Author: Dave Dishman (Page 276 of 458)

The day between the Friday crucifixion of Jesus and his Sunday resurrection brought a pause. The disciples scattered and hid, traumatized by the brutal trial and killing of their teacher. They must have feared they were next, and only started to process the profound loss of Jesus and all their dashed hopes.

But not everyone remained inactive. The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and requested a guard be placed at the tomb. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive the deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead.”

The disciples may have pushed aside the idea of a resurrection, but not the priests. Believing Jesus a charlatan, they looked for deception, sleight of hand, a theft followed by lies. That’s how these leaders worked. So, they posted a contingent of armed guards in front of the tomb to keep anyone from getting in.

They never considered someone might get out.

Saturday evening the chief priests went to bed, smug in their assumption all contingencies were met and they controlled this Jesus stuff. The disciples dropped off in grief, if they slept at all, to splintered dreams of their new reality.

It was the last night any of them snuffed out a candle holding to those beliefs.

Matthew 27:62-65

Photo by Sincerely Media

Ever wonder why today is called Good Friday? The title refers to an older usage of the word good, meaning holy or set apart. Referring to the Bible as the Good Book is another example. Holy Friday sounds more appropriate.

More than good, today is actually a great day, a day of immense importance. In my opinion, here are the four most important days in history:

Christmas Day—the day of the birth of Jesus.

Good Friday—the day of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Easter Day—the day of the resurrection of Jesus.

A Future Day—the day of the return of Jesus.

Today is good because the unsolvable was solved, the grand debt was paid, blood was shed in sacrifice, wrath appeased. Today is good for me, for you, for history and for the cosmos. All creation took notice on this day, the skies went dark and the earth shivered.

Jesus ended the day with the words It is finished. And though a dark and bloody and hate-filled day, we remember it as good.

Why?

Because Sunday’s coming.

Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde

Those of us in the business of missions like to talk about exponential growth. The idea that whatever I’m helping lead will take off and expand beyond my dreams, or at least beyond my efforts, never quite fades.

But nothing I’ve ever seen compares to the explosion of growth the early church experienced shortly after the resurrection. The Holy Spirit arrived in a violent wind, then enabled the disciples to speak a whole mess of languages. They declared the wonders of God to every person present in their native tongue.

Peter preached a magnificent sermon, culminating with this charge: Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.

The best part of this for me? The promise extending to all who are far off. Peter announced the world-wide intentions of this young body. The message spread to the furthest horizons.

I stand far off from the time and place and culture where Peter preached, and so this promise applies to me. And to you. And to all who fill our great big world.

That’s a solid message to enjoy, and to preach, as Easter approaches.

Acts 2 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Michał Mancewicz

The old woman paused in her happy dance to proclaim an odd and misplaced vow: I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver.

Her son just returned a fortune he stole from his mother, and like a truly child-absorbed parent, she blessed the thief. Then she sent the silver to a smith who formed an idol from the metal.

The problem with her vow? She first offered the silver to the Lord, then violated the very first commandment given by that same Lord, part of which reads: You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them.

Either she didn’t know the law of Moses, or she ignored it, or most likely a combo of both. In her cultural moment, adherence to commandments fell out of vogue. The author of Judges describes the era like this: At that time there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing.

Sounds a lot like today. This woman plucked pretty feathers from various religious traditions to form something new. The idea that the Lord might appreciate her idol appears ludicrous, but in her mind it made perfect sense. She used the name of the Lord to bless her act of worship, even as she worshiped the devils.

I understand the temptation. I find parts of the Bible uncomfortable, and others hard to defend. Many run counter to the mantras of our cultural moment. But the moment I decide to unmoor myself from scripture, I begin to drift. It doesn’t take much drifting to find myself not just condoning—but blessing—ideas the Lord condemns.

Would I like to live in a world where people do whatever they feel like doing? For sure. But when I see the results of such practices, I understand the need to turn again to words from the Giver of Life for direction on the way I should live.

Judges 17 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Osman Rana