29
Jun '16
On His Mind
29
Jun '16
Denise Kaufman – June 29, 2016
Do you ever think about how many things we have to remember these days?
There are birthdays, dentist appointments, doctor appointments, appointments with the hairdresser, client meetings, work meetings, meetings with your child’s teacher. And we have to remember answers to certain questions: Did I set the alarm? Unplug the iron? Close the garage door? Watered the plants? Wait – when was the last time I watered the plants? What was it you needed to pick up at the grocery? What was that girl’s name—Alice or Ann? Or was it Susan? Whose turn is it to clean the kitchen at the office? Where did I park the car? And what is my password on this account? Is it capital or small case? I…OH MY!
It was a difficult shift for me to go from my paper calendar that held all my important information to an electronic one. It seemed so risky not to have a hard copy in my hands to rely on. But shift I did.
STOP AND REMEMBER
Now I rely heavily on my electronic calendar—more than I ever did on the paper one. In fact, I used to remember more, but now I let my calendar “remember” for me. I barely know my children’s phone number. All of this makes me very thankful that Jesus established Communion so that I would stop and remember his sacrifice.
I don’t think Jesus ever forgot what was ahead of Him.
Isn’t it interesting that His ministry began publicly at a wedding—a joyous celebration recorded in John 2:1-12. However, when His mother approached him about the problem of the host running out of wine, Jesus asked her what that had to do with Him because [His] hour had not yet come. (See John 2:3-4)
The phrase about “His hour” was a clear referral to the cross. He knew what was coming and He was already thinking about it.
Tim Keller in his book
Encounters with Jesus
(2013) insightfully recognized that Jesus going public with His ministry meant the clock would start on the countdown to Calvary – a sobering moment. Something like that is always on your mind.
Do you ever ask why Jesus would put Himself through this torture? It was for joy. Hebrews 12:2 says,
“For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.”
WHAT JOY?
Well, there’s another wedding…
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder shouting:
‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.’ Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.”
(Rev 19: 6-8)
I think it is safe to say that this wedding was and is on Jesus’ mind constantly as well.
Another interesting note from the wedding at Cana is that Jesus told the servants to put water in the jars used by the Jews for ceremonial washing (purification) and then he turned it into the best wine they had ever tasted (John 2: 6-7, 10). We can’t be ready for the wedding of the Lamb until we have been purified, cleansed from our sin. That takes us back to the cross where we receive forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of the Lamb.
And now the joy is also set before us!
THREE THINGS
I had a boss many years ago who told us we can only remember three things at a time. I’m sure he read it somewhere. If that, in fact, is accurate, what three things will you remember?
May I may a suggestion?
1. THE CROSS
2. WHO’S YOU ARE
3. THE JOY SET BEFORE US
And let us always remember that we were, and are, always on His mind.