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The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.14
For the past few years, I have loosely followed the pattern that Pastor David established when he wrote the weekly blog posts. He would offer some commentary about what transpired the previous week and then tell us what he planned to talk about on Sunday. Not for the first time, I am here behind the keyboard trying to think of what to record. I asked the Lord what I should say.
I started thinking about all the challenges we face. There is not one of us that isn’t dealing with something, from the merely vexing to the potentially life threatening. We all trust the Lord, but sometimes it’s hard to see what He could be doing. I thought about how Jesus’ disciples must have felt the same way before they were finally convinced that He had risen. Even though He had told them beforehand, what they thought they knew was stronger even than the evidence in front of their own eyes. Thomas gets singled out in John’s account of the events following the resurrection, but he is not necessarily more doubtful than any of the others. They all had to be convinced. If anything, Thomas, though late to the party, was more easily convinced once he saw Jesus. He didn’t have to see Him eat as many of the others did. (See Luke 24)
Thomas wasn’t with the rest of the disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. When they told him they had seen the Lord, he famously responded, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) And so throughout history he has acquired the undeserved appellation, “Doubting Thomas.” The point of John’s account here is not to single out Thomas, but rather to communicate Jesus’ words in their context. “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” (John 20:29) That’s all of us, if we do in truth believe. Our text will be in John 20:24-31. Let’s look a little closer at Thomas and what was going on here. I think you’ll be encouraged.
Keep Priscilla in your prayers. She took a fall after leaving the church last Sunday and is still hurting.
Love y’all! See you Sunday!
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.13
The big surprise last week was Cathy. She wasn’t supposed to be back yet, so we were delighted when she came through the door. We had an extended time of prayer to begin the service. It is always good to be sensitive to the leading of the holy Spirit and be willing to move with Him in a different direction than we might have planned.
Our study of John continues with Chapter 20, verses 19-23. This is the first time that Jesus appears to the majority of the disciples after His resurrection. A few saw him earlier, and we know that John believed as soon as he saw the empty graved clothes arranged as if the body had still been in them in the tomb. However, most of them could not quite bring themselves to believe it had really happened, even though He had told them it would. Even after he appeared among them, they thought they were seeing a ghost. In their defense, He did appear in the room with them where all the doors and windows were shut.
The first thing He said to them was, “Peace be with you.” It was a common greeting of that time, but coming from Jesus, it had a much greater significance than a mere hello. He said it again after finally convincing them that it was really Him, then personally imparted the Holy Spirit to them and gave them their commission. Remember how He said to them after the Passover meal, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27) He had just been speaking of the Holy Spirit when He said this.
Verse 23 may leave us with questions. Only God can forgive sins. Is He, in the person of Jesus, giving that power to the disciples? Did it pass from then to their disciples and so on through history? Though there does seem to be some indication that one having spiritual authority may have some say over consequences and we have all been instructed that we must forgive, no man has that kind of power over another’s soul.
There are differing views about what Jesus is saying here, but there are some things we can know for certain. If no one tells the unbeliever the truth, how can they find forgiveness? Their sins have been retained. If we present the truth, we have the authority to explain what it means. If you believe, your sins are forgiven. If you do not, your sins are not forgiven, and you face judgment.
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.12
We enjoyed our Resurrection Day celebration last Sunday. It was good to See Kimi and Kenneth again. I trust that God is continuing to work in our church, and soon we will see the fruit.
It is said that we should celebrate the resurrection all year long. I completely agree, and for the next few weeks, Lord willing, we will continue to learn from the events following that momentous occasion as chronicled by the Gospel according to John. Last week, we considered the significance of the empty grave and the empty grave clothes. Now, we continue with John 20:11-18, where Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb and is the first to meet the risen Lord.
Mary didn’t hear the first proclamation of the angel that morning when the women first came to the tomb. We know this because she remains convinced that someone has taken his body out of it. She had apparently already run to tell Peter and John that it was missing. So, now we find her weeping at the entrance of the tomb.
It seems she was so stricken with grief that she did not even react as most people did when coming into contact with angels. Not even when she saw Jesus Himself did she recognize him, until He spoke her name. Mary’s devotion and her response upon recognizing her Lord is an example to all of us. Maybe that is one reason she was given the honor of being the first to see Him alive.
Have you heard Jesus calling your name? How will you respond?
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.11 – He Is Risen!
We invite you to join us in our resurrection Day celebration and fellowship. It will be a bit untraditional, as we have lots of leftover food from our cookout. So, if you’ve had enough of ham, come have a hamburger! We will meet at our usual time, have a shortened service, then adjourn to the back to share a meal.
Our study of John returns to where we left off a couple of weeks ago with chapter 20, verses 1-10. All of the gospel writers share details of this defining event of our faith and history, but there intent is to supply us with information that should lead us to believe, not necessarily to provide a detailed chronology of everything that happened on that day. Many people have attempted to reconstruct the order of events, but there is room for debate as to exactly what happened when.
We may disagree on fine points, but we who believe all agree on this: Jesus came out of that tomb! John, in his usual fashion, lets us in on some specifics that strengthen the other accounts. He mentions the empty grave clothes, and the head cloth folded and separate from the wrapping. From the text One might picture the cloth neatly folded up as we might fold a napkin, but an alternative description of the scene suggests the cloth still folded as if the head were in it. John previously wrote of the 75lbs of spices wrapped with the body in the grave clothes. What Peter and John likely saw in that tomb was the grave clothes and head cloth lying in the shape of a body, but no body. If Jesus had struggled out of the wrapping or if He had been stripped by a grave robber, the wrappings and head cloth would have been in a pile on the floor. Thus, John saw and believed (v. 8.) Jesus would later walk through a wall, so this is not unreasonable. It also suggests the moving of the stone by the angel was for the benefit of those who would see it, not for Jesus. He could have passed through the stone as easily as he would later pass through the wall.
The living Jesus was first seen by the women who came to tend to the body. By the end of the day everyone but Thomas had seen Him. Over the next forty days, he would meet with them on several occasions, and at some point was seen by over 500 people at once. The 11 men who were cowering in fear after his arrest became bold proclaimers of the risen Lord, willing to die for Him as He had died for them.
We celebrate an empty cross and an empty grave. His death paid for our sins, and his life is life in us. We are now presented with a choice. Will we embrace that life, or will we reject it? If we give our lives to Him, we will receive His life in return. It lasts forever!
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.10
I doubt anyone missed it, but i never got around to posting last week with all the activity leading up to our Saturday outreach effort. Despite the rain, I’m calling that a success! About sixty people came by and five prayed to receive Jesus! A lot of people helped made it happen.
Ours was one of thirty-eight projects of various kinds sponsored through the Serve Tour. A ministry of the Send Relief organization, it consists of “events in cities across the United States and around the world,” and anyone with a desire to do good while sharing the Good News can be a part of it. Several more events are planned for this year and the next. Checkout the link above for more information.
We also want to thank our friends at the Dallas Baptist Association for the use of the block party trailer and help with finding the right folks to work with us. And we could not have asked for better partners than the wonderful group of volunteers from Sunnyvale FBCEn Espanol.
Last Sunday, we discussed that well-known passage in John, Chapter 3, where Jesus explains to Nicodemus that one must be “born again” to enter God’s kingdom. Here we have the Gospel message in Jesus’ own words, containing the famous verse we all know and love, ““For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (3:16)
This week, we’ll pick up Chapter 3 from verse 22. Both John the baptist and Jesus are baptizing, and John’s disciples note that Jesus is beginning to draw away followers. John’s response is a humble one. To highly paraphrase his answer, “I told you I wasn’t the one. He’s supposed to outshine me, and I am pumped that it’s happening!”
John’s mission was always to point to Jesus. Now, Jesus will take the spotlight. It’s possible that what we read starting with verse 31 is actually the commentary of John the disciple on what he has just written. The writing style does lend credence to this thought, but either way, the truth remains. The final word on the subject is in verse 36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Choose life today!
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.9
Our big event is just two weeks away! When we first started talking about it, March 16 seemed like a long way off, but it’s right around the corner. This is a great opportunity to let the community around us know that we are here for then, inviting all who will come into the fellowship of God’s people. We are blessed to have help with the execution of the event, but it will not fully accomplish its purpose without you, the members of our body, being there to meet our neighbors and share the love of Jesus. Sharing a meal together is a time-honored gesture of peace and friendship. So, have some meat and meet new friends.
This Sunday, we’ll be in John 19:1-16. Jesus has been brought before Pilate, and the crowd is demanding that He be crucified. Palate’s behavior is in terns cautious and contemptuous. He taunts the chief priests with their powerlessness by parading the battered Jesus before them as their king, yet tries to release Him, knowing that they have no real case against Him. Yet it is the issue of His kingship that the religious leaders use to convince Pilate to crucify Jesus, saying, ““If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself to be a king opposes Caesar.” (v. 12)
Pilate chooses convenience over conviction. He serves himself above all. He has already shown his contempt for the truth, and now he will crucify Him. But the greater judgment is for those who should have known better. Jesus said, “…he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (v. 11) Again he taunts them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” (v. 15)
The chief Priests were without excuse. They had heard Him teach. They knew the scriptures. He was the one, but they rejected Him. We, too, are without excuse. All creation is a testament to Him. His words have been preserved for us. We each must choose. Will we serv the King of kings and the Lord of lords, or give our lives to some lesser king. As much as we might not like being ruled, we will be. Choose the One who died so that you could be part of His royal family. There is really only one other. He is a would-be usurper. He will promise you everything, and take your very soul. Who is your king?
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.8
Things are starting to come together for our community outreach on the 16th of March. I learned that we have a group of 20 volunteers committed to help. That seems like a lot, but there will be a lot to do surrounding the event. I’m actually glad we got more than we asked for.
The message this week will be from John 18:28-40. I usually don’t repeat myself in so short a timeframe, but the passage happens to overlap with a message from last year. It never hurts to reenforce the truth. And the truth is exactly what we are going to focus on in this passage. Jesus has been arrested and falsely convicted by the religious leaders in Jerusalem, and they want him executed. Under Roman rule, they cannot do it themselves, so they take him to Pilate, the governor of the region. Pilate can find nothing against Him, but bows to the pressure and issues the execution order. So, Jesus is crucified, as He and the Old Testament prophets said He would be.
As Pilate interrogated Jesus, he asked a question that we are still asking today. “What is truth?” Some of us really want to know. Others wish to obscure the truth that they do know because they find it unacceptable. Others claim that there is no such thing, or that it varies according to ones own belief. For truth to have any meaning at all, it must be absolute. There are many things about which we do not know the truth, but that does not mean that the truth is unknowable or absent. The Truth stood before Pilate that day, and he chose to deny Him. Let us not make the same mistake.
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.7
BRRRR! It’s cold! This is one of those mornings I am especially grateful to be part of a church that doesn’t start until 2:30 in the afternoon. The service time originally came of necessity and was found to be best for the people we serve, so we kept it that way. One of the churches my father pastored when I was young also had an afternoon service. I do not remember why, but i liked it then too. Sleep until you’re ready to get up, then come to church!
As we approach Resurrection Sunday, our study through the Gospel of John has also brought us to the events surrounding the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. During the next few weeks, I may take a paws in order that we may cover the resurrection on the day that we celebrate it, but it might take us that long to get there without stopping. God’s word is packed with truth waiting to be discovered.
This week we are in John 18:12-27. John gives us some details about Jesus’ trial that the others have not provided and also fills in the account of Peter’s denials. It is significant that his denials are recorded by all of the Gospel writers. I think at least part of the reason is so that we can see Jesus’ redemptive work in action. Peter reacted in fear, but he never stopped loving Jesus. He would later become a leader in the church.
Jesus told him what he would do before he did it, telling him according to Mark 14:30, “today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” When Peter heard that rooster crow, he remembered the words of Jesus and wept.
How many of us have been where Peter was that night. Peter actually did have something to fear. As he sat there with the guards witnessing what they were doing to Jesus, he knew he could be next. Give him credit for coming that close. All the rest, save John, ran away as soon as Jesus was arrested. Christians around the world are in similar danger, but what have we to fear? We might be ostracized by our peers. We might get “canceled”. Some have actually lost their jobs. A few have even been jailed. And yes, in some rare instances, some here have lost their lives. But for most of us, the consequences are little greater than uncomfortable.
Yet, we stay silent. If our faith is not hidden, it is impotent. Evil grows around us and we hide behind the walls of our churches. Or worse, we adopt the evil as our own that we may be spared the ire of the world. If we claim Jesus, he is not the Jesus the disciples knew. We may not deny Him with our words, but do we deny Him with our lives? Have you heard the rooster crow? I have.
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.6
It already seems to me the year is moving fast. Valentine’s day will be on Wednesday. Our outreach on March 16 will be here before you know it. I’m excited to see what God will do.
This Sunday, we’re in John 18:1-11. After concluding His prayer, Jesus brings His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas knows the place, because they often met there. John gives us some detail about what happened there that the other writers do not, while omitting things they had already recorded. It is difficult to reconstruct the exact sequence of events after Judas arrives on the scene, but John records something remarkable.
Jesus, knowing why they were there, went out to meet them. It seems as if He wanted to give anyone in that company who would take it the opportunity to repent of what they were about to do. He gave them a dramatic demonstration of His power. He asks them, “Whom do you seek?” They reply, ““Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus then replied, literally translated, “I AM.” At this word “they drew back and fell to the ground.” (v. 6)
The Roman soldiers probably thought they were arresting a common criminal or a Jewish rebel. The religious leaders thought they were removing a threat to their power. Jesus asked the question that reverberates through out the ages. Whom do you seek? His answer is the only one that matters. “I AM!” His authority, His power, His mercy and His love are all in those words. Really, one Word, and He, by submitting Himself to all that they would do to Him, would ultimately triumph over death.
The world is still trying to destroy Him. False religions try to diminish His deity. Others pretend He never existed at all. But His truth remains. His word abides forever. Still others are seeking a false god, made in their own image. They may call him Jesus, but He bears little resemblance to the risen Lord. Whom do you seek?
The Bartimaeus Blog 2024.5
Sometime I feel like it is my duty as pastor to paint a bright picture even if I can’t see it myself. I have always maintained hope, believing that God has bigger and better things in store for Bartimaeus Baptist Temple, but I’ll confess sometimes I feel like a hypocrite standing up there saying that when I can’t see the way forward. I still choose to trust. I still choose to believe, and I think this could be the year we start to see new fruit. It starts just by doing what we can with what we have, and that is what we’re doing. Let’s give it our all!
This Sunday, I’ll be wrapping up John Chapter 17 with verses 20-26. Here Jesus goes back to the theme of unity and says it 3 times. He prays for us the same kind of unity that He has with the Father. I don’t think that’s possible until He returns, but we sure are a long way from it today. Events of the past week make that abundantly clear, and I am saddened and angered by what I have seen. I pray in agreement with Jesus that we would all be one, so that the world will know that there is one true God and the way to know Him is to know Jesus.
Please Join us on Sunday.
Love you all.