Sin Manifest or Why Halloween Sucks: Luke 22v54-71

So they arrested Jesus, took him off, and brought him into the high priest's house. Peter followed at a distance. They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat in among them.

A servant girl saw him sitting by the fire. She stared hard at him. 'This fellow was with him!' she said.

Peter denied it. 'I don't know him, woman,' he said.

After a little while another man saw him and said,'You're one of them!'

'No, my friend, I'm not,' replied Peter.

After the space of about an hour, another man insisted,'It's true! This man was with him; he's a Galilean!'

'My good fellow,' said Peter, 'I don't know what you're talking about.' And at once, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Master turned and looked at Peter, and Peter called to mind the words the Master had spoken to him: 'Before the cock crows, this very day, you will deny me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The men who were holding Jesus began to make fun of him and knock him about. They blindfolded him.

'Prophesy!' they told him. 'Who is it that is hitting you?'
And they said many other scandalous things to him.

When the day broke, the official assembly of the people, the chief priests and the scribes came together, and they took him off to their council.

'If you are the Messiah,' they said, 'tell us!'

'If I tell you,' he said to them,'you won't believe me. And if I ask you a question you won't answer me. But from now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of God's power.'

'So you are the son of God, are you?' they said.

'You say that I am,' he said to them.

'Why do we need any more witnesses?' they said. 'We've heard it ourselves, from his own mouth!'

The disciples fell asleep when they were supposed to be praying, they took up swords for violence, the Temple guard came out with swords and clubs against a man who never did any violence towards anyone except to tell the truth, this mob is led by Judas (one of Jesus' own disciples) Jesus is carried off to the chief priests house so they can question him in order to twist something he says into a charge against him the next day, the guards are pushing him around and mocking him and now Jesus' prophesy is coming true in Peter...denying even knowing the very man he received as the LORD's Messiah.

As Luke leads us in the Spirit toward the cross we ought to start to become keenly aware that sin is not just a theological idea. It is not a theory that put Jesus on the cross...it is real sin rooted deeply in us that produces real death. There's another thing Luke wants us to start to come to terms with...if you stand back and look at the sweep of things...everyone is guilty, all of them, all of us...all except the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, JESUS, in whose faithfulness we trust.

Ever pray dangerous prayers? Ever ask God to judge you as you judge others? To give you only what you need, no more, no less? To show you your sin and deal with it, mercifully, but effectively? I prayed some pretty dangerous prayers this last week. The Lord is faithful. I saw the Lord do some amazing things in the lives of some people who are very dear to me. All reason to give glory to God our Father and Jesus, His Messiah.

In this scripture sin is just swarming at Jesus from every angle. Ever felt like that? Ever been involved in something like that? Let a friend down at a key moment? Bullied someone? Judged someone wrongly in your heart? Mocked someone only to find out you were in the wrong? I have.

As we move into the most demonic time of the year, our church held 7 days of praise as a means to wage war against the darkness. We are called to do that sort of thing as citizens of Heaven, ambassadors of the Kingdom. I despise halloween for several reasons... a few years back one of the closest friends I've ever had disappeared for two weeks leading up to halloween and we found her passed on...this year God brought her daughter to me via facebook for some good conversation and to share some of her struggles with me (I was blessed and encouraged her to give my wife a call for some girl talk), also as a young man a group of my friends got jumped by some people and beat up pretty bad and of course the fact remains that halloween is an anti-holy day and the majority of what goes on and its basis is not appreciated by our King, JESUS. That's what I think of when I think of halloween.

I came under some pressure and took some heat this week...and I asked for it. The Lord has used it for good. The time at CCBB 7 Days of Praise was so refreshing in the midst of it and I praise God for all the awesome people God works though. So much junk in my heart got revealed to me this week and let me just say our sin is horrifying, God does not play around and He doesn't think its funny. Haven't been giving my family the attention they deserve, marriage issues, had some roots of bitterness in me to deal with (onions actually - onions have layers), had some unforgiveness issues so I made some calls to reconcile, felt some responsibility for my brother since I didn't abstain from alcohol around him which was stupid and insensitive (here's my 'defense'....he worked in a bar :-P)...anyway, I was up just praying, meditating, wrestling through the night a couple times this week...pretty intense. And of course I go on defense mode...shifting blame, trying to look good, be right, be in control, protect my agenda (which of course I think is always in line with God's agenda...lol), all those giants we face in the land as we battle the sin that dwells in us and do business with our loving Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It is an awesome thing to enter into judgment before our God, what else can you do but stand through it or fall on your face and cry out for grace? It is truth that have come to Mount Zion the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Glory be to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.

Into the Battle: Luke 22v39-53

So off they went. Jesus headed, as usual, for the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.

When he came to the place, he said to them,'Pray that you won't come to trial.'

He then withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down to pray.

'Father,' he said,'if you wish it - please take this cup away from me! But it must be your will, not mine.' An angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. By now he was in agony, and he prayed fervently. And his sweat became like clots of blood, falling on the ground. Then he got up from praying, and came to the disciples and found them asleep because of sorrow.

'Why are you sleeping? he said to them. 'Get up and pray, so that you won't come into the trial.'

While he was speaking, a crowd appeared. The man named Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He came towards Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, 'Judas! Are you going to betray the son of man with a kiss?'

Jesus' followers saw what was about to happen.

'Master!' they said. 'Shall we go in with the swords?' And one of them struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear.

'Enough of that!' said Jesus, and healed the ear with a touch.

Then Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the Temple guardsmen, and the elders who had come after him.

'Anyone would think I was a brigand', he said,'for you to come out with swords and clubs! Every day I've been in the Temple with you and you never laid hands on me. But your moment has come at last, and so has the power of darkness.'

A true leader never wants those in his care to undergo any sort of serious 'trial','test' or 'great tribulation'. However, this is precisely what typically happens when the hour comes for that leader to come under attack. Jesus knew that, it happened all the time with Messianic movements and other rebel groups. This was different however. Jesus, in one sense knows that he must be tried, falsely convicted and executed in Jerusalem. (Luke 13v31-33) He is prepared for that. Many people are prepared to die for their faith. As a matter of fact, I've read Jewish writers trying to refute Jesus' sacrifice by pointing to other Jewish figures who died much more horrendous deaths for their faith.

So what happened between the upper room and this point in the Gospel where Jesus, who is normally so purposed and steadfast, in control... appears to be looking for a way out? Shrinking back from his vocation? Well, he was becoming sin for us. He was heading directly into the heart of darkness...him who knew no sin, no separation from God, was marching into God-forsakenness,to take the full weight of it on himself for the sake of those whom he loves and through them for the whole world. God-forsakenness...the full mental, spiritual and physical agony of being without God. The doubts came flooding in...maybe he had heard something wrong, misunderstood a sign, maybe like Abraham and Isaac...an angel would appear at this, the last moment, and stay the sacrifice...provide another way. This is a state of absolute suffering. The mention of his sweating blood is a documented condition very rarely found, but when it happens it is due to the person being amidst the highest levels of stress and mental anguish. The angel appears and does not provide an escape from this great tribulation, but rather the strength to stand through it. There is no other way.

He gets up and finds his disciples asleep for sorrow. Their flesh got the best of them. It does that sometimes, but He is merciful. He has taught them the whole time to pray...'lead us not into the perilous trial, but deliver us from evil'...he has prayed in the high priestly prayer that they not be taken out of the world, but they be kept safe from the evil one. The darkness.

His disciples taking up swords...well that was as ridiculous as the mob showing up with swords and clubs. Apparently, there is still little to no understanding of His Kingdom message, the message of peace...as though evil means could ever bring about righteous ends...He is neither a rebel zealot nor a militant messiah...but the answer has been given from Heaven and it has to be this way, the time for explaining is over. Now is the time for battle.

What about us?

We are told by the Apostle Peter (1 Peter 4v12-13) 'Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.'

We are told by the Apostle James (James 1v12) 'Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

We are told by the author of Hebrews 'It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?' shortly after he reminds us that we 'have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin'

We are told by Paul to 'take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.'

And pray God we never lose sight of the fact that 'we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.'

May God's grace fill us and cover us. Blessed Father, by your Word, have mercy on us for our failings...for they are many. May Your spirit fall afresh upon us as You lead us forward in triumphant procession. May we, as one body in Messiah, remain alert and in fervent prayer, careful to never let our love grow cold, knowing Your faithfulness through Jesus Christ our King. May we be found in Him, not having a covenant faithfulness of our own derived from the Law or any other means, but that which is through faith in Messiah,the covenant faithfulness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that we may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that we may attain to the resurrection from the dead. I pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

All i Do is WIN! WIN! WIN! : Luke 22v24-38

A quarrel began among them: which of them was to be seen as the most important?

'Pagan kings lord it over their subjects,' said Jesus to them,'and people in power get themselves called "Benefactors".

That's not how it's to be with you. The most important among you ought to be like the youngest. The leader should be like the servant. After all, who is the more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who waits on him? The one at table, obviously! But I am with you here like a servant.

'You are the ones who have stuck it out with me through the trials I've had to endure. This is my bequest to you: the kingdom my Father bequeathed to me! What does this mean? You will eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

'Simon, Simon, listen to this. The satan demanded to have you. He wanted to shake you into bits like wheat. But I prayed for you; I prayed that you wouldn't run out of faith. And, when you turn back again, you must give strength to your brothers.'

'Master,' replied Simon, 'I'm ready to go with you to prison - or to death!'

'Let me tell you, Peter,' replied Jesus, 'the cock won't crow today before you have three times denied that you know me.'

'When I sent you out,' Jesus said to them,'without purse or bag or sandals, were you short of anything?'

'Nothing,' they replied.

'But now,' he said, 'anyone who has a purse should take it, and the same with a bag. And anyone who doesn't have a sword should sell his cloak and buy one. Let me tell you this: when the Bible says, "He was reckoned with the lawless," it must be fulfilled in me. Yes; everything about me must reach its goal.'

'Look, Master,' they said,'we've got a couple swords here.'

'That's enough!' he said to them.

Being a Christian leader is difficult. It turns the worlds understanding of leadership on its head. Christian leadership, means the greatest glory you can have looks like this...

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

Christian leadership is difficult. That is an understatement. We need to be praying for our leaders...always.

There is something about the vocation, something about how the kingdom comes and will continue to come that requires the called to be prepared for a certain level of loneliness. Pick any major biblical leader, from Moses to the Prophets to Jesus and beyond. There are those who will always say, well I have God so I'm never lonely, and they may quote some scripture like, 'there is someone who sticks closer than a brother'...and that is true, but we were meant for more...God wants a family of image bearers, a grand one to carry forth his purpose and that's why he promised Abraham just that, because He so loves the world and wants to fill it with Himself as the waters cover the sea. God wants us to have accountability, honest communication, a love that spans lengths and breadths and heights and depths. Looking at Jesus here, we see his utter frustration though. He has been trying to prepare those in his care for what is about to happen for round three years now. They have constantly, almost determinedly, misunderstood him, he has had to battle doubt, people standing in direct opposition to him, fake friends, friends who fake, being lied to and being lied about. Most Christians, even many Christian leaders are just not prepared for the reality and the gravity and the depth of this kind of testing and trial. Jesus has been trying to prepare them for the battle of a lifetime...He has told them that this requires bearing a cross...a cross is a weight the world lays on you, it is the weight the evil one lays on you to show that you are not faithful, to win his case... a case that ever so subtly is the evil ones accusation against our God...'How is it that you, a 'good' God are so faithful to such a corrupt creation'...May God rebuke him! and may we be God's answer to the accuser's underhanded charges against God our Father. May we be like Job and ultimately Jesus (who was greater than Job, who suffered faithfully even through death. God restored EVERYTHING and then some to Job, and how much more will he COMPLETELY restore and reward those who stand faithfully in His own Son? And what types of people ought we to be in holiness in order to stand through the Day of the Lord? Knowing this, that the creation as it is...is passing away and will flee His holy presence, giving birth to a New Heaven and a New Earth...where Righteousness dwells. Amen Maranatha! 'Behold, I make all things new' says the Lord. Our personal salvation is but a seed in that garden, so let us not become ignorant of God's good intention and His faithfulness to His own purpose. It is for His namesake, and for His glory which He graciously crowns us with through His faithfulness and His great love shown forth for the whole world (1 John 2v2) in Jesus Christ our Lord, that none of us can boast!

Peter, presumably the leader to be, still doesn't get it...he boldly proclaims how far he's willing to go...Jesus just shakes his head and says, brother...I've prayed for you...for what? That your faithfulness would not fail...your gonna fail, but I've prayed that your faith will not fail...Jesus prayed that he will not lose sight of God's faithfulness to forgive and to restore, to tear down the works of the devil and to thus glorify God...the disciples, well, they still don't get his picture language in the last section, they still think he wants them to get their money together and take up actual swords and turn to the worlds ways of violence to win the battle they are headed into. The battle where the covering is taken off and their metal is tested. Those weapons won't do them or us any good in the war He's waging...the disciples misunderstanding and taking up swords, however, is still under the sovereignty of God...Jesus himself has said that it must be fulfilled that "He was reckoned with the lawless"...that will be part of what crucifies our Savior. The sin of the disciples.

'THAT'S ENOUGH!' roars the Lion of Judah and he still does...

The Last Supper: Luke 22v1-23

The time came for the festival of unleavened bread, known as Passover. The chief priests and the scribes looked for a way to assassinate Jesus, a difficult task because of the crowds.

The satan entered into Judas, whose surname was Iscariot, who was one of the company of the Twelve. He went and held a meeting with the chief priests and officers, to discuss how he might hand Jesus over. They were delighted, and promised to pay him. He agreed, and started to look for an opportunity to hand him over to them when the crowds weren't around.

The day of unleavened bread arrived, the day when people had to kill the Passover lamb. Jesus dispatched Peter and John.

'Off you go,' he said,'and get the Passover ready for us to eat.'

'Where d'you want us to prepare it?' they asked him.

'Listen carefully,' said Jesus. 'As you go into the city a man will meet you carrying a jar of water. Follow him, and when he goes into a house, go after him. Then say to the householder there,"The teacher says,'Where is the living-room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?'" And he will show you a large upstairs room, laid out and ready. Make the preparations there.'

So they went and found it as he had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

When the time came, Jesus sat down at table, and the apostles with him.

'I have been so much looking forward to eating this Passover with you before I have to suffer,' he said to them.

'For - let me tell you - I won't eat it again until it's fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'

Then he took a cup, and gave thanks, and said,'Take this and share it among yourselves. Let me tell you, from now on I won't drink from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'

Then he took some bread. He gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them.

'This is my body,' he said, 'which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.'

So too, after supper, with the cup:'This cup', he said,'is the new covenant, in my blood which is shed for you.

But look here! The hand of the one who will betray me is with me at this table. The son of man is indeed going, as it is marked out for him; but woe betide that man by whom he is betrayed!'

They began to ask each other which of them was going to do this.

Luke has told us that Jesus is headed to Jerusalem to accomplish his Exodus. Jesus longs for his disciples to understand what he is doing and at the center of that longing has been his desire to share this meal with them. When Jesus wanted them to understand the atonement he did not offer a theological treatise, but something to do...share a simple meal...a meal rich with meaning,importance and truth. This is a Passover meal, the powers of evil...like Pharaoh's regime... are gathering round and doing everything they can to prevent it, Jesus has been preaching judgment on Israel and Jerusalem, and that judgment was going to come to fruition, but Jesus was going to lay down his life as the Passover lamb to allow his people to escape it. How? By taking the full weight of all the world's evil upon himself. The 'satan's' job is to accuse and that accusation would begin here with Judas...Jesus has been and would be falsely accused of being a false messiah, a deceiver, a false prophet, and worse by some...essentially a liar who is putting Israel in danger...in fact Jesus was innocent, it was Israel who was guilty, but he would take the punishment, because with all the powers of evil doing their worst, even to crucify the one who brings salvation, it is by his faithfulness in that event that God would defeat all of those powers. Those powers will still rage and will still seek to pull God's people back into slavery, but the rescue is secure.

Father, grant us mercy that we might be clothed in a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other as you've forgiven us that we may come to Your table in a worthy manner and do so in remembrance of the holy one, the crucified one, the resurrected one, the ascended one, Jesus Christ our Lord, your beloved Son. Amen

Sebastian's Favorite Prayer

I had the opportunity to join my friends from Kairos (translates 'God's special time') Prison Ministry for eight weeks of preparation and four days spent in Martin County Correctional Institution where I had the opportunity to spend time with some amazing guys, who've had a real hard road and ,honestly, have done some pretty terrible stuff...but haven't we all. The truth is most of us just never got busted. The guys on the inside (we call them 'candidates')were just amazed by the love of God in His people, both those of us who where there and all those who where praying and sacrificing of themselves to make the weekend happen. I was at the table of Paul and we earned that name. The guys at my table ribbed me a bit since I was the 'youngest dude' on the Kairos team. That's ok by me though, most of the guys on my team are like these spiritual powerhouses (don't tell them I said that though!), Pastor Steve talks to you about the power of forgiveness and the Spirit just lifts the weight off of you, Pastor Shamus just says to you 'peace' as he's shaking your hand and you feel peace wash over you. My friend Al has this joy in service that is almost disgustingly infectious. Denny, who leads the worship, has got this gentleness and commitment to the team that is just flat out humbling. I could go on through the whole team, but let me just say that, for me, these are the guys who take Matthew 5v16 and put flesh and blood on it. It's such a blessing to be in such and amazing Family.

Anyway, part of the ministry is that everybody gets these little green books. They aren't fancy, but they mean a lot to the guys who are just having their first experience of Christ. I keep mine in my car and Sebastian has been picking something out every morning to read for worship time (Our special time with God) with Ayden and I as we drive to school. It's a great time to remember all our Kairos friends too. Tonight at dinner we were talking with my wife about it and Sebastian said his favorite is page 11. We spent a good amount of time talking over the 'big words' and what we are actually coming to God with in this prayer. Anyway...I said all that to share this with you:

Jesus, come join us
in our journey
as we seek your will
for this community
in this environment.

Teach us to love each other
as you love us,
to give ourselves
as you give yourself
that the kingdom of God
might be made present to all. Amen

Waiting…watching…Luke21v34-38

‘So pray for yourselves,’ said Jesus, ‘that your hearts may not grow heavy with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life, so that that day comes upon you suddenly, like a trap.

It will come, you see, on everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Keep awake at all times, praying that you may escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the son of man.’

Jesus was teaching in the Temple by day, but at night he went out and stayed in the place called the Mount of Olives.

And from early morning all the people flocked to him in the temple, to hear him.

Waiting has got to be one of the most difficult things about being a Christian, but it is waiting that develops patience. It is waiting that allows the development of long-suffering and that is a fruit of the Spirit. It is time and our use of it that develop our character. It is to be a fruitful waiting, abiding. Time was a part of God’s original creation, it is a gift. But just like any of God’s good gifts, how we use it matters. Do we take what we are given and abuse it? Do we take what we’ve been given and do something with it to make a name for ourselves? Do we get so wrapped up in what we want from God, or what we want God to do, that we miss what God is doing and neglect to join Him in it, thus we again become like an arrow that has left its proper course?

We have this tendency, Jesus knows this, hence the warning. If we are honest with ourselves and our Family, we know this too. It’s not a big revelation that people are impatient and desire immediate gratification and that impatience is the cause of all sorts of trouble. Lack of patience is in effect a lack of trust in God. Waiting is a form of suffering that we get to share in. A cause for rejoicing.

So what should we do while we are waiting? Hasten the day says the Apostle Peter! Has Jesus not given us things to do? Has he not invested us with gifts? Hasn’t he commanded us to invest these things in Kingdom works that the Father has prepared for us in advance? Ought we not to get on with it? If you are looking for Jesus, you won’t find him in the excesses of this life, rather in the midst of the furnace (Daniel 3)! In the eyes and hearts of the suffering and the oppressed, yes, that is where he is to be found (Matthew 25v40).

‘I advise you to buy from Me, gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.’ says the Spirit to the assemblies.

Now, Jesus is still talking about things that ‘must soon take place’, so let’s look at what waiting looked like for this generation in Jerusalem…

It’s 58ad, Jesus’ disciples have been doing the Jesus thing for quite a while, they’re older, still praying, still hoping, still waiting. The world hasn’t stopped its pursuits of power and politics, its lusts of the ‘flesh’, they’ve seen a lot. Pilate is no longer calling the shots so everyone was hoping for something better, then along comes the huge crisis where Emperor Gaius sets out to place a giant statue of himself in midst of the Temple. A threat that was staved off and he died shortly after. Then Herod Agrippa came to power in 41ad, finally someone who is ‘one of us’ thought the Jews, but he died…struck down by God claimed some…apparently having learned from his Roman counterparts and took to thinking himself divine, similar to what some of his pagan masters had done. Then there was a whole string of Roman governors sent in, you can imagine the unrest and turmoil boiling under the surface. Then in 54ad Nero came to power and many heralded it to be the mark of a new age of peace, a fresh chance at the much publicized ‘peace and security’ that Rome offered. This disgusting man would come to be known by his own historians and certainly on the streets as ‘the beast’ and for good reason…

Of course in Jerusalem, revolutionary movements would rise up, and quickly…brutally get put down. Some thought the priests were secretly feeding into the revolts, some just wanted to get along with Rome, some hoped for the Messiah. Everything went on as it usually did…buying and selling, temple sacrifices, as a matter of fact the Temple rebuilding program started by Herod the Great 70 years earlier was just about complete.

In the middle of all this we have this small group of people in Jerusalem who still named Jesus as Lord, they met from house to house, breaking bread and worshiping God in Jesus' name. Paul had been through not too long ago, there was a riot, word on the street is that there’s a riot everywhere that guy goes. Anyway, he was off at Rome now for a trial, they were all a bit iffy on Paul as it was, Peter was traveling and hadn’t been seen round for a while and James was getting old…his prayers for the redemption of his people, not seeming to get answered. The price of bread was rising, when you got together to tell the stories of Jesus and his faithfulness, there was always the looming and very real fact that it had been 30 years…that’s a long time…make no mistake though, this world is reserved for fire and our Lord would soon be vindicated…so hold fast!