Episodes
Thursday Apr 04, 2024
Thursday Apr 04, 2024
Remember those Soldiers and First Responders Who, Having Jesus’ Agape Love, Place Themselves in Positions to Sacrifice Their Lives for Us
MESSAGE SUMMARY: As we watch TV news and the inevitable “war scenes”, often, we see scenes from the National Cemeteries here and overseas. From these scenes, we cannot help but be reminded of Jesus’ Agape Love. In John 15:12-14a, Jesus told of the actions that represent the self-sacrificial Agape Love taken by many of those soldiers interred in these cemeteries: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends . . .”. We are made in the image of God; therefore, we are supposed to be perfect mirrors of God's Agape Love (i.e. self-sacrificing love). In 1 John 4:16-17, John tells us about God’s Love: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world." Sin is our failure to act as our God of Agape Love acts -- the opposite of Agape Love is our self-love. Also, in 1 John 4:18-19, John presents us with the fruits of Agape Love, within the context of God’s model for Agape Love: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.". Let us all remember all those who have Jesus’ Agape Love and who place themselves in a position to sacrifice themselves and their lives for us if needed, like soldiers and first responders, out of their love for us – their Agape love.
TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, I come this day inviting you to cut those deeply entrenched chains that keep me from being faithful to my true self in Christ. In doing so, may my life be a blessing to many. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 44). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Resentment. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Compassion. “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): 1 John 4:18-19; Psalms 51:1-2; Romans 5:2-5; Romans 8:31-39; Psalms 107a:1-11.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday to Easter!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
“Life Situations” May Cause a Focus on Yourself; but a Prayer Focused on Yourself and Not Considering Others’ Needs Constrains Your Prayer Relationship with God
MESSAGE SUMMARY: When you are experiencing a "life situation" AND you stop just focusing on yourself and your situation, then you can enter prayerful communion with God. In your personal relationship with God and your communion with God, He will tell you how to pray for your "situation". As James tells us in James 1:5-6: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.". Pray always; be consistent in your prayers. Do not give up on God; do not doubt the power of your prayer; and pray in faith.
TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, I thank you that you are working even when I am sleeping. Teach me to respect the built-in rhythms of life, and to live from a place of deep rest in you. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 127). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, My life is about Christ (Philippians 1:21). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 5:20-21; Romans 1:16-17; James 1:5-6; Psalms 109b:16-31.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday to Easter!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
For Jesus Followers, God Has Compassion on Them, His Children, as they Praise and Fear Him
MESSAGE SUMMARY: As a Jesus Follower, then you believe that God is the Creator of the Universe and that God is the Sovereign Lord of the Universe. Therefore, as Sovereign Lod, God merits your fear, respect, praise, and awe for the Grace, love, and mercy He has given to you. Proverbs 1:7 tells you that the “Fear of the Lord”, while bringing the Lord’s “Compassion” and “Blessings”, also, brings you “Knowledge”: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.". David models again and again, as in Psalms 117:1-2, how we should praise God: "Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". In Psalms 112:1-2, David again admonishes you to praise and to fear the Lord: “Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.". Therefore, God, as our Father, has compassion on us His children as we praise and fear Him.
TODAY’S PRAYER: Father, when I read even part of the story of Job, I too am overwhelmed by your “wildness.” Your ways and timing are beyond me. Job moved from hearing about you to having “seen you.” Lead me, Lord, on a pathway so that I too can pray as Job prayed: “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 89). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Anxiety. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit’s fruit of Peace. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 112:1-2; Psalms 51:1-19.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday to Easter!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Monday Apr 01, 2024
Monday Apr 01, 2024
Few Are Promulgating Peace in Today’s Health Care, Race, Religion, or Politics; but Are Jesus Followers Doing God’s Will as His Peacemakers?
MESSAGE SUMMARY: God, through Jesus the Christ, gave us the ministry of Reconciliation. In Jesus, God was Reconciling the world to Himself and not counting their trespasses or sins against them, as Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”. God entrusted us with the message of reconciliation; therefore, we are “ambassadors for Christ”. We are implored, on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled with God and to live a life like someone who has been given the opportunity to reflect Jesus in their life and to be at peace with God. Blessed are the peacemakers – ambassadors of God’s peace – Jesus Followers are intended, by God, to be His Peacemakers for the World.
TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, everything in me resists following you into the garden of Gethsemane to fall on my face to the ground before you. Grant me the courage to follow you all the way to the cross, whatever that might mean for my life. And then, by your grace, lead me to resurrection life and power. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 100). Zondervan. Kindle Edition
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Anger. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Forgiveness. “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): Romans 5:11; Mathew 5:12; Luke 1:30-35; Psalms 108:1-13.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday to Easter!”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Mar 31, 2024
Sunday Mar 31, 2024
Jesus Followers Are the Enemy’s {devil’s} Target to Mess You Up and To Destroy Your Relationship with God
MESSAGE SUMMARY: The enemy {the evil one, the devil} is always at work seeking to destroy the fruit of the Lord’s field and your life. In John10:10, Jesus tells us: “The thief {enemy} comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter tells you more about your enemy who is always with you: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil {enemy} prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”. Continue to remember that the enemy is always attempting to mess you up and to destroy your witness. Also, the enemy is always attempting to destroy your relationship with God and to get you to reject God. The enemy does his evil in subtle ways, but his purpose is clear -- the enemy wants you off the right path. The enemy is always at work, and he never sleeps.
TODAY’S PRAYER: Father, I confess that when difficulties and trials come into my life, large or small, I mostly grumble and complain. I realize the trials James talks about are not necessarily “walls,” but they are difficult to bear, nonetheless. Fill me with such a vision of a transformed life, O God, that I might actually consider it “pure joy” when you bring trials my way. I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): John10:10-18;1 Peter 5:8-11; Ephesians 4:26-32; Psalms 50b:13-23.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “He Is Risen: From Good Friday to Easter!” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Saturday Mar 30, 2024
Saturday Mar 30, 2024
Jesus Followers Have Much for which to Thank God - His Grace for Our Salvation and Our Freedom to Serve Him
MESSAGE SUMMARY: Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name. Our government has set aside an annual national holiday of Thanksgiving for all Americans to offer prayers for our country; our many blessings; and our special blessings for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, thanksgiving to God, for Christians, should be a lifestyle; and Jesus Followers should not need a special day to give thanks to the Lord. As Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4: “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you.”. Do you, as a Christian, need a special day to give thanks God because you get so immersed in your life outside of your relationship with God? Do you stop to give God thanks for His grace for you and His blessings to you in your prayer life’s personal relationship with God? Give thanks to the Lord and call upon His Name.
TODAY’S PRAYER: Lord, after his loss, you gave Job prosperity, blessing him with twice as much as he had before, but that has not always felt like my experience. Grant me patience. Help me to trust and wait on you, especially in those areas of my life where I have no idea what you are doing, when my hardship will end, or where you are taking me. In Jesus’ name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 115). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because I am in Jesus Christ, I will entrust to Him my future. I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. From 2 Timothy 1:12
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Chronicles 16:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4; Psalms 50a:1-12.
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “How God Says He Loves Us: Part 3 -- The Covenant with Moses”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Friday Mar 29, 2024
JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
Friday Mar 29, 2024
Friday Mar 29, 2024
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 Mar 28, 2024
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS – Jesus Walking in the Way of the Cross (VIDEO)
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
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 Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
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 Mar 26, 2024
Tuesday Mar 26, 2024
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.
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