September 7
________________________________________JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes. – John 20:1-10
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When Mary Magdalene came to visit the tomb of her Master on that first day of the week after Jesus was crucified, she was shocked to find that the stone had already been taken away from the tomb. The Gospel of John and archaeology support the interpretation that the tomb of Jesus would have been sealed with a cork-shaped blocking stone. In Mark 16:4 it says that “the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” Even a passage in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter states that Pilate sent Petronius the Centurion with soldiers and they rolled there a great stone and laid it against the entrance to the sepulcher. Naturally, when Mary saw that the stones have been moved, she assumed that the soldiers have taken Jesus’ body away. So, she ran to the disciples to announce what she saw and they didn’t believe her. They had to see for themselves so they ran to the tomb to check whether Mary was right. When they saw the linen wrappings all empty, they finally believed. It is interesting to see from this account that the disciples and Mary forgot what Jesus told them about Him rising from the dead. Their limited minds didn’t fathom what Jesus has foretold before He was crucified. We also often times forget the promises and words of Jesus to us through Scriptures.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the disciples didn’t believe Mary’s report of Jesus’ body missing?
• Why did they have to see with their own eyes that Jesus’ body wasn’t there?
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SECRET DISCIPLES OF JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
September 6
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SECRET DISCIPLES OF JESUS
38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. – John 19:38-42
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When Jesus died, there were some secret disciples that came out from hiding. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar or sometimes identical wording. They stand in contrast to John, whose content is largely distinct. The Sanhedrin was the supreme religious body in Israel during the time of the Holy Temple. There were also smaller religious Sanhedrins in every town in Israel From the Synoptics we learn that Joseph was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin who was looking for the coming of the kingdom and who didn’t approve of the Sanhedrin’s condemnation of Jesus. Nicodemus, who is not mentioned in the Synoptics, was also a member of the Sanhedrin (Jn 3:1) and, presumably, was wealthy, given the amount of spice he provides for Jesus’ burial (v. 39). In any case, these are both men of power, privilege and wealth. It is ironic that these two men come out of hiding and clearly associate themselves with Jesus at his death, since they would have thought his movement had come to an end. According to some accounts of the dating (see comment on 18:28; 19:14), this means they would miss the Passover itself, in which case Christ has replaced the Passover for them in keeping with John’s focus on Jesus as the Lamb of God and the fulfillment of the Jewish feasts in general.
What took the death of Jesus for these half-hearted believers to stand up for Jesus? Some Christians have a lukewarm faith and I would say that these two were such. They probably realized in the end that all the Scriptures were fulfilled in Jesus, thus they believed.
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REFLECTION
• Why do some believers hide their faith just like these two secret disciples?
SCRIPTURES FULFILLED ILMA’S VLOG
September 5
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SCRIPTURES FULFILLED
31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 36 For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.” 37 And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.” – John 19:31-37
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In this gospel account of John, we witness the fulfillment of two Scripture verses, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken” and also “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” What is the significance of these verses in relation to God’s plan of salvation?
Exodus 12:46 says that “It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it.”- This verse was a part of the instruction regarding the Passover lamb. This was the way the Lord set apart the Jews from the rest so that they can be saved and delivered from the enemies. The lamb was the sacrificial offering that will make the angels of the Lord recognize that they are the chosen people. John 1:29 gives us the testimony of John the Baptist regarding Jesus. When he saw Jesus coming to Him he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! The Old testament scripture refers to the lamb sacrificed to distinguish the chosen people, in the New testament, the word of God points to Jesus, who is the lamb of God who was sent to us to atone for our sins. In Psalm 34:20 David’s declaration of one of God’s promises is that He keeps all his righteous people’s bones intact. Not one of them is broken. Zechariah 12:10 says “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. Scripture fulfilled in Jesus’ death so that all may believe in God.
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REFLECTION
• How do these Scriptures fulfillment affect a believer’s life?
VERDICT OF CRUCIFIXION ILMA’S VLOG
September 3
________________________________________VERDICT OF CRUCIFIXION
13 Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” 15 So they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified. 17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. 18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” – John 19:13-22
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In this account, we get another glimpse of the power-hungry Jews who wanted Jesus crucified. All the characters in this scene played a huge part in the judgement given to kill Jesus. They had no idea that it was all in God’s plan to use them so that the promise of God to bring a savior will be fulfilled. No amount of persuasion will change the minds of the Pharisees and all the other Jewish leaders. They were exposed with their hypocrisy by Jesus himself. They had to stop this person who they thought was claiming to be the Son of God, without wanting to accept the fact that He was really who he said He was. In verse 21, these Jews manifest the manipulation and control that we so often experience with people who are evil and wicked. They wanted to correct what Pilate ordered to inscribe on the cross from the “King of the Jews” to adding the point that it was Jesus’ claim. It manifests their legalism and cruelty. They had to retaliate towards someone who exposed their falseness. They needed to save their reputation and anyone who messes with their law-abiding principle will pay for it.
What a shame it is when we become so legalistic and resort to protecting our reputation even though we know that we are fraudulent and great pretenders!
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REFLECTION
• Do we have a right to protect ourselves to those who attack us? Why or why not?
THE TORMENTORS OF JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
September 2
________________________________________THE TORMENTORS OF JESUS
Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him; 3 and they began to come up to Him and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and to give Him slaps in the face. 4 Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” 5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!” 6 So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.” 8 Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; 9 and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” 12 As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.” – John 19:1-12
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In this gospel account of John, the main characters are those who dirtied their hands in contributing to Jesus’ crucifixion. The soldiers also did their part in tormenting the Lord as they scourged Jesus, put on Him a crown of thorns. They gave Him a purple robe so that they can ridicule Him and make fun of Him claiming to be king. Another character in this story is Pilate, who had no backbone to really prevent Jesus’ crucifixion because of the threat of the Jews. When he reminded Jesus that it was in his hands that his life is dependent on. Jesus answered Pilate in truth and corrected him with regards to who is the only one who has the authority over Him. He reminded Pilate that the only reason why he has authority is because God has given him such and told him that those who brought this all about are the ones who are really the sinners. Pilate must have been touched in his heart because in verse 12, it says that he made all the efforts to release Jesus. He had no idea that he had a role to play in the big plan of man’s salvation.
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REFLECTION
• How can we become a tormentor of the Lord in our lives now?
MORE DENIALS BY PETER ILMA’S VLOG
August 31
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MORE DENIALS BY PETER
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. 29 Therefore Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” 30 They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.” 31 So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” 32 to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die. – John 18:25-32
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This account is the beginning of Jesus’ presentation to Pilate. What was interesting in this story is how Simon Peter kept on following where they were bringing Jesus. He didn’t want to take his eyes off his Master and yet, as soon as he is being questioned about his identity, he denied two more times his association with the Lord. Aside from the truth that Jesus prophesied about Peter denying Him three times, what must have led him to do so? Let us take a look why Peter actually resorted to two more occasions of denying the Master whom he used to boast about: that He will always be loyal and follow Him. I surmise that he kept on following Jesus, curious how Jesus was going to handle the process of crucifixion. He probably is wondering how his Master could just let Jesus allow all these suffering He is going through to happen. He may have been wishing that Jesus prove all these people that He is God after all. He didn’t understand the concept that God’s will have to be done and even the Son of God had no desire to change it.
The moment Peter was recognized by someone who was in the group of soldiers who arrested Jesus in the garden, he feared for his life. He didn’t want end up like Jesus, unable to help Himself and die on the cross. He resorted to self-protect. We all do it: we automatically preserve our own lives for our own sake. We deny the Lord when we do not stand up for truth or when we do not totally become his slaves. When we cater to our own interest, we forget that we are supposed to sacrifice our own lives for him.
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REFLECTION
• Despite Peter’s denials, why was he still chosen by God to build His chu
SANCTIFIED BY TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
August 27
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SANCTIFIED BY TRUTH
13 But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. – John 17:13-21
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This account is still a part of Jesus’ prayer to the heavenly Father for the sake of His disciples. He was concerned for them because He knows that they will still be in the world while He is joining His Father soon. He pleads His Father to keep His disciple holy because they will be surrounded by corruption and evil. As He asks His Father, we hear much affection in His words in verses 14-19. He intimately knows his disciples very well and recognizes their challenges if He goes to join His Father. What a wonderful thing to know that every need of these disciples will be met! Jesus knows their suffering and how they will be marinated in persecution, evil and attacks. This is why He was interceding for them so that His Father can sanctify them in truth. In verse 20, Jesus wants the disciples to be protected by the truth which comes only from God’s word. He wants to ensures that they are kept pure by Scriptures. The aim for such sanctity is so that they will be united with the Father and Himself as well.
Jesus mentions also that this is not only the case for His disciples, but also for anyone who believes in Him through Scriptures.
The main reason why all believers need to be sanctified is because they will be witnesses for the Father and the Son. It will bring glory to them both. It will lead others to believe and want to know Jesus and the Father more.
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REFLECTION
• Why do we need to be sanctified when we become followers of Jesus?
• What happens when Christians do not keep pure for the Lord?
• Why is it important to worship the Lord in truth?
JESUS’ PRAYERS FOR HIS DISCIPLES ILMA’S VLOG
August 26
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JESUS’ PRAYERS FOR HIS DISCIPLES
Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, 2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 3 This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. 6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; 8 for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
– John 17:1-12
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This prayer of Jesus to His Father is exemplary. I think that Jesus shared this prayer to His disciples openly so that they can follow it themselves. He wants to model to them what a true prayer is. In this prayer, we get a glimpse of how much love Jesus had for those who love Him. He was reminding His Father that it was Him who gave them to Him to teach and lead. He endorses His disciples’ faithfulness and belief in the Son, who came from the Father Himself.
Can you imagine, a true God Himself, prays on your behalf? How humble Jesus was to recognize that God the Father is still the source of everything when He Himself is a God?
The prayer is all about asking the Father to give these faithful followers what He has. In other words, He wants them to have all the blessings and privileges He has because they loved Him. Do we pray for our loved ones like Jesus did?
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REFLECTION
• How can we learn to pray like Jesus did?
TAKE COURAGE FOR JESUS OVERCAME THE WORLD
August 25
________________________________________TAKE COURAGE FOR JESUS OVERCAME THE WORLD
29 His disciples said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
– John 16:29-33
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This declaration of the disciples to Jesus about believing that He came from God didn’t really convince Jesus. In verse 31, he asks them again if they really believe Him. Jesus gives them another warning that they will all be scattered and cannot be together as they used to be. In verse 32, Jesus predicts that they are not strong enough yet to face all the repercussions of His sacrifice on the cross will bring on their lives. Jesus prophesied that some of them will be so scared of the fact that the Jewish leaders have the power to crucify them as well since they were connected to Jesus.
We clearly see the deity of Christ when He declared what will happen before it actually happens. Because He is omniscient and omnipotent, He also knew their unbelief, their fear for their lives and their panic from having no one to lead them anymore. Jesus also acknowledges his humanity in verse 32 when He said that they will not be there for Him at all. He expected them to be there when He is going through the sacrifice on the cross. His dependence on God always prevails because He knows that the Father is always in Him and will never leave or forsake Him. He predicted his disciples would be scattered and hide because of their fear. He is teaching us all to depend on God who knows what is best for us. He doesn’t want us to rely on humans for help, because they will never really be able to provide what only God can grant us. Jesus reminds them that only in Him can they have courage and peace because the world is unable to give this peace to them. The world only brings suffering and pain. Jesus reassures them that the only way they can overcome these tribulations is through Him. He is the Prince of Peace.
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REFLECTION
• Why are we asked to pursue peace at all cost as Christians?
GRIEF TURNED TO JOY ILMA’S VLOG
August 23
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GRIEF TURNED TO JOY
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.16 “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” 17 Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. 21 Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. – John 16:12-22
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In this account, John tells us what the Lord shared with His disciples before He fulfilled the promise of God to save mankind. He is appeasing their grief over what is going to happen to them when He is gone. He likens their grief to a woman in labor pains. A woman’s labor pain is excruciatingly unbearable; but the pain turns into joy when she gives birth to her child. The pain is replaced by the joy that comes from knowing that her baby has come to life.
Jesus tells His disciples that It may be painful to think that He is going to leave them soon, but the promise of a Helper is going to ease their pain. When He comes back again, there will be overwhelming joy to all those who love Him. It will make their pain of losing Him worthwhile.
When we go through grief, we can easily become discouraged or hopeless, but those who believe in Jesus will always have hope because He will never forsake those who love Him.
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REFLECTION
• How can your grief be turned to joy when you lose something or someone?