On the Thursday before Easter, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and established the remembrance ceremony of the Lord's Supper. This is the night in which Jesus would be betrayed by one of His own friends. Jesus had already revealed His power over death with the raising of Lazarus after that man had been long dead and the time draws near for the seeds of the serpent to implement what they think is a grand plan... to kill Jesus. Tuesday's Olivet discourse and all the bickering Jews would have been exhausting for our Lord, yet what the Son of God said openly and sincerely is recorded well and forever by Matthew 21-24; Mark 11-13 , Luke 20-21; and John 12.

The future had been laid out to the Jews in Jerusalem on that Mount in Olivet and now Jesus and his disciples sat amongst one another as worn out travelers do.

When we watch a movie or read a book, the ending is where the creator of the project ties everything together, summarizing the story for maximum viewer clarity. Every scene in the movie and every page of a book moves the audience toward the plot’s encapsulating wrap up. This is what Christians read in their Bibles if they read them to the end. Scripture, God’s story for all creation ends with a stunning revelation recorded by the Apostle John that a New Heaven (skies) and a New Earth appear, and that the old goes away and is gone (Rev 21:1, 4). Satan is defeated forever, and Jesus’ Kingdom is restored with God and His people united for all eternity (Rev 20:10; 21:3-4).

At the center of Christian eschatology is Christ’s embodied resurrection three days after death, but without a clarity for the “rest of the story,” a believer may be prone to accept the unbiblical theme that the earth will all pass away and that heaven with Jesus is their final destiny.

When Christians minimize or neglect the truth of the ending of Scripture, we error and miss the hope of the Gospel, then and now, according to God’s promise to the 1st woman (Gen 3:15).
We miss the top line thinking (God) opposed by all the bottom line thinking (flesh - world - Satan).

Promises matter. Mainly on who's giving the promise.

As people seek truth and hope, Jesus as the first fruit of the Kingdom begun at Easter is the truth, the way, and the life. With that perspective, believers should care now for the earth, our bodies, and each other, as we await the future hope of the New Heaven and New Earth, on earth, as the embodied resurrected saints. This is a far cry from what many Christians long for, which is a pilgrimage to heaven after death, and a surrender of this broken world to Satan.

The early church struggled with the clarity of the resurrection hope and the announcement that God’s Kingdom was at hand (Matt 3:2). Life beyond death was not a common belief, perhaps a key reason Paul contacted Corinth repeatedly, explaining the Gospel hope as being Jesus resurrected from the dead as the first fruit, with resurrected believers following the Lord God in the future (1 Cor 15:20-23). These early followers were urged to live godly lives while maintaining a hope for the coming Kingdom, even as Christ reigns now (1 Cor 15:25).
We should do likewise.

Blessings on this wondrous week!
Mark

Nice one, Mark.

Thanks Mark.

Sure thing Bruce T.

Our church had a Maundy Thursday service this evening. First time I've ever been to one. Very subdued.

That's wonderful Posco.

I had an interesting day at seminary, where we heard from Iranians who were witness to the rounding up and killing of 80 Christian pastors by Islamists in power in that country because right now, in 2022, the fastest growing country for Christianity is......

Iran.
It was an emotional presentation.
You know, we really have no idea what persecution really is in this country. And not just religious. I mean at every level.
We really don't.

Humans can be beyond horrible to each other and I heard stories today that made our room go...... quiet....... from fellow Christians who are some of the most humble, sincere, caring people I've ever sat among. And you know what. They're headed back to Iran because they love Christ and the Gospel and into it all they go.

God will make a Way.

Happy Maundy Thursday brother Posco!

Blessings,
Mark

My pastor mentioned the church growth in Iran a month or so back. Praise the Lord.

Thank you, Mark.

I really like the simple (too me) way you explain things Mark.
Makes things a bit easier to understand.
Thanks.
Easter Sunday will be spent in the woods with my dog and God doing foodplot stuff,cutting next year's firewood and working on treestand stuff.
Happy Easter you all!

Thanks Mark, Posco, and ohters. Good stuff.

We keep the faith and profess it, because the Word of our God is Truth, and there will always be a remnant that remains.

Mark --- I have some customers who always want easter lambs (orthodox which is next week this year) -- they always come out on thursday before -- is there any biblical significance or is it just a convenient time?

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It’s amazing how the Christian faith always flourishes under persecution. Thanks for sharing this, I’m encouraged by their faith.

Many of the orthodox (Eastern) faith traditions have held on to sacrificial liturgies (rituals) as a means of expressing their reverence for God. Not as the Israelites did per se, with their Levitical sacrificial system, but just as a means of expressing a person's awe and wonder. The Coptics from Egypt for example, are very ritualistic and have many iconic murals and paintings, etc. in their sanctuary... all as a reverence for Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

All these folks would understand the sacrificial system of the Old Testament has been fulfilled by the blood of Jesus and His New Covenant.

I think that's what you're describing.

Blessings,
Mark

I hear ya bucksnbears. Is there any better way to reconnect with who we are and what it's all about than just being outdoors? As I type this, my Brittany named Grace, best dog I've ever owned, is laid out on her pad here in an apartment in downtown Dallas. She's been here full time with us since we sold the San Antonio home in April so that Donna didn't have to travel back and forth 5 hours between SA and Dallas all the time, and Grace doesn't like Dallas. At all. Can't wait for this season to be over and another to begin!

She'll be on a trapping buggy in 28 more days!
She just doesn't know that.

Blessings,
Mark

Thanks Mark. Holy Thursday is a great day!

Yessir Brad!

Pray all is well in Kansas!

Blessings,
Mark