I bought a book of liturgies to guide me along in my prayers. I often find that I don’t have the words so I thought why not rely on those who have written words so beautifully before me. Some might not think this is personal and prayer is personal. But liturgy is every where and it’s about the position of the heart. So I pray these prayers as if they were my own. And often times… it’s written like they were.
Holy Week Reflection
I was prompted to journal about “what part of Holy Week means most to me.” And as I sat thinking and mentally walking through the last days of Jesus , Palm Sunday to Resurrection day, one thing hit me for the first time. Jesus washed Judas’s feet. He knowingly, humbly, and lovingly washed the feet of the man he knew to betray Him. The man who would turn him over to be beaten, whipped, mocked, ridiculed and shamed. And he did it all for 30 pieces of silver.
Jesus did that.
I knew he ate with him but to humbly serve him in such a way, struck a chord with me.
I sat there contemplating what was going through Jesus’ mind as he washed the feet of his betrayer? What was going through Judas’s?
Think about that.
I wonder if there were knowing exchanges? We’re they loving or disappointed? Did Judas squirm? and most importantly as I sat and reflected, could I do the same?
Forgive me Lord, because I don’t think I could.
Knew no sin
2 Corinthians 5:21
Isaiah 50 - Prophecy of Messiah's Suffering
I was lead to Isaiah 50:6-7 today in my reading. It is a prophecy I’ve never really read before or if I did, it never hit home. It reads,
I gave my back to those who beat me,
and cheeks to those who tore out my beard.
I did not hide my face from scorn and spitting.
The Lord God will help me;
therefore I have not been humiliated;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
I know I will not be put to shame.
It is said that ALL the prophesies of the Old Testament about the Messiah came true in Jesus Christ. This passage is a prophecy from Isaiah and all about the courageous greatness of the Messiah’s submission unto the Lord. So why have I never heard about his beard being torn out? The Gospel writers never mentioned it. Not Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.
Of course I had to go searching. This is what I found very summarized up.
There is no specific mention in the gospels of those who plucked out the beard of Jesus as part of His pre-crucifixion suffering, but from this passage in Isaiah we know it happened. What terrible agony Jesus endured! It is even more than what the gospel writers explain to us! "We have before us the language of prophecy, but it is as accurate as though it had been written at the moment of the event. Isaiah might have been one of the Evangelists, so exactly does he describe what our Savior endured." (spurgeon)
“He suffered through deepest humiliation, for to pluck out the hair of the beard and to cover someone’s face with spit was the most humiliating suffering that could be inflicted upon man.” (burman)
In the second half of this passage, v7 it says the Lord God will help me. This shows the deep relationship of the Messiah Jesus with God the father. It is an unshakable confidence, an assurance, not just a hope that Jesus has in God. And because of the confidence Jesus would not be humiliated or shamed but set his face like a flint.
didn’t know exactly what “face like a flint” meant. Here is what I found.
Flint is a gemstone or hard gray rock that has a meaning and properties of giving courage to the owner. In the Bible, setting your face like flint implies that you’re expecting some opposition, to stand strong in the face of adversity. To set your face like flint means to regard these difficulties as worthwhile when you consider what they will lead you to.
Having just celebrated Palm Sunday this past weekend, my heart is stirred further of what it felt like for Christ that day. What a mix of emotions! To be honored in such a way, being proclaimed as the Messiah. People laying down their garments for you, waving palm branches. Signs that show recognition, loyalty and promise of support. I can only imagine they joy Jesus felt in such honor and praise but also the heartbreak as he knew this same people would turn on him. But he set his face like a flint and continued the journey to the cross for you and me. Nothing will turn him aside from this path God has sent him on for the salvation of his sons and daughters. What courage He had, to see the difficulty that lay ahead yet steadfastly march towards it. To see the cross in the horizon yet set His face like a flint to bravely endure it.
May we remember this week of the great sacrifice Jesus had. Not just on Friday during the crucifixion but the days and weeks leading up as he bravely endured the journey to death for us.
Source for flint
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Bible Jokes, Biblical Humor, Dad Jokes... Just plain good humor.
We received a lot of fun feedback with our bible jokes or best said, biblical humor. But really it’s just a bunch of dad jokes. Ones you roll your eyes at and wish you didn’t chuckle. But let’s be real…. these are pretty hilarious.
Enjoy.
How Does Moses make his coffee?
Hebrews it.
Need an ark?
I Noah guy
Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
Samson. He brought down the house.
Does your life stink?
We have a pew for you.
(okay… more of a statement. but still funny)
What’s a dentist’s favorite hymn?
Crown him with many crowns.
What do they call pastors in Germany?
German Shepherds
Why couldn’t Jonah trust the ocean.
Because he knew there was something fishy about it.
How long did Cain hate his brother.
As long as he was Abel.
Which Bible character had no parents?
Joshua, son of Nun
At what time of day was Adam created?
A little before Eve.
while I would like to say I came up with these jokes on my own… I most definitely did not. I’m not that funny. But here and here and here is where I found them. And I’m sure they found them from somewhere else.. who got them from somebody else and so on.
Nonetheless…. Enjoy. Have a good life. And save these for later to pull out as your next ice breaker for Bible Study.
