 A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. <Previous Message · Archives ·  Archive/print editionTuesday, April 14, 2009  Flower cart in rural Lancaster County Pennsylvania  Listen to us share this message on your audio player."The Needed Rebuke" "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen Him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; He rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen" (Mark 16:9-14). Our daily verses record the activities on Resurrection Day and Christ's various appearances. Notice the recurring disbelief among the disciples at the first resurrection reports. They apparently had a potluck meal that evening. (I like potluck meals and it's sure a proven method for getting people out for a meeting.) As they ate they were surely discussing the events of the last several days and those reports from eyewitnesses regarding the empty tomb. Jesus arrived among them and "appeared to the Eleven as they were eating." If I were writing this story as fiction I would have Jesus coming in, everyone jumping up to greet Him and giving each other high fives as they rejoiced! But that's not what happened. Rather, Jesus "rebuked them." This may seem to us a strange way to greet them on such a joyous occasion. But they needed rebuke. Christ always gives us what we need whether we like it or not. The Greek word used is "oneidizo" ("upbraided them" in the KJV), and conveys a very strong and forceful rebuke. The basis of the rebuke was "their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen." The KJV provides a more literal reading of "stubborn refusal" in using the phrase "hardness of heart" which translates from the Greek "sklerokardia." You may notice both of these words in our English, certainly the kardia from which we get cardiology. Hardness of heart is a dangerous condition physically, but even more so spiritually! Amazingly, these are the same folks who just days earlier were gathered with Jesus around the table and pledging their undying loyalty to Him. Over and over again He had told them that He was going to die and then rise again (Matthew 12:40, Mark 8:31, John 2:19). Now that it had happened they didn't believe! Sometimes (perhaps often) we also need rebuke for our disbelief. We may not like it, we may even shirk from it or reject it. This rebuke may come from a conviction of the Holy Spirit or from another brother or sister, perhaps a pastor. The rebuke may be personally directed to us or we may receive it as we read or hear a message. This type of rebuke is a blessing. For when we not only hear the rebuke but internalize it, the Spirit of God penetrates the walls that pride and unbelief have erected within our hardened hearts. They become softened, pliable, and teachable and we are better for it. We serve a risen Savior and must keep the things that matter most before us. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is "of first importance" (1 Corinthians 15:3). The disciples sure got a powerful and effective reminder of this essential truth that first Sunday evening service! And we have the wonderful benefit of having the entire record before us so that when we read of Christ's crucifixion we also know of His resurrection that follows. Let us live each day in the power that comes from serving a resurrected Savior and declare today, Yes Lord, I believe! Be encouraged today, Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, we read the accounts in Scripture about our Lord's death and His resurrection three days later. He appeared bodily to many eyewitnesses in His divine, immortal body for forty days before He ascended to heaven. It was written long ago and in a culture foreign to us in our modern world. But Your Spirit quickens this essential truth to our hearts and it is imperative to our Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead and is very much alive today. We accept it by faith and receive it into our hearts. And one day, like the disciples, we too will see our Savior face to face.  Last night long time friends Jeff and Lois Worrall with their children, Hannah and Isaac, from upstate New York, visited us. Jeff, in his bachelor years, was a part of the church we pastored in northern PA for many years. Last night we had apple crisp along with a slice of cheese and Lois recalled a saying from her dad: "Apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze." and Supplemental Resources |
 "We want to encourage you daily in your walk with Christ!" Personal Ministry Update Revised 01/20/09  Each weekday morning Brooksyne and I prepare these messages and distribute them at no cost to you and many others all over the world. Would you please consider a financial offering to support us in this daily encouragement ministry? Donations are tax deductible and will be receipted directly by my chaplaincy endorsing ministry. Thanks! See here for details. (2009 YTD financial offerings through 4/13/09: $2,975.00)SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION  Were you forwarded this edition of Daily Encouragement Net? If you desire you can receive your own free! To receive these "Daily Encouragement" devotionals each Monday-Friday through email see this page to subscribe. This newsletter is never sent unsolicited. It was sent to you because you either signed up to receive it OR a friend forwarded it to you. You can also subscribe to the rss feed.Cancel: We respect and value your time and privacy. If these messages no longer meet your needs (providing encouragement) you can remove your address by merely use the link automatically inserted by the mailing list software at the very bottom of each email message. Weekly Version: The weekly version is designed for those who may not check their email regularly. It is merely the Friday message with a link to previous messages. To receive the free weekly version, send a blank email to this address. (To change addresses cancel your old address and then join again using your new address.) Please feel free to pass these messages on! "A Daily Prayer" - A blog simply posting the daily prayer. We keep this up each day since it's merely the prayer from the Daily Encouragement Net message! "A Little Foolishness" - Humor/satire blog (a great outlet for non-serious writing but at times with a subtle message!) Last updated with the story of Mildred Swanson, who joyfully discovers her "spiritual gift" is sending forwarded emails! (Note: This material is satire!) "Clear Minded" - Longer, periodic articles on specific issues impacting the faithful believer and church. (Actually this is my intent but I haven't done much with it!) "Hymns of Hope" - Brooksyne along with two friends made a CD using classic hymns. Brooksyne tells the background story of the 11 hymns. We are distributing this CD without charge in our ministry. All of these songs are also available for download on the site. If any reader in this series would like a CD merely write us and request one.  Daily Encouragement Net is an affiliate of Christianbook.com. Any orders placed to Christian Book Distributers using this link or any specific product link to a recommended resource in a daily encouragement message will help our Daily Encouragement ministry through a small commission on the sale. Thank you for using these links when purchasing online through CBD!Personal Mission Statement "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."  How to become a child of God Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version. © Copyright 2009 Stephen C. Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net Stephen & Brooksyne Weber 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 Contact us |
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