For God so loved the world that He created He came with shouts of Peace. Peace to the people on earth!
The 12 apostles spent their lives trying to convince Israel, God’s chosen people, that their Messiah King, Jesus, they had crucified. As He was taken up to heaven to sit at the right hand of Father He will return in the same way. They wanted their fellow Jews to understand that He is a risen Savior.
John 14:1-7 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Christ Answers Thomas 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
Before the Gospel of Grace was revealed to the Apostle Paul, Jesus told the 12 Apostles that He would return to Jerusalem and establish His Kingdom on earth.
Zachariah 14:4
And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south.
Jesus will return and stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
Psalm 69:32-36
32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
33 For the Lord hears the poor,
And does not despise His prisoners.
34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
And build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it,
And those who love His name shall dwell in it.
In the Psalm David speaks of God’s salvation of Israel and His return to fulfill the promises to the patriarchs.
Matthew 19:27-30 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” 28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Matthew 20:11-16 And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. 11 And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ 13 But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
First on the agenda of Peter was to select the 12th Apostle to replace the slot left by Judas. In his thinking he thought the return of Jesus would be soon, very soon. No one but Father knows the hour of Jesus return. He delays the return of their Messiah King because He wants no one to perish and all to turn to salvation in Jesus. In Christ there is neither male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile…by the unmerited and underserved grace of God all who accept Jesus will be saved. John 3:16-17 Carla
Bracketed by role-reversal statements in 19:30 and 20:16, the parable of the vineyard workers portrays God’s gracious generosity. Jesus’ audience probably agreed that the owner was being unfair: Those who worked more should be paid more. By ignoring when the workers started, the owner demonstrates grace—giving some more than they deserve. Faithlife Study Bible
The first workers complained that their wages were the same as those who had been hired late in the day. However, the owner had not cheated them; everyone received the agreed-upon sum for his work. The early workers grumbled because they were evil in their outlook; their master, however, was sovereignly generous. In the context of Matthew, the workers with the contract represent Israel; they had the promises and the covenants (Romans 3:1, 2; 9:4; Ephesians. 2:11, 12). Those without an agreement represent the Gentiles, who would be made equal with the Jewish people when salvation became available to all through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:16, 17; Ephesian 2:13–15; 3:6). The NKJV Study Bible
Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Deuteronomy 15:9 Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you.
Mark 10:31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
When the world feels small and dark and frightful, it is not surprising we choose to do our darndest to protect our hearts. We do not easily give it away.
This happens when we live from the notion (evaluation) that we carry only so much emotional capital—you know, that precious commodity which allows us to pay attention, to focus, to contribute, to care, to forgive, to set free. So, with “only so much” available, it goes without saying that conservation is called for. And it becomes our default. And we end up with this conversation in our mind. “There is no need to spend empathy on just anybody,” we say. “We need to pick and choose.” To be blunt, “there are those who deserve care, and those who don’t.”
Lord, help us.
And we lose track of the values that sustain us. And the values at the very core of our being.
There is nothing small about compassion.
Let me repeat: There is nothing small about compassion.
It is the thread of life woven through each day. As humans—every one made in the image of God—we touch, love, give, include, receive and redeem. So, it’s time to rethink our notion about the scarcity of compassion.
This is an affirmation of what is already alive and well within each of us. We have the capacity to be places of shelter. And hope. And inclusion. And healing.
Our dignity or value or capacity is not tied to the way we look or how we dress. Or the size of our wallet or the digits of our zip code. Not by how we are judged by mankind, because our own souls are imbued with the power to work miracles to change water into wine, the meek into the mighty, to change base metal into pure gold. (Thank you, Congressman John Lewis)
Whatever it is, the light of compassion brings people out of hiding, out of unease and out of fear. The light that invites courage and renewal and resilience.
And that, well, that is light worth spilling. And it is the light of Grace. “Sabbath Moments” Terry Hershey
…if we are followers of Jesus who have accepted God's merciful forgiveness of our own wickedness (1 Peter 2:10),how can we withhold mercy from others?
Showing mercy could look like repenting from grudges we have held. It could look like celebrating God's work in someone else's life or sharing God's grace with someone who we think doesn't deserve it. Regardless, as God's children, our attitude should be one of trust in Him and not willful misunderstanding. Let us not become incensed or cry out, "It's not fair!" striving against Him for control when we don't understand His purposes…seek first His Kingdom and His heart. Jesus is full of compassion for His enemies.Jesus became angry yet did not sin. For instance, we see Jesus' anger on display when He cleared God's temple of those who had turned it into a corrupt marketplace (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15). But Jesus' anger was full of holiness and righteous zeal. His anger was rightly directed at wickedness and not at His Father's long-suffering patience toward people. Jesus' anger was actually a call to repentance and salvation. First5
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