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Safe from the Storm

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

During a storm we look for shelter, a place of protection and warmth. We button down the hatches. In Noah’s day, a storm was coming. Because Noah walked with God, he knew of its coming, and also how to prepare for it. Those around him were too distracted by day to day events. They had no refuge when the storm hit.

No matter who we are or where we live, there are storms coming our way. The story of Noah is for our instruction. God offers a place of safety to those who trust Him. He offers the invitation, provides protection, and delivers His children.

The Invitation

In Genesis 7:1, God speaks to Noah. “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” In Matthew 11:28, Jesus also extends an invitation. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Both invitations call us to safety and require a response.

Protection

As Noah did, we find our protection in our response to God. “You are my hiding place,” says the Psalmist. “I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Jesus said, “Follow Me.” He also said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John records additional words of Jesus, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him.”

Deliverance

God delivered Noah, and his family, from the flood. He delivers us because Jesus died and rose from the grave.

Paul received severe persecution as he obeyed God’s word yet hear his words, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me. … I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.”

Peter tells us He will deliver us out of temptation. In Proverbs we read that deliverance is of the LORD.

Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, … to preach deliverance to the captives.”

Hear these words from “Master the Tempest is Raging.”

“Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea, or demons, or men, or whatever it be, No water can swallow the ship where lies, the master of ocean and earth and sky They all shall sweetly obey Thy will Peace, Peace, be still.”

The story of Noah and his ark symbolizes the safety we find in the Christ of the Easter story. Jesus went into the ultimate storm, defeated the enemy, and rose from the dead, bringing the gift of eternal life for all who put their trust in Him. God is a place of safety to any who believe in Him. He offers the invitation. provides protection and delivers His children, in this life, and the one to come.

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EasterJesus Encounters

Recommissioned

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

We come to this Good Friday with the story John writes about Peter. It is now the third visit of Jesus since His resurrection from the dead. The tragic weekend has passed. Peter wants things to go back to normal, put it all behind him, his betrayal, and the shame. But something has changed. Jesus is now the resurrected Lord. In this intimate conversation by the burning fire at the Lake of Tiberias, Jesus makes Peter face himself, restores and recommissions him.

Face Himself

Peter was determined. He would never deny Christ. He would die for Him first. The crushing events of Easter, however, revealed what actually lie within him. Three times, he denied knowing Jesus. He couldn’t go on pretending it never happened. Perhaps that is the reason Jesus has Peter affirm his love for Him three times. Jesus must take Peter beyond his failure.

Restored

Telling Jesus he loved Him three times was for Peter’s benefit. It reminded him of the love relationship he had with Jesus. He now has a clean starting place, his betrayal, his sleepiness in the Garden of Gethsemane, all his failures, have experienced the death, and resurrection of Jesus the Son of God, the Good Shepherd who had laid down His life for the sheep.

Recommissioned

Peter returned to fishing. Going back to the familiar things would make him feel better. Jesus, however, interrupted him, and reminded him of a far greater commission. Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” He told him three times. The great shepherd of the sheep, was leaving to prepare a place for His lambs. He needed His disciples. He needed Peter to fill in the gap, under the power of the Holy Spirit. He also predicted Peter’s demise. Peter was curious what it meant for another disciple but Jesus quickly reminded him, it was not his business.

In this intimate conversation by the burning fire at the Lake of Tiberias, Jesus made Peter face himself, restored, and recommissioned him.

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Easter

What the Easter Story Does For Me

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

The story of the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross and His ultimate resurrection changes me. Everyone who hears the story responds. It is dramatic and powerful. I heard it first as a young child and felt its impact, although maturity continues to reveal its mystery. Accepting the Easter Story for ourselves, fundamental changes occur. Restored to God in relationship, we find power for everyday living.

His body broken for us.

Fundamental Changes

Two fundamental changes occur once we accept what Jesus did for ourselves. The first is the forgiveness of sins. Psalm 103:12 says it this way, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” And the apostle Paul puts it this way. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” In Colossians we read, ” … having forgiven all your sins, … having wiped out the handwriting of requirements … nailed it to the cross … made a public spectacle of (principalities and powers) triumphing over them. The second change comes when Jesus removes the fear of death. We receive eternal life. Jesus sets us free from the fear of death. God’s Son broke the power of the devil and death. I know Jesus has gone through death and has prepared the way for me. God’s perfect love casts out our fear.

Restored to Relationship with God

Beyond these fundamental changes, God restores us to Himself. God is holy and cannot look on sin. Jesus as He took on our sin felt the pain of His Father looking away. The cross changed all that. We are now sons and heirs. Boldly we enter the throne room of our Heavenly Father and cry “Abba Father” Each moment of the day I have access. Whatever I need, in joy or in sorrow, I have a relationship with God through Jesus. My life thrives under His wings. All the armies of heaven are available to me as I live out my life for His glory.

Power for Everyday Living

Once dead in our trespasses and sins, Jesus has made us alive. God made us alive together with Christ. He raised us up together and made us sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Once without hope, aliens to God and His promises, the blood of Christ has brought us near. Now we are saints and members of God’s household. We walk in light since being delivered from the power of darkness. The wisdom of God and the mind of Christ are available to us. Colossians provides a powerful image of our new life in Christ. We have died, our life is hidden in Christ. Putting to death the things that dishonour our Father becomes our goal. We put on the new man and live our lives in the power of the resurrected Christ.

When I accept Easter Story for myself, fundamental changes occur, I am restored to God in a relationship and I find power for everyday living. Praise be to God for His unspeakable gift!

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Easter

Up Close and Personal

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Within the Gospel of John, we encounter Jesus, the Living Word. In the first statement of his gospel he writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it.” In John’s telling of the Easter story, he tells who he is, the reason he writes and expounds on Peter’s commissioning.

Who He Is

John believed he needed to record his experiences. As a disciple, he claimed to have been up close and personal with Jesus.”The disciple whom Jesus loved.” is the way he describes himself. He tells how he leaned on Jesus at the last supper when Jesus talked about His betrayer. It was to John that Jesus spoke to from the cross, when He transferred the care of His mother to John. He was with Peter at the tomb and looked inside saying, “he saw and believed.” These were not fables, nor idle gossip, they were an intimate part of his story. 

The Reason He Writes

It was not only a recording of his experience. John, convinced Jesus was the living word, the Son of God, needed to share. His greatest desire was for others to believe. Believing in the name of Jesus would bring eternal life. There were so many things that Jesus did he didn’t record. The world couldn’t contain all the books written of Him. But “these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” Here is enough for the reader to grasp hold and find life. “He who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows he is telling the truth, so that you may believe.”

Peter’s Commissioning

John was in the inner circle with Peter. They shared life in those years when they walked with Jesus. John tells the reader that because the high priest knew him, he gained access into the courtyard after Jesus’ betrayal. This is how Peter came to be in the courtyard. He records Peter’s denial but sees the story through to its completion. After the resurrection, Peter went back fishing, to the life he had known before Jesus. He took several of the disciples with him. John states it was he who recognized Jesus on the shore announcing to Peter, “it is the Lord.” After feeding him a substantial breakfast, Jesus pulled Peter aside to ask the hard questions necessary to re-establish him. He enabled him to affirm again his love for and commitment to Him. Then Jesus prophesies to Peter about his end, John’s nearness distracts Peter. “What about him?” he asked to which Jesus answered, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” John explains they misunderstood the comment. He clarifies. Jesus was dealing with Peter. The restoring of the relationship between Jesus and Peter was paramount to John. The conversation had nothing to do with him. It was between Peter and his Lord. “This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.”

In John’s telling of the Easter story, he tells who he is, the reason he writes and expounds on Peter’s commissioning

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Easter

An Orderly Account

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Luke was not one of the twelve disciples. He enters the story after the resurrection of Jesus when Paul finds in him a trusted companion. His writing is for a man named Theophilus. He desires for him to know, with certainty, the things the believers had taught him. Thus he writes an orderly account of a risen Lord, in the Books of Luke and Acts. Within his record, Luke includes the reality of a spiritual world, a physical world, and the power of a risen Lord.

The Risen Lord

 

A Spiritual World

In telling the story, he includes the reality of the spiritual world. First, as he explains the desire of the religious leaders to kill Jesus, he states Satan entered Judas. There is a power at work in this story, beyond human sight. Further, when Jesus talks to Peter about his upcoming denial, Luke includes vital background information. Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked for him. Satan wanted to sift Peter like wheat. Jesus, however, interceded. He prayed Peter’s faith would not fail. He prayed for Peter to return to strengthen his brothers. Then, as Luke records Jesus praying in the garden, he gives a vivid portrayal of Jesus’ agony. He speaks of an angel appearing to Jesus, from heaven, to strengthen Him. The battle of His soul resulted in sweat like great drops of blood. At His arrest, Jesus says, “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize me. But this is your hour and the power of darkness.” There were far more sinister yet glorious plans behind the veil of humanity. Finally, when the dark hour had passed, the angels announced, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” The spiritual world was as real as the physical.

A Physical World

In the physical world, Jesus teaches His competitive disciples to follow His example and be servants. In addition, Luke tells how two rival politicians become friends through their common dilemma of what to do with Jesus. Also, there is a recording of Jesus on His way to the cross, speaking to the mourners along the route. “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Of the thieves on the cross, Luke writes of one who believes and receives the promise, “today you will be with Me in Paradise.” He writes of the inability of the disciples to believe Jesus had risen. The way humanity thinks and acts are part of our physical world.

The Risen Lord

Finally, the spiritual world intersects the physical world through the risen Lord! I love how Luke tells of the two walking to Emmaus. Caught up in their sorrow, and the circumstances they were experiencing, they could not see Jesus walking with them. He had to reveal Himself.  Then as He meets with his disciples over the next forty days, He opens the words written by Moses, all the prophets, and the Psalms to explain how all those writings were about Himself. He opened their understanding. He revealed it to them. The disciples didn’t understand the necessity of Jesus’ suffering until He revealed it to Him. “It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached … you are witnesses … I send the promise of My Father upon you.. wait until you have the power from on high. ” Before He entered into His glory, He blessed them.”

Though Luke continued the Easter narrative in the Book of Acts, he concludes this portion with worship, praise and “great joy.”

When God, who we cannot see, is at work in a world which sometimes is too much with us, the Risen Lord opens our eyes to reveal HE LIVES. Luke includes the reality of a spiritual world, a physical world, and the power of a risen Lord.

 

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Easter

Mark Tells the Easter Story

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs
The Risen Lord

Mark was first to record the story of Easter. As a young man, these events imprinted on his heart and soul. Through his lense, let us look at the story of the anointing with oil, the witnesses to the resurrection, and his perception of the ongoing story.

The Anointing

 Mark records the story of a woman memorialized by her actions rather than her name. She anointed Jesus with oil for His burial. He is very specific, identifying the expensive perfume as spikenard. Further, he includes its value of over 300 denarii, which is equivalent to a year’s wages. Mark does not however include in his story the price of Judas’ betrayal nor his suicide. Could Mark, in his own way, be showing his readers the esteemed value of the anointing above the scandalous Judas narrative? The value of the Messiah honoured over being betrayed?

The Witnesses

Next, as we read Mark’s narrative, we see more details about the witnesses to the resurrection. Mary Magdalene was the first to witness Jesus alive. He not only names her but identifies her as the one from whom Jesus cast seven demons. He then writes of Jesus disguising himself to two walking along the way. Later, when together with all of them, Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart upon hearing He was alive.

The Ongoing Story

Mark adds punch to the end of his story. Rather than saying Jesus will be with us always, he shows how we will recognize His presence. He writes, “signs will follow those who believe. In My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Then Mark writes that Jesus was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. The disciples went and preached everywhere and the Lord worked with them, accompanying the word with signs. Here was the proof of his abiding presence.

This story, as Mark relates, is not just about trickery and betrayal, convenience and denial, false witnesses and mockery. There is an unnamed woman with an alabaster flask, a murderer named Barrabas, a Cyrenian Simon with two sons Alexander and Rufus. There was a politician caught between a rock and a hard place, two robbers which flank him at His death, a centurion declaring, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.” In addition there was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses and Salome and many other women. It is the story of God mingling with, and then redeeming all sorts of people, in all sorts of situations for the glory of God and it continues today in the power of His resurrection. All face the question, “What will you do with Jesus?”

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Easter

The Easter Story: Through Matthew’s Eyes

by Esther Griggs
written by Esther Griggs

Matthew 27-28 provided the basis for my reflection this week. In it, I found these three things. The apostle Matthew writes regarding the importance of scripture being fulfilled. He writes about the authority of Jesus throughout the entire process, and he declares the ultimate authority of Jesus. Jesus is Lord

The Importance of Scripture Being Fulfilled

In Matthew 26:56, the apostle quotes Jesus “But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”‘ The words of the prophets have to come about. In chapter 26:31 Jesus uses the passage from Zechariah 13:7 to prepare His disciples for what is ahead. He tells them when the enemy strikes, they will scatter. The prophets foretold it. In verses 54 and 56 of the same chapter, we see it is important that what God has said through the prophets happens just as He says. When Jesus scolds Peter about using violence, He reminds Him He could call legions of angels for help. If He did, however, it would prevent the fulfillment of the scriptures. It was imperative. God’s word must happen. He further in 27:9 tells how the purchase of the field with the money from a remorseful Judas fulfilled Jer. 32:6-9. Yet another was Psa. 22:18 which prophesied of how they would treat His clothing. To Matthew, it was important to show what was happening was God’s plan, and purpose spoken of through the prophets.

The Authority of Jesus Throughout the Entire Process

Next, the Authority of Jesus stands out in these chapters. I found it interesting that in 26:2 Matthew quotes Jesus saying, “You know that after two days is the Passover and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” In the very next verse, the process begins. It is as if by the speaking, Jesus sets in motion all that must come after. Jesus is in charge. He is not the victim. Jesus is the Master. He has the right words for the man who will host their Passover celebration. Jesus tells Judas of his betrayal, and Peter of his denial. He speaks to them of a New Covenant laying out for them that His body will be broken and his blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Then he tells them he won’t drink it now. He is waiting until they can have it together in His Father’s kingdom. He is a step ahead. When He struggles with the process, in prayer He realigns Himself with God’s plan and purpose. Later, He tells the High Priest that he will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven, He sees it and saying so infuriated the High Priest.

His Ultimate Authority

Finally, Matthew writes of the ultimate authority of Jesus. When Jesus released His spirit on the cross, things happened. There was an earthquake, the veil in the temple tore, some dead rose and came into the city. When He rose from the dead, He fulfilled the words to his disciples. He met them in Galilee and told them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew ends his book with the promise Jesus made.”I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

To Matthew it was important for his readers to see the scriptures fulfilled, how Jesus had authority right up to the end. As the fulfilment of the scriptures, Jesus has ultimate authority.

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