APRIL 02 THE JESUS QUESTIONS JQ#12 *Who decides what is legal, God or man?*

 APRIL 2  THE JESUS QUESTIONS  

JQ#12 *Who decides what is legal, God or man?*  

“What man is there among you who has one sheep and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep?” (Matthew 12:11-12a)

LIVING FOR JESUS  Daily Prayer    

JESUS, Precious is the Name above all names — Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.  

Lord just the simple fact that we have the Name Jesus to call upon should make everyone stop and ponder why we even have the Name Jesus and what it has meant to generation after generation. 

We call on You “in season and out of season”,  we call on You with both Praise and Prayer, we moan the Name in utter desperation, and we shout from our hearts the Name Jesus in adoration for Your Unconditional Love that You have showered so Graciously on a lost and dying world —  with the Name Jesus there is Eternal Hope!

  Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.     

AMEN

THE JESUS QUESTIONS

Jesus is accused of a very, very serious issue — especially when you consider that Jesus has been performing miracle after miracle that could only be accomplished by the anointing of God and that Jesus referred to God as “MY Father in heaven”, and to then be told by the Pharisees that He was guilty of doing that which was not “legal” on the Sabbath!?!?  

This JESUS Question is very serious because it pits the “authority of man” against the “Authority of God” and as such, this JESUS Question should be treated soberly and given the “Divine weight” it is due! 

In JQ#12-03 the “circumstantial evidence” and “direct testimonial evidence” were compared and according to the U. S. Supreme Court they are “intrinsically no different” and for the record it was also established that “much Scientific Evidence is circumstantial”.  Since the accusation occurred over 2000 years ago we must make our “judgement” from circumstantial evidence for obvious reasons. 

The issue of “legality” always has been and always will be the greatest issue that every society must face! It is through the legal system of any society that the society either prospers or is stifled altogether! Indeed, when the question “Who decides what is legal?” is asked it must be answered proportionally to the gravity of the question, as a society can destroy itself with a corrupt legal system that is like a vicious cancer and corruption always will bring death upon the body, “man’s legalism is always corrupt” and always will bring death to the organism it is allowed to grow in! 

Let us start with establishing the “scene of the crime”, and “examine the evidence”, and then each individual must be their own “judge and jury” and in full honesty every individual must come to the “verdict” that their conscience, after considering the “evidence”, allows them to come to within their own intellect. 

Before any trial starts in the United States or any witness is called to testify, 

the “court” is brought to “order” and 

witnesses are required to take an “oath” on The Holy Bible. 

Because the “Oath” itself is going to be part of the “evidence” for answering the question “Who decides what is legal?”, the traditional “Oath” used by U. S. presidents and U. S. military personnel will be quoted at this time: 

“I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, 

so help me God!” 

Please note that the “Law” is very clear that the “Oath” is taken with one’s left hand on “The Holy Bible” and the right hand raised to God asking that God Himself be a “witness" that the following “testimony” is “true”!  

The obvious intended symbolism is that the “left hand” is closest to the heart and is placed firmly on the Word of God and the right hand which is his strength he raises toward God openly exhibiting that there is nothing of man’s desire or of man’s strength that will be used in this decision and only the Truth of God, Witnessed by God who is TRUTH and only God knows the intent of every man’s heart! Yes, the “OATH to GOD” is part of every testimony yet we have defiled the “Oath” and it has allowed “CORRUPTION” to overtake our court (legal) system!!! 

We will begin our trial of “legality” by establishing the accusation brought against the “Accused” and the circumstances that caused the accusation to be made. I submit the previous eyewitness account from the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 12 beginning with verse 1 and concluding with the accusation itself in verse 2: 

“At that time Jesus [the Accused] went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat [the alleged crime]. And when the Pharisees [the accusers] saw it, they said to Him, ‘Look, Your disciples are doing what is not LAWFUL to do on the Sabbath!’[the accusation]”(Matthew 12:1-2)  

Therefore we can establish the “scene of the alleged crime” to be in “the grain fields” and at the scene of the crime we can establish from the eyewitness account written C. A.D. 50 (which could have been less than 20 years after the original charges were brought against the accused) that in “the grain fields” were at least two disciples of Jesus and Jesus Himself plus at least two observers from the Pharisees for a minimum of at least 5 persons being “eye witnesses” at the scene of the “crime”. 

The charge itself was from the Pharisees that had seen the disciples consuming “heads of grain” in the “grain fields”. 

To establish the “TRUE Law of the Sabbath” do we accept man’s “interpretation” of the existing laws ruling the Sabbath, or should we refer back to the “original” Law as given to Moses from God Himself? Do you now see how this “minor” incident and “accusation against Jesus” in a grain field becomes the “major” implied question: JQ#12 — “Who decides what is legal, God or man?”

APRIL 1 THE JESUS QUESTIONS JQ#12 *Who decides what is legal, God or man?* “What man is there among you who has one sheep and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep?” (Matthew 12:11-12a)

 

APRIL 1  THE JESUS QUESTIONS  JQ#12 *Who decides what is legal, God or man?*  “What man is there among you who has one sheep and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep?” (Matthew 12:11-12a)

LIVING FOR JESUS  Daily Prayer    

JESUS, today I start my prayer to You with a desire to do honor to Your Name by doing all that my limited abilities will allow me to do to share “God’s Truth” and instill in others a desire to know and to love God on a higher plane than ever before!  

Lord, as I started my day today by reading one of my prayer’s written to You in 2004, I am impressed by how wonderful You have been to me all these years as I have been seeking You and Your Truth! Lord I pray back to You these many years later a portion of that 2004 prayer — “Your Truth” is timeless: “Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, there is none but Thee. 

We in our unworthiness only magnify Thy Grace. Our filthy sin only makes Your Love shine brighter than can be described — and so our worthless lives become priceless treasures with but a drop of Your Grace. 

Let Your Light, Your Truth, and Your Love be our Way and our Life!     

AMEN

THE JESUS QUESTIONS

Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees as He and His disciples were eating heads of grain while walking through a field and the “legalistic” Pharisees admonished Jesus:

  “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” (Matthew 12:2) 

It was at this point that Jesus answered the “legalists” by asking a series of Questions in reply to their accusation of “legality” against what Jesus Himself was “allowing” His disciples to do — the following series of Questions (Matthew 12:4,5,10,11,12) can be summarized as 

JQ#12 — “Who decides what is legal, God or man?”  

The Pharisees are in essence declaring that Jesus is guilty of doing “what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath” because He is allowing His disciples to engage in an “unlawful” act on the Sabbath, and being the “Leader”, He must be held personally responsible for their “lawbreaking”! This “accusation” of “allowing His disciples to do “illegal” activities on the Sabbath made Jesus also “guilty by association” at best but at worse Jesus is “guilty of being ignorant of God’s Law”.  By making this accusation that Jesus is breaking “Jewish Law” the legalists have set up a “trial” between “man’s law” and “God’s Law” — and instead of Jesus being on “trial”, the Pharisees and thousands of years of “legal tradition” will be exposed as “hypocrites” by the Truth of God  as Jesus basically presents His case against the “religious legal system” established by the “doctrines of men” verses the 

“Commandments of God” and His Divine Argument against all “legalists” 

can be summarized by this JESUS Question 

JQ#12 — “Who decides what is legal, God or man?” 

 (Matthew 12:4,5,10,11,12)  

In order to establish the “facts” in this “trial” of “God vs. man” we must establish as best we can all the circumstances of the accused, establish “motivation” of the actions of the accused, and then “examine” all the “evidence” of the event in question. To establish these facts we must refer to writings and historical documents of this historical event for there are no living eyewitness; however we must seek to show by the eyewitness accounts that the event in question can be established as fact by circumstantial evidence. 

The event in question actually took place over 2000 years ago and “logically” therefore, the “accused” must be proven to be present at that event or “legally” there can be no trial! If we cannot establish as “fact” that a “crime” occurred, then how can someone be “accused”?  Legally it is imperative that the “accused” must be proven to be present at the scene of the crime and then the accused must be “proven” to be “guilty” of performing the actions that resulted in the accusation! 

Let us begin with the original charges and produce what circumstantial evidence that is available to us using trustworthy historical documents and recorded facts. Let us start with a modern definition from a current legal dictionary.  

In an article titled: “Circumstantial Evidence: Legal Definition of Circumstantial Evidence” we read: “Information and testimony presented by a party in a civil or criminal action that permit conclusions that indirectly establish the existence of a fact or event that the party seeks to prove.” The article also cites the U. S. Supreme Court from Holland v. United States, 348 U. S. 121, 75 S. Ct. 127, 99 L. Ed. 150 [1954] as the court stated: “circumstantial evidence is intrinsically no different from testimonial [direct] evidence.” and the article concludes: “Thus, the distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence has little practical effect in the presentation or admissibility of evidence in trials.” 

Contained in the article is a reference to “Scientific Evidence” and states: “In addition, much Scientific Evidence is circumstantial, because it requires a jury to make a connection between the circumstance and the fact in issue.” The first Circumstantial Evidence that should be established by the definition of circumstantial evidence is that circumstantial evidence is also known as indirect evidence and in its own definition states: 

“[Circumstantial evidence] is distinguished from direct evidence, which, if believed, proves the existence of a particular fact without any inference or presumption required.” 

Two things to note as we present circumstantial evidence is (1) “Proof” is established by “belief” for both circumstantial evidence (“…because it requires a jury to make a connection…”) and indirect evidence (“…which, if believed, proves…”). (2) “Circumstantial evidence" is also known as “indirect” evidence and as such has the legal standing equivalent to “direct evidence” and is also equivalent to “Scientific Evidence”. 

Therefore the first circumstantial evidence presented in order to establish “proof” is

  Exhibit 1 CE — To establish “proof”, “belief” must be involved, regardless of the type of evidence used. The Holy Bible is a collection of 44 identified eye witnesses that have been used thousands of years and has been considered trustworthy for that same period of time.  

Exhibit 2 CE — The Bible: John 20:31 states “…these [eye witness accounts] are written that you may “believe” that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God…” . 

Therefore if “proof” is established by “belief” in “circumstantial evidence” that the U. S. Supreme Court declares as “legal”, then we need to ask ourselves why we don’t “believe” the Bible “since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” (Hebrews 12:1)??? 

Or the more important question for our world today is “Why do we refuse to accept as Truth that which was proven over 2000 years ago and since the initial proof has been witnessed by thousands and verified by millions of eye witness accounts?” 

If Jesus is not the Resurrected Christ why are there so many witnesses that saw Him dead and actually talked to Him after His Resurrection and why do millions of “believers” declare that Jesus  is still Living today and He is still talking “TRUTH” to those that will listen!?!?!?

MARCH 31 THE JESUS QUESTIONS + + + RESURRECTION SUNDAY + + +

 

MARCH 31  THE JESUS QUESTIONS 

+ + + RESURRECTION SUNDAY + + +  

EASTER IS RESURRECTION SUNDAY — THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IS HISTORICAL FACT AND WILL FOREVER BE REMEMBERED IN TRUTH, EVEN IF WE AREN’T ABLE TO GATHER IN A BUILDING, JESUS HAS ALREADY DEFEATED DEATH AND THE GRAVE IS EMPTY!

LIVING FOR JESUS  Daily Prayer

JESUS, Lord Jesus, the Only Begotten of the Father, Son of the Living God, my Redeemer, Savior, You are CHRIST! 

You Lord are the fulfillment of Prophecy, You lived the Perfect Life, You Suffered as the Perfect Sacrifice and Paid the Penalty that I could not pay, You died in my place, Your side was pierced as You were hanging Dead on the Cross, Your Body was Broken, Your Blood was Shed, You were laid in a grave! 

You Lord, being Loved by the Father was Obedient even unto death and the grave 

and on the 

Third Day You AROSE 

and the Greatest Testimony ever given was proclaimed: 

“HE IS ALIVE”!!!  

As a follower of Jesus Christ there can be no greater TRUTH in our life — 

JESUS IS THE RESURRECTION!!! 

Praise God!!!       

AMEN

MARCH 31, 2024  THE JESUS QUESTIONS  RESURRECTION SUNDAY  

RESURRECTION SUNDAY is THE DAY celebrated by the followers of Christ because on this “first day of the week” (John 20:1) the tomb was found EMPTY! 

This was of great concern for Pilate who had earlier asked Jesus, 

“What is truth?” (John 18:38),

 

for after he heard the news of the death of Jesus, Pilate

“commanded that the crucified body [of Jesus] to be given to [Joseph of Arimathea]”. (John 19:38)  

When Joseph of Arimathea had 

“taken the [dead] body [of Jesus down from the cross], he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.” 

(Matthew 27:57-60). 

To insure the stone stayed in place and the body of Jesus stayed in the tomb, the chief priest and Pharisees that  were responsible for having Jesus crucified went to Pilate and said that Jesus had said, 

“After three days I will rise” 

and they requested from Pilate “

that the tomb be made secure until the third day…” and “Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.” (Matthew 27:62-66). 

We celebrate the Empty Tomb because the seal was broken, the stone was rolled away, the guards were gone — we celebrate the 

DEATH, BURIAL, and the EMPTY TOMB of JESUS because they are the realization that it is the RESURRECTION OF JESUS, 

the Son of the Living God 

that demonstrates the Divine Power of God to give life 

and that death and the grave were defeated by the

 Divine Power of the Living God “[who] loved the world so much that He GAVE His only begotten Son [as the Sacrificial Lamb to pay for the penalty of sin] that whosoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish but have everlasting life!” 

(John 3:16) 

We celebrate the EMPTY TOMB on RESURRECTION SUNDAY because it is on this DAY that JESUS WAS RESURRECTED and reminds the world that GOD HAS POWER over life and death and He promised Eternal Life to those that BELIEVE GOD RESURRECTED His Only Begotten Son Jesus from death and the grave! 

Nowhere in the scriptures do we read any contradiction to this great 

TRUTH OF GOD 

that has been celebrated on the first Sunday after the paschal moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox, the date may vary from March 22 to April 25 but the occasion never changes, 

HE IS RISEN!!!! 

>>>2020 NOTE: THE CORONA VIRUS HAD NO POWER OVER ETERNITY — 

HE THAT CONTROLS ETERNITY SAID - 

“YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL”