Friday, December 29, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 31, 2017

Over 146,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

FAITH TO UNITE
(CHRIST calls us to unite in love and service)
(Ephesians 4:1-16)

   In Ephesians chapter 4, verses 1-16, the Apostle Paul urges us to maintain attitudes that express love and unity within the Body of CHRIST, which is the Church. In the Greek the word Paul uses for “worthy” in verse 1 is “axious” and it literally means “to balance the scale”. Here Paul is saying that we must give “equal weight” to our “calling” and “conduct”. In other words, we must make an effort to practice what we preach, and our doctrine must be balanced with our lifestyle.
    This passage, along with Romans 12:1, and 1 Corinthians 12, constitutes “the Christian image of the holy Body of CHRIST”. Whenever a person joins themselves to a society or faith, they must obligate themselves to change or adapt to a living style that is compatible in that society, or faith. People who choose to join the body of CHRIST must adapt their style of living into a way that is compatible with GOD’s Word. We must work on being “humble” and “gentle, and also be “patient” and “loving” to those who are our “neighbors”, who are also living in the “community of GOD” (v.2).
    In verses 4-6 we find no less than seven theological elements of the Christian Church. There we see that;

·         We are all one body
·         We have the same SPIRIT
·         We have all been called to the same glorious future
·         There is one LORD
·         There is one Faith
·         There is one Baptism
·         There is one GOD and FATHER over us all, in us all, and living through us all.

JESUS, the ONE WHO descended from Heaven to this lowly earth in order to usher in to us, “a brand New Covenant” from GOD, is also the ONE WHO gives us all certain gifts that should be used to enhance, improve, nourish, and grow HIS Body, the Church. The apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are responsible for equipping GOD’s people to do HIS work and build the Church to the point, where, we are unified in Faith and knowledge of JESUS CHRIST, and, are mature and full grown in the LORD. Our goal is to measure up to the example that CHRIST JESUS showed us as a 100% man, during HIS life here on earth (Vs.11-13).
    GOD does not wish for us to continue to act like children who can’t make up their minds about what they believe. HE doesn’t wish for us to fall prey to the cleaver liars who make their deceitful words sound like the truth (v.14). And if we are able to hold fast to the truth, becoming more and more like CHRIST, the whole Body will be fitted together perfectly as each part (person) does their own specially assigned work. By performing our own special work assignment to the best of our GOD-given ability, we will also be helping the other parts of the Church to grow so that the whole Body is healthy and operational, and filled with love (v.15-16).
    To waver back and forth like a ship lost at sea, is not the life of a true Christian. Each member of the Body of CHRIST must grow and mature and reflect GOD’s image to others through our own behavior, by standing firm in GOD’s Word. Satan will always plant people in the Church who will try to introduce his agenda through the things that are popular in the world, such as miming (witch craft), worldly music, trunk or treat, trunk fest, fall festivals and other things that parallel Halloween, etc., but serious, mature Christians must resist such influences in the Church, and, in their personal lives.
    The Church must function like a body because it is a body, the Body of CHRIST. It needs all of its parts to be working properly, held together by “love” if it is to have a productive spiritual life, and grow by GOD’s standard of success, not the world’s standard. And we should always remember that, most importantly, the one thing that will keep the Church healthy and efficient, is by it maintaining an intimate and personal connection to JESUS CHRIST, WHO is the head, brains, mind, and SPIRIT of the Body.
    The Church has never needed our human ingenuity to operate successfully. It only needs us to share the gifts with the Church that GOD has so graciously given us, and it is incumbent upon us to know the difference. We don’t need to try and improve upon that which GOD has already perfectly set up. We just need to be obedient and do things the way GOD says do it. And when we take the time to study the plan of GOD, we’ll find that it is not open to our own personal interpretation, but rather, we’ll find that “the Word of GOD interprets itself to us” all by itself.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website



     


Friday, December 22, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 24, 2017

Over 146,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

FAITHFUL SEEKERS OF THE KING
(The heart of Christmas is worship)
(Matthew 2:1-12)

   The Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible describes “the wise men” mentioned in Matthew chapter 2 as “astrologers” who came from the Persian Empire. In the Septuagint, which is the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the term “wise men” is translated from the Greek word “magoi” (mag-ohee), and it means “astrologers”, or, “people who study the stars”.
    The Greek historian, Herodotus, who wrote in the fifth century B.C., identifies the magi as a group of Medes who had priestly duties in the Persian Empire, and were grouped with the likes of magicians and sorcerers. They served as advisers in the Babylonian royal court, and also among their duties, they were called upon to interpret dreams for the presiding kings.
    Here in Matthew 2, it was men of this ilk that traveled to Palestine from the east in pursuit of a legendary star that had been talked about down through the ages. It was said that this star would be the first sign of the coming of the long awaited MESSIAH, WHO, would serve as the king of the Jews.
    These particular astrologers, while pursuing their career interest of observing the stars, had each received an unexpected sign from GOD that would lead them to stray from their normal course of studying. Here in this passage, GOD has apparently broken through their misguided evil system of forecasting through the stars for kings, to now, noticing an unusual, never before seen star, that traveled, not from east to west, as all other planetary movement goes, but rather travels from north to south.
    Not all scholars agree on the timing of the arrival of these Magi into Palestine, however, it is generally agreed that their arrival came shortly after the birth of JESUS in Bethlehem. It is also generally agreed that these men, despite their secular backgrounds, had listened to GOD with an open, unbiased heart and mind before eagerly setting out on their journey.
    In addition, to their eagerness to go to Palestine, the fact that, after their encounter with Joseph, Mary, and the baby JESUS in Bethlehem, these wise men did not return to King Herod to give him a report concerning their whereabouts, as Herod had requested that they do (Vs.7-8). Instead, they returned home a different way from the way in which they came. This fact serves to show that these men were continuing to listen to the voice of GOD for guidance, even on their journey back home to the Persian Empire.
    After the Magi had left, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream instructing him to take his family and flee into Egypt. He was to sojourn there and wait for further instructions. The angel told Joseph that King Herod was going to try to kill baby JESUS. Joseph listened and was obedient to the word of GOD. He left immediately and remained in Egypt until after the death of Herod in 4 B.C. (Vs.13-19).
    After Herod’s death, GOD called for Joseph to come out of Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy that was spoken by the prophet Hosea more than 700 years earlier (Hosea 11:1). The angel of the LORD returned to Joseph in a dream one night, and instructed him to return with his family back to Palestine (Jerusalem). Joseph was once again obedient to the word of GOD, and the baby JESUS was saved from all harm, as a result.
    However, later Joseph became concerned as to whether Herod’s son, Archelaus, would adhere to his father’s wishes and efforts, and try to find and take the life of JESUS also. In order to comfort and bring peace to the minds of Joseph and Mary, the LORD, for the third time, sent HIS angel to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to move his family to the tiny town of Nazareth were JESUS would be protected and would grow to be all GOD intended for HIM to be. This move also fulfilled another ancient prophecy which states, “JESUS would be called a Nazarene”.
    Joseph continued to be consistent in his obedience to the LORD, and he always trusted GOD’s voice, and responded positively to HIS guidance. He also seemed to be a man who was always willing to follow GOD’s lead immediately, without hesitation, whenever HIS divine guidance and instructions was offered to him.
    We may not know much else about Joseph, as Scripture doesn’t provide us with many other details of his life. However, one can clearly see, through the limited mentioning of him by the New Testament writers that, his desire and attention to being obedient to GOD was always at the forefront of his mind.
    We can still, to this day, take comfort in the thought that GOD is still guiding men and women just as HE guided Joseph and Mary in the first century A.D. And those who are prepared to shrug off the pressures and gravitational pull of this world, to respond to GOD with an open mind, will ultimately find salvation in JESUS CHRIST. Everyone who trusts in GOD will be guided by, and drawn to JESUS. In fact, JESUS says that no one can be drawn to HIM unless GOD the FATHER draws them (John 6:44).
    True Christians do not look at Jerusalem as “a burial place”, but rather, they focus their attention on Bethlehem as the “Birthplace of Life”, the “true life”, that can only be found in CHRIST JESUS. And because of HIS humble birth into humanity over 2000 years ago, and because HE died for all mankind in general, and all Christians in particular, and then, rose again, we can now look forward to a bright future in the glorious presence of the Almighty GOD the FATHER in Heaven, if we choose to. There we can live forever in a place where death doesn’t exist, and, where tears never fall.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website



     

      

Friday, December 15, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 17, 2017

Over 145,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

FAITH TO PERSERVERE
(The power of the Gospel overcomes all opposition)
(Acts 14:8-28)

   After arriving in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came across a lifelong cripple who had been born with his disability being in his feet. The cripple man was listening as Paul preached JESUS to the crowd who had gathered to hear them.
    Here in this passage we see Paul and Barnabas, preaching JESUS to a crowd of pagans, who lacked any Jewish background whatsoever, that they could appeal to, and yet, even in this atmosphere, Paul was able to take notice of this cripple man and realize he already had enough faith to be healed. And so Paul called out to the cripple man and commanded him to stand up. And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
    When the crowd saw what Paul had done for the cripple man, they shouted aloud in their own local dialect, (a language that he and Barnabas could not understand), “These men are gods in human bodies!” they said. And so they had foolishly demised that Paul was the Greek god Hermes, because he was the chief speaker, and Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus.
    There was a temple that was already built for Zeus worship, located just outside the city of Lystra, and the priests of that temple, and the people of Lystra  began bringing oxen and wreaths of flowers, and prepared themselves to give sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas at the city gates.
    The worship of the idol gods Zeus and Hermes in that area can be traced back to an age-old legend about the two gods coming to earth in disguise, and none of the residents of Lycaonia were willing to show them any hospitality. Finally, an old peasant couple by the names of Philemon and Baucis took them in. As a result, this couple was made the guardians of the temple of Zeus, and when they died, they were turned into two great trees by the idol god. The rest of the people of Lycaonia were killed for refusing to lend hospitality to the two gods. This time the highly religiously superstitious people were determined not to make the same mistake as their predecessors had.
    When Paul and Barnabas heard about what the people were planning to do, they tore their clothes in dismay, and rushed down to stop them. They explained to the crowd that they were only human, just like them, and that they only came to preach the Gospel of CHRIST so that they might refrain from just such idol worship and worthless things. Even after the pair explained certain facts about GOD to them, they could scarcely restrain the people from trying to sacrifice to them.  
    About that time some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and turned the worshipful crowd into a murderous mob, and they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city and left him for dead. The next day Paul and Barnabas left Lystra for Derbe where they hoped that they could, perhaps, preach to a more rational, less hostile audience.

PAUL AND BARNABAS RETURN TO ANTIOCH OF SYRIA
Acts 14:21-28
   In Acts 14:21-28, we see that, after preaching the Good News about CHRIST to the people of Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch of Syria, the missionary branch of the early Christian Movement. It had been a mission that was very successful, despite the severe persecutions and rigors of their travels by land and by sea. And even though Paul had been nearly stoned to death in their initial visit to Lystra, near the end of their journey, they persisted in their charge from the HOLY SPIRIT, and he actually got up and went right back into Lystra, before returning back to their base at Antioch of Syria.
    Barnabas and Paul (Saul) were sent out by the HOLY SPIRIT to serve and to grow the Church of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, and it is in that same SPIRIT that we Christians operate today when we commit ourselves to the work of CHRIST. The early church had many struggles and persecutions, and Barnabas and Paul warn of that fact to the Church, at the end of this maiden journey. They also encouraged the believers to continue on in the faith, and reminded them that, in order to enter into the kingdom of GOD, we, like JESUS, must go through many trials tribulations along the way.
    During their maiden missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas appointed many elders, and planted and established many branches of the Christian Church along the way. There was also much praying and fasting done, before turning those men over to GOD, WHO was faithful to empower them in every area of their ministry.
    When Paul and Barnabas had arrived back at Antioch, they called the Church together and told the congregation about all of the things that GOD had done for, and with them on their trip, including how HE had opened the doors of faith also to the Gentiles in every city and town that they visited.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






Friday, December 8, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 10, 2017

Over 144,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

FAITH IN THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PROVIDE US WITH DISCERNMENT
(Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are sent out by the HOLY SPIRIT)
(Acts 13:1-12)

   In Acts 13:1-3 we see that the Church at Antioch of Syria had become the base of operations for Barnabas, Saul (the Apostle Paul), and other missionaries. And, even though the Church at Jerusalem was still the mother Church of the Christian movement, the missionary branch of the Church became the Church at Antioch.
    Here in the opening lines of this chapter, Luke gives us a vivid description of the background diversity of the leading men in the Church at Antioch. First of all, we see Barnabas, a Jew from the island of Cyprus, who had become known as “the enabling encourager” by those in the early Christian Church. He played a major role in persuading the Mother Church at Jerusalem to accept the Apostle Paul into their confidence after his conversion on the road to Damascus.
    Then we see Simeon, who was also a Jew, but was called by his Latin nickname “Niger”, because of his dark complexion. This Latin name may also indicate to us, as to how he moved in Roman circles. He was most likely very well known to the local Gentile converts around Palestine.
    Then there is Lucius, who was from Cyrene, a country in northern Africa. And there was also Manaen, a man with royal clout, who had been raised with Herod Antipas, the king who had John the Baptist beheaded during the time of CHRIST’s earthly ministry. Manaen had become a disciple of JESUS’ after Herod’s shameful treatment of CHRIST during HIS trials at Jerusalem.
    And finally, there is Saul, a Jew who had been trained for Rabbinical work by the institutions of men, and then, was converted by CHRIST that faithful day on the road to Damascus (Acts chapter 9). He would later become the face of the Christian movement in its infancy, and the author of 13 books in the New Testament.
    As these faithful men were praying and fasting one day, the HOLY SPIRIT, as HE often gave directives to GOD’s leaders in those days, came to them, and instructed that they separate Barnabas and Saul for a special task that GOD had called them to do. It was to be the first of Paul’s, now famous, “Missionary Journeys”, and it would include a circuit through the province of Asia Minor, and a voyage to Barnabas’ homeland, of the island of Cyprus. Cyprus was a Roman province, famous for its copper mines, and shipbuilding industry, and it was only fitting that Barnabas might first want to preach JESUS to his own people in his own hometown.
    And so, taking up at verse 4, we see Barnabas and Saul, under the influence of the HOLY SPIRIT, set sail and go down, first, to the seaport known as Seleucia, and from there, they sailed to Barnabas’ home country, the island of Cyprus. Upon their arrival in Cyprus, they first visit the town of Salamis where they went into the Jewish synagogues to preach JESUS, taking young John Mark with them to assist them.
    From there the men worked their way across the island preaching from town to town until they reached Paphos where they met a Jewish sorcerer who called himself, Bar-Jesus, which means “son of Jesus” in the Hebrew (“Elymas” in the Greek). Elymas had endeared himself to Sergius Paulus, the governor of the island, and had obtained considerable influence over him at that time.
    The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to meet with him because he wanted to hear the new Gospel that they were teaching on the island. However, Elymas interfered, in an effort to turn away the governor’s interest in the Christian Faith, and urged him to pay no heed to what Barnabas and Saul were teaching.
    Then Saul, who was coming to be known as “Paul” at this time, became filled with the HOLY SPIRIT and looked Elymas in the eyes and said, “You “son of the devil”, full of every sort of trickery and villainy, enemy of all that is good, will you never stop perverting the true ways of the LORD? And now the LORD has laid HIS hand of punishment upon you, and you will be stricken awhile with blindness” (Vs.10-11) (NLT).
    Instantly a mist and darkness fell upon Elymas, and he began wandering around begging someone to take his hand and lead him. The governor was very impressed when he saw what had happened to Elymas, and he was even more impressed about what he had learned that day from Barnabas and Paul, about the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






Friday, December 1, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 3, 2017

Over 144,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

FAITH IN JESUS
(Peter preaches in the Temple)
(Acts 3:11-26)

   In Acts chapter 2, after the HOLY SPIRIT came down from Heaven on Pentecost Day, we saw Peter step forward and deliver the first sermon ever preached in a Christian Church. And now, here in Acts chapter three, verses 1-8, we see Peter healing a man who had been crippled for forty years. The man had come to the temple every day, apparently, having “low expectations from GOD”, because he only sought after alms that would merely allow him to exist in his present condition for one more day.
    Here we see Peter, along with John, in the name of JESUS, giving the man much more than he thought he could ever receive from GOD. Peter tells the man, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3:6) (KJV).
    Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. As he did this, the man’s feet and anklebones were healed and strengthened. The man got up and began to walk, and not only did he walk, he even began to leap and praise GOD, as he entered into the Temple with Peter and John.
    This miracle fulfilled the prophesy of Isaiah, as it is recorded in Isaiah 35:6, where it says, “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart” (KJV). It was an undeniable miracle, because everyone, including the leading priests and Pharisees, had seen this cripple man sit at the gate called “Beautiful” and beg for alms for many years.
    When all the people saw the once-lamed man walking and praising GOD, they were absolutely astounded. They all rushed over to “Solomon’s Colonnade” to take a closer look, where he was tightly clinging to Peter and John, who had given him the power and authority of JESUS to walk again into the Temple. 
    Now, as the crowd began to grow, Peter sees an opportunity to address those in the Temple who had just witnessed the miracle that was performed on the lame man. They too, like that man, had probably came to the church daily, having low expectations concerning what GOD could do for them. Peter asks them in verse 12, “Why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? (KJV)
    Peter goes on to tell the crowd of people that it was “The GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and, the GOD of our fathers, WHO hath glorified HIS SON JESUS”, by allowing us to perform this miracle (Vs. 12-16). In other words, the very name of JESUS had, quite literally, healed this man. It was nothing more than faith in JESUS’ name that had caused this man’s healing right before their very eyes. We, as Christians, can all do a lot better in life if we will raise our expectations of what GOD can do for us, whenever we have faith, and trust in HIM.
    As Peter began to “sermonize” his thoughts, he first tells them how he could relate to their rueful feelings about the things that they had said and done to JESUS out of ignorance, while HE lived and taught before them. He reminded them that even their leaders reacted in the same harsh and deadly way toward our LORD and SAVIOR. They all participated fully in rejecting JESUS, and turning HIM over to Pontius Pilate, who, wanted badly to release HIM. Peter tells them that they all chose instead to release a legitimate criminal (Barrabas), and kill “THE AUTHOR OF LIFE” (JESUS). 
    However, through it all, it was really GOD’s Will being played out, as HE was merely fulfilling what HE had told HIS prophets to declare centuries ago, concerning the sufferings of the MESSIAH, HIS SON. Even Moses had spoken of JESUS when he declared in Deuteronomy 18:18, that, “The LORD your GOD will raise up a PROPHET like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything HE tells you” (NLT). Moses went on to say that, “Anyone who will not listen to that PROPHET will be cut off from GOD’s people and utterly destroyed” (Deuteronomy 18:19 - NLT).
    From the time of Samuel, every prophet spoke about the things that were happening in the days surrounding the birth, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and post-ascension of CHRIST JESUS. And Peter reminded them that they were the children of those prophets, and were included in the covenant promise of GOD that was delivered by JESUS personally, and then, signed in HIS OWN blood. When GOD sent CHRIST JESUS to earth, HE sent HIM, first, to the children of Israel (the Jews), and they failed to listen.
    Peter then urges the crowd, that, with all being said and done, it was now time for them to repent and turn from their sins, and turn to GOD for spiritual healing. Then, and only then, will their souls be made fresh again, so that they can receive the MESSIAH upon HIS return. But until then, JESUS will remain in Heaven, sitting at the right hand of the FATHER, waiting on HIS new orders to return and “restore all things” (“apocatastasis”) back to perfection under GOD (v.21).

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website


Friday, November 24, 2017

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday November 26, 2017

Over 143,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

PROMISES TO REMEMBER
(Focus on JESUS and remember HIS sacrifice)
(1 Corinthians 11:23-34)

   The words “in remembrance”, that JESUS uses in HIS instituting of the LORD’s Supper, dates back to the Old Testament concept of “Zikkaron” (Zik-ka-rone). Zikkaron is a Festival, Practice, or an Object, that is used to symbolically link future generations to “a distinctive act of GOD” from the past. The name derives from the Hebrew word “zikrown” (zik-rone), which means “a memento, or memorable thing, day, or writing”.
    Through the Zikkaron, GOD’s people could sense their personal participation along with their ancestors, the original generation, in a special act that GOD had performed for them. Thus the LORD’s Supper is a unique institution of sacrament that is intended by GOD to link all generations to the memory of CHRIST JESUS’ vicarious sacrifice.
    Some of those in the Corinthian Church were totally missing the significance of the LORD’S Supper. Instead of making it a shared time in holy sacrament in CHRIST, they were treating it as if it were a dinner party that was dedicated to one of the pagan deities that they used to worship in former times. 
    The New Covenant is mentioned many times in the Old Testament, and it is spelled out quite clearly by GOD, in Jeremiah 31:31-34. JESUS came to usher in that new Covenant from GOD. It is a Covenant that is far superior to any before, or since, that time. This New Covenant provides for the regeneration of mankind spiritually, and allows for us to be indwelt by the HOLY SPIRIT, when we come to believe in JESUS CHRIST. The bread, which we eat at the sacrament, is common bread, but for those who have the heart to feel and understand the purpose and work of GOD, it is the very body of CHRIST JESUS.
    In the Gospel according to Luke, as expressed in chapter 22, in verse 22, in his original Greek writings, the word Luke uses in JESUS’ statement, that translates “determined”, is “horizo” (hor-id-zo). Luke is the only author in Scripture who uses this particular word for “determined”, and he uses it only here, and in Acts 17:26. In both places it means “decreed by GOD”, and is meant to remind us, from a “time-bound perspective”, that JESUS’ death represented a miscarriage of justice, and that, from GOD’s point of view, it was the keystone of HIS plan to, not only provide salvation, but to also, set all things right before HIM.
    In Exodus 24:1-8, the Israelites accepted GOD’s Covenant, as it had been given to Moses on Mount Sinai. The continuance of that Covenant depended on man keeping his pledge and obeying the laws of GOD. But man would not then, and quite frankly, will not now, abide by such a Covenant, because our sin continuously interrupts our relationship with GOD. It took the life of CHRIST to restore that lost relationship of friendship with GOD.
    “This do in remembrance of me”, is what JESUS said to HIS Disciples. However, it is also a statement that comes to us, from across the spans of time, in hopes that we too, can share in HIS new Covenant. JESUS knew how quickly the human mind would forget. HE knew that we would become so pre-occupied with our own worldly affairs and agenda, that, eventually, we would fail to recall HIS vicarious sacrifice. And so, HE invites us to, come in sometimes, into the peace and tranquility, of HIS FATHER’s House, and to “Do this in remembrance of HIM”.
    It stands as all the more tragic that, at that very table on that Passover night, in a dimly lit upper room, somewhere in the midst, of the festive atmosphere of Jerusalem, that there sat one, who was a traitor (Judas), who would sell JESUS out for the price of a common slave, which was thirty pieces of silver at that time.
    Since the birth of the New Covenant, at every Communion table, there are those who will betray JESUS. If, in HIS House, we pledge ourselves to HIM, and then, go out and fail to reflect HIS image to others through our own behavior, then we too, like Judas Iscariot, have become traitors to HIS cause.
    Unlike JESUS, we don’t know when our “last supper” will be. It is the “Will of GOD” that man not know, what his time, place, or method of demise will be. However, like JESUS, we can all become great preparers, and begin to store up our treasures in a place that JESUS says, “has been prepared for us, from the foundation of this World”. That place that Luke, Paul, and other New Testament writers call, in the Greek, “Paradeisos” (Par-ad-i-sos), but we call, “the Kingdom of Heaven”.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander