The Gospel of IDD

The Great Commission                    Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.    When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.    And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.    Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,   and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20               This is an insane call.   The men standing in front of Jesus are not academics.   They are not wealthy.   They are not famous.   They are just regular people who decided to follow Jesus whatever He called them into.  ...

Rebuilding the Temple                    When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the  Lord , the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the  Lord  with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel;    and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the  Lord , “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”             And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the  Lord , because the foundation of the house of the  Lord  was laid.    But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, so that the...

Thanksgiving                    Ascribe to the  Lord , O families of the peoples, ascribe to the  Lord  glory and strength.   Ascribe to the  Lord  the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come before him. Worship the  Lord  in holy splendor;   tremble before him, all the earth.   The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.   Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,   and let them say among the nations, “The  Lord  is king!”   Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;   let the field exult, and everything in it.   Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the  Lord , for he comes to judge the earth.   O give thanks to the  Lord , for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:28-34          ...

John Beheaded                    For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her.    For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”    And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.”    And he solemnly swor...

Judas’ Death                   When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor. When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.    He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:1-5               Oh…that moment.   That moment when you realize what you have done.   That moment when you realize the mistake that you have made and how you have hurt those around you and how deeply broken yo...

Judas                   Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.  When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. Mark 14:10-11               This passage falls right on the heels of yesterday’s account.   Something that happened during Jesus’ anointing made Judas snap.   From that moment on, he was on the lookout for an opportunity to betray Jesus.   Maybe he could not stand the sight of all that money wasted.   Maybe he was the loudest critic of the woman and then received the harshest rebuke from Jesus.   Maybe he was tired of all this death talk and thought that it was time for Jesus to put up or shut up.   Maybe he decided that if Jesus was planning on dying, he...

Anointed                   While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head.    But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way?    For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her.    But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me.    She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial.    Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole wor...

The Living Stone                 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and   like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.   For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone,   a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”   To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected   has become the very head of the corner,” and “A stone that makes them stumble,   and a rock that makes them fall.”   They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.   But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim th...