A Precedent for the New Year (Luke 2:13-20)

Introduction

We stand on the threshold of a new year. Most people generally look at the new year as a fresh beginning, as an opportunity to kind of start over, to overcome a habit, or do a better job of something they see as important and that needs improvement. It may be parenting, being a better spouse, losing weight (which, by the way, is the number one resolution according to polls taken). It may be developing different priorities, using our time better, or a whole host of things that people would like to change.

So, we usually hear a lot about New Year's resolutions, resolutions which are usually broken in a matter of weeks. Many people are very pessimistic about the whole issue of making resolutions, and rightly so, because so many good intentions are followed by a history of past failures.

But the new year is a time to reflect and think about what the past year has brought and what the new year could bring. It is a time to stop and analyze, to take stock of our priorities, values, pursuits, and goals. We need to ask questions like "Who am I, what am I doing with my life? What should I be doing as a Christian with my life and the stewardship God has given me?" After all, according to the Word of God, all of life is a stewardship--a stewardship of our time, talents, treasures, and God's truth. In other words, since God's plan and our stewardships revolve around and through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, we need to each ask "How well am I responding to the Savior and the spiritual life that He has given me?"

Review of the Context

As we will see from the passage before us, Luke 2:13-20 provides us with a tremendous precedent or example for the new year and the kind of issues we might consider.

The preceding verses, 2:1-12, give us the account of the birth of the Savior. This included the revelation of His birth to the shepherds by a heavenly messenger, an angel of the Lord.

In this study, I would like to focus our attention on what followed this announcement to the shepherds (vss. 13-20). In these verses we see a number of things which bring acclaim to the person of Jesus Christ, but they also provide us with both an example and a challenge. We see both heaven and earth responding to the news of the birth of Jesus Christ in such a way that it exhorts and challenges us in our lives: in our attitudes, priorities, values, pursuits, and actions as it pertains to worship. It also challenges us as to our behavior toward spiritual things and even our reasons for living

The response by the shepherds as seen in this passage sets a precedent (an act or instance that may be used as an example in dealing with subsequent issues of life). The events here teach us how we should respond in view of the person and work of the Lord Jesus.

Acclaim to God and His Son and the impact of the news of the birth of Christ on others was demonstrated not only by words, but by the actions of the angels and the shepherds in the way they responded to the news of the birth of Christ. They provide some tremendous lessons and examples for us.

I also want us to note that the response of the shepherds was a result of the news of the angels. You may be saying to yourselves, "Well, if I saw a bunch of angels . . . , my life would be different too!" Let's put that idea to rest right now. Why? First, because the text makes it clear that it was not the angels they were excited about, but the news, the revelation which they viewed in faith as from God. Second, Scripture teaches us that it is not miraculous experiences that change men, it's the Word and the Spirit of God. The power of God is in the gospel--the Word of God--not in experiences (cf. Luke 16:27-31).

The response of the shepherds was the result of the proclamation of truth (Scripture). This provides a good analogy for our need to hear the Word on a regular basis, and, as a result of that, to act on what we learn and know.

Heaven's Response--The Heavenly Host
(2:13-14)

The fact and time of the response:

Immediately following the announcement given in verses 11-12 there was a heavenly response by a host of angels. This certainly sets a example for us for whom Christ was born. Christmas and all of life should be a time of thankful praise to God for the person and work of Jesus Christ if one truly understands the significance of His life and death to both God and to man (Eph. 3:10; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet. 1:12).

But why angels? Angels were present at the rebellion of Satan and man. They observed man's failure and have, from the very first promise of the coming Savior (Gen. 3:15), been keenly interested in the coming of Christ because of what it would mean to God's glory and man's predicament (Eph. 3:10-11; 1 Pet. 1:12). Thus, at the announcement of the birth of the Savior, there was an immediate response from heaven.

The nature of the response:

It was an act of praise and adoration to God which manifested at least three things:

1. It recognized God as the source or origin of the birth of Christ as that supreme gift of God, which more than anything else, manifested God's glory or His divine essence--His holiness, love, grace, sovereignty, faithfulness, wisdom, and power.
2. It revealed and focused on the key outcome to mankind--it brought peace to men. The peace among men mentioned here undoubtedly includes all aspects of peace that ultimately come to men through the person of Christ and His work on the cross as they respond to Him by faith: (a) peace with God (reconciliation--from enmity to harmony), (b) the peace of God (of fellowship and provision), (c) the peace of harmony and unity with one another as men experience Christ, and (d) one day, universal peace through the reign of Christ on earth.
3. It revealed the recipients of this peace: They are described as those "with whom God is well pleased." God is well pleased with whom? With those who know His Son by faith and walk in fellowship with Him because it is the Son and the Son alone who satisfies and pleases Him.

POINT: God is satisfied with us only when we are in His Son and when we allow His Son to live His life through us. As believers in Christ, we are in "The Beloved," the place where God's love and satisfaction abides (Eph. 1:6).

Earth's Response (2:15-20)
The Actions of the Shepherds, of Mary, and of All Who Heard

The Circumstances and Time of the Response:

Revelation from God always demands an adequate response in man, ALWAYS. This means we become even more accountable before God according to the revelation we have.

Thus, as soon as this angelic Bible class was over (as we might call it), the hearers faced a responsibility. Were they going to act on the news they had received or simply file it away as so much interesting information like the chief priests and scribes when the magi came and inquired about the place where Messiah was born (Matt. 2:1-6)?

The Shepherds Acted: This news and information became the center of their conversation. Too often when believers go to church and hear the truth of the Word, whether new or truth they already know, they may or may not listen, but even if they do listen--and even take notes in their effort to retain it--they may still fail to relate their lives to what they heard. We are far too often simply satisfied with our religious activity and erroneously think God is impressed too. As a result, people too often fail to act on or even think seriously about the study, message, or passage and its implications. We are basically untouched by the message. I am reminded of what God has said through Isaiah the prophet: ". . . "But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Isa. 66:2b).

The Sunday morning message, for instance, could become a topic for the family on the ride home or at the dinner table.

• What does this mean to our lives and what should we be doing about this?
• What should we be doing differently in view of the truth we heard today?
• How does this affect our relationships to God, to one another, and toward the world--our priorities, our values and pursuits, and those who live around us?

The character of their response, what they did (2:15b-16)

1. They spoke EXCITEDLY

"Began saying" is what we might call an inceptive, progressive, imperfect in the Greek text. Instead of merely stating the fact of their conversation like a snapshot, the imperfect turned the conversation into a motion picture; it turned it into a story and it put the story in motion. It means they began and continued to speak with one another as men who were excited about what they had heard.

Two Implications Here:

First, their response demonstrates they had a heart for God and for what was truly valuable. I believe these men were most likely temple shepherds who understood the significance of what they did as shepherds of sacrificial sheep. They were Old Testament saints who had the hope of Messiah and who (undoubtedly by God's working in their lives and by their patterns of life), had been prepared to respond to this news. As the Lord teaches us in Matthew 7:6, God does not pour pearls before swine--those in capable of appreciating His truth. It is significant that the angels appeared to these shepherds rather than the chief priests and scribes.

Principle: We reap what we sow. "Draw near to God," the Bible says, "and He will draw near to you." Scripture teaches us, "You will seek Him and find Him when you search for Him with your whole heart" (Jer. 29:13), and "If any man is willing to do his will, he shall know . . . "(John 7:17). Compare the warning of Hebrews 2:1f.

Application: What are we doing through the week and on the day of worship or Bible study to prepare the soil of our hearts for the Word? Has there been prayer, meditation, honest and pin-pointed confession, daily reading of the Word, or do we come hurried and harried, mumbling and groaning, upset and out of sorts? Are we more occupied with the world, with business, with sports, with pleasure, with computers, with cars, or even with our problems than with the Savior?

Second, the Bible declares that we are justified by faith alone in Christ alone and never by our works or by our experience. As such, our primary concern is to live in vital relationship with Him through the Word and the indwelling Spirit of God. But fellowship with the living God means experiencing the living God and having an appreciation for who He is, what He has done, and is doing in us, for us, and to us through Christ. Shouldn't this produce an enthusiasm and an excitement about our life in Christ and what God is doing? Just think about the big picture we are a part of as believers in Christ!

Warning: Enthusiasm or living with a religious high should never be the focus of our attention, nor our pursuit, nor the basis of our assurance. In fact seeking a religious high does not serve the glory of God and advance His kingdom. It is too often, as we see in 1 Corinthians, self-serving. John the Baptist furnished the model of true spirituality when he said, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

Nevertheless, as believers and as a product of caring about the Savior, a certain amount of excitement about eternal values, about the Word and God's Son and our Savior is certainly in order. Why? Because it to some degree, it demonstrates the character of our faith and our values or at least, something of our spiritual condition.

Consider how the average sports enthusiast responds when his favorite team scores a touchdown, etc.

In keeping with this is our next point:

2. They spoke RECIPROCALLY

Have you ever noticed how people naturally like to share good news or discuss important events in their lives--the birth of a child, the purchase of a new home, the landing of a new job, the winning of a key football game by their favorite team. This demonstrates how we are social beings and how we need to give and receive input from others; we need and like to share with one another. We all generally and naturally love to talk about the things we enjoy and love and that are important to us. This should remind us of the teaching of the New Testament which is based on the many "one another" passages which highlight the needs and responsibilities we have to one another as members of the body of Christ. We are to love one another, build up one another, serve one another, encourage one another, and the list goes on. Two principles are involved:

• No man is an island, we need others and others need us. We all need the influence and fellowship of the body of Christ and we should each make being involved with others in the body of Christ (worship services, small groups meetings, one on one, Sunday School, etc.) a priority for the new year.
• We need to share Jesus Christ and talk of Him with one another. While Christ and our relationship with Him does not have to be the exclusive subject of conversation, it should naturally become one of the key subjects of our conversations because He is at the center of our hearts.

Next, note that in this one another relationship they did something else that is very interesting.

3. They spoke EXHORTATIONALLY

Notice, they said, "let us . . ." Grammatically, this is what we call a hortatory clause, one that calls others to join us in some action or responsibility. This gives us a good example of how in this one another setting we need the exhortation, comfort, encouragement, challenge, and sometimes loving rebuke of others. We need it from others and they need it from us.

Thirty-one times we find this hortatory "let us" in the New Testament. I remember hearing a good friend speak on some of these passages. He introduced his message in a very interesting way, by saying, "Today, I would like to feed you a healthy biblical salad that I have prepared out of the lettuce passages of the New Testament."

Notice the nature and results of this combined reciprocal action: these men were able to narrow their discussion and needs down to two crucial decisions about what they needed to do.

4. They acted PURPOSEFULLY

They said, "let us go straight . . . and see . . ." Do you see the principle? They had received revelation from God and when responded to in faith, God's Word always reorients the direction of our lives. It changes our orientation. In the light of this news, they developed specific goals that controlled and directed their behavior and pursuits. Of course, behind these goals were values, but we will say more about that later.

Without biblical goals based on biblical values, people never go straight. Instead, they chase down rabbit trails and run from one thing to another. They go with the flow of humanity, but lack a purpose that will give meaning and true satisfaction.

Many people, especially today, are like a small corked bottle carried by the tides and the waves of life rather than like a ship that is being guided according to a set course, one set by the captain of the ship who knows where he is going, who has a destination--an objective in mind.

Goals (or the lack of them) determine what we do with our lives, with whether we count for God and for eternity or not. What are your goals for the new year? Do you have any? Do they go beyond self-centered desires? Do you see your purpose in life?

But what was their purpose? Their purpose was to see the Christ child; it was to see and know Him. Notice it was not to watch their sheep (carry on their occupation or put food on the table), it was not to make converts, it was not to write books, or preach sermons, or raise the kids--as important as all these things are.

We have here an illustration of what should become the supreme purpose for our lives. We were created to know and love God. Without this there will be a huge void that must of necessity leave us without meaning and without an adequate purpose for living. An inadequate purpose for living leaves us frustrated, always ill at ease, wondering what's wrong. And there is another important element here. An inadequate purpose will also leave us seeking happiness in all the wrong places.

Dr. John White, a Christian psychiatrist, points to the fact that three of the most common causes of depression and mental difficulties he constantly faced are: 1) guilt and the need of forgiveness, 2) inability to cope because of a lack of biblical confidence and faith, and 3) a lack of purpose and I think by that he means, a biblical purpose.

For most, it's life on a gerbil wheel. Why are our lives often so incredibly busy, yet lacking in purpose? Do we really know what our purpose is, but find ourselves caught up in the rat race because our primary pursuit is the good life--whatever that is. Perhaps the good life is really the pursuit of peace and prosperity, comfort and pleasure.

Tom Sine in his book, Why Settle For More and Miss the Best, points out that living in our society today is much like climbing a mountain, but when you do get to the top, there is nothing there, not even a view. Further, he goes on to show that there is good evidence that when you look at our society, the climb is not doing us any good because so many are living lives of hyper-stress and hyper-burnout.

And there is another side of this. Sine goes on to show that not only is this climb without reason and poison to the climbers, but it is not helping the non-climbers. It is a totally selfish dream that causes people to neglect God and others. But there is another mountain to climb, one that has a purpose, blessings at the top, one that is beneficial to the climber, and one that brings blessings to others.

• What are those specific expectations that keep you climbing?
• What is it costing you in terms of your time, your relationships, and your own mental or physical health to scale your peak? What motivates you to keep climbing?
• Check it out. My friends, there is a longing within you to be a part of a larger cause, a longing to see God use your life in a way that makes a difference. Let me challenge you to describe your sense of what God's purpose for your life might be.

(See Sine's book, Why Settle For More and Miss the Best, pp. 1-17)

At one time America was a Christian nation, but today there is very little remembrance of the biblical Christ in the consciences of the majority of people. The result is a higher and higher suicide rate especially among teenagers (those in the morning of life). Next on the list are senior citizens (those in the evening of life). Why? A lack of purpose has a lot to do with it!

Jesus Christ is the very revelation of God and the means of knowing God. Christ said in John 17: 3, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."

As we face this new year, with our compass in hand (our Bibles), let's examine our lives. Where have we been and where are we going? What kind of goals do we have and should we have? Let us chart our course and set some new goals based on the values and priorities of the Word of God.

6. They acted IMMEDIATELY

They said, "let us go straight to Bethlehem" and then we read in verse 16, "and they came in haste." They were determined, undeviating, and non-procrastinating. Procrastination (putting things off until tomorrow), often results in not getting them done at all or getting them done when it is too late. How often we have good intentions, but, lacking in determination, purpose, and commitment, we get side-tracked by family, by laziness, by indifference, by pleasure, business, hobbies, or any of a host of things, and we fail to follow through on the priorities of life. Remember Mary and Martha in Luke 10:39-42.

As a result of this action, the shepherds found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby. And as a result of acting without delay and digression, their lives would never be the same.

7. The acted SEARCHINGLY

I believe this is evident in the words, "and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger." The word "found" is a compound verb, aneurisko, and implies searching in order to find or discover. It comes from the preposition ana, "up, upwards," and the verb eurisko, "find, discover." The idea is that of searching, looking up and down, in order to find something of great value.

The verb also looks at the culmination of their search. It is what grammarians call a culminative aorist. In this word we see their desire, their hunger and thirst to know the Lord and experience His life. It reminds us of our Lords exhortation, "seek and you shall find." It calls to mind the words Proverbs 2:4-5: "If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God."

I am also reminded of Psalm 42:1-2: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?" These lowly shepherds, in response to the revelation of God, went to appear before the baby who was God incarnate.

8. They acted INSIGHTFULLY

They acted out of the understanding they received from seeing the Lord (vs. 17a). The text says, "and when they had seen, they made known the statement . . ."

In this we see the principle of cause and effect. Grammatically, the words "and when they had seen" represent a temporal participle in the Greek text which precedes the action of the main verb, "they made known." Sometimes, depending on the context, temporal participles also give us the cause as well as the sequence of events. Making know what they had seen was not merely the next event in the narrative. It was a product of seeing the blessed Savior.

"Had seen" is the Greek verb orao which means (1) "to physically see, observe, notice," but (2) it may also mean "to perceive, understand, and experience" in the sense of mental sight or understanding. Through the faculty of the eyes, i.e., through study and observation, one comes to see with his mind.

These humble shepherds came searching to see and know the Christ child and were rewarded for their efforts. They not only saw him with their eyes, but they went away with spiritual insight having seen the Lord, the one announced to them by the angels. The words or message of the angels had now come alive in their hearts. They experienced the knowledge of the Savior and acted appropriately, as men should always do who have met the Savior. The actions that follow show they were men who acted out of insight into the person of Jesus Christ.

What can we learn from their example?

First, we each need the same kind of interest and hunger for spiritual things that led these men to go and search for Jesus Christ. One of the greatest problems we face today is apathy or spiritual indifference. Many in the church of Jesus Christ are simply religious, like the religious leaders of Christ's time, but it seems they have no real interest in really coming to know the savior and experiencing Him.

Having seen the glorified Christ, what was the apostle Paul's attitude and goal? He said, "that I might know Him." This was the great obsession of His life. Why? Because he also said, "and the power of his resurrection." To know and have intimate fellowship with the Savior is to experience spiritual power which means, true spiritual change.

When we go to our Bibles, do we go seeking to see the Lord Jesus in order to have fellowship with Him, to hear what He is saying to us? Too often we are merely religious externalists. If we are not careful we can be like the church at Laodicea, lukewarm because we are satisfied with our material blessings or with our religious activities by which we substitute religiosity for personally knowing and seeing the Savior in the Word.

Modern religion can be characterized and contrasted to true biblical Christianity as follows:

Human Religiosity	versus	Biblical Piety
	OR
Churchianity	versus	Biblical Christianity

The mere practice of religion is meaningless. It is an abomination to God and it "often promotes rather than alleviates guilt and anxiety. Scrupulous observance of the laws and codes of sacred tradition may grieve the Spirit. A beautiful liturgy may quench the Spirit. Scripture tells us that the only worship acceptable to God is worship `in spirit and in truth'" (John 4:23-24; Phil. 3:3). (Donald Bloesch, Faith and Its Counterparts, p. 18, InterVarsity Press)

Second, God rewarded their efforts to go and see the Christ Child. And so He does with us. Scripture says, "you will seek and find me when you search for me with your whole heart" (Jer. 29:13; John 10:17). God knows the hearts and gives to each of us according to our ways. "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds (Jer. 17:10).

As mentioned previously, I think, instructive that the angels did not appear to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. Why? Perhaps because they were apathetic to information about the birth of the Christ Child and to know their God. They were merely religious. They even knew from the Old Testament where Messiah would be born (Matt. 2:4-6), but when they were questioned by Herod concerning the words of the magi, unlike the shepherds, they stayed in Jerusalem, and it was just business as usual. They just didn't care.

We reap what we sow for either good or for bad! Compare Galatians 6:7-8 and Romans 8:5-7.

How about it? How hungry are we? Are we just religious, doing our little religious bit for God? Are we playing church to soothe a few guilty feelings with a few religious activities, or do we really want to know the Savior so that, like the shepherds, it can really begin to transform us?

Third, knowing Jesus Christ, seeing and understanding spiritual truth, gives insight for living. It renews our minds and enables us to reevaluate our lives, our reasons for living, our values, goals, priorities, and the whole works (Eph. 3:16-19; Rom. 12:1-2)..

9. They acted EVANGELISTICALLY

Again, remember the principle here of cause and effect. One of the immediate results of their insight from meeting with the Savior was the desire, indeed, the compulsion to tell others the good news of Christ. Here is the most important information in the world that needs to be told and shared. When something good happens to us we generally can't wait to tell others. But because Satan blinds the hearts of men to spiritual truth and because people do not always respond as we expect and because they often either do not want to talk about spiritual things or think we are a little odd, we tend to keep this information to ourselves.

10. Those who heard acted AMAZEDLY

The news about the angels and the message about the birth caused a sense of amazement and wonder in the minds of men.

What are some the lessons we can learn from this?

First, the shepherds became like salt causing interest and maybe even thirst in some. The amazement of some may have bordered on skepticism while others may have marveled with a sense of joy and biblical expectation for after all such should have been anticipated among Jewish people. Our Lord said, "You are the salt of the earth." God wants us to be like salt. The kind of response we experience from people will vary as we share the truth of Scripture, but this should never affect our willingness and desire to share it. Much depends on the preparation of the hearts of men, but we should always look for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Second, what is our response to truth as we here it? Are we like some who want to be entertained, who look only for the sensational, the curious, the extraordinary, for that which excites or amazes, or are we simply those who love God and His Word and find simple but profound satisfaction in His worship and in the study of the basic truths of Scripture because to us they are like hidden treasure?

This leads us naturally to the next point and to the action of Mary, a fitting example for all of us.

11. Mary acted CHERISHINGLY

"Treasured up" is the Greek suntereo, "to keep, guard, keep safe." It means to preserve, hold, treasure up in one's mind or memory because of its value. Were these just the treasured memories of a mother, or did it go beyond this because this was no ordinary child? Certainly she treasured this information regarding the shepherds and their testimony because of the spiritual significance of these marvelous salvific events.

This illustrates the need to store or memorize the truth of Scripture because of its value; we are to treasure God's truth even more than gold because it contains the wealth that gives life and life abundantly (cf. Isa. 55:1-11).

Note that she treasured "all these things." She stored every tidbit, every morsel of the story and these salvific happenings. Again, not just because it was her son, but because it was about the Messiah Savior. So I am reminded of,

"Thy word have I treasured in my heart that I might not sin against thee (Ps. 119:11).

"I shall delight in thy statutes, I shall not forget Thy word (Ps. 119:16).

My son keep my words, and treasure my commandments with you . . . bind them on you fingers: write them upon the tablet of your heart (Prov. 7:1 & 3).

But that's not all she did with these treasured things. Why do we treasure or store up the Word? Our next point answers this question.

12. Mary acted REFLECTIVELY

The word "pondered" is the present of continuous action. Pondering the things of Christ must become our practice, a constant part of our lives. "Pondered" is the Greek sumballo and means "to cast together." From this it came to mean to cast thoughts together in the mind, to reflect, to meditate. The suggestion of the grammar of the Greek text is that pondering these was both a design and a result of treasuring them ("pondered" could be classified as a verbal participle of intended result).

In this, Mary gives us an example of the principle of meditating on the things of God that we have read, studied, heard, and memorized for better understanding and application. Why do we learn the Word? So that we might reflect on it for greater understanding and application.

Let me suggest two things here:

First, biblical meditation is a lost art. People rarely take time for meditating on God's Word. They simply do not have the right perspective for it. We think only from the mind set of activity and business. That's the American way. If we are not busily engaged in something we are wasting time, or being lazy. Time, after all if for two things--making money and having fun. You've heard the statement, "Time is money." So we go go go, do do do, and then wonder why we burn out or up or become frustrated, tense and with high blood pressure.

Second, but Satan always has a counterfeit and today we occasionally do hear about meditation, but this by in large is of the Satanic variety. In this, the object of meditation is not on the Word and on the Christ of Scripture, but either on one's own desires and wants or on nothing at all. You are suppose to take your mind out of gear and put it on nothing and maybe also chant some supposedly meaningful words. This, people are told, allows them to reach out to the universal force by which they can solve all their problems, develop perfect health, and get rich. But the fact is, this opens a person up to demonic attack and they can end up making contact with demonic forces.

With verse 20 we return to the actions of the shepherds.

13. They acted FAITHFULLY

"They went back" to their sheep or to their work, undoubtedly as changed men.

We again see in this the concept of cause and effect. Only a proper cause will produce a proper effect. The flesh cannot deal with the flesh. Change comes only from knowing Christ and relating our lives to Him in daily fellowship.

We also see the nature of the change that was effected. Undoubtedly, their experience with the Savior made them even more conscientious and faithful. It would give them greater capacity in their work.

When Christ comes into our lives and when we make His Word and life a priority, it changes us and gives us a new capacity in all the various areas of life. It makes men better teachers, ranchers, carpenters, engineers, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives because it gives us a new purpose in life and a new capacity to love and care for others in a Christian sense. Because of the new orientation knowing Christ gives, our professions become a place to serve the Lord and others, not just as a platform for the gospel, but as people who do what they do for the glory of God and out of love for others.

Whatever we may have been, with Christ at the helm of our lives, indeed as the new source of our lives, we will be better, more capable, more relaxed, more at peace, stronger, and more efficient.

Principle: When we make Jesus Christ a priority and allow Him to rearrange our values, schedules, and the way we use our time, taking time for instance for spiritual things, the Lord will always meet our needs according to what is best (Matt. 6:33). We never ultimately lose with the Lord even when we suffer for righteousness sake.

14. They acted WORSHIPFULLY

They "went back glorifying and praising God . . ." These men returned with a song in their hearts and praise on their lips. Their lives would now be filled with a new dimension in every sphere, but especially would their worship be dramatically transformed. Our Lord told the women at the well, "they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." The point is that the knowledge of Jesus Christ makes worship real, meaningful, joyful, and significant. It is not dependent on stained glass windows, soft music, and a special setting. It depends on seeing Christ and having fellowship with Him.

These shepherds were common men living very common and ordinary lives. Yet, the rest of their commonplace lives would be filled with the music of praise and their night watches lit by the glory of God in their hearts, a glory that would never fade as long as they continued to have fellowship with this Savior they had seen. These men probably never saw the person of Christ after He began His ministry thirty years later, but their lives would still be filled with a new song.

Conclusion

Let's not fail to note that they went back to their sheep, to their occupations, and undoubtedly also to their families, but they went back changed men:

• They would be better at their work and they would be better husbands, fathers, and sons because they would be working out of fellowship with their Savior in a new way and with a new vision and purpose for life.
• Their would be a new song in their hearts and praise on their lips and a whole new character to the way they lived.
• There would also be a burden on their hearts and a message on their lips for they wanted others to learn of and know this Savior of theirs.

How about us?

• Can people see a difference in our lives because we have been with the Savior?
• Are we preparing our hearts for the Word so there can be a proper response when we study or assemble together?
• Do we get excited about our Lord and what God has done in Christ and wants to do in us, or has it become old hat?
• Do we talk with one another about Him, or is the majority or our conversation on other things?
• Are we goal oriented and undeviating and determined in our pursuit to meet with the Savior in the Word, or are we turned aside by other things because of wrong priorities?

As we face this new year how are we going to respond to the messages of Scripture? What difference is it going to make in our lives? Remember that it takes two to make a good message, one that reaches our hearts and has an effect on our lives--the one who prepares the message, and the one who prepares to hear it.

Let's do some careful examining as we face a new year . . .

Edie

WHO CRUCIFIED THE LORD JESUS? Luke 23:33-38

INTRODUCTION:   1. The question would seem to be irrelevant almost 2000 year after it happened. But the implications of why Christ was crucified has far reaching implications to us today.
           2. For the Jews it has sinister and dreadful implications. For centuries they have borne the quilt and being called "Christ killer" in a thousand tongues. They have been hated and even murdered. Yet, those that have hated the Jew, have in truth done so in error. Most have used the crucifixion of Jesus to condemn and hate them. But the real reason has to do with their wealth and close knit society. Those who have persecuted the Jews in truth have not done so because of a love of Christ.
           Jesus himself prayed, Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Those who accuse the Jews today as down thru history, prove their own quilt and part in the crucifixion.
           3. There were many persons and groups who took part or were there when Jesus was Crucified.
           There was the high priest, the priests, the rulers and the elders of the Jewish people, the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees. The Romans also had a large part in the Crucifixion: Pilate, the governor of the Roman providence, gave the order and his soldiers carried it out.
           Others were there. Jesus's mother, and the other Marys, and some of his disciples. John took Mary home before he died. But these were but bystanders, they took no part.
           All of Jerusalem knew of it. Thousands have cried over and over "crucify him." But though they sought His death, where they ultimately responsible for His going to the Cross?
I. THE HIGH PRIESTS PARTICIPATED IN THE CRUCIFIXION.
           Annas was the retired high priest when Jesus stood before him. The actual high priest was Caiaphas Annas's son-in-law. The priesthood was almost totally corrupted, Annas was the power and ruled through his fives sons.
           They had brought the position from the Romans. They were feared and hated by the Jews. They had around them a secret police force of common thugs, who spied on the people and no one dared even whisper a word against them for fear of prison.
           The chief source of their wealth seems to have been the sale of requisites for the temple sacrifices, such as sheep, doves, wine and oil, which they carried on in the four famous "booths of the sons of Annas" on the Mount of Olives, with a branch within the precincts of the temple itself. During the great feasts, they were able to extort high monopoly prices for theft goods. Hence, our Lord's strong denunciation of those who made the house of prayer "a den of robbers" (ISBE)
           Such was the high priest Jesus was brought before. He had driven the sellers and money changers out of the temple a short time earlier. He openly called the temple a den of thieves.
           This plus his called to righteous and repentance from sin, was sufficient reason to wish Jesus dead.
           Jesus was tried first before Annas' at night which was illegal. He was not the High Priest and it was illegal to hold a trial at night in secret. The He was taken to Caiaphas' house at 3:30AM , who was the son-in-law of Annas. Again at night and illegal under Jewish law. Jesus was then taken at 6:00AM before the members of the Sanhedrin. They had no formal charge against Him so they charged Him with treason against Rome.!?!?! Jews defending Rome?! He was then tried before Pilate, then Herod and then finally before Pilate again. He was never convicted of anything...yet sentenced to death.
II. THE SADDUCEES AND PHARISEES.
           The elders and scribes belonged to two political parties in the Sanhedrin. The Sadducees rejected life after death, angels or and thing supernatural.
           They were the aristocracy and well to do ruling class. The Pharisees believed in God. Paul said they had a zeal, but not according to truth.
           They have refined hypocrisy to a science. They passed themselves off as the religious leaders of the Jews, yet they lived on pride, power and self-righteousness. They longed for a Messiah, but they wanted a strong military leader who would throw off the Roman oppressors. They wanted Israel to be strong and powerful and a glorious nation.
           They could not accept a Messiah, who came from the family of a poor carpenter, or the poor town of Nazareth.
III. THE ROMAN GOVERNOR, PILATE AND KING HEROD.
           He as a puppet of Roman. His only concern was in getting rich, and making a good name so that when he returned to Roman, he would be honored.
           Scandal or unrest in the captured Palestine would look bad on his record. He wanted to drop the hold matter of Jesus. But because the Jews were so upset, he had to appease them to keep the peace.
           So he allowed an innocent man, that he knew had done no wrong, be crucified for his own financial and political gain.
           Herod was not even a Jew, he tried to play games with Christ and mocked and belittled Him. IV. THE ROMAN SOLDIERS.
           The soldier actually carried out the crucifixion. The officers were all Roman, but within the ranks were men from many countries. Germans, Gauls, Britains, the ancestors of all European and American nations.
           It was as if God intended to illustrate the sin of all men, because most nationalities were represented there.
           They acted as soldiers of their day. The mocked their prisoner, tortured Him mercilessly, played cruel games, Blindfolding Him they slapped Christ Jesus, and asking him who it was the hit him.
           They hated the Jews, and vent their hate of all Jews on Christ. The put a crown of thorns on his head, gave him a sceptre, and some scarlet rages mocking Him, as the King of the Jews.
           It is interesting that the Romans who tortured, and actually crucified Christ, are never called "Christ killers" as are the Jews.
V. THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
           The cried in the streets, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him" and they mocked Jesus and the cruelest of ways.
           Even as He hung in torment and terrible suffering, they mocked, him and spat on Him. Most hated him vehemently.
           YET, THERE WERE OTHERS ALSO WHO LOVED HIM AS MUCH AS OTHERS HATED HIM.
           His disciples, wanted to defend Him. Peter, had a sword and cut of the ear of on of Jesus's captors in the Garden of Gethsemane.
           Yet, Jesus would not allow them to defend Him. Helpless, they watched Him, tried, tortured and crucified.
           It is unfair to place all the blame on the Jews. Many others were there and took part in the carnage.
           Judas, betrayed Him and Peter denied Him three times. Yet, within two months, as recorded in Act 2,4, over 8000 Jews believed and were saved. The early church was 100 percent Jewish.
VI. WHO DID CRUCIFY THE LORD JESUS?
           "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." (Acts 4:26-28)

1. It was men who crucified the Lord Jesus. Men such as you and I. Men, who are the same today as they were then. 2. We were not there in person, but we were they in character.            Each one who took part, High Priest, religious leaders, political leaders, Jews, Romans and Gentiles of every nation....we today have their counterparts.            Sin marred man lives today as he did then. Their sins are our sins, their guilt our guilt.            When we purpose to establish our own righteousness, ignoring the righteousness of God, we stand with the those people of old.            We still are steeped in sin, seeking to gratify our craving and lusts, having little thought of others. All those who reject Christ, mock Him. Make little of his suffering for them. Show contempt on all He did. Oh, yes, every person who claims to know Christ as Savior, yet lives in sin, continues in sin, mocks Jesus as he suffered.            It would have been the same had Christ come in this generation. Nothing would be different.            3. We have only looked at the human aspect of the Cross. What of the Spiritual of God's purposes?

           Surely Christ died for the sins of all the world. Because man sinned then in order for man to be saved Christ had to pay the penalty...no one else but God could.
           You see in reality, it was God who allowed Jesus to be Crucified!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

           Is there anyone who could say, and believe this to be true, that God does not want to forgive your sins? Could anyone, not see and understand that it was God, who allowed Himself to suffer, to pay for our sin.

"He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all". (Isaiah 53:5-6)            God is not in the blaming business! He is one who wants to forgive! You were there on that day of infamy. The day the crucified the Lord Jesus you were in His mind. We were all there in that your sins and mine were heaping suffering upon Him. Yet, Him who suffered for your sin has only love and concern and forgiveness for you.            Would you right now, bow at the cross of Jesus, and repent of your sin, and ask God to forgive you. He will....How do we know? Folks, that is why he was there...that you might not have to bear the penalty of your sins.            "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left is crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."            Want you receive Jesus now? It happen all for you!! May God bless you as we continue to search more about the treasures in the word,,,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

its our sin,,,,,,forgive us lord

Edie

Dr congo Mission

Blessings to all of you who have been there for us in pray and surport,,,in all ways,, we are going into DR congo....Edwin and Don love more,, we are going to reach the Effe, lesse Pygmies in the Ituri Forrest,, we are leaving tomorow 21st Dec 2011,,we ask you tompray for us and keep us before our God,,
we love you
bye

May you rejoice and celebrate X mass with our lord in your lives,,,,,
I am dreaming of white Christmas,
with every christmas card i write,
May your days be merry and bright,
and May all your christmases be white.
Happy Christmas.

Motives for Obedience to God

Motives for Obedience to God in the Christian Life

Why should Christians obey God? Most believers would think of the first reason listed below: We should obey God
because we love Him.
Of course this is true, but we might be surprised to see how many more ways God uses to motivate us to obedience.
Here is a list of thirteen of those motives, drawn from various parts of the New Testament:
1. We should obey God because we love Him and desire to please Him.
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15) and, "Whoever has my commandments
and keeps them, he it is who loves m.e" (John 14:21) If we want to know what it means to love God, John tells us,
"This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." (1 John 5:3)
2. We should obey God in order to keep a clear conscience before him.
Paul says we are to be subject to the government not only to avoid punishment but also "for the sake of conscience."
(Rom. 13:5) In practical terms, this means I have to be honest in reporting even cash income, and I have to pay the toll
at night when I pass through an unattended toll booth, and I have to obey copyright law when making photocopies,
not just for fear of being caught and punished, but also to keep a clear conscience before God. Paul wanted his
hearers' lives to be full of the kind of love that issued from "a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith." (1
Tim. 1:5) Paul himself said that he served God "with a clear conscience." (2 Tim. 1:3) When we pray, a clear
conscience gives us confidence before God, because John said, "If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence
before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases
him." (1 John 3:21-22)
3. We should obey God because we each want to be a "vessel for honorable use" (2 Timothy 2:20-21) and have
increased effectiveness in the work of the kingdom.
Paul says we are like the different kinds of dishes and pots in a large house: "Now in a great house there are not only
vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if
anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to
the master of the house, ready for every good work." (2 Tim. 2:20-21)
Paul wants us to ask ourselves, which kind of vessel do I want to be in God's kingdom? If, as a Christian, I fill my
mind and heart with "dishonorable" things before God, I can expect to be like a vessel for "dishonorable use" (like the
scrub bucket or the garbage can or the dish we put the dog food in). God may still use me for something in his
kingdom, but there won't be much blessing in it. But, if I turn away from things that dishonor God, if I keep from my
eyes and my mind from "what is dishonorable," then I will be to God like a dish made of gold or silver, "a vessel for
honorable use ... ready for every good work." If we want God to use us in significant ways, we have to walk in
obedience to him.
4. We should obey God because we desire to see unbelievers come to Christ through observing our lives.
Peter tells believers that their good conduct will be their defense against slander and will often lead to the conversion
of those who first speak against them: "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak
against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Pet. 2:12)
5. We should obey God because we desire to receive present blessings from God on our lives and ministries.
We have to be very clear about two things here. On the one hand, we should never tell non-Christians that they can be
saved by trying to obey God, for "all who rely on works of the law are under a curse" (Gal. 3:10), and "no one is
justified before God by the law" (Gal. 3:11), for "the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom.
6:23) We receive forgiveness of sins not by works but by trusting in Christ alone.
On the other hand, the New Testament writers do not hesitate to tell believers that God will bless us in this life if we
live in obedience to him. Peter tells believers that they should not "repay evil for evil ... but on the contrary, bless ...
that you may obtain a blessing." (1 Pet. 3:9) To prove this, he quotes Psalm 34 and applies it to Christians:
"Whoever wants to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do right; let him seek peace and pursue it.For the eyes of the Lord are on the
righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (1 Pet. 3:10-12)
He wants us to ask ourselves, do I want the Lord's eyes to be on me, directing my steps and blessing my work day by
day? Do I want the Lord's ears to be open to my prayers? Do I want to "see good days?" Of course we all want that!
Then Peter tells us we should "turn away from evil and do right." (vs.11) What an incentive to walk in obedience! If
we will obey God's Word, Peter indicates that we can expect to see God's favor and blessing on our lives and
ministries.
6. We should obey God because we desire to avoid God's displeasure and discipline on our lives.
Of course God loves us, but he can also be displeased with us at the same time. Jesus says, "Those whom I love, I
reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent" (Rev. 3:19), and Paul warns us, "do not grieve the Holy Spirit of
God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Eph. 4:30) In fact, if God did not discipline us at all it
would mean that he didn't love us: "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he
receives." (Heb. 12:6)
So many pastors who have fallen into serious sin failed to fear God's discipline and failed to reckon on the withdrawal
of God's blessing from their lives. What could be more costly than the withdrawal of God's blessing? If God's blessing
is gone, then what kind of ministry, what kind of life will we have?
7. We should obey God because we desire to seek greater heavenly reward.
Paul told the Corinthians that one reason he always tried to please God was that "we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or
evil." (2 Cor. 5:9-10) He also told them that they should be careful how they did the Lord's work, because it will all be
tested by fire on the last day, and: "If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a
reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire."
(1 Cor. 3:14-15)
8. We should obey God because we desire for a deeper walk with him.
Jesus says that the "pure in heart ... shall see God" (Matt. 5:8), and John tells us that we "abide" in Christ, and he in
us, if we walk in obedience to Christ's commands: "Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in
them." (1 John 3:24)
9. We should obey God because we desire that angels would glorify God for our obedience.
When Paul gave Timothy a hard command about not showing favoritism to elders who had sinned, he reminded him
that he was saying this "in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels." (1 Tim. 5:21) Angels
would watch to see whether Timothy obeyed what Paul said. We also should remember that angels watch us today,
and they are grieved when we sin, and they rejoice and glorify God when we obey his Word.
10. We should obey God because obedience is best for us.
God is a good God who deeply loves his children. And this good God, this all-wise Creator, has not given us
commands to harm us, but commands that will do us good!
In fact, as we live in obedience we will increasingly discover in practice that God's will for us is "good and acceptable
and perfect." (Rom. 12:2)
11. We should obey God because this increases our assurance of our salvation.
John says, "By this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments." (1 John 2:3) Peter tells his
readers that they can make their "call and election sure" (2 Pet. 1:10) by continuing to exercise godly qualities such as
faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (vss. 5-7). As we live in
obedience to God year after year after year, we will begin to see a Christ-like character that God is producing in us,
and this should give us deep assurance of our salvation.
12. We should obey God because our hearts delight in the goodness of his commands, and our hearts delight to
do what is right.
In the Old Testament, David could say, "I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart" (Ps. 40:8),
and the writer of Psalm 119 could say, "Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day." (Ps. 119:97) If these Old Testament believers could love God's law for them so
deeply, should we not love God's commands for us even more today, and obey it even more fully?
13. We should obey God because obedience foreshadows the kind of life we will live in heaven.
Part of the reason we look forward to heaven is that there will be no evil there. We look forward to "new heavens and
a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Pet. 3:13) If we obey God's commandments to us today, then we are
living something of a heavenly life right now, experiencing a bit of the joy that will be fully ours in the age to come.
There are probably more motives for obedience that other people could find in the New Testament, but these at least
should be wonderful encouragements to us. How wise God is, giving us this wide variety of reasons to obey him! And
all of this is for our good! We should never think that obedience to God is burdensome or oppressive, for James calls
God's law "the perfect law, the law of liberty" (James 2:12), and John says, "his commandments are not burdensome."
(1 John 5:3)
Someone might object, where is grace in all of this discussion? Grace is all through the discussion. It is only God's
grace that enables us to find forgiveness of our sins in Christ, "for by grace you have been saved through faith." (Eph.
Blessings
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The Death of Abraham

Genesis 25

The Death of Abraham

 ¹ Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. ² She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. ³ Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. ⁴ The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.  ⁵ Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. ⁶ But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
 ⁷ Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. ⁸ Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. ⁹ His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, ¹⁰ the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites.^[a] There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

Ishmael’s Sons

 ¹² This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.  ¹³ These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴ Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵ Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. ¹⁶ These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. ¹⁷ Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. ¹⁸ His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward^[b] all the tribes related to them.

Jacob and Esau

 ¹⁹ This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Isaac.    Abraham became the father of Isaac, ²⁰ and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram^[c] and sister of Laban the Aramean.
 ²¹ Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. ²² The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD.
 ²³ The LORD said to her,
   “Two nations are in your womb,
   and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
   and the older will serve the younger.”
 ²⁴ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. ²⁵ The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau.^{[d] 26} After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.^[e] Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them.
 ²⁷ The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. ²⁸ Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
 ²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. ³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.^[f])
 ³¹ Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
 ³² “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
 ³³ But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
 ³⁴ Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
   So Esau despised his birthright.
let go more deeper

Blessings for Obedience

Deuteronomy 28

Blessings for Obedience

 ¹ If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

 ³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
 ⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

 ⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
 ⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

 ⁷ The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.
 ⁸ The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

 ⁹ The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him.

¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. ¹¹ The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

 ¹² The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

¹³ The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

¹⁴ Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.
you will blessed,,,,

But if you Rebel,,,

Curses for Disobedience

 ¹⁵ However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:  ¹⁶ You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
 ¹⁷ Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.
 ¹⁸ The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
 ¹⁹ You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
 ²⁰ The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.^{[a] 21} The LORD will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. ²² The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. ²³ The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. ²⁴ The LORD will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed.
 ²⁵ The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. ²⁶ Your carcasses will be food for all the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away. ²⁷ The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. ²⁸ The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. ²⁹ At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.
 ³⁰ You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit. ³¹ Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will eat none of it. Your donkey will be forcibly taken from you and will not be returned. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and no one will rescue them. ³² Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand. ³³ A people that you do not know will eat what your land and labor produce, and you will have nothing but cruel oppression all your days. ³⁴ The sights you see will drive you mad. ³⁵ The LORD will afflict your knees and legs with painful boils that cannot be cured, spreading from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.
 ³⁶ The LORD will drive you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your ancestors. There you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone. ³⁷ You will become a thing of horror, a byword and an object of ridicule among all the peoples where the LORD will drive you.
 ³⁸ You will sow much seed in the field but you will harvest little, because locusts will devour it. ³⁹ You will plant vineyards and cultivate them but you will not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them. ⁴⁰ You will have olive trees throughout your country but you will not use the oil, because the olives will drop off. ⁴¹ You will have sons and daughters but you will not keep them, because they will go into captivity. ⁴² Swarms of locusts will take over all your trees and the crops of your land.
 ⁴³ The foreigners who reside among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. ⁴⁴ They will lend to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, but you will be the tail.
 ⁴⁵ All these curses will come on you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the LORD your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you. ⁴⁶ They will be a sign and a wonder to you and your descendants forever. ⁴⁷ Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, ⁴⁸ therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.
 ⁴⁹ The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand, ⁵⁰ a fierce-looking nation without respect for the old or pity for the young. ⁵¹ They will devour the young of your livestock and the crops of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine or olive oil, nor any calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks until you are ruined. ⁵² They will lay siege to all the cities throughout your land until the high fortified walls in which you trust fall down. They will besiege all the cities throughout the land the LORD your God is giving you.
 ⁵³ Because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the LORD your God has given you. ⁵⁴ Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, ⁵⁵ and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of all your cities. ⁵⁶ The most gentle and sensitive woman among you—so sensitive and gentle that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot—will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter ⁵⁷ the afterbirth from her womb and the children she bears. For in her dire need she intends to eat them secretly because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of your cities.
 ⁵⁸ If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God— ⁵⁹ the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. ⁶⁰ He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. ⁶¹ The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. ⁶² You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God. ⁶³ Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you. You will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.
 ⁶⁴ Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. ⁶⁵ Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. ⁶⁶ You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. ⁶⁷ In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”—because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see. ⁶⁸ The LORD will send you back in ships to Egypt on a journey I said you should never make again. There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.
Edie

Shall we find Judas Iscariot in heaven when we get there?

Who was Judas?

There are at least three men named Judas in the New Testament, but the most famous Judas is Judas Iscariot (in John 6:71, he is described as the son of Simon Iscariot). Judas Iscariot was one of the 12 apostles closest to Jesus, and was with him at the Last Supper.
What did Judas do?
According to the four canonical gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus by handing him over to the chief priests to be murdered. In the Gospel of John, Judas Iscariot agreed to lead the chief priests to Jesus and identify him with a kiss on the cheek. In return, the chief priests gave Judas 30 pieces of silver.

Why did Judas betray Jesus?
In the Gospel of Matthew, when Judas goes to the chief priests, he asks: “What will you give me if I deliver [Jesus] to you?” (26:15). This verse suggests Judas betrayed Jesus out of greed. In the Gospel of John, after Jesus gives Judas the piece of dipped bread, “Satan entered into him” (13:27). This verse suggests Satan’s spirit entered into Judas and caused him to do evil.
Did Jesus know that Judas was going to betray him?
Yes. Jesus knew he would die and that he would be betrayed by one of his own. At the Last Supper, Jesus reveals this fact to his 12 apostles: “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me” (Matthew 26: 21). In the Gospel of Matthew, when his apostles ask who it is, Jesus replies: “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me, will betray me” (v. 23). When the apostles take turns asking who, Judas asks, “Is it I, Master?” Jesus answers, “You have said so” (v. 25). The Gospel of John provides a more detailed account. Jesus reveals Judas is his betrayer by saying: “‘It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it.’ So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot…Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly.’ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him” (John 13:26-28, NRSV). While it’s assumed that the other apostles did not know about Judas’ betrayal, Jesus definitely knew.
What did Judas do after Jesus died?
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas repented his betrayal (27:4 - “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood”) and tried to return the silver to the chief priests, throwing the coins on the Temple floor. He then committed suicide by hanging himself.

The chief priests took the “blood money” (v. 6) and bought a potter’s field for burying foreigners. The field eventually became known as the “Field of Blood” (v. 8).

The Book of Acts offers a different account of what happened to Judas. It is said Judas purchased a field and fell in headfirst onto the field where “all his bowels gushed out” (1:18).
What is the "Gospel of Judas"?

The "Gospel of Judas" is a document written on papyrus that was discovered near a cave in El Minya, Egypt, in fragmentary form.  Found in the 1970s, the document was assembled and translated by a team of scholars over a number of years and released to the public in April 2006. A Gnostic text, it claims that Jesus asked Judas to hand him over. According to Jesus, Judas would set Jesus’ spirit free from his earthly shell so he would ascend to heaven. This act would ensure that Judas was set apart from the other disciples and guarantee him a place above them in heaven.
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