28.5 BSF Matthew Week 28, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

5 days earlier, when Jesus entered and was chastised for the crowds calling out His glory He said, if they stayed quiet the rocks would cry out.  When he died, they did.

The curtain was torn, top to bottom, from heaven to earth.  Direct access to God was again restored.  No longer do we need to go through an intermediary to sacrifice animals.  Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient.

But do we treat it that way?  No.  We continue to act like we need to “do our part.”  We “earn our way” into heaven.  This is such an insult to Jesus.  When we believe that our good works have some part in our salvation, we diminish the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice.  If we have a part, His part was not good enough.

This past week, the former New York Mayor Bloomberg, was quoted as saying, “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close,”  It is not my place to judge, but by my reading of scriptures that attitude would be such a blatant insult to Jesus. 

The price is paid in full.  The only wise response is to accept the gift and live a life in appreciation of His sacrifice and love.

Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Mary, Martha, all understood this.  That is why they were willing to give up their ability to participate in the required festival of Passover to care for the body of Jesus Christ.  It was not a sacrifice to give up a tradition that was now only a foreshadowing of the real sacrifice of the Son of God.

P.S.  some may wonder about my answer that Shirley was present at the crucifixion.  I am basing this on the statement of the Centurion when he turned and said, “Shirley, he was the Son of God.”  <grin>

My Answers:

9.
a.
High priest, once per year

b.
blood, the way into the holy place had not yet been disclosed, gifts and sacrifices were not sufficient

c.
The path to God became open, Man could again approach God in communion with the Holy Spirit

10.
a.
Revelation – Nature spoke to Jesus’ majesty, the very rocks cried out

b.
Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and Joseph, Mother of Zebedee’s sons, apostles, disciples, Shirley

11.
a.
Ability to participate in passover, His own tomb, place on the council, wrath of fellow jews

b.
Prophecy fulfillment, remnant who loved Him – did not speak up before, but now did

c.
wanted guard posted for Him rising on the 3rd day.  They understood it better than apostles