Celebrate Pentecost Sunday Today!

In honor of today being Pentecost Sunday I am re-posting the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts from Acts In The Now. I haven't been working on this project for a while now, but I certainly haven't abandoned it altogether. The Gospels In The Now has been out for a couple of years, and I'm happy (and grateful) to say that it has been very well received. I'm especially grateful that I haven't been burned at the stake as other Bible translators were in the past! TGITN has also turned out to be one of the most successful of any of my books, second only, I think, to A Year In The Now. I'm working on a very different kind of book at the moment, but I still plan on eventually paraphrasing at least the New Testament.

A couple of other things...prints of my painting entitled "PENTECOST" (above) are available at www.churchinthenow.org...and I hope to see many of you today at CHURCH IN THE NOW EAST! I've got a good for you...

I've broken up most of the chapter with an acrostic for the word PENTECOST that I've posted before. Enjoy...



                               PENTECOST IS:



P - ushing limits

(Acts 2:1-4 - Acts In The Now)

For well over a week this group stayed in the Upper Room, praying and communing...connecting...basically, just waiting for whatever, as Jesus had instructed them. Day after day, for hours on end, they had been in the same flow...the same mindset...the same hopeful expectation. So by the time the day of Pentecost finally rolled around, they were all together...all together in one place, physically...all together in one place, mentally…all together in one place, spiritually. Then, suddenly, without warning, a thunderous, earthshaking sound like the blast of a violent windstorm burst out of the heavenly realm, and permeated the entire building where they were meeting.3. And they began to see a manifestation of fire hovering above their heads, which eventually separated into individual flames. Each of these flames somehow resembled a human tongue, and these “tongues of fire” came to rest on each of them. Every last one in the place was filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled him or her.

E - mbracing diversity

(Acts 2:5,6 - Acts In The Now)

Now there were staying in Jerusalem devout Jews, pilgrims from literally every nation in the known world. And when they heard this sonic boom send shock waves through the entire city, a huge crowd of them came together in excited confusion to see what was going on. They traced the sound to the Upper Room, and when they arrived there they became even more disoriented because each one heard their own language simultaneously being spoken.

N - etworking nationals

(Acts 2:7,8 - Acts In The Now)

Utterly amazed, they said "Hey…aren't all these who are speaking Galileans?! How is it possible that each of us hears them fluently speaking in our native language?

T - ranscending culture

(Acts 2:9-11 - Acts In The Now) 

Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs…we hear them declaring nothing but the wonders of God…describing His wonderful works and mercy to all…and we hear and understand what they are saying in our own tongues!"

E - mpowering believers

(Acts 2:12,13 - Acts In The Now) 

Utterly perplexed, they tried to rationalize what it was that they were seeing and hearing, asking one another, "What on earth does this mean?" Some, however, unable to comprehend or accept this phenomenon, simply made fun of them, attacking what they didn’t understand by saying, "Ahhh…this is nothing but a bunch of drunks acting crazy."

C - ommunicating truth

(Acts 2:14,15 - Acts In The Now)

Then Peter, being the first one to speak up, as usual, stood with the Eleven, raised his voice, and boldly addressed the crowd, saying, "Listen, all of you who live here in Jerusalem…and listen, all of you who are here visiting. Let me enlighten you as to what is happening here and now…listen carefully to what I say! You are trying to make sense of this spiritual occurrence with your natural minds, which is why you have opted to believe that these people are just drunk…but you can’t honestly believe that. Not only is it only nine in the morning, but you know full well that drunkenness doesn’t enable anyone to speak fluently about the wonderful works of God in languages that they don’t know!

O - vercoming divisions

(Acts 2:16-18 - Acts In The Now)

No, this is what was spoken centuries ago by the prophet, Joel, when he said, " 'In the days of fulfillment, God says, I will pour out of My Spirit on all people…on the entirety of humanity…and when everyone, everywhere, ultimately encounters a revelation and manifestation of My Spirit, both your sons and daughters together will prophesy, your young people will walk in visionary insight, and your old people will dream the dreams of God. In other words, this outpouring will not favor one generation over the other. Neither will this outpouring have any preference for station or status…it will touch the full range of servitude, from slaves, to the totality of the working class…nor will it discriminate because of gender, for it will be equally experienced by both men and women, alike. I will pour out of my Spirit with full abandon in those days, and they will all prophesy...every one of them!’

S - eeing globalism

(Acts 2:19-21 - Acts In The Now) 

Then, speaking in poetic, prophetic vocabulary, or in the symbolic language of prophecy, (Genesis 1:14 - 16; Isaiah 13:9, 10; 34:4; Amos 8:9; Ezekiel 32:7, 8), Joel went on to say, ‘I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, that will appear as blood, fire, and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the full manifestation of the great and glorious day of the Lord.’ In this way He used the same imagery that the other Prophets of old employed to speak of the downfall of earthly authorities and governors. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from any chaotic fallout that will come as a result of the transition of power, when the earth is no longer ruled by natural thrones and crowns (“suns and moons”), but totally and completely by My Spirit!

T - aking dominion

(Acts 2:22-28 - Acts In The Now)

"People…Israelites and foreign delegates, alike…listen to this…Jesus of Nazareth was a man thoroughly accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God performed among you here in Israel through Him. I‘m really not telling you anything that you don‘t already know. But to give you some context, allow me to tell the whole story. This man, Jesus, was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge…in other words, from the eternal perspective…in the God-reality…it was absolutely the Divine will for it to happen exactly as it did. But here in the natural, temporal realm, you, with the help of manipulative men who found a loophole in the law, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. In this dimension and reality…from the human perspective…it was simply an unjust execution of an innocent man. But, regardless of what it was on this side of these parallel realities, God raised Him from the dead, totally freeing Him from the agony and authority of death. The obvious truth is that, in the grand scheme of things, it was just impossible for death to keep its hold on Him in any way. David had this to say about Him: 'I saw the Lord before me for all time…and because He was and is beside me at my right hand, nothing in the world can shake me.Therefore my heart (my spirit) is in a state of ecstasy…and my tongue (my speech) is overflowing with expressions of joy. And when my physical life comes to an end, my body will rest peacefully in hope, and in confident expectation, because I know that you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead…you will not allow your Holy One to be contaminated with the stench of death. You have revealed to me all the paths of life…you will fill me to overflowing with joy in Your presence."

Acts In The Now 2:22-28

22. "People…Israelites and foreign delegates, alike…listen to this…Jesus of Nazareth was a man thoroughly accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God performed among you here in Israel through Him. I‘m really not telling you anything that you don‘t already know.

23. But to give you some context, allow me to tell the whole story. This man, Jesus, was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge…in other words, from the eternal perspective…in the God-reality…it was absolutely the Divine will for it to happen exactly as it did. But here in the natural, temporal realm, you, with the help of manipulative men who found a loophole in the law, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. In this dimension and reality…from the human perspective…it was simply an unjust execution of an innocent man.

24. But, regardless of what it was on this side of these parallel realities, God raised Him from the dead, totally freeing Him from the agony and authority of death. The obvious truth is that, in the grand scheme of things, it was just impossible for death to keep its hold on Him in any way.

25. David had this to say about Him: 'I saw the Lord before me for all time…and because He was and is beside me at my right hand, nothing in the world can shake me.

26. Therefore my heart (my spirit) is in a state of ecstasy…and my tongue (my speech) is overflowing with expressions of joy. And when my physical life comes to an end, my body will rest peacefully in hope, and in confident expectation,

27. because I know that you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead…you will not allow your Holy One to be contaminated with the stench of death.

28. You have revealed to me all the paths of life…you will fill me to overflowing with joy in Your presence.'"

Acts In The Now 2:14 - 21

14. Then Peter, being the first one to speak up, as usual, stood with the Eleven, raised his voice, and boldly addressed the crowd, saying, "Listen, all of you who live here in Jerusalem…and listen, all of you who are here visiting. Let me enlighten you as to what is happening here and now…listen carefully to what I say!

15. You are trying to make sense of this spiritual occurrence with your natural minds, which is why you have opted to believe that these people are just drunk…but you can’t honestly believe that. Not only is it only nine in the morning, but you know full well that drunkenness doesn’t enable anyone to speak fluently about the wonderful works of God in languages that they don’t know!

16. No, this is what was spoken centuries ago by the prophet, Joel, when he said,

17. " 'In the days of fulfillment, God says, I will pour out of My Spirit on all people…on the entirety of humanity…and when everyone, everywhere, ultimately encounters a revelation and manifestation of My Spirit, both your sons and daughters together will prophesy, your young people will walk in visionary insight, and your old people will dream the dreams of God. In other words, this outpouring will not favor one generation over the other.

18. Neither will this outpouring have any preference for station or status…it will touch the full range of servitude, from slaves, to the totality of the working class…nor will it discriminate because of gender, for it will be equally experienced by both men and women, alike. I will pour out of my Spirit with full abandon in those days, and they will all prophesy...every one of them!’

19. Then, speaking in poetic, prophetic vocabulary, or in the symbolic language of prophecy, (Genesis 1:14 - 16; Isaiah 13:9, 10; 34:4; Amos 8:9; Ezekiel 32:7, 8), Joel went on to say, ‘I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, that will appear as blood, fire, and billows of smoke.

20. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the full manifestation of the great and glorious day of the Lord.’ In this way He used the same imagery that the other Prophets of old employed to speak of the downfall of earthly authorities and governors.

21. ‘And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from any chaotic fallout that will come as a result of the transition of power, when the earth is no longer ruled by natural thrones and crowns (“suns and moons”), but totally and completely by My Spirit!'

PENTECOST SUNDAY/CHURCH IN THE NOW 25th ANNIVERSARY/ACTS IN THE NOW, CHAPTER 2, VERSES 1-13

Church In The Now (then Word of Faith Assembly of God) had its premier service on Pentecost Sunday, 1985, which fell that year on May 26. 54 people, responding to an ad in the paper and some door to door canvassing, met in a little storefront on Royal Drive, and began a ministry based on Psalms 2:8, which in the KJV says: "Ask of Me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

Fast forward a quarter of a century, three locations, four buildings (and building programs and renovations and property expansions later), and it's 2010. The future is now! God has been good, and as the classic gospel songs says, "We've come this far by faith". This year Pentecost falls on Sunday, the 23rd*, and on that day we will celebrate CITN's Silver Jubilee!

Joining in the celebration with us will be...















...Pastors and Grammy and Dove Award winning artists,
Dony and Reba Rambo-McGuire...
















...Country star and Dove Award winning artist, Ty Herndon...


















...Recording artist, Daniel Kirkley...





















...Stellar Award winning artist, Ted Winn...

...and many others, including Bishop Tom Smith, Senator Ronald Ramsey, and Senator Hank Johnson. There will be an afternoon of outside fun for the whole family immediately following the service, including a BBQ picnic, a concert on the lake, and moonwalks, games, and other kid stuff all over the CITN campus. The entire community is invited...

The first sermon I ever preached here was out of Acts 2, and here I am all these years later working on the Acts In The Now paraphrase...and I'm just up to Chapter 2. The timing couldn't be better! Here's what I have so far:

Acts In The Now 2:1-13

1. For well over a week this group stayed in the Upper Room, praying and communing…connecting…basically, just waiting for whatever, as Jesus had instructed them. Day after day, for hours on end, they had been in the same flow…the same mindset…the same hopeful expectation. So by the time the day of Pentecost finally rolled around, they were all together…all together in one place, physically…all together in one place, mentally…all together in one place, spiritually.

2. Then, suddenly, without warning, a thunderous, earthshaking sound like the blast of a violent windstorm burst out of the heavenly realm, and permeated the entire building where they were meeting.

3. And they began to see a manifestation of fire hovering above their heads, which eventually separated into individual flames. Each of these flames somehow resembled a human tongue, and these “tongues of fire” came to rest on each of them.

4. Every last one in the place was filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled him or her.

5. Now there were staying in Jerusalem devout Jews, pilgrims from literally every nation in the known world.

6. And when they heard this sonic boom send shock waves through the entire city, a huge crowd of them came together in excited confusion to see what was going on. They traced the sound to the Upper Room, and when they arrived there they became even more disoriented because each one heard their own language simultaneously being spoken.

7. Utterly amazed, they said "Hey…aren't all these who are speaking Galileans?!

8. How is it possible that each of us hears them fluently speaking in our native language?

9. Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome

11. (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs…we hear them declaring nothing but the wonders of God…describing His wonderful works and mercy to all…and we hear and understand what they are saying in our own tongues!"

12. Utterly perplexed, they tried to rationalize what it was that they were seeing and hearing, asking one another, "What on earth does this mean?"

13. Some, however, unable to comprehend or accept this phenomenon, simply made fun of them, attacking what they didn’t understand by saying, "Ahhh…this is nothing but a bunch of drunks acting crazy."

*CITN begins streaming all services live on the internet again this Sunday (www.churchinthenow.org)...

Acts In The Now 1:12 - 26

12. After this the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, which was less than a mile away….or was what was considered “A Sabbath Day's Walk” from the city.

13. When they arrived, they ascended the stairs up to the room where they were staying. Those present that day were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

14. And, without having any idea what it was exactly for which they were waiting, they all joined together in prayer, and continued to pray constantly. There were also women in the room with them, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, along with His brothers.

15. This unprecedented prayer summit continued for days, and on one of those days Peter stood up among the believers (now a group numbering about a hundred and twenty)

16. and said to them, "Brothers and sisters, we haven’t addressed this issue yet, but we must accept the fact that the ancient, Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures had to be fulfilled through David’s words concerning Judas, who served as the guide for those who arrested Jesus.

17. We can’t deny that he was one of our number and shared in our ministry, and that he was chosen, just as we were, by divine appointment.

18. But even though in the larger picture he helped fulfill the very words of Jesus concerning His own betrayal and death, in another sense what he did was evil on a personal level. His deed ultimately manifested the will of God, but it was a betrayal of a friend, nonetheless. So because of his overwhelming sense of guilt in response to this, Judas bought a field, where he committed suicide by hanging himself…and in a bizarre and freakish twist, he actually fell headlong, rupturing his belly, and spilling out his internal organs.

19. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this strange occurrence , so they called that field in their language Akeldama, or “Field of Blood.”

20. Peter continued, "I want to bring to your attention two things written in the Book of Psalms…one is ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and the other is 'May another take his place of leadership.'

21. So my interpretation is that these passages suggest the necessity of choosing one of the men who have been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was moving among us,

22. beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us in this dimension. The criteria is that one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection."

23. So they nominated two candidates for the position of Judas' replacement, Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus), and Matthias.

24. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know each of our hearts. Show us which one of these two that You have chosen

25. to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go his own way."

26. Then they practiced sortition, which was an equal-chance method of selection by some form of lottery, such as drawing colored pebbles from a bag (casting lots), or drawing straws. Matthias won the lottery, so he was added to the eleven apostles.


In The Upper Room

Acts In The Now 1:4 - 11

4. On one particular occasion, while He was eating with them in one of these meetings, He spoke very directly to them, saying, "Don’t leave Jerusalem…wait there for the gift that My Father promised you…the gift about which you've heard Me speak several times…do not leave there until that promise is fulfilled for you!

5. You all know that John baptized with water…well, in the same way, and in a few short days, you will all be baptized with the Holy Spirit there."

6. But when they met together, they had no response to His insistent instructions about their introduction to the other Comforter. Again, as they had done every time He had broached this subject with them, they just seemed to ignore His words. Instead they asked Him, "Lord…now are You finally going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7. But He said to them: "Stop being preoccupied with trying to figure out natural things about a natural nation…things like times or dates. The Father has taken care of all that by His own authority.

8. Focus instead on this…on the promise that you will receive dynamic power and inherent ability when the full revelation of the Holy Spirit dawns on you…and then you will be able to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and ultimately to the entirety of the earth."

9. After He said this, He was engulfed in a cloud, and completely disappeared into it from their natural sight.

10. So they looked up into the sky, gazing intently at all the clouds, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them on the ground.

11. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking up into the sky? You will not see Him there. Look around you here on the earth…be His witnesses here, as He commanded you. As He was taken from your physical company into the heavenly realm, so He will return to you shortly in this dimension, according to His promise!”

Acts In The Now

From the introduction to The Gospels In The Now:

I love Luke’s Gospel…the Gospel of the fully evolved Man…sophisticated…elegant…educated…intelligent. Luke is a physician with an excellent bedside manner, who writes a thoughtful and lovingly detailed letter to the young Greek, Theophilus, about the amazing God-Man. But in reality, it is written to all the Greeks, who would, in theory, appreciate the culture and refinement of its author, and the miracles and philosophy of its Main Character. Luke gives the most attention to the Nativity, because it is the most biographical of the four Gospels…it was also originally combined with the Book of Acts. It brings the Synoptic Gospels full circle, showing us the complete spectrum of all that was and is the Son of Man. Luke…the Gospel that cares!

Acts In The Now I, Verses 1 - 3

1. As you know, Theophilus, in the first installment of this book I wrote to you about all that Jesus began to do and teach while He was manifested in this physical dimension,

2. right up until the very day that He was received back into the heavenly realm, having given specific instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had personally chosen.

3. After His intense suffering and very public death, He presented Himself to them in a resurrected state, in various settings, over a period of forty days. In these meetings…this series of convincing demonstrations and irrefutable proofs of His post-resurrection reality…He spoke to them of one thing, and one thing only. His focus during these encounters was entirely on revealing to them the inner workings and new order of the Kingdom of God.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

y sincere thanks, first of all, for the Christmas offering, to all of you who were in either the 9 or 11 o'clock services on the 20th. Your generosity is greatly appreciated, and I speak a hundrefold return to you and your household on your giving. Thanks, also, for the positive feedback on the sermon "Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room". I've had to learn over the years how to preach both with and without revelation, but let me tell you...it's definitely better "with"! In the second service, especially, I felt that life-giving energy of revelation that makes preaching worthwhile for me. The logos word is wonderful...it is the "sincere milk", and it does produce growth...but there's nothing like the rhema word. Faith comes by hearing that rhema/now word...that living, vibrating, productive Spirit-word that God is speakING...and in that service, I was aware of a genuine spirit of faith moving through the congregation, regardless of anything that may or may not be happening in the realm of natural circumstances...

very year at Christmas I like to bring something new to the story...last year it was the sermon about the Little Drummer Boy (the Kingdom principle of using what's already in your hand to be effective), and Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer (the thing that you thought was a weakness in your life...the thing that caused everyone else to shun you...may be the very thing that, "for such a time as this" will bring you to greatness). But this year's word about reconciliation and inclusion (the wise men who sought Him, and the shepherds who didn't, all receiving the same Good News) I think is my favorite.

evelation is what this season is all about...the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us...the invisible becoming visible...a time when we acknowledge the possibility of giving birth to the impossible:

For unto us... not unto me… not unto you... but unto us, the collective, corporate community of mankind...the household of humanity...unto all of us, a child is born; unto us, the global family, a Son is given, and the responsibility of the government will rest on His broad shoulders. In fact, all the governments of all the peoples of the world will ultimately recognize Him as their one true foundation, for the earth is His, and He belongs to all of us . He will be the physical embodiment of the “I Am,” the God who defies description; and, in an attempt to define the indefinable, He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase and expansion of His kingdom and government and peace there will be no end. He will reign initially from David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time, on into the eternal now. The passionate zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
(Isaiah 9:6,7 - The Bible In The Now)

ight now, I only want to focus and concentrate on these things...to rejoice in the reality that unto us a Son is given. No doubt, there's currently a lot going on in my life and in my ministry...in fact, you could say that I'm just generally in transition in pretty much every area...but I have chosen to take no thought for tomorrow according to Matthew 6:34, believing that, ultimately, my steps are ordered, and that the Lord will always perfect that which concerns me. I so appreciate hearing from many people over the last few days, several with whom I had basically lost contact, who have picked up from the blog that something's going on and wanted to send some encouragement (I'm frankly surprised that so many of you who I never hear from read it!)...but, seriously, I'm OK...we're OK...we can talk about it in a few days...but this is Christmas week, and I haven't even watched "It's a Wonderful Life" yet, or listened to the soundtrack of "A Charlie Brown Christmas"! First things first!

ou probably have your own drama swirling around you, currently...plenty to be worried about in the natural...lots of things by which to be distracted from the beauty of the holiday. We all have our plates full, but for the next few days I want us all to put those full plates down, and pick up real plates full of turkey and ham and all kinds of delicious and fatttening things (I even like egg nog and fruit cake...how extreme is that?!), and just enjoy Christmas in the now! You can watch what you eat later...this is a time for celebration! You can deal with your stuff later, too...it will most likely still be there...or, maybe not...who knows what Christmas miracles can and may occur in the next few hours?

“Peace I leave with you; I’m talking about My own, personal sense of peace, wholeness and well-being; I’m actually transferring it to you. You see, My peace is unlike the peace that comes from this realm...the peace that is reactionary and temporal, dependent on outward circumstances to determine its strength and presence. My peace is other-worldly – settled, absolute – causing you to be in harmony with your whole life – past, present, and future – and ultimately with the whole of creation. It will empower you to refuse to let your heart (your inner world) become troubled, agitated, or upset, no matter what is happening around you, and you can be fearless because you will be at peace with the Father, with yourself, and with the universe."
(John 14:27 - John In The Now)

hoose to be happy and grateful for all that you have this week...choose to take time to count your many blessings...choose to embrace and manifest all of the best sentiments of the season like "peace on earth, good will toward people" (especially the people in your life and personal world), and "God bless us, everyone (there are enough available blessings to go around...more than enough for all of us)!"

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. - Agnes M. Pharo

ave yourself a merry little Christmas, bloggers and Facebook friends. Regardless of what you may have gone through in 2009, the fact is that you made it...you're here now...and you have lived to see another holiday season. So you need to enjoy it...every bit of it...even if it really is only a merry "little" Christmas this year. God is good (all the time), and He has been good to you throughout 2009 in ways that you can't even see right now. You know, we probably overuse the Romans 8:28 "all things work together" phrase and concept (I wrote a whole book about it, in fact) to help us deal with all the unexplainable and overwhelming things that often happen in our lives...but in the big picture, that's what is really going on. Take a minute out of the holiday hustle and bustle to get quiet, and in your spirit you may hear Him say, "I really do know the plans I have for you..."


EAL PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE REAL GOD IN THE REAL WORLD...for many of us this Christmas, this trademark of Church In The Now is becoming much more than a slogan or even a concept. Because of all that has happened and is happening in the world around us, and at CITN, we are forced into walking this idea out...manifesting it as living epistles to be read by all. Mary and Joseph's reality was certainly altered when the angel told them that they would become the mother and step-father of Jesus, but their whole world was turned upside down when they found out they had to go to Bethlehem in the third trimester of Mary's pregnancy, supposedly to be taxed. Of course, the real deal was that they had to get there so that the Messianic prophecy about the birth could be fulfilled. Sometimes what we think is an inconvenience or even random chaos in our life is actually God getting us to where we are supposed to be, so that a prophetic imperative can be confirmed. And part of the end result of surviving that rugged trip to our own "Bethelehem" is that what emerges...indeed what is "birthed"...is something that is completely REAL.


n a word, we have everthing to be thankful for, and nothing to fear...we also have, as I've already said, every reason to enjoy the holidays...to have a Merry Christmas (Jesus is the reason for the season), a Happy New Year...even a Happy Hanukkah (Shalom, y'all)...and an awesome Kwanzaa! Why not celebrate it all?! Why limit Thanksgiving to a single Thursday in November?! You don't have to have a turkey to remind you to celebrate and to be grateful and to rejoice! The holiday season...especially Christmas...is a state of mind...an attitude...a realizaion...a remembrace that God is good and life is good, and life in Him should be appreciated and cherished and valued, regardless of what may or may not be happening in the world around us...Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song? Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

o I am praying for all of this community to grasp this (just like the little monk praying over there on the altar that forms the letter "S"), but my prayer is really just a declaration of faith...an affirmation...a blessing that I now pronounce over you and your household and your family and your loved ones...a blessing over all that you are, and over all that you will become in the new year...I bless your dreams...I bless your vision...I bless your spirit and your soul and your body...I bless your memory of Christmas past, and your imagination of Christmas future...most of all, and most importantly, I bless your paradigm of Christmas present...Christmas in the NOW! A thrill of hope, The weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born! O night divine, O night, O night divine!


is the season to be jolly...and thankful...and positive...and proactive...and open and optimistic and full of faith for the future! It's time to reflect on the journey, and to look back over all of it with absolutely no regrets. It's the season to expect the unexpected...to re-connect with the wonder of childlike belief. Call it magic or miracle, the truth of it is that this is the time when we open up our hearts to believe that the clunky and clumsy logic of natural laws is done away with...and suddenly we dream a world of possibilities where angelic choirs serenade shepherds, and eastern astrologers are led by celestial lights, and virgins conceive, and birth is given to the impossible! It's the most wonderful time of the year!


ay your days be merry and bright, and may all you Christmases be right, as you see everything in your life the right way! I speak joy to your world, and say that all of your nights are silent, so that you may sleep in heavenly peace. No matter what lies ahead for you, let nothing you dismay...remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day...and because He was, the only things that you need to concentrate on are tidings of comfort and joy! The hopes and fear of all your years are met in Him tonight! He deserves all of your praise. He knows our need, Our weakness is no stranger, Behold your King, before Him lowly bend, Behold your King, before Him lowly bend!


nd so, as I come to the end of this year's BLOGINTHENOW Christmas post, I await your responses on the comments page. I know we're all busy, but if you have a minute or two, and you have something to add to the conversation, take the time (if you haven't already) to express your thoughts and Christmas wishes for the rest of the blog community (yes, even you blurkers). What you write doesn't have to be poetic or profound...it just needs to be real.


ELAH! GOD BLESS US, EVERY ONE!

But the angel spoke immediately and authoritatively, saying to them, "Do not be afraid! I am here to announce good news to you...good news of a great and joyful event, and of a new reality! And this good news...this new reality...is for all people everywhere...it is for the entirety of humanity! This very night a Savior has been born in the City of David...a Savior who will perfectly embody the Christ, and will be known as the Lord! If you seek Him you will find Him...and this is what you're to look for: a baby swaddled in a blanket, and lying in a feeding trough for animals!" As soon as the angel made this declaration, the sky above the shepherds' heads lit up, and was filled with a seemingly infinite number of angels who formed a thunderous, mass choir, singing God's praises, and shouting, "GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST PARTS OF THE HEAVENLY REALM...AND IN THE EARTHLY DIMENSION, PEACE...PEACE TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THE EARTH...AND A REVELATION TO THEM THAT GOD'S WILL TOWARD ALL OF HUMANITY IS ONLY GOOD!" (Luke 2:10-14, Luke In The Now)

O Come Let US Adore Him!

For unto us... not unto me… not unto you... but unto us, the collective, corporate community of mankind...the household of humanity...unto all of us, a child is born; unto us, the global family, a Son is given, and the responsibility of the government will rest on His broad shoulders. In fact, all the governments of all the peoples of the world will ultimately recognize Him as their one true foundation, for the earth is His, and He belongs to all of us . He will be the physical embodiment of the “I Am,” the God who defies description; and, in an attempt to define the indefinable, He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase and expansion of His kingdom and government and peace there will be no end. He will reign initially from David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time, on into the eternal now. The passionate zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

(Isaiah 9:6,7 - The Bible In The Now)

And the eternal Word morphed into flesh – into a manifested incarnation with human attributes and authority in the natural world – so that He could live with and among us human beings. And He did live with us here in our world, limiting Himself to the constraints of the human condition without reservation, but we could still plainly see His eternal, divine glory. It was obvious that He shined with the glorious light of a unique, firstborn son who was miraculously like His Father who had sent Him. The illumination from that glory revealed that He was literally filled with grace and that He overflowed with absolute truth.

(John 1:14, John In The Now)

Coming Soon!

From the Introduction to THE GOSPELS IN THE NOW: The Four Biographies of the God-Man Re-Imagined in Modern Context

Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. (Ezekiel 1:5, 6, 10 - NKJV)

I LOVE THE GOSPELS:

I love Matthew's Gospel...the Gospel of the Kingdom...the Gospel of the Lion-King...a uniquely important revelation, written for the Jews, from a firsthand, up-close-and-personal viewpoint, portraying Jesus as the Messiah so long awaited after Abraham...the King after David. There is a particular and sometimes palpable tension in Matthew, probably because it was written in the name of a Jew whom the Jews hated, because he was a collector of taxes for the Romans. But it is written with much love, nonetheless. Matthew was apprehended by Jesus, and was not at all like the other disciples, so the writings that bear his name bring a certain richness to the Jesus narrative that is essential to our understanding of the Son of Man. What the other Synoptic Gospel writers call the "Kingdom of God", Matthew calls the "Kingdom of Heaven" (or, better translated: Kingdom of the Heavens"). "Kingdom of God" says Whose and what it is..."Kingdom of Heaven" says Whose it is and where it's from. Perhaps the most significant contribution of Matthew is the attention to detail in the Sermon on the Mount...the blueprint for the "Kingdom of/from the Heavens". Matthew…the Gospel that roars!

I love Mark’s Gospel…you can feel the youth and vitality of the man whose name it bears pulsating in every page of it…the Gospel of passion and fire…the most masculine of the Gospels…a Gospel that gets the job done…the “can do!” Gospel. Matthew is symbolized by the Lion, Luke is personified in the Man, John shows us the Eagle…but Mark’s is the picture of the OX…strong…utilitarian…dependable…effective…the Gospel with muscle. No attention is given to Jesus as a baby…those kind of details are less important here. It’s also the shortest of the Gospels…it does more and says less…gets to the point…emphasizes themes like faith and power. Mark’s Gospel provides a much-needed paradigm to the big picture…an aspect of the earthiness of Jesus, the Carpenter, who personally builds His Kingdom without fear of getting His hands dirty…a concept that is especially appealing to the Romans, to whom it is written. Mark…the Gospel that bears!

I love Luke’s Gospel…the Gospel of the fully evolved Man…sophisticated…elegant…educated…intelligent. Luke is a physician with an excellent bedside manner, who writes a thoughtful and lovingly detailed letter to the young Greek, Theophilus, about the amazing God-Man. But in reality, it is written to all the Greeks, who would, in theory, appreciate the culture and refinement of its author, and the miracles and philosophy of its Main Character. Luke gives the most attention to the Nativity, because it is the most biographical of the four Gospels…it was also originally combined with the Book of Acts. It brings the Synoptic Gospels full circle, showing us the complete spectrum of all that was and is the Son of Man. Luke…the Gospel that cares!

I love the Gospel of John…a living, breathing Word, unlike anything else…so different from the three Synoptic Gospels. Each of them brings something original to the table, but John’s account of the greatest story ever told is in a class all by itself. It is the Gospel written for non-conformists and individualists…for those who can comprehend Jesus outside the box…a flight plan for eagles who exist high above the clouds. Matthew is written for the Jews, Mark is written for the Romans, Luke is written for the Greeks, but John’s writings come from the paradigm of a universalist…he paints his picture in very broad strokes, and writes with the global vision of one who sees the whole earth through a bird’s eye view. Can you imagine the visionary mind of someone who begins his story with , “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”? Matthew and Luke open the Jesus-narrative in the little town of Bethlehem…but John begins IN THE BEGINNING…in eternity…in the cosmos…in the now! You could spend a lifetime just discussing that one wonderful concept and still not be able to fully plumb the depths of its meaning. John’s is the Gospel of the Son of God…John…the Gospel that soars!

Excerpts from THE GOSPELS IN THE NOW (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)

“But seek out and search for a revelation of the kingdom of God in and through every circumstance, and in every situation. And seek it first (or first thing)...before you strive with the circumstance... before you start to worry about the situation…before you fret over it…before you allow yourself to become overwhelmed by it or let it become exaggerated in your mind. And along with your primary search, look diligently for His righteousness, (or His rightness) to be revealed somewhere in the thing, as well. When you prioritize the kingdom in this way, then you can be sure that everything in your personal world will come into order, and that all you need for your daily provision will just automatically flow into your life and will be added to you as a result of your quest. So don’t worry or be anxious about what may or may not happen tomorrow. Live in the now, because the kingdom is always revealed in the now. Deal with tomorrow and what it may bring when it gets here, knowing that tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. As you live each day as it comes, God will enable you to successfully handle each day’s trouble, whatever it may be.”

(Matthew 6:33, 34 - Matthew In The Now)

“Let Me reveal this truth to you...you're impressed with what happened to the fig tree, but the fact is that you have the power and ability to say to this entire mountain, "Be lifted up and be thrown into the sea!", and see it obey you! You've seen me actually speak to a storm...or command the dead to live again...well, in the same way, if you can connect the God-kind of faith that is in your own heart with the creative ability that is in your own mouth...if you say what you believe, and believe what you say...you can produce these kinds of results! This is why I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer...whatever you decree...BELIEVE...accept the reality that it exists in another, unseen dimension, simply because you say it. Don't suspend or delay belief until you see it manifested in the physical realm, because what is unseen is more real than what is seen. Be confident that your request is granted to you, and you will get it...your own irresistible faith will attract it to you."

(Mark 11:23, 24 – Mark In The Now)

"And while I'm on the subject of the operation of this new world order, I will also tell you not to pronounce judgment on anyone, and you will live beyond the authority of any one's judgment on your life...do not condemn or pronounce guilt on anyone, and you will exist beyond the reach of condemnation and personal guilt...acquit, forgive and release others from your agendas and opinions, and you will never be limited by the agendas and opinions of others. And give...give generously and freely...because if you do, gifts will be lavished upon you...and these gifts will be abundant (to demonstrate the infinite possibilities of the Kingdom), packed down (to make room for more), shaken together (to make sure that you never receive filler), and running all over the place (so that you never have a sense of lack)! People will come into your life just to give to you, and this is the way that they will pour into the pouch formed by the bosom of your robe and used as a bag. You define your own terms in this, for with the same measure you deal out...with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others...it will be measured back to you!"

(Luke 6:37, 38 - Luke In The Now)

"You see, God’s love for the whole world – His paternal affection for the entire cosmos – was so all-encompassing and complete that He freely gave His unique Son to it, so that anyone from that world who believes in Him would not perish, but would awaken to the fact that eternal life is theirs. It certainly was never God’s intention to send His Son into the world to pronounce a sentence of condemnation upon it. Rather, He was perfectly focused on saving it...on redeeming the whole of humanity, everyone and everything on the planet...through the gift of that unique, manifested Son."

(John 3:16, 17 - John In The Now)

It Is Finished...

Hey bloggers...here is the rest of Luke In The Now, Chapter 24...the last 17 of the 3,779 verses that comprise the four Gospels. Thanks so much for your support of this project. For those of you who have blogged, commented, discussed, encouraged, added your own revelation, and helped proof this, along with Matthew In The Now and Mark In The Now as I have written and posted them here over the last year, a special thanks...I really feel like this has been a collaborative effort, and, in many ways, is the product of this blog community...

John In The Now was put out a couple of years ago, but it will be included with the Synoptic Gospels and published in one volume which will be called THE GOSPELS IN THE NOW: The Four Biographies of the God-Man Re-Imagined in Modern Context, which will be available in a few weeks...



LITN XXIV, Verses 36 - 53

36. And while they were in the process of trying to explain all this, Jesus actually materialized in their presence, stood in the middle of the group, and said to them, "Peace...peace be with all of you."

37. Everyone in the room was startled and frightened, reacting as if they were seeing a ghost...in fact, most of them believed that they were, indeed, seeing an apparition.

38. But He said to them, "Why, after all this time...after everything that you've all seen, especially in the last few days, are you still so quick to be upset and easily spooked? But the bigger question is...why are you still so prone to have doubts about Me in your minds?

39. Look at Me! Look at My hands and My feet! It really is Me! Touch me and see for yourselves. Don't be afraid...a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you obviously can see that I have."

40. As He said this, He showed them His hands and feet.

41. But they still just couldn't grasp it...couldn't believe their eyes...they were excited to see Him, but it just seemed to good to be true. So He said to them, "All right...do you have anything here to eat?"

42. And one of them had the presence of mind to respond to His request and give Him a piece of broiled fish.

43. And He took the fish and ate it in front of them to further prove that He was real.

44. Then He said to them, "Remember...this is what I told you while I was still with you in the earthly dimension. Every single thing must be fulfilled that has been written about Me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms."

45. Then His presence, words, and anointing opened their minds to revelation so that they could understand the Scriptures.

46. He reminded them, "This is what is written...whether you like it or not...whether you understand it, fully, or not...the Messiah will suffer terribly, and then rise triumphantly from the dead on the third day.

47. And a global paradigm shift for the realization of His forgiveness of the world's sins will be preached in His name to all the nations of the earth. What happened in Jerusalem is just the beginning.

48. And you in this room are privileged to be witnesses of the beginning of these things.

49. So I'm going to send you what my Father has promised...but stay here in the city until you have been inundated and infused with power from on high."

50. Then He led them out of that place to the vicinity of Bethany, and once they were there, He lifted up his hands and blessed them.

51. And while He was still speaking a blessing over them, He de-materialized and was translated into the heavenly dimension.

52. Then they instinctively worshiped Him, even though He was no longer physically in their presence. At last they understood that His being...His reality...was greater and more transcendent than anything that could be contained in a finite, physical body. And they returned to Jerusalem with great exuberance.

53. And for the days immediately following, they stayed continually in the Temple, praising, exalting, and increasing in their comprehension of the one, true God.

LITN XXIV, Verses 13 - 35

13. Later that very same day, two of the disciples who were not a part of the remaining Eleven were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

14. They were still somewhat in a state of shock from all that had transpired over the weekend, and as they walked along the road together, they could speak of nothing else.

15. In fact, they were so engrossed in deep conversation about their take on the events of the previous few days that they didn't even notice when the freshly-resurrected Jesus, Himself, came up and walked along with them.

16. But they were unable to recognize Him in His post-resurrection incarnation.

17. So He said to them, "Pardon Me, but may I ask what in the world you gentlemen are discussing so intently as you walk along?" The sound of His voice penetrated their intense communication, and jarred them into stopping in their tracks. But they just stood there for a few moments in silence with their faces downcast.

18. Then one of them, Cleopas by name, asked Him, "What are we discussing? Are you serious? You must be the only visitor to Jerusalem that doesn't know about or isn't talking about the things that have happened there in the last few days!"

19. "What things?" He asked. "Terrible things", they replied, "Terrible events...the things surrounding the arrest, trial and execution of Jesus of Nazareth. He was a prophet with a powerful message...a miracle-worker who was blessed by God and all the people.

20. But the Chief Priests, and those in cahoots with them, found a reason and a way to hand Him over to be sentenced to death...and they crucified Him.

21. We're devastated by the whole thing, mainly because we had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And today is the third day since all of this took place.

22. To make matters worse, this morning some of our women presented us with this far-fetched story that has us totally confused. They went to the tomb at daybreak to anoint the body of Jesus,

23. but didn't find it in its tomb. They came and told us that they had seen a manifestation of spirit-beings who claimed that He was alive.

24. Then some of our colleagues went to the tomb to see for themselves, and found it exactly as the women had said. But they didn't see Jesus anywhere, dead or alive."

25. Then He said to them, "How clueless you are...and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

26. Isn't it written that the Messiah had to suffer these things, and then enter into the fullness of His glory?"

27. But they had no response to His words, so, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He patiently and methodically explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.

28. And this continued throughout the entire seven-mile trek, until they approached the village to which they were going. Jesus, however, just kept walking as if He were going farther.

29. But they urged Him to remain with them saying, "No...don't go...stay with us, and continue with what You were saying. Besides, it's nearly evening...the day's almost over." So He obliged, and went in to stay with them.

30. They had dinner together, and when He was at the table with them, He took the initiative and began to act as the host. He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to both of them.

31. And that's when it happened. They hadn't recognized Him in His current physicality, even though He had been walking and talking with them all afternoon, but somehow here...at the table...with the bread...in the communion...they had a revelation of Him. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him in the now. But as soon as this happened, He disappeared from their sight.

32. They sat there for a moment, and then when they were able to speak they asked each other, "Wasn't it as if our hearts were on fire while He talked with us on the road, and opened up the meaning of the Scriptures to us?"

33. They didn't even finish the meal...instead, they got right up and made the seven mile trip back to Jerusalem. When they finally got there they found the Eleven and those with them, all together in one place.

34. They said to them, "Everybody...it's true! The Lord really has risen, and has appeared to Simon Peter!"

35. Then the two of them began to unfold the story of how He had appeared to them, as well. They told all that had happened on the way to Emmaus, and how that Jesus in His current incarnation was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread.

LITN XXIV, Verses 1 - 12

1. But on the first day of the week, at the first light of dawn, the women took the spices which they had carefully prepared for His body, and made their way to the tomb.

2. But when they got there, they discovered that the huge, flat stone which fit down into the slot that ran along the front of the sepulcher had been rolled away from the door of it.

3. Without hesitation they entered the enclosure, but the physical remains of Jesus which they had come to anoint were nowhere to be found.

4. The women were stunned by this...they didn't know what to think...didn't know what to say...they just stood there, dumbfounded and confused, staring in disbelief at the empty slab where His body had been just hours earlier. Then, suddenly, two men who were dressed in clothes that seemed to gleam like lightning appeared, and stood right beside them.

5. The sight of these beings from another dimension sent the women into a state of sheer panic. Completely overcome with fear, they collapsed, face forward, onto the stony ground, and lay there in dead silence. But the men in the lightning-lit clothes said to them, "Ladies...why have you come looking for the living among the dead?

6. He is not here! He has risen! Don't you remember how He told you while He was still with you there in Galilee:

7. 'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the temporary custody of rebels, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again.' "

8. And then, as the messengers repeated Jesus' own self-prophecy to them, the women settled down. The peace that was still attached to those words enveloped them, and soon they became ecstatic as they remembered and finally understood them.

9. When they came back from the tomb, they shared all of these amazing things with the remaining Eleven, and with all the others who were connected to them.

10. The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and some others who came with them. They all went together to find the disciples.

11. But the disciples didn't believe the women at all, because their words seemed to them to be the utter nonsense of hysterical women.

12. Peter, however, wanted to believe them, so he sprang up and ran, by himself, all the way to the tomb. When he got there, he went in, bent down, and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. After a while he left the empty structure, realizing that something had definitely happened there, but he had no idea what.

LITN XXIII, Verses 13 - 56

13. Then Pilate called together the Chief Priests, the rulers, and the people,

14. and said to them, "Listen...you brought me this Man, claiming that He was inciting the people to rebellion...but I've thoroughly examined Him in your presence, and just haven't found any basis for these charges.

15. And neither has Herod, obviously, because he sent Him right back here to us. In all honesty, you must realize that He hasn't really done anything to deserve death.

16. So, to help you save face...to make you feel satisfied that you've made your point...I'm going to have Him publicly flogged. But then I'm going to release Him. That way, no one has to die, and he'll probably just disappear after all this beating and humiliation.

17.(Verse 17 doesn't exist in the original text.)

18. But they wouldn't hear of it. With one voice they cried out, "We want this Man done away with! Release the prisoner Barabbas to us if you need to pardon someone for the feast!"

19. Barabbas was serving a prison sentence for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.

20. But Pilate really wanted to release Jesus, and made the same appeal to them again.

21. But they refused to acknowledge his words, and just kept shouting, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

22. Then Pilate spoke to them a third time, saying, "Why are you people so adamant about this? Seriously...what crime has this Man committed, really? There just aren't any legitimate or valid grounds for the death penalty that I can find here. He's already been beaten up, and I'm going to have Him severely punished for whatever you think He's done...but enough is enough...I intend to release Him!"

23. But they just got louder with the shouts and the insistent demands for His crucifixion. Eventually they wore Pilate down, and their shouts prevailed.

24. So he reluctantly decided to grant them what they wanted.

25. And he released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder. He gave them the one they asked for, and provided consent for them to do to Jesus whatever they wanted.

26. So the soldiers led Him away, forcing Him to carry the heavy beam that would later form the horizontal part of His cross. But He had stood all night long, and had been beaten repeatedly throughout the night, so He collapsed under the weight of the solid piece of wood, weakened from exhaustion and the loss of blood. So they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was passing by on his way in from the country, and made him carry the cross-beam and follow along behind Jesus as He staggered toward the place of His execution.

27. By this time, a large number of people followed Him on His death-march, including women who mourned and wailed loudly for Him.

28. Jesus turned to some of them who were crying hysterically, and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for Me...weep for yourselves and for your children.

29. For the time will come in this nation when you will say, 'Blessed are the women without children...the barren wombs and the breasts that never nursed!'

30. Then it will be fulfilled: 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '

31. For if people do this kind of thing to a living, green tree, can you imagine what they'll do with deadwood?"

32. And two other men, both convicted criminals, were also led out with Him to be publicly put to death.

33. When they arrived at the place called 'The Skull'...a rock formation in the side of a hill that eerily resembled the face of a human skull...they crucified Him there beside the road in front of it, along with the criminals. One was on His right, the other on His left.

34. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them...for even though this is ultimately the fulfillment of Your will, they don't understand why they are acting with such physical cruelty." Then the soldiers divided up the clothes that they had stripped off Him by casting lots.

35. And then the people just stood there and watched...some wept, vehemently...others gawked, vacantly... the relentless religious rulers sneered at Him, and mocked Him right up to the very end. They said, "He saved others...let Him save Himself if He is God's Messiah, the Chosen One!"

36. The soldiers also came up to Him and piled on with their unique brand of mockery. They offered Him wine vinegar

37. and said to Him, "Hey! You! If You're really the King of the Jews, save Yourself!"

38. They nailed a written notice above His head, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39. One of the two criminals who hung there beside Him kept hurling insults at him. He yelled, "Aren't You the Messiah? Why don't You save yourself...and us!"

40. But the other one rebuked him, saying, "Don't you have any respect for God? How can you say that, seeing that you are under the same sentence?

41. We're being punished justly...getting what our deeds deserve...but everyone knows this Man hasn't done anything wrong."

42. Then he looked over at Jesus and said, "Sir...please remember me when You come into your Kingdom."

43. Jesus raised His head and answered him, "Friend, I'm telling you the truth...this will soon be over, and today you'll be with Me in paradise."

44. Around noon, a strange darkness settled in over the entire area, and remained until about three in the afternoon.

45. At one point, the darkness became so thick that it seemed as though the sun had stopped shining. Then the curtain of the Temple was torn in two, opening up the Holy of Holies to the entire world.

46. Right about then, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Father...into Your hands I commit My spirit." And with these words, He took His last breath in the physical body.

47. A Roman Centurion, standing close by and seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "No doubt...this Man was just, righteous, and innocent."

48. All the people who had gathered to witness the whole thing were, for the most part, overcome with sorrow when everything was said and done. They responded and reacted, each in his or her own way, and then left the scene of the execution.

49. But all those who actually knew Him, including the women who had followed Him all the way from Galilee, stood at a distance, keeping vigil.

50. Now there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the Council...a sincere man...a man of conscience...a man full of integrity.

51. He hadn't consented to the decisions and actions of the rest of the Council. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and had been open to the ministry of Jesus, because he himself had pursued and waited for the manifestation of the Kingdom of God.

52. So he went to Pilate, personally, and asked for permission to be the caretaker of Jesus' body.

53. Pilate allowed it, so he went and carefully took the lifeless corpse down off the cross, wrapped it in clean, linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock. The place was his own, personal property...a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

54. It was the day before Sabbath, known as Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

55. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph, saw the tomb, and observed how His body was laid in it.

56. Then they went home immediately and began to prepare spices and perfumes which they could use to anoint the body. But, in obedience to the commandment, they rested on the Sabbath.

LITN XXIII, Verses 1 - 12

1. With this phase of the impromptu trial over, and with the events now taking on an undefinable urgency and life of their own, the entire assembly rose and led Him off to stand before Pilate.

2. As soon as they arrived, the accusations began to fly. "We've found this rabble rouser...this demagogue...
subverting our nation and all that it stands for!", they exclaimed. "He flagrantly opposes payment of taxes to Caesar, and, most disturbing of all, claims to be a Messiah and a king!"

3. So Pilate said to Jesus, "Tell me, sir...is this true? Are You the King of the Jews?" "To you I am whoever you say that I am," Jesus replied.

4. Then Pilate, initially dismissing the whole thing as something harmless...even amusing...certainly something with which he didn't want to be involved...announced to the Chief Priests and the crowd, "Look...I just don't find any basis for a charge against this Man."

5. But they were insistent, saying, "Governor...with all due respect, you don't seem to understand. He stirs up the people all over Judea by His anarchistic rhetoric and blasphemous teaching. He started spreading His poison in Galilee, and has brought it all the way here!"

6. On hearing this, Pilate asked if Jesus was a Galilean.

7. When they answered in the affirmative, he ruled that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, and then sent Him to stand before the king, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8. So they brought Him to Herod, who was actually quite pleased to see Him. For quite some time, Herod had been hoping for a chance to meet Him because of all that he had heard about the signs and wonders He performed. In fact, he hoped to see Him perform one right in front of him.

9. So he plied him with a plethora of questions, but at this point, Jesus had said all He was going to say.

10. But the Chief Priests and religious leaders kept standing there, vehemently accusing Him, anyway.

11. Herod and his soldiers then began to ridicule and mock Him, dressing Him in an elegant robe. Then they sent him back to Pilate.

12. Somehow, during all this circus-like atmosphere of mockery, false accusations, and sending Jesus back and forth from trial to trial, Herod and Pilate became friends. Prior to this they had been hostile enemies.