2020 for JESUS - Day 174: JESUS is GOD... LORD...

Today, the day after Father's Day, 

my mind is focused on our loving HEAVENLY FATHER.  

We have just finished reading through the book of Luke 

and have now arrived in Acts, also written by Luke.  

Today, in our reading, 

JESUS returns to heaven to THE FATHER...

Acts 1:1-11

JESUS Taken Up Into Heaven

 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that JESUS began to do and to teach 

2 until the day HE was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through THE HOLY SPIRIT to the apostles HE had chosen. 

3 After HIS suffering, HE presented HIMSELF to them and gave many convincing proofs that HE was alive. HE appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of GOD. 

4 On one occasion, while HE was eating with them, HE gave them this command: 

'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift MY FATHER promised, which you have heard ME speak about. 

5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with THE HOLY SPIRIT.'

6 Then they gathered around HIM and asked HIM, 

'LORD, are YOU at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'

7 HE said to them: 

'It is not for you to know the times or dates THE FATHER has set by HIS own authority. 

8 But you will receive power when THE HOLY SPIRIT comes on you; and you will be MY witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'

9 After HE said this, HE was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid HIM from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as HE was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 

11 'Men of Galilee,'

 they said, 

'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same JESUS , who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen HIM go into heaven.;"

2020 for JESUS - Day 173: JESUS is THE LORD JESUS... THE LIVING ONE... HE HAS RISEN... THE SON OF MAN... JESUS HIMSELF... JESUS THE NAZARENE... A PROPHET MIGHTY IN DEED AND WORD... THE CHRIST... HIS GLORY... THE LORD...

Today is FATHER's Day 2020!

What an awesome scripture 

for us to have come to, on this day!

My plan was to go through the book of Luke between Mother's Day and Father's Day, not really thinking that we would be looking here at the resurrection, on a Sunday...

...as well as the FATHER's Promise!

Luke 24:1-53

The Resurrection

 "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 

3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of THE LORD JESUS. 

4 While they were perplexed about this, 

behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 

5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, 

the men said to them, 

'Why do you seek THE LIVING ONE among the dead? 

6 HE is not here, but HE HAS RISEN. 

Remember how HE spoke to you while HE was still in Galilee, 

7 saying that THE SON OF MAN must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' 

8 And they remembered HIS words, 

9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 

10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 

11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. 

12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus

13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 

14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 

15 While they were talking and discussing, 

JESUS HIMSELF approached and began traveling with them. 

16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing HIM. 

17 And HE said to them, 

'What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?' 

And they stood still, looking sad. 

18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to HIM, 

'Are YOU the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?' 

19 And HE said to them, 

'What things?' And they said to HIM, 

'The things about JESUS THE NAZARENE, WHO was A PROPHET MIGHTY IN DEED AND WORD in the sight of GOD and all the people, 

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered HIM to the sentence of death, and crucified HIM. 

21 But we were hoping that it was HE WHO was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 

22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 

23 and did not find HIS body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that HE was alive. 

24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but HIM they did not see.' 

25 And HE said to them, 

'O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 

26 Was it not necessary for THE CHRIST  to suffer these things and to enter into HIS GLORY?' 

27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, 

HE explained to them the things concerning HIMSELF in all the Scriptures.

28 And they approached the village where they were going, and HE acted as though HE were going farther. 

29 But they urged HIM, saying, 

'Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.' 

So HE went in to stay with them. 

30 When HE had reclined at the table with them, HE took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, HE began giving it to them. 

31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized HIM; and HE vanished from their sight. 

32 They said to one another, 

'Were not our hearts burning within us while HE was speaking to us on the road, while HE was explaining the Scriptures to us?' 

33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 

34 saying, 

'THE LORD has really risen and has appeared to Simon.' 

35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how HE was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

Other Appearances

36 While they were telling these things, HE HIMSELF stood in their midst and said to them, 

'Peace be to you.' 

37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 

38 And HE said to them, 

'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 

39 See MY hands and MY feet, that it is I MYSELF; 

touch ME and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.'

 40 And when HE had said this, HE showed them HIS hands and HIS feet. 

41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, 

HE said to them, 

'Have you anything here to eat?' 

42 They gave HIM a piece of a broiled fish; 

43 and HE took it and ate it before them.

44 Now HE said to them, 

'These are MY words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about ME in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.' 

45 Then HE opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 

46 and HE said to them, 

'Thus it is written, that THE CHRIST would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 

47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in HIS name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 

48 You are witnesses of these things. 

49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of MY FATHER upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension

50 And HE led them out as far as Bethany, and HE lifted up HIS hands and blessed them. 

51 While HE was blessing them, HE parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 

52 And they, after worshiping HIM, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 

53 and were continually in the temple praising GOD."

2020 for JESUS - Day 172: JESUS is THIS MAN... MESSIAH, A KING... THE KING OF THE JEWS... THE MAN... A GALILEAN... GOD's MESSIAH, THE CHOSEN ONE... THE MESSIAH... GOD... A RIGHTEOUS MAN...

Today is June 20, 2020!  

What a great day to see JESUS... 

HIS:

• Love
• Compassion
• Sacrifice
• Perseverance
• Humility
• Forgiveness
• and so much more...

Luke 23:1-56 

"Then the whole assembly rose and led HIM off to Pilate. 

2 And they began to accuse HIM, saying, 

'We have found THIS MAN subverting our nation. HE opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be MESSIAH, A KING.'

3 So Pilate asked JESUS, 

'Are you THE KING OF THE JEWS?'

'You have said so,' 

JESUS replied.

4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, 

'I find no basis for a charge against THIS MAN.'

5 But they insisted, 

'HE stirs up the people all over Judea by HIS teaching. 

HE started in Galilee and has come all the way here.'

6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if THE MAN was A GALILEAN. 

7 When HE learned that JESUS was under Herod’s jurisdiction, 

he sent HIM to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

8 When Herod saw JESUS, he was greatly pleased, 

because for a long time he had been wanting to see HIM. 

From what he had heard about HIM, 

he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 

9 He plied HIM with many questions, 

but JESUS gave him no answer. 

10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, 

vehemently accusing HIM. 

11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked HIM. 

Dressing HIM in an elegant robe, they sent HIM back to Pilate. 

12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—

before this they had been enemies.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 

14 and said to them, 

'You brought me THIS MAN as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. 

I have examined HIM in your presence and 

have found no basis for your charges against HIM. 

15 Neither has Herod, for he sent HIM back to us; 

as you can see, HE has done nothing to deserve death. 

16 Therefore, I will punish HIM and then release HIM.'

17 [Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

18 But the whole crowd shouted, 

'Away with THIS MAN! Release Barabbas to us!'

19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

20 Wanting to release JESUS, Pilate appealed to them again. 

21 But they kept shouting, 

'Crucify HIM! Crucify HIM!'

22 For the third time he spoke to them: 

'Why? What crime has THIS MAN committed? 

I have found in HIM no grounds for the death penalty. 

Therefore I will have HIM punished and then release HIM.'

23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that HE be crucified, 

and their shouts prevailed. 

24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 

25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered JESUS to their will.

The Crucifixion of JESUS

26 As the soldiers led HIM away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, 

who was on his way in from the country, 

and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind JESUS. 

27 A large number of people followed HIM, 

including women who mourned and wailed for HIM. 

28 JESUS turned and said to them, 

'Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for ME; 

weep for yourselves and for your children. 

29 For the time will come when you will say, 

‘Blessed are the childless women, 

the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 

30 'Then,  they will say to the mountains, 

'Fall on us! 

...and to the hills, 

'Cover us!''

31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?'

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with HIM to be executed. 

33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified HIM there, 

along with the criminals—one on HIS right, the other on HIS left. 

34 JESUS said, 

'FATHER, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' 

And they divided up HIS clothes by casting lots.

35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at HIM. 

They said, 

'HE saved others; let HIM save himself if HE is 

GOD's MESSIAH, THE CHOSEN ONE.'   

36 The soldiers also came up and mocked HIM. 

They offered HIM wine vinegar 

37 and said, 

'If YOU are THE KING OF THE JEWS, save YOURSELF.'

38 There was a written notice above HIM, which read: 

this is the king of the jews.

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at HIM: 

'Aren’t YOU THE MESSIAH? Save YOURSELF and us!'

40 But the other criminal rebuked HIM. 

'Don’t you fear GOD,' 

he said, 

'since you are under the same sentence? 

41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. 

But THIS MAN has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, 

'JESUS, remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom.'

43 JESUS answered him, 

'Truly I tell you, today you will be with ME in paradise.'

The Death of JESUS

44 It was now about noon, 

and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 

45 for the sun stopped shining. 

And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 

46 JESUS called out with a loud voice, 

'FATHER, into YOUR hands I commit MY spirit.' 

When HE had said this, HE breathed HIS last.

47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised GOD and said, 

'Surely this was A RIGHTEOUS MAN.'

48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 

49 But all those who knew HIM, including the women who had followed HIM from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Burial of JESUS

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, 

good and upright man, 

51 who had not consented to their decision and action. 

He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, 

and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of GOD. 

52 Going to Pilate, he asked for JESUS' body. 

53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and 

placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, 

one in which no one had yet been laid. 

54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

55 The women who had come with JESUS from Galilee 

followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how HIS body was laid in it. 

56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. 

But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."