GRINDIT podcast

In the Old Testament, we see God speaking to people in many ways. He spoke to them audibly, He used angels to send messages, He spoke through prophets, but in the New Testament, God spoke to people himself clothed in flesh—Jesus. Moses wanted to see God’s glory but God told him he couldn’t see His face or he would die because he was so holy. When Moses had been in the presence of God, he came down the mountain to talk to the people and they had to put a veil over him because he glowed! And so God puts on flesh and walks among His people and they can relate to him. They literally could hang out with God! They ate meals with Him, talked with Him, traveled with Him…They could literally reach out and touch God! And the author of Hebrews tells us Jesus was the radiance of God’s glory and he expresses the very character of God, and yet, we can relate to Jesus because he was one of us!

What a book for our day and time! Yes it was written nearly two thousand years ago but it's message is timeless: Jesus is better and don't give up on him! In this episode of the GRINDIT Podcast, I pull out some amazing verses from the book to give a preview of what is to come. Hebrews 12:1-3 is actually the basis of this podcast! Our goal at GRINDIT Podcast is to encourage people to keep their eyes on Jesus and not give up! I look forward to breaking this book down with you in the coming weeks. If you have something you would like for me to discuss, email me at [email protected]....

Three days had passed since Jesus was tortured and killed on the cross. The women had prepared spices for the body but since the Sabbath had started, they had to wait. They go as soon as daylight begins to break on Sunday morning only to find the tomb is empty! After having a discussion with some angels they go back to break the news to the rest of the disciples. Meanwhile, there are two dudes walking toward Emmaus when Jesus appears to them yet they didn’t know it was him. Jesus asks them why they are so upset and they explain to him what had just taken place and how they have lost all hope. They invite him to stay the night with them and the first thing they do is eat a meal. When Jesus says the blessing, they recognize him and he disappears! They run back to Jerusalem to tell the others and while they are explaining what has happened, Jesus appears in the room and eats some fish with them. God has a sense of humor….

It is amazing to me the hatred the religious leaders had for Jesus. They were supposed to be godly men and, knowing the scriptures, they were looking for the Messiah yet, from the very moment he made himself known, they tried to kill him! And now they are finally getting their way. Jesus, God in the flesh, is crucified and buried. In this episode, I share an article written by Cahleen Shrier, Ph.D called The Science of the Crucifixion. She details the process of the flogging and the crucifixion along with the effects they had on his body. She ends by saying, “I am struck every time with the stunning realization that as a flesh and blood human, Jesus felt every ounce of this execution. What greater love than this can a man have for his friends?” My question is, Why would anyone reject such love?”

Jesus is standing before Pilate being questioned by him while the religious leaders are hurling false accusations trying to persuade Pilate to kill him. The hatred for the very Messiah they were looking for is simply atrocious! They come up with several lies and present them as truth which is what the enemy does. After Pilate realized Jesus was a Galilean, he has him sent to Herod. Even there, the religious leaders make their false accusations hoping Herod would have him crucified but he is more interested in seeing a miracle and making a mockery of Jesus. He is sent back to Pilate and Pilate was going to flog him, then release him but the crowd got involved and started shouting they wanted Jesus killed! Pilate, as a true politician, gives the crowd their way and hands Jesus over to the religious leaders to be crucified. Let’s talk about it…

Luke ends chapter 22 with the mockery of a trial the religious had for Jesus. What is sad is that the people who came to arrest him were made up of religious leaders and priests, which are the very same people who are having this pathetic trial. They think they are in control because they have accomplished something they have been trying for three years—they have arrested Jesus and is about to condemn him to death. What they don’t understand is, they don’t have any power and they are actually doing the will of God! This was God’s plan the whole time so Jesus could be the Passover Lamb and die for our sins! Thank you, Jesus, for going through with the Father’s plan for us and giving us hope!

Jesus goes into detail after the disciples asked him where they should prepare the Passover meal. Why such detail? What does it all mean? I believe it was Jesus attempting to show the disciples that he is exactly who he claims to be because they are about to be in massive confusion and disbelief. Every detail Jesus gave them was fulfilled. It happened exactly as how Jesus said it would. Then he says he is “eager” to eat the passer meal with them meaning he had a desire, a lust to eat this Passover meal with them. Why? Because he knew his suffering would soon be over and he would be back with his Father where he belongs—at the father’s right hand making intercession for us.

Luke 22 is a heavy chapter because this is where everything for the disciples goes haywire. Their best friend, whom they have spent the last 3 years with and have watched him do nothing but good to people, will be betrayed, arrested, and crucified the very next morning. Jesus has one last Passover meal with them and he exposes Judas as the betrayer. In this episode I talk about the Passover, now called the Lord’s Supper, and how Jesus became our Passover Lamb that was slain for our sin and reconciled us to God. He is our “once and for all” sacrifice and when God sees the blood of Jesus, He passes over us or he spares us from death and gives us a home with him in heaven! Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

The disciples were in awe of the things they are seeing at the Temple. They are watching the religious leaders throw their money in the offering plate and then they begin to inspect the Temple itself. It was full of gold and silver with fancy carvings in the huge stones that weighed tons. The Temple was majestic and there was no other building like it in that day. Jesus tells them, "Guys, this building, as huge as it is, will be destroyed and there will not be one stone left on top of another." It blew their minds! How can this be? When will it happen? Jesus then answers their question and in this episode we look at a first hand witness to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70 by the Romans. It happened just as Jesus said it would. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of this Temple was torn in half signifying we now have direct access to God through Jesus. We don't need anyone to go to God on our behalf!

Jesus and his disciples are going to the Temple on a daily basis to teach. One day they are there and the religious leaders are walking by dropping in a lot of money into the offering plate. The sounds that come ringing forth gets everyone's attention, which is what they were wanting because they loved attention. In fact, the disciples are i awe of what is going on and they marveled at how much the religious leaders were giving. Then there's this poor widow that comes walking up to the offering plate and drops in her two coins. "What good is that compared to all of the money the religious leaders put in?" they may be wondering. Jesus points her out to them and says, "Fellas, she just gave more than all of those religious leaders." Scratching their heads trying to make sense of what Jesus said, he explains, "They gave from their surplus. She gave God all that she had." She put her total faith, her trust in God unlike the religious leaders. Do we?