Closer To Heaven
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by Melody Tan | 11 September 2024 | Humankind wanting to know “why?” is the reason we know about things such as gravitational forces (“Why does an apple fall to the ground and not up?”) and the structure of the atom (“Why do materials have different properties?”). Our natural curiosity has led us to make […] Source: https://atoday.org/why-2/
El sur de California llevaba más de una semana luchando contra avisos de calor excesivo cuando la situación desencadenó un incendio forestal el 5 de septiembre y llegó a su punto álgido el sábado 7, lo que llevó al gobernador Newsom a declarar el estado de emergencia en el condado de San Bernardino. California obtuvo […] Source: https://atoday.org/incendio-forestal-en-el-sur-de-california-provoca-evacuaciones-y-afecta-a-instalaciones-adventistas/
11 September 2024| Polish pastor Henryk Patryarcha, an avid collector of rare, historic Bibles, is bringing his impressive collection from Europe to Australia in a special exhibition. His collection of nearly 200 Bibles, as well as stamps and scrolls was curated over 50 years with some dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. His […] Source: https://atoday.org/rare-historic-bible-collection-reaches-south-pacific-division/
11 September 2024 | In Romans chapter 9 Paul talks about various Old Testament individuals and how God chose to use them for his purposes. This chapter makes it sound like God has predestined certain individuals to play specific roles in history, with no choice on their part. This led theologians such as John Calvin […] Source: https://atoday.org/atss-bryan-ness-are-we-predestined/
Daily Lesson for Thursday 12th of September 2024
Mark 14:53-59 describes Jesus being brought to the Sanhedrin and the first part of the trial. It is an exercise in frustration. Again and again, the leaders try to make their accusation against Jesus stick. The Gospel writer notes how the testimony was false and the witnesses never agreed.
Finally, the high priest arises and addresses Jesus directly. At first Jesus does not respond. But then the high priest places Him under oath before God (see Matthew 26:63) and asks the direct question if He is the Messiah.
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Jesus frankly and openly admits that He is and then references Daniel 7:13-14, regarding the Son of man as seated at God’s right hand and coming with the clouds of heaven. This is too much for the high priest, who tears his robes and calls for Jesus’ condemnation, which the council immediately gives. The leaders begin to shame Jesus by spitting on Him, covering His face, beating Him, and calling on Him to prophesy.
While Jesus is inside being tried and giving a faithful testimony, Peter is outside giving a lying report. This is the sixth and final sandwich story in Mark, and here the irony is particularly pointed. Here are two parallel characters, Jesus and Peter, doing opposite actions. Jesus gives a faithful testimony, Peter a false one. Three times Peter is accosted by a servant or bystanders, and each time he denies association with Jesus, even cursing and swearing in the process.
It is at this point that a rooster crows a second time, and Peter suddenly remembers Jesus’ prophecy that he would deny his Lord three times that very night. He breaks down and weeps. Here is the striking irony—at the end of His trial, Jesus is blindfolded and struck and commanded to “prophesy!” The idea was to mock Him since He could not see who struck Him. However, at the very time they do this, Peter is denying Jesus in the courtyard below, fulfilling one of Jesus’ prophecies. Consequently, in denying Jesus, Peter demonstrates that Jesus is the Messiah.
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What words of hope would you give to someone who, though wanting to follow Jesus, fails at times to do so? Who of us has not, at times, failed to follow what we know Jesus wants? |
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