the eyewitness accounts the most valid viewpoints for discerning truth about Jesus?
3. What was the significance of the transfiguration?

LIFELINE:
Family devotional times in some ways are like going to the mountain with Jesus.

Reprint Compliments of Men At The Cross By Joe White

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Matthew 15:32-39

32 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” 33 His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” 34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.” 35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36 Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. 37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 38 The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan.


Two times two is four. Four times four is sixteen. Sixteen times sixteen is ... Since about third grade, we all memorized our multiplication tables and probably all were amazed, like me, at how much faster numbers increased than they did with addition. Jesus is a multiplier.

Give Him a talent, and He makes a career.

Give Him a date, and He builds a friendship.

Give Him a need, and He fills it with extra fulfillment to spare.

Give Him a family, and He creates a home.

Yesterday I was told that a young friend of mine, who I will call Angie, died of a drug overdose. She was a cheerleader, a class officer and seemed to have it all. She was definitely too young to die. When Angie was in junior high, she started drinking. By high school, she was an alcoholic. Before long, drugs were used to fill her hunger for fulfillment, satisfaction and peace.

Jesus gives food for our stomach no doubt, but His greatest gift is multiplying peace, love and joy to fill our soul. It's a job no earthly life could ever do.

QUESTIONS:
1. What do you hunger for today? How can Christ fill that need?
2. Where do you think Angie went wrong?
3. How can you avoid the wrong "multiplication tables"?

LIFELINE:
What are His multiplication tables? Learn His math today.

Dexter, MO - There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm during the Fall, as kids return to school, the summer ends and football begins. It's a very special time that brings a community together in so many different ways.

A local group of Bearcat Fans continued the tradition this past Friday night with a pregame prayer prior to the Bearcat's season opener against the St. Genevieve Dragons. This was simply a pause in the busy action of "life" to ask God for the protection of our young people as we watch them on perform on the field throughout the season.

A non-denominational event, the group gathered in a circle around the flag pole at the North end of Charles "Seed" Bland Stadium. The prayer was lead by Pastor Rich Lee, who admitted he was "Volen-told" (or volunteered) to lead in the prayer time.

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From youth to parents to Bearcat Fans, the spirit shared was that there is more to life than football ... but a common theme was that all hoped for favor from our creator for the boys protection while on the field and good sportsmanship. Ultimately, the praying fans always seek a Bearcat Victory just in case the Lord might need a reminder of where the group's loyalties lie on the football field.

We enjoy these Friday nights as we watch kids grow in their spirit of competition, their desires for success and the good things that competitive sports brings into their lives. Life just doesn't seem to get much better than the smiles, the cheers, and especially when your team is winning.

But life is a longer race than a football season. The Bearcats were able to deliver that victory Friday night, but these praying Bearcat Fans know that the true ultimate victory in life is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and "these things pass away."

But in the mean time, life is good in the fall. We are all thankful to God for His blessing of health and the pure enjoyment found in stadiums across America where we can worship Him and relish in the good times of our families and friends.