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Daily Devotional By A Word From The Lord with Archbishop Foley Beach
Episodes
Saturday Apr 19, 2025
Saturday Apr 19, 2025
Saturday Apr 19, 2025
Agnostics, Atheists, Seekers, and Christians Watch Jesus Followers; Do They See Jesus or a Christian Hypocrite in You?
MESSAGE SUMMARY: In 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Paul writes a complex statement that tells you, as a Jesus Follower, about the most important tool that God gives you for communicating the Gospel to others-- God lets others see Jesus in you through your life in Christ! Therefore, by living in Christ, your life becomes the most compelling argument for the Gospel – an argument that far surpasses the power for God’s Kingdom from written or spoken words. Paul’s 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 text reads: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”. Do others, from your life, see Jesus in you?
TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, in order to be with you, I need you to show me how to “create a desert” in the midst of my full, active life. Cleanse me from the pressures, illusions, and pretenses that confront me today so that my life may serve as a gift to those around me. Amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 26). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will seek God’s perspective on my situation. For I know that in all things God works together for good to those of us who love Him and are called according to His purpose. From Romans 8:28
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Isiah 35:1-9; John 1:14; Isaiah 11:1-2; Psalms 44b:14-26.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Palm Sunday” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Friday Apr 18, 2025
Friday Apr 18, 2025
JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
Go on brothers lay him down Go on brothers lay him down
Wrap his body with a clean white shroud Roll that stone leave him in the ground Go on brothers lay him down
Go on sisters cry for him Go on sisters cry for him
But wipe your eyes and dry your skin
The crying will be done in three mornings Go on sisters cry for him
Hold on children wait and see Hold on children wait and see
The death that’s come is a death too weak Can’t take my Jesus cannot take my King So hold on children wait and see
Oh glory glory won’t you come for me Glory glory won’t you come for me
I know your slumber is a momentary sleep I feel you rising up from the deep
Oh glory glory you will come for me
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Some of the most expensive, elaborate, and impressive structures in history are tombs. Throughout humanity great energy has been spent constructing a final resting place for the prestigious and powerful. The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, the pyramids of Egypt, and the terra cotta army in Xi’an, China are some of the most notorious. They stand as feats of architecture, design, and craftsmanship - each fueled by countless hours of work by a vast number of humans. Some of these structures are still visited today by hundreds of thousands each year.
Jesus too was laid in a tomb. And though purchased by a wealthy disciple, it seems to have been no more than a small, man-made cave. When Joseph of Arimethea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body, his request was surprisingly granted. After being wrapped in linen, Jesus was placed into a room ‘cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid’ (Luke 23:53).
Today, there remains uncertainty as to which specific site held the body of Jesus. Notwithstanding this fact, many travelers still seek out Christ’s tomb. Unlike many of the famous burial monuments however, those who make this journey do not come to be amazed by the architecture or awed by the craftsmanship. The spectacle itself is rather unimpressive - no more than a small hole cut into the side of a hill, void of any adornment.
Despite Jesus’ position, despite his seat ‘at the right hand of God’ (Mark 16:19), he was buried in a common tomb. Despite the ‘riches’ of his glory and grace (Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 2:7), Jesus’ body was laid to rest in a cave. How he continually clothed himself in humility!
So why then do countless Christians travel across the world each year to see where Jesus walked? Why spend the time and effort to visit a hole in the ground, that quite possibly Jesus’ body never actually entered? People come because of who Jesus was, not any place where he may have laid. They come to gain perspective. They come to refresh their spirits. They come because Jesus was real, and most critically, that three days after his death, the tomb stood empty.
Hallelujah! Death was beaten as God’s perfect plan for his Messiah was fulfilled. The tomb could not hold him. “He has risen, just as he said,” (Matthew 28:6), and he is alive now and forever!
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: Praise Jesus for his death and resurrection.
Ask Jesus for a fresh revelation of what the empty tomb means for you today.
Thank him for how he has saved you.
Pray for those who do not yet know the One who has conquered death, and do not understand what Jesus’ resurrection means for their lives. Give thanks that God’s perfect plan was fulfilled in
Jesus Christ, and that his love for you is unfailing and everlasting
Today’s Affirmation: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT: If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mark 15:42-47: “It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.”. Further Reading: Matthew 27:57-61; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42; Isaiah 53:9-12.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Contemplating the Mighty Acts – Palm Sunday and Holy Week”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
From the sixth hour it came
A darkness like no man had seen
The sun’s light failed and through the black A voice that held all breathing
As his friends stood distant still
His thirst the wine his pierced side fulfilled Bowed his head the innocent
He left his life his spirit
And he cried ‘my God my God Why have you forsaken me’…
The veil was torn from the top to the bottom The tombs opened and the holy ones rose His murderers saw what they had done
A soldier spoke what he had come too late to know
‘Truly this was the son of God’…
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
The physical miracles that surround the death of Jesus are many in number and beyond remarkable. Taking time to think about what surrounded Jesus’ final hours makes one realize that this moment in history was like no other. It was certainly an experience that would cause us all to join with the Roman soldier and exclaim, ‘truly this was the Son of God.’
It was noon when the darkness came. The darkness then stayed until sometime around three o’clock; a three hour disappearance of the sun in the middle of the day. Many scholars and scientists explain this event by saying it was a solar eclipse. If so, this would have been the most fascinating and miraculous solar eclipse in history. We know the events of that day occurred during Passover, which always took place during the full moon. This time of the month is one in which a natural solar eclipse cannot occur. Consider also that the longest eclipse astronomically possible is somewhere around seven and a half minutes in length. If the explanation for the ‘darkness over the land’ was an eclipse, it was nearly three hours longer than any other in history.
During the darkness, ‘the earth shook, and the rocks were split,’ (Matthew 27:51). Phlegon, a Roman historian and contemporary of Jesus, noted the earthquake at the time of Jesus’ death, as well as an extraordinary and unexplainable mid-day eclipse, where the stars in heaven were seen. Earthquakes are not uncommon in the region, but Matthew writes that the “tombs opened and the bodies of many holy people rose from the dead,” (27:52). Though the ground might have occasionally shook, the rising of the dead was no common occurrence.
As if this wasn’t enough, amidst the ground shaking, the sky turning black, and dead people walking, another massive and meaningful event took place. Skillfully made of fine twisted linen, a veil of blue and purple and scarlet separated the holy of holies from the rest of the world (Exodus 26:31-33). It sat in the temple, never crossed save once a year when the High Priest would enter into the presence of God (Hebrews 9:7). Some sixty feet high, thirty feet wide, and four inches thick, the Jewish historian Josephus records that two horses tied to either side could not pull it apart.
Yet at the moment Jesus took his last breathe, this massive man-made curtain was torn. The Gospel writers note that it was torn from top to bottom, highlighting that this was a task completed from above. It was an unaccessible height, and a feat too remarkable to be completed by any man’s hand. The separation from God was over - literally and figuratively destroyed.
But despite all of these wonders, witnessed by many, shocking and sensational, the most important miracle was that which went unseen. The events in the physical world assuredly revealed that this was no ordinary man being crucified, and testified to Jesus’ dominion. But much like the unmeasured weight of the cross, the work being done behind the curtain of the visual was a far greater phenomenon.
God the Father put upon his Son Jesus all the wrath and guilt we deserved. Jesus satisfied this wrath perfectly and completely. Jesus completed the task no sinful man could handle. He had no help. He was fully alone. All so the Father could demonstrate his love for us. For we were lost, unworthy sinners, and Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus was tortured and raised on a cross for us. He breathed his last for us. He was ‘forsaken’ by his glorious Father for us (Matthew 27:46). And none of this could be ‘seen’ by the Roman soldier or any
other bystanders.
It is safe to say that when the centurion exclaims that Jesus is the ‘Son of God,’ he did not have the full ‘Christian’ understanding of what his words meant. He spoke out of awe, fear, and terror (Matthew 27:54). He has just seen the sky turn dark and the earth shake violently upon the death of what he now knows is no ordinary man. He had read the inscription above Jesus’ head. He most likely had heard rumors about who Jesus claimed to be. And in that moment, as the world is seemingly crumbling around him, this Roman soldier knows Jesus was the man others said he was. The miracles in the physical world were enough to convince him of that. But had this common centurion seen the weight of his very own sin being placed upon Jesus’ body (1 Peter 2:24), how much more would he have exclaimed! Had this man fully seen God’s cup of wrath being poured out on Jesus for his own sake, how much more remorse and regret would he have had? And simultaneously, how much praise, adoration, and thankfulness would have filled his heart?
The suffering of Jesus was beyond compare. A debt paid, that just as the centurion, we will never fully comprehend or understand. But the current age has seen the full story. We know Jesus did not stay on the cross, nor was he bound by the chains of death. And we know that he will come again on the clouds with glory (Mark 13:26).
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: Take some time to meditate on this moment in history. Ground shaken. Tombs opened. The curtain torn. Darkness.
Think about Jesus’ words when he cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Ask the Lord for a better understanding of the miracle that went unseen that day.
Praise and thank Jesus for drinking the cup of his Father’s fury! For carrying your burden and paying your debt.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Lust. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Perfect Provision. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mark 15:33-39: “At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?’).
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he’s calling Elijah.’
Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ‘Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,’ he said.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’”. Further Reading: Matthew 27:45-54; Luke 23:44-49; John 19:28-30; Psalm 22:1-31.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Contemplating the Mighty Acts – Palm Sunday and Holy Week”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Wednesday Apr 16, 2025
Wednesday Apr 16, 2025
JESUS ENTRUSTS MARY AND JOHN TO EACH OTHER – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
Mother look upon your son
My dear friend behold your mother now
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Often referred to as the ‘Seven Sayings’ of Jesus, there is a long and rich history surrounding the liturgical use of Jesus’ remarks during his crucifixion. Primarily implemented as the focus of meditation during Lent, these seven ‘words’ or phrases are recorded in the gospels, and shed great light on Jesus’ heart in his last hours. Just as a dying loved one’s last words are often highly regarded, so too are Jesus’.
Along his road to the cross, Jesus primarily speaks to his Father in Heaven (Luke 23:46, Matthew 27:46). He also offers words to the thieves next to him (Luke 23:43), and possibly to his murderers (John 19:28, 30). But despite his situation, hung from a cross, wrapped in excruciating pain, he calls out to his mother and the disciple ‘whom he loved.’ Even amidst unbearable circumstances, Jesus is still concerned with what will happen to his mother and friend after his death.
Why would the God of the universe need to entrust his earthly mother to a man? Would Jesus not be able to see, know, and care for every detail of Mary’s life, even beyond his physical body? Of course he would. But he is still interested in her worldly well-being. Though he does not call her ‘Mother,’ but rather ‘woman,’ this is not out of disrespect. It seemingly attempts to lessen the pain caused by the horrific death of her special son, and turn Mary’s focus to her new child, John. Jesus’ words to his mother show his deep respect and commitment, a model of love overflowing.
But Christ’s words also meant a great deal to John. He certainly listened, for as John notes in his own account, ‘from that hour he [John] took his [Jesus’] mother [Mary] into his family.’ John didn’t wait until Mary was in the clutches of old age, he promptly began caring for her. His obedience was immediate, and evidently without second thought. At Jesus’ request, a new family was created, one which shared a unique bond - hearts devoted to Christ.
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: Even in death Jesus was interested in strengthening relationships and creating new community. Ask God for courage to receive those in need into your family, both physically and spiritually. Ask God to help the church follow Jesus’ vision of true community.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will think like Jesus. (Philippians 2:5f). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 19:25-27: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” Further Reading: Matthew 27:55-56; Luke 23:49.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Contemplating the Mighty Acts – Palm Sunday and Holy Week”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
JESUS PROMISES HIS KINGDOM TO THE REPENTANT THIEF – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
There next to him two unrighteous men Who’d wasted their lives on taste for their sins One spoke with no worry through his dying breaths
With mocking he cried out to Jesus
‘Are you not the Christ are you not the king Are you not the man that you claim to be Climb down from this tree kill the men at your feet And save yourself’
The other said
‘Have you no fear this is God whom you speak The one of us three who hangs underserving For our sins paint us black by our sins we were cast Can’t you see this man is white as driven snow
‘Lord remember me
When you come into your kingdom’…
‘Truly I tell you this very day
You will be with me in my holy place In paradise in paradise forever’
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
In 1854, Frederick William Faber wrote a poem entitled ‘Souls of Men, Why Will Ye Scatter?’ It was soon after fit with a tune, and sung as a congregational hymn both under its original name and the now more common title, ‘There’s A Wideness in God’s Mercy.’ Though it is difficult to differentiate between Faber’s original work and later additions, some versions contain up to thirteen stanzas. But the message of each is the same: how vast and great and wide is God’s love and mercy. Three of those thirteen stanzas follow:
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness of the sea; There’s a kindness in his justice, Which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner, And more graces for the good; There is mercy with the Saviour, There is healing in his blood.
Pining souls, come nearer Jesus, And O come not doubting thus; But with faith that trusts more bravely, His great tenderness for us.
We see this immense wideness in God’s mercy as Jesus hangs on the cross between two thieves. These two men, who admit their own guilt (Luke 23:41), call out to Jesus in very different ways. One gives him recognition as the Christ, the other as King. The same titles given as formal charges against Jesus in his trial before Pilate and the Jews.
The first criminal cries out for his own life and freedom, and asks Jesus to save them all. But the second criminal rebukes the first. The second criminal knows that Jesus has done nothing wrong. It is as though he somehow comprehends the power and glory of this particular King, despite the group’s present circumstances. This criminal most certainly understands that his punishment is deserved. Simultaneously, he knows that Jesus holds the verdict concerning his everlasting sentence. It is from this place that the man asks subtly for something he may not have fully understood in that moment. He makes one simple request, “…remember me…”
And Jesus’ answer must have been ever-sweet to his ears. “In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (v.43).
How deep and wide and vast is God’s mercy! How overwhelming is his grace! This man, this thief, did nothing to deserve paradise. In fact, at his own confession, his brutal and cruel sentence of crucifixion was justified. Yet Jesus delivers him reprieve like no other. He welcomes the criminal into everlasting glory at his word.
History has routinely called this man the ‘Good Thief,’ though in truth he did nothing ‘good’ at all. However, he understood the person of the man next to him. He knew that Jesus was Christ and King, and in doing so, was allowed to taste the sweetness of God’s mercy that is offered to all. In that moment, this criminal was freed from his cross, because Christ’s mercy is wider than the sea. He is freed because Jesus’ kindness carries freedom, and in his blood there is full restoration. There on the cross this thief became a powerful example of Faber’s words. That we could simply ‘trust more bravely his great tenderness for us.’
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper.
TODAY’S PRAYER: The faith of this criminal reminds us that there is nothing we bring to salvation. It is truly a gift. Meditate on this fact.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Faithfulness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 23:39-43: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah Save yourself and us!’. But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’.” Further Reading: : Matthew 27:38-44; Revelation 2:7.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Contemplating the Mighty Acts – Palm Sunday and Holy Week”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
JESUS IS CRUCIFIED – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
Above his head read the charge ‘King of the Jews’ torn and marred
They nailed him up as the priests remarked ‘Go on and save yourself Man of God’
They took his clothes and they tore apart
As they rolled their dice, as they cast their lots But what he wore was seamless art
Hidden on the Skin of God…
Even after all the evil
Even when they raised him from the ground As countless weight was laid upon him
He could only speak the sound His voice could only cry the sound
‘Forgive them they know not what they do’…
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Just outside the walls of Jerusalem, stood a hill that resembled the cap of a human skull. Known as the ‘Place of the Skull,’ or Golgotha, it is mentioned in all four gospels by name, and it was on this hill that many men were crucified, including Jesus. The Romans administered capital punishment publicly, as a symbol that criminal activity would not be tolerated. Jesus joined the ranks of many murdered men, sometime around nine in the morning, and became another simple message to those remaining under Roman authority.
His captors thought nothing of his death. He was against the Roman cause. A rebel with followers in tow. The Jews desired his death because Jesus’ teachings both contradicted and convicted them. Yet no one involved understood just what it was they were doing. They did not see who Jesus was. Spitefully, a sign was hung above him. It read: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ Though its intention may have been mockery or offense, its words were accurate. This inscription stated a truth that the prophets foresaw, the gospels attest to, and the eventual outcome of history would and will reveal. Revelation 17:14 says that the ‘Lamb will triumph… because he is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.’ But no one in the moment recognized this.
The soldiers removed his clothes and cast lots for them, fulfilling more prophecy (Psalm 22:18). His undergarment was seamless, ‘woven in one piece from neck to hem,’ (John 19:23). This was similar to that of the high priests’; a pure woven robe so it would not tear, (Exodus 28:31-33, 39:22-29). So as not to ruin their spoils, the soldiers rolled dice to see who would take it. Even his undergarments exemplified his holy position! Hebrews 4:14 tells us that Jesus is ‘the great high priest who has ascended into heaven.’
Still more words of the prophets are accurately and miraculously confirmed amongst the details of Jesus’ crucifixion. Yet no one made these connections. Jesus however, as King, High Priest, and Judge saw their blindness from the cross.
‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34).
‘They know not what they do.’ These are powerful words. Despite cruelty and violence, the victim forgives his killers. He renders no judgment except mercy and love. These words would be repeated by Stephen at his own death (Acts 7:60). It’s an idea that would be affirmed by Peter when he preaches in Acts 3, and Paul, both in speech (Acts 13:27), and writing (1 Corinthians 2:8). Jesus realizes that these men before him do not understand. They do not realize who he is, nor do they recognize the implications of their actions. Despite being King of all Kings and High Priest to the one true God, he shows mercy to the sinners before him. If ever there was a man undeserving crucifixion, it was Jesus. But we see God’s nature in this moment. Though King, High Priest, and Judge, he is ever merciful. He could speak no ill against them.
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: It is easy to miss details, even when they are right before your eyes.
Ask God to open your eyes to his ways. Do you see Jesus as King and High Priest?
It is easy to condemn. It is difficult to forgive. Pray that you could follow Jesus’ example and forgive those who harm you. Pray for those who do not see or understand.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Faithfulness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 23:32-34: “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals— one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.” Further Reading: : Matthew 27:33-43; Mark 15:24-28; John 19:18-24; Psalm 22:18; Acts 7:60.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Contemplating the Mighty Acts – Palm Sunday and Holy Week”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
Daughters of Jerusalem Do not weep for me
Cry for yourselves and your children Follow on Hosea’s lead
Blessed are those who barren sit
Who’ve never known their children’s screams They’ll ask the mountains please fall on us Follow on Hosea’s lead
For terror comes with Roman siege
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Throughout the Bible there are dozens of women who are plagued with infertility, whether it be for a short time or a lifetime. Beyond the well known stories like that of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Rachel, and Zechariah and Elizabeth, there are countless others among the scriptures who cannot bear children. Some are healed, some are not. Some women are even restored in large numbers. All of Abimelek’s wives, though exactly how many there were is unknown, are given fruitful wombs after Sarah is returned to Abraham (Genesis 20:17-18).
The prominence of these stories exemplifies a common theme throughout Jewish and non-Jewish history alike. A woman’s ability to have children was vitally important. It was praiseworthy and fulfilling. Jewish custom praised motherhood and stigmatized the barren.
It is surprising then to hear Jesus’ words as he speaks to the women of Jerusalem. It was not uncommon for women in the city to attend the executions of criminals by the Roman leadership. They would often mix a palliative of wine and spices to offer those being tortured. They would eventually offer the same to Jesus, though he would refuse it. But it is to these women that we hear Jesus’ last words of true discourse. As these women ‘mourn and lament’ for the tragedy that unfolds before their eyes, Jesus speaks at length concerning the coming catastrophe they do not yet see. And in doing so, he directly opposes a truth they had likely never before heard challenged.
‘Blessed are those who are barren.’ Jesus’ statement is shocking. But to those familiar with the prophets, it was a statement that was not new. Jesus uses the exact words of the prophet Hosea. As Hosea prophesied that Israel would be destroyed and punished for its unfaithfulness to Yahweh, so too does Jesus use his words to predict the same. Some forty years after Jesus’ death, Roman soldiers would enter Jerusalem and utterly destroy it. Those who took up arms and those who did not were murdered indiscriminately. Each stone of the temple would be annihilated at Roman order. Every tree was cut down, and the city was made into ruin.
This is certainly one of the acts of which Jesus spoke. A Roman siege that would leave behind a mountain of anguish and sorrow to be carried upon the backs of the women who now wept for him. As Jesus himself continues, the coming violence will make them “say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’” Jesus describes a fate worse than death.
Though the sight before the women’s eyes seemed the greatest of horrors, Jesus knew the horror to come would be far worse. More importantly however, he again exemplifies his humility. He desires no pity or concern for himself, but rather cares for those standing before him. He mourns over the injustice to come, disregarding the pressing pain of his own circumstances.
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: How often do we worry more about ourselves than the tragedies around us? What injustices would God have us mourn over? Pray for those situations.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 23:27-31: “A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.
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Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will say to the mountains, Fall on us!’ and to the hills, Cover us!’ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?””. Further Reading: Hosea 10:8; Hosea 9:14; Revelation 6:16-17.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Contemplating the Mighty Acts – Palm Sunday and Holy Week”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
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Saturday Apr 12, 2025
Saturday Apr 12, 2025
JESUS IS HELPED BY SIMON OF CYRENE – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
Brother Simon of Cyrene
You know not what you mean You know not what you mean Chosen from the ranks unknown Enlisted in an army
The only one worth fighting for The only one worth fighting for
Lost I’m sure but what you hold Was made to save the world
No broken tree so beautiful Water blood the stains to come But your sweat joins in the mix Like no others ever did
Like no others ever did
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Here stands a man, ‘on his way in from the country,’ (Luke 23:26), who stumbles upon a spectacle like no other. In front of him trod criminals to their death, convicted and condemned, being led out of Jerusalem carrying the instruments of their own mortality on their backs. The criminals were minutes away from the ends of their lives; Simon was minutes away from town.
He had made a nearly nine-hundred-mile journey from Cyrene, a city residing in what is present day Libya in North Africa. He was most likely in Jerusalem for the festival of Passover, as many Jews from his home had made custom. But the singularity of this moment went well beyond an annual ritual. He was ‘seized’ by some Roman soldiers, and made to help one of the criminals. Undoubtedly a confusing circumstance, this was not what Simon had traveled all this way for. It must have been quite unnerving. It was not a part of his plan.
But Simon did as instructed. He lifted the beam with the Savior of the world. He sweat with Jesus, as each step became more difficult than the one before. They made progress together, toward the hill where the cross would be lifted. The blood of Jesus could have stained his clothes. Maybe Jesus spoke to him, words unique and perfect. Simon took on a one-of-a-kind role. No other man in history fulfilled such an appointment and none ever will again.
There is much we don’t know about Simon of Cyrene. We don’t know if Simon knew that the man he was helping was the one some called the Christ. We don’t know if he had even heard of Jesus before. What we do know is that he did not volunteer his aid. Simon was compelled to help Jesus. He was forced by a soldier out of his role as bystander, and into the canon of scripture forever. He was enlisted for a purpose unknown to him, part of God’s divine system, perfect and mysterious. And in this plan, he was made to help carry the cross of Christ, regardless of whether he was averse or indifferent to the matter.
Simon had no choice.
Though in many ways we are like him, this is where we differ greatly from Simon. Jesus calls his disciples to choose the cross daily. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it,” (Matthew 16:24-25). Taking up our cross means choosing to suffer under the weight of the cross beam with others. It might mean entering into the lives of those in need and walking with them along their path, even if it is difficult or painful. We have no Roman soldiers to compel us. No spears at our backs to make us act. We must step forward to join Jesus on his ‘Sorrowful Way.’ We must help him bear his cross, and in turn, help lift the crosses of others.
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: Who do you know that has a heavy cross to bear? Pray for them.
Pray for those in your life that you should help.
Pray for the courage to step forward and join them in carrying their burdens.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will trust in the Lord with all my heart. I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not on my own understanding. In all my ways I will seek to know Him, and He will make my pathways straight. From Proverbs 3:5f
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Mark 15:21: “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.”. Further Reading: Matthew 27:32; Luke 23:26.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “How Does God Say He Loves You: Part 5 The New Covenant”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Friday Apr 11, 2025
Friday Apr 11, 2025
JESUS TAKES UP HIS CROSS – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
LYRICS TO MUSIC:
So he then Handed him On to them
To be crucified
They took him And he went Out bearing His own cross
To the place Called the place Of the skull Golgotha
There they crucified him
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
From Rembrandt to Francis Bacon, most visual representations throughout art history portray Jesus carrying the entirety of the cross. Though this picture is common, it is unlikely. The object Jesus was made to carry would have probably been only the horizontal beam, known as the patibulum. A full cross would have weighed well over 300 pounds, a near impossible feat for someone post Roman flogging. The patibulum likely weighed somewhere between 75-125 pounds, and would have been placed across the nape of the victim’s neck, balancing upon their shoulders. It was sometimes tied to the victim’s arms.
Immediately preceding Jesus taking up his cross, we must remember that he had been brutally tortured and beaten. His body would have been beginning to break down. Yet, he is made to carry the object that would eventually administer his death. The physical weight of this crossbeam amidst the circumstances is unimaginable, and we know that eventually this weight required the help of a bystander (Mark 15:21).
Though its material mass was certainly substantial, how much more the weight that was immeasurable? This beam would support the weight of the world’s sins, as it raised the Son of God from the ground. This beam would eventually take the Son of God’s life, and usher in Jesus’ separation from his Father. This beam would become the emblem of Christ’s sacrifice, and be displayed for the remainder of history as such.
Written by Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper golgothamusic.com // poorbishophooper.com // Second edition ©2022 Jesse Braswell Roberts / Poor Bishop Hooper
TODAY’S PRAYER: Pray for a better understanding of both the physical and spiritual ‘weight’ of the cross. Where can you share in Christ’s sufferings? Pray that the symbol of Jesus’ death and resurrection would have true meaning, and be a light to the world.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Heartlessness. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit’s fruit of Kindness. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John 19:16-18: “Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.”. Further Reading: Mark 15:20.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “How Does God Say He Loves You: Part 5 The New Covenant”, at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB