Born to Reproduce: Where is yours?

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If you do not have a copy of Dawson Trotman's Born to Reproduce, you can read it online by clicking  HERE . (You can also download and print it; it's seven pages.)

Please read How to Majoring in Reproducing, pages 25 - 27 in the booklet, or from the middle of page 4 to the beginning of page 5 in the online document.

Trotman says: "What will it take to jar us out of our complacency and send us home to pray, “God, give me a girl or man whom I can win to Christ, or let me take one who is already won, an infant in Christ, and try to train that one so that he or she will reproduce!” How thrilled we are to see the masses fill up the seats! But where is your man?"

And so I ask, where is your man or woman?  Where is my man?

He might be next door.  Maybe she works with you.  It could be your son's friend who has no Dad; maybe it's your Dad's friend who has no son.

The truth is, he or she could be anywhere.  And that thought is intimidating!  Who is he?  Where is he?

"What will it take to jar us out of our complacency and send us home to pray?"

Christian, just know that he is there.  And pray.  God will deliver you to him or him to you.

Go. Please. Go and pray for your one.
You can make a difference.

Pray for your one.

Questions:

Do you believe God will bring someone to you?

Have you prayed, today, for that to happen?

If so, what is happening?

If not, why not?

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.
Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :
Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce: Who else is?

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If you do not have a copy of Dawson Trotman's Born to Reproduce, you can read it online by clicking HERE.  (You can also download and print it; it's seven pages.)

 Please read How to Majoring in Reproducing, pages 25 - 27 in the booklet, or from the middle of page 4 to the beginning of page 5 in the online document.

In the last section, Trotman talks about multiplication. One person disciples one other, then each of them one more. Now there are four. He says "So the four of them in the next six months each get a man. That makes eight at the end of a year and a half. They all go out after another and at the end of two years there are 16 men. At the end of three years there are 64: the 16 have doubled twice. At the end of five years there are 1,048. At the end of fifteen and a half years there are 2,176,000,000. That is the present population of the world of persons over three years of age."


Can you imagine?  Over two billion reached in under sixteen years, starting with just two?

Wait, does fifteen years seem like a long time?  Well, I did some quick math.  If every single day of the year, there was a large stadium-type evangelism event, with 15,000 people in attendance - that's 15 thousand every day of the year, it would take over 397 years to reach the same number!  So, one x two, then two x two, and so on, is very effective.  Not to mention the depth to which people are being taken to, relationships being built.

So who is going to do it?

Why not you?





Questions:

Trotman asked "who else is majoring in discipleship?".  Not talking about programs or committees who have that title, but are not doing this work, is your church involved in discipleship to this level?

If not, why not?

Have you started praying for your one?.

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from : 

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to reproduce - "You can't have two until you have one."

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If you do not have a copy of Dawson Trotman's Born to Reproduce, you can read it online by clicking HERE.  (You can also download and print it; it's seven pages.)


Please read How to Produce Reproducers, pages 20 - 25 in the booklet, or from the middle of page 3 to the middle of page 4 in the online document.

I love the story that starts this section. It is that of a young man, a young sailor, who wanted to be a discipler. He went after this whole group of guys, but it did not seem that he was getting anywhere. Trotman relates the story this way:

He came to me after a month of this and said, “Dawson, I can’t get any of these guys on the ship to get down to business.”

 I said to him, “Listen, you ask God to give you one. You can’t have two until you have one. Ask God to give you a man after your own heart.”

 He began to pray.

And then it happened -- it happened!

And from one came two, from two four, from four, eight -- and so on -- until 125 men were saved aboard this sailor's ship -- before it was sunk at Pearl Harbor.

When Born to Reproduce was first written, men from that ship were serving four continents as missionaries.

Will you ask God for your one?

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from : 

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce: Day 6 - Growing Up

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Today we continue our study on Dawson Trotman's Born to Reproduce.


Please read pages 13-19 in the booklet, or the section entitled "Spiritual Babes",  which starts at the very end of page 2 in the online document.


Dawson Trotman says:  "One other thing that can keep people from having children is immaturity. God in His wisdom saw to it that little children cannot have babies.  A little boy must first grow to sufficient maturity to be able to earn a living, and a little girl must be old enough to care for a baby."


Where do you think you are, spiritual maturity-wise?  This is not a question of knowledge - knowledge of theology, doctrine, the Bible or whatever; as Trotman goes on to say, "I know many people who can argue the pre-, the post- and the amillennial position and who know much about dispensations, but who are still immature."


No, this is a matter of growing up, growing close.  It is a matter of submission and application; a matter of right living.  Don't get me wrong, theology is important!  Study is important!  But only if the move you toward Christ.



There was a time when each of us found all the fulfillment we needed in someone feeding us, putting us to bed, holding us, and making the occasional funny face at us.


But we grew.  We developed.  Relationships became important, as did responsibility.  Doing the right things and doing them well.  Raising our families.  When we see that adult who still thinks and lives like a teenager, self-centered and avoiding life's responsibilities we shake our heads, right?


Trotman makes the case, and I could not agree more, that what we disdain in the physical world, we make generous allowances for in the spiritual world.


Salvation is important (the church falls short in that message as well, but that is for another time).  However, salvation is but the first step.  Jesus did not say 'go ye and make church members' or 'go ye and make converts', He said "go ye and make disciples"!  


The church has been struggling with this from the beginning.  Paul wrote a letter to the church in Corinth saying "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly —mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready."


What would Paul say in a letter to your church?


Questions:


How "grown up" do you feel?
What steps do you take to keep growing?
What challenges does your church face in this area?

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from : 

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce: DAY 5 – Impairment

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Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce

Dawson states that there are three hindrances that can prevent spiritual reproduction that have direct correlations to similar hindrances to physical reproduction:  in both realms there must be union, there must be a certain level of maturity, and there must not be a preventative disease or impairment.  It is the last of those three which we will discuss today.  

About this, Dawson says:  “Another factor that can hinder reproduction is disease or impairment to some part of the body that is needed for reproductive purposes. In the spiritual realm sin is the disease that can keep one from winning the lost.

Sin is the disease.

If we have determined, as asked in our last discussion, that we want to make disciples, ( in Dawson’s terms – that we want to have spiritual children), and if we have determined to live in union with Christ, then the next step in to live healthy lives.

Sin is the disease.

We must address this carefully, but accurately.  Do you have to be sin-free in order to begin to disciple someone else?  That is a tall order.  The world is a messy place.  God calls us toward holiness and perfection, and that is the direction to which we must be moving.  But we are not to wait until we are perfect before we reach to disciple, to mentor someone else.

Still, sin is the disease.

We are all prone to error.  We all slip up.  Let’s just say it – we all sin.  But one thing that will constantly keep us from bringing others into discipleship is ongoing, intentional, unrepentant sin.  That is a disease in our spirits; a disease that brings death.  James wrote about it this way:  but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)

What we are seeking here is spiritual reproduction that leads to new life.

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Questions:

Can a person be saved and continue in a lifestyle of sin?  

What kind of sins might these be?  

Are there any traces of these in your own life?

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce: DAY 4 – A question

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Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce.
Dawson says: “Only a few things will ever keep human beings from multiplying themselves in the physical realm. If a couple is not united, they will not reproduce. This is a truth which Christians need to grasp with reference to spiritual reproduction. When a person becomes a child of God, he should realize that he is to live in union with Jesus Christ if he is going to win others to the Savior.”

A thought occurred to me, a question really, that I thought I should ask, before we go on. Actually, I had one question, which was quickly replaced with another. I was going to ask: “Do you want to have (spiritual) children?” We were created by God to, we were commanded by Jesus to, and the Holy Spirit enables us to do this.

My next thought was that we can be obedient without wanting to do the task; then the real question became clear: Do you want to live in union with Jesus?

It’s your choice. But we need to clear that up quickly. You see, if you desire to be with Him, and draw near to Him, then everything else comes into focus. The Scriptures tell us that if you draw near to God and He will draw near to you and that if you seek His kingdom before anything else, then all the other things will be added to you. Included in those things will be the desire to reach out to and disciple others.

When a man and woman fall in love; the desire to have a family is quite natural; God wired us that way.

Live in union with Christ and you will want to add to your spiritual family.

The next step is yours.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

DAY 3 “Living in Union”

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DAY 3  “Living in Union”

Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce and continuing in the section  titled “Hindrances”, (book, pages 11-13;  online document, it is the last part of the first column and most of the second on page 1).

Dawson says:  “Only a few things will ever keep human beings from multiplying themselves in the physical realm. If a couple is not united, they will not reproduce. This is a truth which Christians need to grasp with reference to spiritual reproduction.  When a person becomes a child of God, he should realize that he is to live in union with Jesus Christ if he is going to win others to the Savior.”* (emphasis mine)

“To live in union”.  The Merriam – Webster dictionary defines ‘union’ as “an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one”, and ‘live’, among other ways, like this:

·         to be alive

·         to be located

·         to attain eternal life (yes folks, that’s in the dictionary!)

·         to have  life rich in experience

·         to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in

·         to experience firsthand

·         to be thoroughly absorbed by ⁽¹⁾

So then, may we consider “to live in union with Jesus Christ” like this? 

·         to be alive, joined as one with Christ

·         to be located, solely in Christ

·         to have life rich in experience as one with Christ

·         to exhibit vigor, gusto, or enthusiasm in Christ

·         to experience Christ firsthand

·         to be thoroughly absorbed by Christ  

Questions:

Do any of these express your relationship with Jesus?  Do you wish it did?  What might you do to make it so?

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⁽¹⁾http:// merriam-webster.com

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce: Day 2

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DAY 2

Today we continue our study on Born to Reproduce, a classic booklet on discipleship, based on a message given by Dawson Trotman in 1955. You can order the booklet from NavPress .   I buy them in bulk here , or view it online..  Please read the section  titled “Hindrances”.  If you have the book, that can be found on pages 11-13, if you are using the online document, it is the last part of the first column and most of the second on page 1 ( here:  Born to Reproduce ).

Here, Trotman makes a comparison between physical and spiritual reproduction.  For a couple to have a child, there must be union, there must be a certain level of health, and there must be a certain level of maturity.  Bereft of any of these and there can be no reproduction.  Likewise in the spiritual realm, in order to make a new disciple, in order to spiritually reproduce, there must be union, health, and maturity.

Today we will look at the union.  Dawson says:  “Only a few things will ever keep human beings from multiplying themselves in the physical realm. If a couple is not united, they will not reproduce. This is a truth which Christians need to grasp with reference to spiritual reproduction.  When a person becomes a child of God, he should realize that he is to live in union with Jesus Christ if he is going to win others to the Savior.” *

God designed the physical to teach us about the spiritual.  We completely understand that a man and woman must join together in order to reproduce, to bring another human being into the world which is part of both of them.  We ought to as easily understand Dawson’s point here; that there must be a joining with Christ first, then we (Jesus and each of us), together, can bring into being a new creature.  So what does that union look like?  To start:

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

This is love for God: to obey his commands. 1 John 5:3

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16

There’s more…but these four verses, in a nutshell, say “To be united with Jesus, follow Him, die and rise spiritually with Him, love and obey Him, live like Him.”

Questions:

Do you want “spiritual children”?  

Do you feel as if you are one with Christ?  

Have you taken any steps in order to be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Born to Reproduce

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Today we begin a study on Born to Reproduce, a classic booklet on discipleship, based on a message given by Dawson Trotman in 1955.

It is timeless.  

You can order the booklet from Nav Press, or view it online here: Born to Reproduce

Please read the opening section, stopping just short of the one titled Hindrances.

If you have the book, that can be found on pages 9 – 11 (the foreword is optional), if you are using the online document, it is the first column and ¾ on page 1 ( here:  Born to Reproduce ).

Trotman relates, beautifully I think, that the “first order given to man was to ‘be fruitful and multiply”’”* meant more than just having children.  God commanded, with His first command to mankind, that they create more like that which He had created.  

He commanded that those created in the image of God would bring about more living beings in His image.

Adam and Eve sinned and their offspring were born into sin. 

God likewise commanded Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply.  He had given them somewhat of a fresh start, but the world was still in need of a Savior.

God has provided a way for us to spiritually reproduce in a manner similar to the way Adam and Eve were intended to physically reproduce.  He has given us a Savior and provided us with His Holy Spirit to allow us create others in His image.

Grab the Dawson book…read on.

Questions:

Imagine how the world would be if all children ever born were not born in the grip of sin; what would the world look like?

How might we spiritually reproduce others in the image of God?

What prevents us from doing so?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All Scripture is taken from the NIV, 1984 edition, unless otherwise noted.

Quotes marked with an asterisk (*) are taken from :

Trotman, Dawson. Born to Reproduce. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2008. Print.

Christ is risen!

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When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb  and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”   But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

Mark 16:1-4

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb  and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.  They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”  “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

 She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).  John 20: 10-16

Today's highlight verse(s): John 20:16    Jesus said to her, "Mary."

There is so much in the resurrection!  Today, in keeping with our Easter discussion I'd like to look at one point.

We read earlier, that on Good Friday, Joseph and Nicodemus to Jesus' body to the tomb and prepared it for burial.  We also read here that these women went on Sunday to do the same thing.  Could it be that the men acted somewhat in secret, and that the women did not know that the body had already been prepared?  Or that the preparations were not complete?  That might explain their actions.

Maybe, just maybe, God caused these events to happen this way, for His purposes.  Had they no reason to return to the tomb, they would have not discovered the 'missing' body at that particular time!  But by obeying the Law, obeying God's Law, they found Jesus!

May this be a lesson for us.  Sometimes, we don't need any other reason, we don't need all the information, we just need to obey...to do that which He has commanded in His Word for us to do.  In that way, we too may find the resurrected Christ. 

As we close this season of Easter, may we continue to seek Him...He has promised that we will find Him.

Questions:

1. What do you think of this passage?

2. Is it hard to obey without knowing the 'why'? 

3. How do you feel on this, the day He arose?

May we seek God by obeying His Word.  Jim

The week that Jesus died: Saturday

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Scripture - John 19:38-42 

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. 

Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.  

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.  Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Today's highlight verse: 41  "At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid."

What happened after this point?  There are no Scripture references for Saturday, the Sabbath, the day between the burial and the resurrection.

So, let us look at His burial, in the context of His life.  As far as we know Jesus had few, if any, possessions.  Consider this:

He was formed in a borrowed womb. 

Born to a borrowed father, in a borrowed stable, and laid in a borrowed feeding trough. 

As He said of His life; "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

He rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey.

Then, borrowing the sins of the entire population that ever lived and ever would, He laid down His life, and was laid in a borrowed tomb. 

From a borrowed womb to a borrowed tomb.

This season of Easter, may we appreciate His giving up all of Heaven, to live as He did, for us.

Questions:

 1. What do you think of this passage?

2. Why do you think Scripture does not refer to this day? 

3. How do you feel on this, the day He lay in the tomb?

The week that Jesus died: Friday - Good Friday

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Scripture - Matthew 27: 31-54    

After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 

There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.  Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.  Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads  and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.  “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.  He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”  In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

The Death of Jesus

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lamasabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”  Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.  The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.  They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed,

“Surely he was the Son of God!”

Today's highlight verse(s): 54b    "Surely he was the Son of God!"

How did Jesus spend His final week on Earth?  

On this day, He died.

What can be added to this?  The most tragic, yet the most triumphant event in all of history.  Volumes have been, and will be written regarding this day.  Some poor souls, sadly many inside the church, debate that it even happened.

For today, I would like to focus on one event -- Simon's carrying of the cross, also recounted in Mark 15, and Luke 23.

Jesus is often betrayed in movies and stories as being too weak to carry the cross, and that Simon was forced into His place.  This may or not be true, but it is never mentioned in Scripture, that Jesus couldn't, only that Simon was forced to.

But this is not my point.  Let us consider Simon, who, not knowing what was going on, suddenly yanked from the crowd and forced into what he might have believed was his own execution march.  How would he know any different?  And yet he was innocent of any capital crime -- as innocent as any man might be.

I consider the story of Simon to be a comma, a punctuation mark in the story of the crucifixion.  For as innocent as he might have been, he was far more worthy of death than Jesus, the only true innocent who ever lived.  And it was Jesus on His way to be executed, for Simon, and you, and me.  And so, it might just be, that as God watched His Son march toward death, he paused the events, and caused the cross to be put on an ordinary man, like you, like me, where it truly belonged.

Yes, it was Simon, and you, and me, that deserved to die...for all have sinned.  Maybe, just maybe, for the onlookers then and now, God gave us a moment to think about that.

This season of Easter let us appreciate our guilt.     

Click HERE to see 

The Via Dolorosa - 

The  Way of Suffering

Questions:

 1. What do you think of this passage? 

2. Why do you think Simon had to take the cross?  

3. How do you feel on this, the day of His death?

The week that Jesus died: Thursday

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Scripture - Luke 22:14-22 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.  And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.  But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.  The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him.”

Today's highlight verse(s): 22

"The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."

How did Jesus spend His final week on Earth?  On this day, many things took place; He washed the disciple's feet, served the Last Supper, prayed at Gethsemane, predicted Peter's denial.  This, one day, could be an entire study, which we may come back to.  Today, however, we will focus on Judas' betrayal.

We know that when Jesus referred to "him who is going to betray me" that He meant Judas.  Much has been made of this man Judas.  A few years ago there was a lot of attention paid to  'Gospel of Judas', saying that he and Jesus had a secret understanding; the news magazines ran an article that portrayed him as a terrorist, bent on removing Roman rule from Israel, and conspiring with Jesus to do so.  I've heard many teachers say that Judas was simply trying to force Jesus' hand, in an effort to speed up Jesus' takeover as King.  If Judas' actions were sanctioned by God, why would Jesus say "woe to that man who betrays him"?  And let us not forget John 12:4-6;  "But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. "He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it."

No, Judas was not a good man, he was a thief.  Many would say that the thirty pieces of silver would not have been enough to persuade him...but he was a thief! 

Brothers and sisters, the church today is much like this band of disciples.  There are rash, unthinking people.  There are those who doubt.  And there are thieves...those who would betray Him for next to nothing.

Worse yet, is when we see these traits in ourselves!  Have we ever betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver...or less?  How about for a dirty joke?  For a juicy piece of gossip?  For how little have we turned our back on Him and provided one more nail for His cross?

This season of Easter, now nearly over, let us look at our motives and actions, as if we were leaving Jesus' table to commit them..

Questions:

1. What do you think of this passage?

2. Why do you think the world pursues justification for Judas so desperately? 

3. How do you feel as you move toward the day of His death?

May we seek God by not betraying Him. Pastor Jim

The week that Jesus died: Wednesday

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Scripture - Luke 21:1-4:  The Widow’s Offering

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.  

Highlight verse: 3  "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

How did Jesus spend His final week on Earth?  On this day, it is widely believed that He took a day to rest, because this day is not specifically mentioned.  Personally, I would think that He spent some time teaching, because He knew time was short.  Either way, today we will look at another famous story from His final week.  

We all have probably heard this story, of the "widow's mite'.  I'm tempted to re-title it, "The Widow's Might".  Because of the awesome power over money that this woman had.  or, because of her incredible resistance to the power of money.  Jesus made a simple point here, that I believe is sometimes misunderstood.  It is surely true, that this woman gave more per capita than the others, but this story goes beyond simple percentages.  Physically, God doesn't need much to work with.  Remember the five loaves and two fishes that fed over five thousand people?  And man was created from a handful of dirt...and the world from...nothing!  

He doesn't need a millionaire's millions.

What He does need, are willing, generous hearts.  In dealing with us, He needs a starting point.  Those giving grudgingly weren't giving God much to work with.  This widow gave Him a 'broken and contrite heart’; she gave it all, not financially, but spiritually.

What do we give Him?  Spiritual pennies, left over from work, school, marriage, and worldly spending?  Or do we give God the first fruits of our hearts, and see what He can do with them?

This Easter season, may we let go of our spiritual stinginess.

1. What do you think of this passage?

2. Does anything Jesus says in the Bible bother you?  Has God led you to anything that you disagreed with? 

3. How do you feel as you move toward the day of His death?

David Livingstone
Click here for David Livingstone's biography

"Do not think me mad. It is not to make money that I believe a Christian should live.  The noblest thing a man can do is, just humbly to receive, and then go amongst others and give."

David Livingstone