Peace To You! (Re-post)

This is a picture that I took the first time I went to Israel back in 1981...the morning that we were leaving to return to the U.S., I got up early and walked out on the balcony of my hotel room before I started packing, and saw this beautiful rainbow over the city of Jerusalem...

It had rained during the night, and in the light of dawn this colorful sign in the heavens became visible...I grabbed my camera and snapped this...it's been a favorite of mine for years...very meaningful and symbolic to me at the time, and even more so now...I had lost it for the longest time, but the other day while was looking for something else, I came across it, and posted it on Facebook (for those of you reading this on FB, this is a feed from my blog which can be found at www.bloginthenow.blogspot.com)...

On many levels it was significant to me that I found this 30 year old picture when I did...the pursuit of peace is very important to me right now...the Scriptures say to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and indeed we should, now more than ever before...but this picture means more to me than the obvious...as you look at it, I pray for peace in your life...peace over your troubled circumstances...and I also post it as a reminder to you that God keeps His promises...shalom!

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."

Have a Blessed Resurrection Sunday!

JOHN 20:1-18 - John In The Now

1. Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and was surprised to find that the stone that had been lodged into the entrance had somehow been rolled away.

2. As soon as she assessed the situation, she immediately ran to find Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and when she got to them she blurted out, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put Him!”

3. When Peter and the other disciple heard this, they just took off running to the tomb to see for themselves.

4. The two disciples initially were running together, but then the other disciple picked up speed and outran Peter, arriving at the tomb first.

5. And when he got there, he stooped down to look inside and saw the linen grave clothes lying there, but he didn’t enter the tomb.

6. But when Peter got there, he just went right in and also saw the little pile of linen material lying there.

7. Next to it was the piece of cloth that had been used to cover Jesus’ face, neatly rolled up and in a place by itself.

8. The disciple who got there first then entered the tomb and, when he saw the whole scenario, he believed fully in the resurrection.

9. For as yet the disciples had not made the connection that the Scriptures had said that He would rise from the dead.

10. But even though he believed, the disciple didn’t know what to do about it, so he and Peter both just went back to their homes.

11. Mary Magdalene, on the other hand, remained there and just stood outside the tomb weeping. And at a certain point, while she was still in tears, she stooped down and looked into the interior.

12. Inside she saw two men who appeared to be angels, all dressed in white, sitting where Jesus’ body had been. One was sitting at the head, the other at the foot.

13. They turned and looked right at her and asked, “Why are you crying?” She answered, “Because they have taken away my Lord’s body, and I don’t know where they have put Him.”

14. As soon as Mary said this, she became aware that someone was standing right behind her. So she quickly turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t realize that it was Him.

15. Jesus asked her “Why are you crying, Ma’am? Who are you looking for?” She just assumed He was the gardener and said, “Sir, if you have removed His body, please tell me, so that I can go and get it.”

16. Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!” Suddenly, the sound of His voice penetrated her stupor and, realizing who He was, she cried out, “Teacher!”

17. When she reached out to embrace Him, He told her, “Don’t try to hold on to Me, Mary. I am making the transition into the Father’s dimension, and you can’t keep Me here. I no longer belong in the physical body that you are used to seeing and holding, so don’t touch Me. But tell My disciples that I am going to our Father and to our God.”

18. So Mary Magdalene went immediately to the disciples and declared to them that she had seen the Lord. She also told them what He had said to her.

BALANCING ACT: Rightly Dividing the Scriptures

These verses have always intrigued me, and, without going into detail, I've had to refer to them quite a bit lately. They have to do with human relationships and interaction...issues we all have to deal with every day. First, here's an excerpt from the intro to The Gospels In The Now which is pertinent to this:

The Bible is a miracle – not a book, but a collection of 66 books written by 40 authors over a period of 1,500 years in different languages to different people groups in different generations for different purposes. Therefore, the Scriptures must be rightly divided instead of wrongly connected. In other words, each book must be judged in its own context and on its own terms, whether it confirms any other book or not. In this way, biblical contradictions are not only acknowledged and accepted...they are expected. I celebrate the tension caused by the conflicting viewpoints of the writers who had different paradigms of God; their contradictions make the Bible literally pulsate with life! And amazingly, in spite of the given contention, the confirmation of Jesus, the Christ, is still the glue that holds the whole collection together!

SERPENTS/SNAKES

Here Jesus tells His disciples to approach their relationships with the wisdom (mindset) of a snake (the symbol of satan), while maintaining the peaceful temperament of the dove (the symbol of the Holy Spirit)...

I say all of this to you because you need to know that I’m really sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves. And to be able to survive this hazardous work, you’re going to have to develop the flexibility to be wary and wise as serpents when necessary, and to still be innocent and guileless as doves. I realize that no two animals are less similar in temperament than a snake and a dove, so I’m really asking you to do the impossible.
(Matthew 10:16 - Matthew In The Now)

JUDGE/DON'T JUDGE

No doubt, these two passages are talking about two different things, but at first glance it appears that Jesus is telling us not to judge anyone/anything, while Paul is saying to judge everyone/everything!

But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
(1 Corinthians 2:15 - NKJV)

But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him].
(1 Corinthians 2:15 - Amplified Bible)

But Jesus says...

“Don’t set yourself up as a judge who takes the liberty of casually condemning others, or even as a critic who thinks that he or she has the right to criticize them, because when you do that, you set a universal law into motion that will inevitably bring negative things back into your own life. In other words, don’t judge so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For in direct proportion to your judgment, criticism and condemnation of others, you will be personally judged and criticized and condemned. It’s just the way the law works. And in accordance with the measure you use to deal out to others…whatever you may deal out…it will be dealt out again to you. You define the terms of your own life in this sense. (Matthew 7:1, 2 - Matthew In The Now)

THINK LIKE A CHILD/DON'T THINK LIKE A CHILD

And what about this?

Then the disciples came up and asked Jesus, “Who, in your estimation, is really the greatest in the Kingdom of/from the heavens?” But instead of directly answering their question, He first called a little child over to Himself, and placed him in the center of the room, and once they had focused on the child, He said to them, “Boys, I really and truly want you to get this…unless you change the way you think about things…until your mind is cleansed from your cynicism and competitiveness with one another…until you have a paradigm shift that moves you from the silliness of being ‘childish’, so that you can enter the freedom of becoming ‘child-like’…and until you grasp the difference between these two concepts…you’re never going to be subjects in My Kingdom at all! Whoever will remove the mental clutter of adulthood, so that he or she can re-connect with what is the best part of childhood…the simple, basic ideas of trust…humility…love…forgiveness…imagination…that person will rank very high in the Kingdom of/from the heavens.
(Matthew 18:1-4 - Matthew In The Now)

But Paul says...

Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. (1 Corinthians 14:20 - TNIV)

Again, I realize these Scriptures are referring to different situations, which is my point about "rightly dividing" as opposed to "wrongly connecting" passages. But the spirit of the letter is pervasive throughout all holy writ, and when it comes to human relationships, we find certain challenges in locating applicable Scriptures by which to live. We all want to walk in love, but we don't want to be taken advantage of. We want to believe for the best in people, without being naive to the darker side of human nature. We attempt to "know no man after the flesh", but it generally takes some real effort to look beyond the obvious humanity of someone and really see the divinity in him or her, especially when that person has used us or lied to us.

I guess I'm just thinking out loud about these things...here's one more verse I find very interesting...

But Jesus [for His part] did not trust Himself to them, because He knew all [men]; And He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man [needed no evidence from anyone about men], for He Himself knew what was in human nature. [He could read men's hearts.]
(John 2:24, 25 - Amplified Bible)

Relationships...it's a journey...

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)

WHAT'S UP?

Hey bloggers...

Just got back in town...catching up on things in cyber-space...several of you have mentioned to me that you've tried to pre-order The Gospels In The Now and have encountered difficulty getting through to the office and/or Media Center (both phone and e-mail)...I don't know what the deal is, but I know they've been working on getting it fixed...Mike from the cyber-congregation (Florida) wrote me this on Facebook:

I want to pre-order the Gospels in the Now - I do not see anyway of doing it online - I will send December's gift in tomorrow, do you need a separate check in advance for book? I would like it sent to me the day it is available so I have no issues writing a check early, I just need price. Christmas gift to myself :) Hate to bug ya online but last two times I called bookstore no one answered - Don't you people want my money? :) strange Christians you are - everyone else wants my cash - :) I keep waiting for you to say something I don't believe - stop disappointing me - kidding aside have a great night and very glad our paths have crossed.

Of course I assured him that we ain't mad at his money (and the price is $30)...for those of you who have had trouble getting through, sorry for the inconvenience...please try again...the book is supposed to arrive on the 11th, and I'll do a signing on the 13th after the 11:00 service...P. Judah was supposed to preach on that Sunday and spotlight Project 404 while I was going to be in the Philippines that weekend for a GPF, but I've decided not to go since I'll be there in January for the UNITE 2010 conference with Bishop Tommy Smith...Judah has asked to postpone doing a P-404 service until next month so that I can preach on the weekend that the book becomes available...



Speaking of services at CITN...don't forget that this coming Sunday we will go back to a two-service schedule...9 A.M. and 11 A.M...the nine o'clock service will be more casual in the Narthex (the Cafe' will be open for coffee and eats), and will conclude at 10...Communion will be served in the eleven o'clock only...also, for you who are a part of cyber-CITN, only the 11:00 service will be streamed over the internet...

I'm not sure when Daisson (my son-in-law, for those of you who don't know) will be home, but there's a very good chance he will be in Afghanistan for Christmas...he doesn't have a lot of phone access, but he can check his email, so if some of you would like to contact him and wish him a merry Christmas, I'm sure he would appreciate it...Christina sent me a note about it saying "he's all cold and living in a tent and it's the holidays so he's probably kind of bummed out"...his address is:
Dicen23@hotmail.com

Again, thanks for all the advance support for GITN (and a special thanks to the staff for working so hard to help get it out before the holidays)...hope to see you all Sunday...

That's all for now...

Peace...

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.

LITN XXII, Verses 47 - 71

47. But that was all that He could say to them, because while He was in mid-sentence, a mob led by Judas appeared, seemingly from out of nowhere. And once they had converged upon them, Judas immediately went right up to Jesus, and without word or warning, kissed Him.

48. Jesus just looked at him and asked, "Judas...this is how you're going to do it? You're betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"

49. When the disciples realized what was happening, they said, "Lord, should we fight with our swords?"

50. But before He could even answer, one of them, who will now remain nameless, just started clumsily wielding a sword, managing to strike the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

51. But Jesus called out, "No...stop it! It doesn't matter now...the fulfillment has begun...there's no reason to fight it now!" And He stooped and picked up the startled man's bloody, severed ear from off the ground, re-attached it, and healed him. This was His last miracle performed as the Son of Man.

52. Then He turned to the chief priests, officers of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for Him, and said, "Is all this really necessary? Do you honestly perceive that I'm leading some kind of physical rebellion that demands you come for Me with swords and clubs?

53. I mean, every single day I was with you in the Temple courts, and you didn't lay a hand on Me then. But I suppose that this is appropriate...this is fitting for you, and for how you think...acting out your methods of control when darkness reigns depending on physical weapons to protect your interests."

54. But His words fell on deaf ears. They seized Him as a criminal, anyway, led Him away, and took Him straight to the house of the High Priest. Peter followed along after them at a safe distance.

55. And when he arrived at the house, he saw that some people there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, so he sat down with them.

56. One of the High Priest's serving maids walked outside to where they were sitting, and when she saw Peter warming himself, she just stopped in her tracks and stared at him. Unable to take her eyes off Him, she said, "Hey...this man was with Him."

57. But he completely denied it, saying, "Lady, I don't even know what you're talking about."

58. A little later someone else saw him and said, "You are definitely one of them...one of Jesus' close followers!" Agitated, Peter replied. "Man, I'm telling you...I am not!"

59. About an hour later another bystander spoke up and said, "Come on...admit it...you really are one of them...you are a Galilean...your dialect gives you away!"

60. Peter replied, "Look...I'm telling you for the last time...I don't know Him...never did...you people don't even know what you're talking about...shut up and leave me alone!" And as these words were still lingering in the air, a rooster crowed.

61. When this happened, Peter instinctively looked up to try to see Jesus, and when he spotted Him, He saw that Jesus was already standing there, staring at him. As they made eye contact, Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will utterly deny Me...you will deny any connection to Me three times."

62. And when the realization of what had just happened came crashing in on him, Peter went out and broke down and cried loud and hard.

63. Then the men who were guarding Jesus began to mock Him and pummel Him with their fists.

64. As a kind of frenzy set in among them, they blindfolded Him, and began to say while striking Him, "Prophesy, Prophet!...tell us who hit You!". They did this until they grew tired of it, then the guards took Him away, and started another round of beatings.

65. And they also continued the verbal abuse, peppered with constant insults and obscenities.

66. This went on all through the night, but at daybreak, the Council of the Elders of the people, the Chief Priests, and religious leaders all met together. Jesus was then led before them.

67. They said to Him, "If you really are the Messiah, tell us!" Jesus answered, "You men have proven that there's nothing I could tell you that you would believe;

68. And there's no question that I could ask you that you would actually answer.

69. But whether you believe Me or not, from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand...the place of authority...with God."

70. They replied, "So now You're saying that You are the Son of God?" He answered, "To you I am Whoever you say that I am."

71. Then they said, "We obviously don't need any more testimony...we've heard the blasphemy from His own lips."