ANOTHER NAIL IN HIS COFFIN

Mark 3:1-6

 

   

Because of Jesus’ determined and focused march to the cross, he went out of his way to anger those that would one day be responsible for his death. He had already angered them in chapter two by claiming to be able to forgive sins. That in itself was considered blasphemy which carried a penalty of death. Now he is driving another nail in his coffin by intentionally healing a man on the Sabbath in their presence which caused them to start seeking a way to kill him!

   

Jesus began a process which had only one possible end – which was that he would die! Yet in John 18:37 he later said at his trial, “You are right in saying I am a king, in fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world…” Over and over he will go out of his way to arouse the anger of the Scribes and Pharisees – the rulers of the Jews and each time it would bring a more certain end to his physical existence on the earth.

   

His death was planned even before the world was created (Ephesians 1:4). His crucifixion was predicted all through the Old Testament and Jesus predicted his death, burial and resurrection many times during his working with his disciples although they never really understood it. It was the ultimate sacrifice and the crowning act of God’s love for his creation. In this sacrifice he did for man what we could not do for ourselves.

   

Jesus tells us in John 10:17-18 “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”  Jesus again in Matthew 26:53-56 tells us that he could have called ten thousand Angels, and then added, “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Just something to think about!

         Harvey Schultz

I REALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT

Once I worked in an “equipment rental place” and whoever closed at night would hide the moneybag in different places and inform the morning shift as to where it was hidden so they would have access to it the next day. One night a person locked up and didn’t know whom to contact, so he put a note in the Cash Register that said, “The money is hidden in the trash can”.

 
After the morning shift found the money and that nothing bad had happened, everyone had a good laugh and the person was told, ”please don’t ever leave a note telling where the money is hidden again.” Sometimes we are all probably guilty of doing or saying something that was really dumb at the time and later we may think or say, “I really should not have done that!”
I think most of us can relate to Peter, who was impetuous, acted from impulse and was oh so human! I can just imagine after he had denied Jesus the third time, heard the rooster crow, and saw Jesus look his way, that he thought, “How could I have done something so stupid?”
In spite of Peter’s humanity and his denying Jesus, he made an impact on society and contributed to the growth of Christianity as very few people did.

    
I have been guilty of doing or saying dumb things and as soon as I did it or said it, I wish I could have taken it back, but the measure of our greatness, like Peter, is not allowing our mistakes, weaknesses and humanity to keep us from picking ourselves up and trying again.

  
America and society as a whole have had great leaders who probably had all made dumb mistakes, but overcame their weaknesses and did not allow their unwise decisions to keep them from living useful lives and making valuable contributions to society. Just something to think about!

I DON’T WANT TO LOOK STUPID!

I was listening to a radio talk show recently where they were talking to a young man that admitted to wearing the crotch of his pants down very low. When asked why he wore his pants like that, he responded by saying, “All of my friends wear theirs like that and I don’t want to look stupid.”

Years ago I passed a pipe welding test that not many welders had passed on that job site at that time. One of the “TIG” welders put a blue tape around the brim of his hard-hat and soon every one of us that passed that test, had the same stripe that identified us as “special” welders.

Nearly every group, sect or gang member does something, dresses a certain way or acts or talks in such a way as to stand out from everyone else. They may do this in order to make them unique or different and to send a message that says, “Hey, I’m different!”

I remember a Comical little poem that described an intoxicated man that fell off of his horse and landed beside a pig in the ditch by the side of the road. Someone walking by was heard to say, “You can tell a man who boozes, by the company he chooses, so the filthy pig got up and slowly walked away.”

In the first century, even Jesus’ disciples were accused of being a sect and were mockingly called “Christians” because they acted and talked differently than most everyone else. Like Paul that rejoiced in that he suffered for Christ, we are also admonished to rejoice if we suffer as a Christian.

So if others recognize us by the friends we choose and learn to imitate, then perhaps it may be advisable to choose our friends wisely! Just something to think about!
Harvey Schultz

THINGS THAT ENDURE

Often we vacation in lovely “Dinosaur Valley State Park” in Glen Rose Texas where they have discovered many Dinosaur tracks. When I first visited the park in 1976 there were many tracks still clearly visible in the riverbed. Since that time many of the tracks have since eroded away and disappeared. You would have thought that being in solid rock that they would last nearly forever, but we are reminded again just how temporary everything is with both our bodies and the earth that God created.

As a young boy it seemed like forever until Christmas or my birthday would come around so I could get those much wanted gifts. But now I am amazed how often they come around. James likens our life to a vapor (or steam) that appears for only a short time, then vanishes away (James 4:14). This could be very discouraging until we understand that life on this earth is not intended to be eternal, but only a time to prepare for eternity.

Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us that we, and everything around us, are fleeting and temporary. Then Paul concludes by saying, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” But we can be thankful that our God has provided something far better for those that love Him that are eternal and will never end in Heaven.

Over the years I have seen many people, especially in Nursing homes, who are at best uncomfortable and many are in constant pain, confined to a wheel chair, totally bed ridden, or may not have control of their bodily functions, or their mental facilities. Yet in our text Paul assures us that “…Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day…” So we can take comfort in the promises that God has given to us through His word (the Bible), that although the temporary things will cease to exists, yet our eternal soul will be with God forever if we are His children.

When I was a boy we had a saying on our kitchen wall that said “Life is short, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last!” This saying has stuck with me to help me understand that the time spent here is used wisely only if we use it to prepare ourselves to be with Christ when we die.

Just something to think about!

Harvey Schultz

Principle Above Law

Even before God through Moses wrote, “do not kill, do not steal” etc., these things were already wrong. Writing them down was simply an effort to enforce, by law and punishment, the things that were already wrong. There were and are eternal principles that do not change simply by adding laws to already complicated law systems.

Just as killing, stealing, rape and many other things are wrong whether there are laws that state this or not, there are also principles about things that can be done that are right and cannot be wrong. Paul in Galatians 5:22-23 says “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance; against such there is no law.”

A good example of this is when Jesus healed a man that had a withered hand on the Sabbath. In Mark 3:1-5 it reads, “Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, Stand up in front of everyone”. Then Jesus asked a question of great importance that they either could not or would not understand when He said, “Which is lawful (right) on the Sabbath; to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” Having asked this Jesus then healed the man by a much greater principle than what the law had forbidden, that is to love one another. For in Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus said in effect that to love God and to love one another is to fulfill the law.

Laws are not a guide to do right, but a deterrent from doing wrong. Laws by their very nature are principally to punish those who are lawbreakers. Its function is not to encourage us to do good things, for there are no laws to keep us from doing what is right or good (however there have been exceptions). The Pharisees were so meticulous about law keeping, even to the point of adding written traditions that they held equal to the Law of Moses. As a result, Jesus and His disciples were accused of wrong doing because they did not keep their traditions or their understanding of what the Law taught.

Matthew 15:1-3 says in part “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?” to which Jesus answered “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your traditions?”

So remember that eternal principles are more important than rules and regulations.

Just something to think about.

DO NOT TOUCH THE HOT STOVE

    When I was growing up we had to heat with a wood heater and cook on a wood stove and thus there was always a warning not to touch or it would burn. Of course, like so many young people, I had to learn this the hard way! The admonition to not touch should have been enough, but once you actually touch a red-hot stove, it is not something that you would soon forget.

    The way that they treat a burn today has come a long way from when I was a boy, because at that time the only thing they seemed to know to do for a burn was to blow on it and put grease or oil on the burn, which did nothing to help the pain or probably to help heal it either. The old saying must be true, however, that says, “Time heals all” because the burn would eventually heal.

    There are some things in life that will not heal, even with time. Many marriages end in divorce and other relationships can be destroyed by careless words or attitudes and normally time will not improve such situations.

    There are harmful habits that may permanently harm our minds and bodies. Even though we are warned not to drink and drive yet we may cause harm to ourselves or others by drinking and driving or simply driving carelessly. These and other things may have consequences that are ongoing and no matter how much we regret them, we cannot undo what has been done.

    As much as we may not want to listen to advice or warnings of others, yet we would be wise to pay attention to things that may have long lasting effects to our lives or to the lives of others. As important as it is to protecting our short lives, yet the Bible is filled with warnings and instructions that will protect us from eternal and spiritual destruction, to which we should pay special heed. Just something to think about!  

    Harvey Schultz

 

THE JOHNNY APPLESEED PRINCIPLE

    Johnny Appleseed, born “John Chapman” in 1774, became a legend in his lifetime because of his attitude of kindness, his generous nature, his leadership in conservation and the importance he placed on apples. The principles by which he lived, are also the principles that would make our world a much better place to live.
    My memories of reading about “Johnny Appleseed” in school were that he carried a sack of apple seed and planted them wherever he went; however, history tells us that he mainly planted seed to produce a nursery and sold apple saplings to folks to transplant on their land or around their houses. He introduced apple trees to a large part of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
    Although he will probably always be remembered for his planting or supplying apples to folks as he traveled, however, if the truth were known, his many acts of kindness was what made such an impact on the people that he met!  
    Although there are still disagreements as to whether there are any original trees surviving that he personally supplied or planted, many trees are alive as a result of the seeds that were produced by the trees that he planted! But the thing that impressed me about Johnny Appleseed is the principle of kindness that he lived by and the many folks that were affected by his lifestyle.
    Today we also can spread seeds of kindness wherever we go and by doing so, can impact, in a good way, everyone around us. You never know the good that can be accomplished by a simple smile, a friendly hello, or a kind word to folks you meet. So my suggestion, for the New Year is, that we adopt the attitudes of Johnny Appleseed as a part of our 2009 resolve. Just something to think about and to do!
    Harvey Schultz

 

A CHANGE OF ALLEGIANCE

For whatever reasons my great great grandfather came from Germany to the U.S.A. is uncertain. But by doing so he changed his allegiance from one country to another. He then owed his allegiance to America rather than Germany.

In the same way when we were made a new creation in Christ, we changed our allegiance from the world to Christ. In Phil.3: 20 we are told that our citizenship is now in Heaven. The place of which we are citizens, is the place where we pay our taxes, vote, obey and enjoy the protection of its laws, and enjoy the blessings of the world of which we are a citizen. That helps us to understand why we are told to live in the world but not of the world.

As a result of a change of allegiance, there should also be a change in the way we feel toward the world and the life that we lived while in the world. We may well feel uncomfortable being around the same people, doing the same things, going to the same places, and talking the same way we use to talk. As a matter of fact, if we do not feel uncomfortable, then perhaps we may need to reexamine our commitment or our spiritual maturity.

In 1 Pet. 1: 3-4 Peter tells us that God, had given them all things that pertain to life and Godliness. He then says “By which are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world though lust.”

The word that is translated “partake” could also be translated “ To be in partnership with, to have fellowship with, or to share in a common way with the divine nature”. It is very significant, then, that we share in a common way with Gods divine nature. That we work in partnership with the Godhead. And as John says in 1 john 1:3 “…truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ”.

Perhaps it is because we do not separate ourselves from the world that we are admonished by such scriptures as Rom.12: 2 “And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Or James 4:4 where he says “do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” Perhaps our Christianity may not be as joyful as we would like, or we may not have the peace in Christ that we would love to have. Then it could be that we have not turned loose of the world and to its constant allurements, as we should.

Just something to think about.

Harvey Schultz

Originally written for a local newspaper, this article is one of over 50 collected in my first book, “Just Something To Think About”.

Order from / make check payable to:

Harvey Schultz

P.O. Box 1134

Crosby, TX 77532

$9.00 each (S&H included)

OUR GREATEST PRIVILEGE:

The time to vote for “President of the U.S.A.” for the next four years has recently passed. If our choice happened to win, then we can be proud that our vote helped. Perhaps the one who won may feel honored that he has been chosen to serve as best as he can.

As great an honor as being “President” is, we have been chosen to a much higher honor than that! In 1st John 3:1 John gives us our greatest privilege by saying, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that, we should be called children of God!” Even in our wildest imagination we could not have aspired to a greater privilege than to be God’s child with all the rights and privileges afforded us.

And unlike these candidates we do not need to campaign, travel and beg for votes and spend a lot of money in the process. It is not necessary for us to make promises that we may not be able to keep, or kiss babies, although that would be nice. But our honor and privilege is offered to us freely.

Paul tells us that God chose us even before He created the world. In Ephesians 1:4 it says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world…” Any one who wishes can be God’s child. The price has been paid by the cross and the only way we will not be God’s children is to say no to God’s grace. And the sad thing is that most will reject God’s grace and conditions of pardon, choosing rather to live for the pleasures of the moment.

However for those who accept God’s grace and conditions of pardon, we are truly blessed beyond anything we could ever imagine. Paul gives us just a hint as to just how blessed we are when he, quoting an Old Testament verse, said in 1st Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”.

And remember that after four to eight years the privilege of being President will end. But our privilege of being God’s children is eternal; it will never end. So with this in mind, let us make every effort to do what Peter admonishes us to do in 2nt Peter 1:10-11 where he said “Therefore my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall. And you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Something to think about. Harvey Schultz

Originally written for a local newspaper, this article is one of over 50 collected in my first book, “Just Something To Think About”.

Order from / make check payable to:

Harvey Schultz
P.O. Box 1134
Crosby, TX 77532

$9.00 each (S&H included)

Just Something To Think About

At last, some of my short essays have been collected and published. My first book is a collection of 53 of these illustrations of Biblical principles at work in real life experiences.

Ordering information below.

Order From:

Harvey Schultz
P.O. Box 1134
Crosby, TX 77532

$9.00 Each (S. & H. Included)