Gospel — Good News – Page 10

“Adorned With Christ in All of Life: Our TALK & Our WALK” — a Refresh & Restore Bible Study

²Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ³At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison — ⁴that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
⁵Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.^[1]
Colossians 4:2-6

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.

Greetings Sojourners!

Whew! I blinked, and 2024 is over!

I don’t know about y’all, but last fall and early winter were so busy. We’ve been traipsing back and forth across the South following my daughter and the high school band, writing this past year’s Advent guide (hopefully you got to follow along with the “Good News of Great Joy” readings in Luke), preaching a revival, serving the Lord at Christ Community and wherever else opportunity has arisen, started writing the #dailyPSALMSchallenge posts, and managed to work teaching school, too. Busy, busy, busy. It had been my intention to be finished with our Colossians study by now, but I am finding the older I get that things get done when they are done. Additionally, things worth doing well are worth working on until they are ready (even if I was ready to get it done before it was complete).

This closing exhortation (Bible word that is a mixture of warning, encouragement, and coming alongside someone to help them) of Paul’s here in Colossians 4:2-6 has been working on me throughout my busyness. The way I study these days – whether to write or preach or teach or whatever – is to work through the cross-references for a passage in my notebook, and I carry that notebook with me most places. I study and ponder on the passage and the verses throughout Scripture that give its context. I dwell with the passage. I meditate on it. Really, it is not as academic or spiritual as that sounds but more like the action of a crockpot where I simmer in the passage and its connecting verses until it’s done and ready to serve. I said Colossians 4:2-6 has been working on me; maybe the better way to say it is God has been working it into my life.

To understand this closing exhortation, you need to think of it in the context of the whole letter of Colossians. The first two chapters focus on doctrine, teachings about Jesus, His gospel, and the eternal life He gives, that the church at Colossae was missing. False teachers were coming in, taking advantage of the gaps in their knowledge and seeking to fill them with dangerous teachings and practices meant to lead them away from Christ. The last two chapters focus on putting that doctrine into practice. The church at Colossae needed to learn what it is to put our focus on Christ, namely taking off and putting to death the sin that belonged to their old life and putting on Christ, being adorned in and with Him, and living as His Spirit and Word direct. The biggest part of that application is where Paul helps the church at Colossae – and us – to be adorned in Christ in all areas of our lives, marriages, families, vocations, and so on. This exhortation fits at the tail end of how to be adorned in Christ in all areas of our lives.

As I said earlier, an exhortation is a kind of like coming alongside someone to help them. Picture being on a battlefield and your brother or sister soldier injures their leg and cannot walk on their own. You don’t just leave them there and save yourself. No, you reach down, grab their arm and put it across your shoulder, and you become a leg for them. They cannot walk, but y’all together can. This is recognition that in this spiritual battle, those who belong to the Kingdom of God lift one another up. In this case, Paul is writing to them from his place on the battle field in prison to lift them up and encourage them to keep the faith as they go through life and to lift up one another.

You might read this and be startled by the imagery of battle, but that is the reality of living in Christ for His Kingdom while we still live among the kingdoms of this world. Much of Paul’s letter to Ephesus mirrors aspects of the letter to Colossae. Where we have the exhortation in Colossians 4:2-6, this portion of Ephesians describes the need for putting on the “whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11) and recognizes that we are wrestling – literally fighting – against an enemy that is not of this world – not “against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

We will walk through three ways in which we can lift one another up as we are on the Church’s mission, through prayer, preaching, and practice.

Prayer is Imperative to the Mission (vv. 2-4)

Prayer is literally the most we can do. A lot of times folks are willing to neglect prayer so that they can do something or make something – like praying or serving or whatever, but when you really get down and think about it, what more can you do than take your petitions to the almighty God of the universe?

That’s not a rhetorical question: what more can you do than take things in prayer to God Most High? The obvious and only answer is a resounding “no”.

Look at the way the author of Hebrews describes prayer in Hebrews 4:16:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need….

and again in Hebrews 7:25:

Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Prayer is an opportunity to approach the throne of God with the same level of confidence of a toddler approaching a parent’s bed in the middle of the night, scared from some lurking shadow or bad dream. That baby knows they will not experience reproach even though they rouse the sleeping parent in the middle of the night. They know they will find mercy and grace, love and peace. We get to approach God’s throne knowing He will not reprove or rebuke but dispense the mercy and grace in our “time of need”.

Furthermore, Jesus not only meets our needs but saves “to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him”. Read that again – “to the uttermost”, meaning completely and at all times. Also, if we aren’t careful, we can miss that last part of Hebrews 7:25; Jesus “always lives” – ALWAYS LIVES – “to make intercession” for His people, “those who draw near to God through Him”. That phrase “make intercession” means that Jesus is appealing to the Father on our behalf, to give us mercy and grace in our time of need.

That’s what Paul is telling the Colossian church – and us to do: “Continue steadfastly in prayer”. It is clear that Paul wants them, and us, to pray for each other and him, but he is specific in how he wants them to do it.

First, he tells them to be “watchful” in prayer “with thanksgiving”. The idea of being watchful there reflects Ephesians 6:18 and his command to the church at Ephesus to “keep alert [in prayer] with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints”; to be “watchful” or “keep alert” in “perseverance” in prayer means to be alert to the needs of people around you and to lift them up specifically to God rather than being vague and unfocused. Sometimes we are tempted to almost have a prayer genealogy of be with so and so and be with this one and be with that one, never pleading with God (supplication) for what they need or seeking God on their behalf (intercession) in their time of need or even peril. We should be aware of what’s going on in our brothers’ and sisters’ lives – or at least aware something is going on – and approaching the “throne of grace” for them. This should be done “with thanksgiving” because 1)we can already be thankful that we have a place to go where we can be confident to receive help and 2)that we know God wants to dispense mercy and grace in the time of need.

Second, Paul asks them to pray for him and gives a specific prayer request. Keep in mind that Paul penned this letter from prison. He could have easily asked them to pray that he be released or that God would supernaturally get him out of prison; many of the apostles and early church folks experienced all of that. But Paul didn’t. He was confident that he was right where God had him. His prayer request was for God to “open…a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which [he was] in prison”; he wanted God to provide an opportunity for preaching the gospel where he was.

This is a big deal because it differs from how we pray sometimes. We often pray to be delivered from our trying times – and there is nothing inherently wrong with that. As I said, Paul could have prayed for that as well. He didn’t though, and that reveals something to us that reflects how Jesus told us to pray in His model prayer in Matthew 6:10 – “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” While we pray to be delivered, as Paul obviously desired in Philemon 22, let us pray, like Paul, to have an opportunity for the gospel in the midst of the situation we are in, right where God has us. And Paul is also specific to his desire for this gospel opportunity: that he “may make it clear”. He wanted them not only to pray that the gospel would be preached but that it be preached clearly and people understand it (Nehemiah 8:8). Just as we should be “watchful” in prayer, attentive and not vague, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we should be specific in our prayer for people to hear the gospel – that God would save specific people through the preaching of His Word. If we pray for specific people to hear the gospel and get saved, it’s possible we will finally be alert to the fact that God may have placed them on our minds and us in their lives that we may be the one to share the gospel with them, which leads us to our next point.

Preaching is Imperative to the Mission (vv. 3-4)

Preaching is important. You might have heard this quote (falsely attributed to St. Francis of Assisi), “Preach the gospel wherever you go, and – if necessary – use words.” Well, if being clear with the gospel is how Paul says he “ought to speak”, words are definitely necessary. Paul’s language here reminds me of Nehemiah 8:8, the verse that drives how I seek to write about or preach/teach the Word:

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

At this point in Nehemiah, the captives had returned home after Babylonian captivity and had to rebuild walls, houses, and essentially their lives as a people. They had just brought out the “book”, the Law of God, and read it in one sitting. They could have called it a day and thought that they had accomplished something, but they didn’t. Ezra had a group of guys ready to help the people understand “the reading”.

This is important in understanding the sort of preaching and teaching Paul was asking to get to do. This was not one-off revival preaching where you show up and visit a place, preaching a few times or even once and going on your way. This was not a Sunday morning proclamation that can be heard and promptly discarded to take up our real lives when we leave. No, this is discipleship. This is answering the call of the Great Commission to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Paul is wanting God to open a door for the Word to be taught, people to be saved, and for opportunity to be given to teach them similarly to what Paul is doing in the letter to the Colossian church. Remember what Paul prayed for the Colossian church in Colossians 1:9-10?

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God….

He had prayed that for them, and now, as part of bearing fruit of the life of Christ, they are to live out their faith and pray for others in the same way, which takes us to the practical, real nature of our last point.

Practicing Our Faith in Real Life is Imperative to the Mission (vv. 5-6)

This last exhortation is meant to be practical and affect the way they live their lives in Colossae. We have talked many times about how easy it is to do these things within our local churches but that it is another thing entirely to carry them out in the real world. It is Paul’s intent here to help them see that they were never meant to keep it within their local church family but to carry it out, that making disciples was never meant to stay where we are or where we are comfortable but to be for “all nations” (Matthew 28:19) – all people everywhere, wherever we are going (Matthew 28:18). To do that, we need to be careful how we carry ourselves and use our time wisely.

I want you to notice how carefully I am being in my wording here. I said be careful how we carry ourselves and not act right. This is not about acting right or acting at all; it’s about living the life that Christ has given you. It’s about all of life being adorned in Christ. Just as we looked at in the last few studies in Colossians, we do not only need to be adorned in Christ in our marriages, in our families, and in our vocations; we need our lives to be adorned in Christ when we go out into the world. Just as we would not walk out into public naked but rather adorned in an appropriate level of clothing, we need not walk out unadorned of Christ.

As I said, this is not an act. We are to walk “in wisdom”, meaning we live the life God has called us to how He called us to live it. The proverbs are extremely helpful for this. In our time in the Daily Wisdom Challenge back in October, we talked about that a lot, and much of what we looked at in Proverbs was concerned with, just as Paul is here, our speech. Here are a few practical applications for how we can use our words and conversations to point people to Jesus:

“making the best use of the time” – Be mindful of the time you have. Sometimes we waste time talking about unimportant things because we are unwilling to make an awkward transition in a conversation or because we might be afraid to broach a subject folks might be uncomfortable talking about (namely the gospel and even mentioning Jesus). We do not, however, have unlimited time to wait for whatever we think the right moment is. I read an anonymous quote on social media a while back that has plagued my thoughts and impacted my life in big ways: “Time is the only currency we spend without ever knowing the balance.” If God has put you in a position to share Him with others and put folks on your heart to share His gospel with, the time is now. We are not guaranteed another opportunity and tomorrow is not promised. Let’s get busy living in and for Him.
“Let your speech always be gracious” – Our speech should be characterized with grace. Now, this is the part where folks begin excusing their ugly talk by explaining that folks deserve this or that. I will agree that there are times when harsher speech is necessary, but God considered this when He chose the words Paul would use here. He said “gracious” meaning that the content and intent and substance of our speech, in the context here to “outsiders” but also to our church family, should be grace – undeserved favor. This should not be something we are unfamiliar with because if we are in Christ we have received grace. We have also just talked about how when we go to Him in prayer He has grace in our time of need. Here he reminds us of the grace we have received and tells us to extend it to others in how we talk to them.
“Let your speech…be…seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Salt doesn’t mean the same thing for us today as it did to Paul’s original audience. Salt is a preservative. It could be used to keep meat from spoiling. The idea here is that our speech should be a benefit – a blessing – to others and be used of God for good, echoing Jesus’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that we are to be the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). In the context of Jesus’s teaching, salt that has lost its “saltiness” is to be thrown out and trampled underfoot, meaning that speech that is not good and edifying is worthless and once again echoes Ephesians, specifically Ephesians 4:29 that tells us not to let “unwholesome talk” come from our mouths but only speech that is “helpful for building others up according to their needs”.

How we talk matters. Elementary kiddos are often taught the adage about sticks and stones being able to damage but “words can never hurt me”. By the time we are adults, we realize that is a lie. Words hurt. They wound us deeply. Furthermore, we often mean our words to be mean. But this is a deeper issue than conversation or its substance. It’s a bigger deal than merely being willing to talk about good, gospel things or to be nice when speaking. The content of our speech ultimately reveals whether or not we are in Christ or of the world. Jesus Himself said “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34, Luke 6:45) to reference that speech is fruit that reveals whether we are good trees (saved; in Christ) or bad trees (lost; of the world).

Wrapping Up

This little section seems like it is light and simply a final exhortation, but when you take it in context, Paul is getting real with them. The Christian life goes beyond religion and definitely beyond the fringes of our lives, relegated to weekends and some evenings of our weeks. When he taught them, and us, that we are to put on Christ and have our lives adorned with Him – our whole lives, he wanted us to see how Christ as Lord commands our life and desires to see us minister to the lost world around us as well as to each other.

Paul wrote this letter from prison and sought to exhort, to come alongside and help, the Colossian church. He wanted to reach out and disciple them, and us, so that we not be hoodwinked by false teaching that replaces relationship with Christ with religious distractions and busyness. At the same time, he sought to be ministered to by them, asking them to pray for him to be able to live the life Jesus had called him to in his own time of need. How about us?

If you are a member of a local church (if you are saved, you are meant to be), your relationship with Christ is to impact your real, everyday life and the lives of your brothers and sisters in your faith family are meant to intersect and interact with one another. We are not meant to do this alone. We are Sojourners, but rather than being a heavenly hobo traipsing through this world alone we are pilgrims journeying together and making disciples as we go.

Consider how you can pray specifically for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for your pastors and church leaders. Pray for the lost you know. Pray for someone to have the opportunity to share the gospel with them and for the Spirit of God to work on their hearts and help them understand. Pray that if God has called you to share the gospel with them that he will open a door for the Word and give you words seasoned with salt rather than merely salty speech.

Consider how you can be a beacon of God’s Word where God has planted you.

Consider how the teachings of God’s Word are (or are not) showing up in your real, everyday lives and repent where necessary. Consider this exhortation from Paul and exhortation from me as well. I may be one of your pastors if you are a member of Christ Community, but whether I am or not, let me come alongside you and help lift you up. Be encouraged by the counsel in this Bible study and not beat down. If you recognize that there are things in God’s Word that need to be changed in your life, consider that an opportunity to grow closer to Him. Know this, dear Sojourner, that I am praying for you as specifically as I can and have hope that God is not done working on us.

^[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 4:2-6.

Songs for Sunday, January 12, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and I’m excited!

When I say that, I’m not talking about some sort or religious obligation for attending church or anything like that. My mind is drawn to my need for Jesus and the fact that He would deign to accept one like me.

There were times in my life when thinking of Sunday was more religious than relationship, but the older I get and the more I think about all that Jesus has done (and is doing and will do), the more I think of Sunday like the imagery in Hebrews 4:14-16.

The writer of Hebrews begins this section talking about Jesus as the “great high priest”. That phrase can definitely be acquainted with religious ideas and temple life and sacrifices, but Jesus is something different.

High priests are typically “chosen from among men” and “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God” (Hebrews 5:1). Jesus is different. He is God become man to be the sacrifice for men to be able to come to God.

High priests would typically need to “offer sacrifice” for their own sins “fust as [they do] for those of the people” (Hebrews 5:3). Jesus is different. He has no sins to sacrifice for because He “has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He is the Lamb of God bearing our sin.

High priests worked and worked and worked on behalf of the people before God, but all of their work was just a shadow of what was to come. Jesus is different. Jesus is all substance, and no shadow, being Himself “the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:9-10).

Because Jesus is different, we are not limited to showing up for some religious observances over and over again, dwelling only in the suburbs of God’s grace and partaking only of shadows. Because Jesus is our high priest, He has made a way for us not just to be in relation to God but for us to be able to approach Him — to go directly to “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).

For those bringing their animals for the high priest to slaughter and make atonement for their sins, the idea of approaching God’s throne would be a frightening thing. Think of Isaiah’s “woe is me” talk when he had a vision of the holy, holy, holy God seated on His throne; he knew he was unclean and unworthy to look upon “the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:1-5)! The King of kings seated on the throne is still holy, holy, holy and we are still sinners. the King of kings seated on the throne is the divine word who discerns “the thoughts and intentions” of our hearts, laying us bare — “naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Yes, Jesus is the King of kings.

Yes, Jesus is holy, holy, holy.

Yes, Jesus is Lord.

No, we are not any of those things and neither worthy nor holy. We are not God, and most of us could not stand even alongside Isaiah to state our “woe” in God’s presence. But Jesus is also our high priest! He has made atonement for our sins! He has made a way for us to come before Him (John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 2:1-2)!

This is why the imagery of Hebrews 4:14-16 is so heavy on my mind. I have the opportunity and privilege to approach the throne of grace in my time of need. Because I have confessed Jesus as Lord and believed upon Him — but my trust in Him to save me, I have assurance to be able to approach Him without fear of death and punishment because He Himself has “bore [my] sins in His body on the tree, that [I] might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). I don’t have to say “woe is me” because He put Himself through woes on my behalf.

Because of this, I can approach His throne with the confidence of a child waking a parent in the middle of the night for a drink of water. I can turn to Him with the assurance that I not only may approach Him for help but be confident that I will “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

That’s good news!

But it’s not just good news for me. It is good news for all who trust in Him, all who are saved by grace through faith in Him.

So, Sunday’s coming, and we have the opportunity to gather together on the first day of the week — the Lord’s day — and remember His death, burial, and resurrection. We have the opportunity to gather with brothers and sisters who have been saved by grace through faith and approach the throne of our Lord together, confident that His grace and mercy are enough, sufficient, and eternally flowing toward those He loves.

If this doesn’t describe you, know that there is good news and grace enough for you, too. Your sin can be forgiven. You can be saved. There is grace enough and room enough and good news enough for you and all who call on His name.

You won’t find anything relgiously impressive. You won’t find impressive priests or practices. You won’t find perfect people. You will find a bunch of sinners — and hypocrites — whose only hope is Jesus. He is who will will read about. He is who we will sing about. He is who we will preach about. And that’s because He’s our only hope. He’s our King. He’s our God. He made a way for us and there is no place we’d rather be than gathered around His throne in a small picture of how we will get to be when this world passes away and He gathers His people to Himself.

Won’t you join us?

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

Scripture | Hebrews 4:14-16 —

¹⁴Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Song | Grace Wins —
Scripture Inspiration: Romans 3:23, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 5:16-18, Romans 8:1, 1 Timothy 1:13-14, Ephesians 1:6-7, 2 Corinthians 9:8, John 1:16, Ephesians 2:7, Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Luke 15:11-32, John 4, Matthew 9:27-31, John 9, Luke 16:19-31

Song | What He’s Done —
Scripture Inspiration: Matthew 7:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33, John 19:7, Matthew 26:26, Colossians 1:19-20, 1 Peter 1:19, John 8:36, Isaiah 53, Psalm 147:3, John 3:16, John 15:13, Romans 8:5-8, 1 John 1:9-2:2, Acts 4:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Hebrews 2:14, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, Revelation 4:1-11, 1 John 5:4, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 5:12, Philippians 4:8

Scripture | Romans 6:4-7 —

⁴We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
⁵For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like His. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Song | Who You Say I Am —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 8:4, Luke 15:3-7, John 8:36, John 1:12-13, Romans 8:23, Colossians 2:14, John 8:34-35, John 14:1-3, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:31-32

Song | Resurrecting —
Scripture Inspiration: John 19:2-5, Hebrews 2:9, John 13:1-17, Philippians 2:10, 1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 93:1, Matthew 4:16, John 1:4-5, 1 John 4:18, John 8:12, Acts 4:8-12, Isaiah 25:8, Hebrews 2:14, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Psalm 145:1, Romans 6:23, John 14:27, Romans 8:9-11, Galatians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Galatians 2:19-20, Matthew 27:65-28:4, Acts 4:33

Invitation | Though You Slay Me —
Scripture Inspiration: cf. Job 13:15; James 1:14-15, Psalm 147:3, Hebrews 12:4-11, John 3:16-17, Romans 5:6-8, Philippians 3:7-11, Job 1:20-22, Psalm 30:1, Psalm 46:1-3, Psalm 73:26, Hebrews 12:2, John 1:29, Revelation 5:12, Genesis 50:20, Matthew 26:39-42, Numbers 18:20, Deuteronomy 10:9, Deuteronomy 18:2, Joshua 13:33, Psalm 16:5, Psalm 23:5, Psalm 73:26, Psalm 142:5, Psalm 119:57, Psalm 142:5, Lamentations 3:24, Ezekiel 44:28

Offertory | Wonderful, Merciful Savior —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 17:1, Psalm 145:8, Isaiah 44:24, John 15:15, John 1:29, Isaiah 9:6, John 14:16, Psalm 42:1, Psalm 42:11, Romans 5:3-5, Isaiah 53:6, Psalm 47:6, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Hebrews 4:16, Job 8:5, 1 Timothy 1:17, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“The LORD is a Stronghold” from Psalm 9 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9

Psalm 9 is a celebration of God’s justice, faithfulness, and salvation. David opens with a powerful declaration of praise to God: “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds” (v. 1). Throughout Psalm 9, he does just that: recounting God’s past acts of deliverance and expressing praise through trusting in His eternal reign.

David reflects on God’s role as judge. God is able to both rebuke the nations and destroy the wicked, blotting out their names forever (vv. 5-6). This righteous judgment reminds us that God’s justice is not limited by time; He is enthroned forever, ruling with fairness and protecting the oppressed (vv. 7-9). For those who trust in Him — in His name, God offers refuge and security as a mighty stronghold, never forsaking His people (v. 10).

Psalm 9 also highlights God’s concern and care for the weak and afflicted. He remembers their cries and avenges their suffering (v. 12). David pleads for deliverance himself, trusting that God is able and will lift him from the “gates of death” so he can praise God in the “gates of the daughters of Zion” (vv. 13-14). The reversal from near-death to rejoicing is a powerful testimony to God’s power and grace.

God’s justice is clear in Psalm 9. The wicked often fall into the traps that they have set for others (v. 15), yet ultimate justice belongs to the Lord, who will one day judge the world completely in His righteousness. Until then, the needy and poor can take comfort in the knowledge that He has not forgotten them — and that hope in Him will not perish (v. 18)!

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 9

Psalm 9 anticipates Jesus’s reign as the righteous Judge of all nations. As Paul declared in Acts 17:31, God has “fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed” — Jesus is the appointed Judge as well as our assurance because of His resurrection.

In His first coming, Jesus brought hope to the oppressed and salvation to the lost. When He returns, He will bring final justice and an end to all evil.

David’s plea for deliverance also foreshadows Jesus and His gospel. Just as David was able to rejoice in God saving him from the “gates of death”, we can rejoice that Jesus conquered death itself through His resurrection. Through Him, believers are delivered from sin and eternal death and transferred into His Kingdom to rejoice in Him forevermore (Colossians 1:13-14)!

Reflection

Psalm 9 gives an example of David worshiping the Lord out of a grateful heart. Take time today to thank God for His faithfulness in your own life. Consider His acts of justice and salvation — both in the world around you and through Jesus. Follow David’s example and recount His wonderful deeds and sing His praises so that those around you can hear about Jesus.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

Songs for Sunday, January 5, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming — Joy to the World!

I know, I know. Christmas was last week, really last year at this point. But it is still on my mind.

As I type this, Christmas break is coming to an end for me and my family. Candice is taking down the tree and putting away Christmas decorations. But there was one song that we just couldn’t get around to or get to work during our time of Christmas songs at Christ Community: “Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful)”.

I know that we have sung other versions of “Joy to the World” which were lifted up with much enthusiasm and joy, but this other version that we will be singing this week gets to the heart of why Isaac Watts wrote it in the first place (which is even more fitting considering our #dailyPSALMSchallenge).

Watts originally published “Joy to the World” in a collection of poems and hymns called The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to the Christian State and Worship. This was a publication taking the song/prayer book of the Psalms and translating it forward in light of Jesus’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. This tells us that “Joy to the World” points back to Jesus’s first coming (Christmas) in order to point us toward His imminent return!

That, in essence, is the substance of our weekly worship gatherings. We worship on the first day of the week in remembrance of Jesus raising from the dead on the first day of the week AND in recognizing and reminding that He is coming again!

We lift our voices in song not in memorial but in honor and directly to our resurrected King!

We read and preach and listen to God’s Word not as a holy book of a bygone era but as a representation of our living and active Savior who died, rose, and is coming again — who is actively at work in the world today!

So, while Christmas is over until, Lord willing, December 2025, we can and should still sing “Joy to the World”.

Joy! The Lord is coming. Let earth — and our own hearts — prepare to receive the King.

Joy! Lift your voice in song and repeat the joy in all areas of your life.

Joy! Sin and sorrow has an expiration date. Thorns and trials do, too. As far as the curse of sin reigns, Jesus has become curse for us to end it!

Joy! No matter the state of world affairs and terror of wicked rulers, Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords — fully in control and coming to crush the Serpent’s head under His heel!

Joy!

This Sunday, we will be singing “Joy to the World” in light of Jesus’s imminent return. We will be singing to and about what He has done for us on the cross and the beautiful hope that comes from His empty, borrowed tomb. We will be singing about the hope that comes from the surpassing worth of knowing Him and being His. John will open up God’s Word and share the gospel — the good news — of Jesus to us. May God prepare our hearts to listen and sing and look forward to Jesus’s return!

Won’t you join us?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

Scripture | Psalm 150 —

¹Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens! ²Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

³Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp! ⁴Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with strings and pipe! ⁵Praise Him with sounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals! ⁶Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

Song | Joy to the World (Joyful, Joyful) —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 98, Malachi 3:1-2, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 11:10, John 12:15, 1 Timothy 6:13-16, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:11-16, Matthew 25:1-13, Genesis 3:14-24, Galatians 3:13, Revelation 21:1-7, John 14:6, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 103:8, Isaiah 60:1-22

Song | His Mercy is More —
Scripture Inspiration: Lamentations 3:22-23, James 2:13, Romans 5:20, Hebrews 8:12, Isaiah 40:28, Hebrews 4:13, 1 John 3:20, Micah 7:18-19, Exodus 34:6, Psalm 145:8-9, 1 Timothy 1:15, Luke 14:21, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Colossians 2:13-14, Psalm 107:9, Ephesians 3:20, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Galatians 2:20-21

Scripture | 1 Peter 1:3-5 —

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Song | Living Hope —
Scripture Inspiration: Acts 4:8-12, 1 Corinthians 15:3-11, 1 Peter 1:3, Philippians 2:5-8, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 9:22, John 1:12-13, Hebrews 9:15, John 8:36, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, Galatians 5:1, Psalm 107:14-15, John 14:6, Acts 3:15, Revelation 5:5, 1 Peter 1:4-5

Song | All My Hope —
Scripture Inspiration: Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 8:24-39, 1 Peter 1:3-6, Acts 2:38, Romans 4:7, 1 John 2:1-2, Ephesians 1:7, Romans 6:6

Invitation | Trust in God —
Scripture Inspiration: John 15:1-11, Acts 17:27, Romans 8:15, Romans 11:16-24, Daniel 3:25, John 3:3, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Genesis 15:6, Psalm 32:1-2, Romans 3:1-24, Romans 4:3-8, Galatians 2:19-21, Ephesians 2:4-9, Titus 2:11, 2 Corinthians 1:24, Philippians 1:27, Colossians 1:23, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Isaiah 45:21-22, Hosea 13:4, Romans 4:21, Hebrews 10:23, 2 Peter 3:9, Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Job 15:14, Isaiah 53:10, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Psalm 95:6-11, Matthew 11:28-30, Revelation 21:3-4, Psalm 34:4

Offertory | He Will Hold Me Fast —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 73:21-23, 2 Timothy 2:13, John 15:5, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Revelation 2:4-5, Psalm 149:4, Zephaniah 3:17, John 6:39-40, Joshua 21:45, Romans 4:21, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Hebrews 10:23, 2 Peter 3:9, Matthew 20:28, 1 Corinthians 5:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Colossians 2:13-15, John 3:15-16, Revelation 21:3-4

“Let Earth Receive Her King” from Psalm 2 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

⁶“As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

⁷I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
Psalm 2:6-7

Psalm 2 reminds me of the line in the hymn “Joy to the World”: “Let Earth receive her king”. This psalm proclaims the reign of God’s anointed King, Jesus, who is set over all creation. Though the nations rebel, Psalm 2 reveals that true peace and joy come only by receiving and submitting to this King. His authority is certain, and His rule is good.

The Rebellion of the Nations

Psalm 2 begins with the nations raging and plotting in vain against God and His Anointed (vv. 1-3). In their pride, they reject God’s authority by choosing to skewing it as oppressive and restrictive, yet their rebellion reflects the condition of sinful humanity — desiring to rule ourselves rather than submitting to our Creator and King.

God’s Response

God does not respond in fear or by some kneejerk reaction but with laughter (v. 4). He clearly declares His plan: “I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill” (v. 6). This King, the Son of God, has been appointed to rule all nations. How? Well, as God created everything and appoints the rise and fall of nations, it is His divine prerogative! The New Testament affirms that this King is Jesus, the Messiah — the Christ — who was divinely declared to be this Son at His baptism and resurrection (Matthew 3:17, Acts 13:33).

God’s plan is unshakable. The King of kings is enthroned. His reign is certain.

The Universal Reign of the King

God promises His Anointed authority over all nations, to the ends of the earth (v. 8). He will bring justice and restore order, breaking down opposition like shattering pottery (v. 9). His rule is both powerful and righteous, ensuring that evil will not (and cannot) prevail.

A Call to Submission and Joy

The call for earth is clear: receive your rightful King and rejoice in His rule. This is seen in the way Psalm 2 closes with a warning and an invitation: “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son” (vv. 11-12). To “kiss the Son” is to honor Him, recognizing His authority and submitting to His reign. Though His wrath and power are real, His invitation is filled with grace and “blessed are all who take refuge in Him” (v. 12). True joy is not found in rebellion but in embracing Jesus as King — as Lord (Romans 10:9).

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 2

Psalm 2 make this pretty clear and explicit. Jesus is the King.

Reflection

Psalm 2 calls us to reflect on whether we will receive or resist Jesus. The nations rage, but we are invited to rejoice under His rule. To receive Him is to put our faith, hope, and trust in Him, finding refuge and joy.

Let earth — and each of us — receive the King.

Won’t you take the challenge?

“The Light of the World is Here!” — a Christmas reading for families with kiddos

For our Christmas Day reading, we wanted to look at the incarnation – the arrival of God in flesh, Emmanuel – through the eyes of a child. There is something wondrous that is lost as we grow older and become more and more jaded. Faith is easy for children because they are full of hope. Sometimes, we try and explain why hope is so hard to come by as adults, but, just as Paul reminds us in Romans 5, our God produces hope out of suffering “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).

What better reminder could we have at Christmas than the hope that comes only from Jesus? Throughout our readings we have mentioned that Jesus is and is more than the reason for the season. We want you to see Him as the Bible presents Him. We do not want you to see a commercialized or sanitized Jesus. We want you to see God setting His affection on His people, laying aside His glory, and coming to Earth to seek and save them (Luke 19:10). We want you to see that there in the tumbledown stable in the manger is God – a God who loved us so much that He paid the price for our sin when He died on the cross, a God who loved us enough that even death could not keep Him from living for us. That’s good news!

Today’s reading is good for you whether you have children or not. Look in wonder and worship as you see the Christmas Story laid out simply. But, if you have children or grandchildren, consider how you can weave these readings into your Christmas tradition. It is split into two sections, so it can be read all at once or divided to be used twice throughout the day to keep Jesus central at His birthday celebration.

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

This Christmas reading comes from The Jesus Storybook Bible.

“He’s Here”

Everything was ready. The moment God had been waiting for was here at last! God was coming to help His people, just as He promised in the beginning.

But how would He come? What would He be like? What would He do?

Mountains would have bowed down. Seas would have roared. Trees would have clapped their hands. But the earth held its breath. As silent as snow falling, He came in. And when no one was looking, in the darkness, He came.

There was a young girl who was engaged to a man named Joseph. (Joseph was the great-great-great-great-great grandson of King David.)

One morning, this girl was minding her own business when, suddenly, a great warrior of light appeared – right there, in her bedroom. He was Gabriel and he was an angel, a special messenger from heaven.

When she saw the tall shining man standing there, Mary was frightened.

“You don’t need to be scared,” Gabriel said. “God is very happy with you!”

Mary looked around to see if perhaps he was talking to someone else.

“Mary,” Gabriel said, and he laughed with such gladness that Mary’s eyes filled with sudden tears.

“Mary, you’re going to have a baby. A little boy. You will call Him Jesus. He is God’s own Son. He’s the One! He’s the Rescuer!”

The God who flung planets into space and kept them whirling around and around, the God who made the universe with just a word, the One who could do anything at all – was making Himself small. And coming down…as a baby.

Wait. God was sending a baby to rescue the world?

“But it’s too wonderful!” Mary said and felt her heart beating hard. “How can it be true?”

“Is anything too wonderful for God?” Gabriel asked.

So, Mary trusted God more than what her eyes could see. And she believed. “I am God’s servant,” she said. “Whatever God says, I will do.”

Sure enough, it was just as the angel had said. Nine months later, Mary was almost ready to have her baby.

Now, Mary and Joseph had to take a trip to Bethlehem, the town King David was from. But when they reached the little town, they found every room was full. Every bed was taken.

“Go away!” the innkeepers told them. “There isn’t any place for you.”

Where would they stay? Soon Mary’s baby would come.

They couldn’t find anywhere except an old, tumbledown stable. So they stayed where the cows and the donkeys and the horses stayed.

And there, in a stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world His wonderful gift. The baby that would change the world was born. His baby Son.

Mary and Joseph wrapped Him up to keep Him warm. They made a soft bed of straw and used the animals’ feeding trough as His cradle. And they gazed in wonder at God’s Great Gift, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

Mary and Joseph named Him Jesus, “Emmanuel” – which means “God has come to live with us.”

Because, of course, He had.

“The Light of the Whole World”

That same night, in amongst the other stars, suddenly a bright new star appeared. Of all the stars in the dark vaulted heavens, this one shone clearer. It blazed in the night and made the other stars look pale beside it.

God put it there when His baby Son was born – to be like a spotlight. Shining on Him. Lighting up the darkness. Showing people the way to Him.

You see, God was like a new daddy – He couldn’t keep the good news to Himself. He’d been waiting all these long years for this moment, and now He wanted to tell everyone.

So He pulled out all the stops. He’d sent an angel to tell Mary the good news. He’d put a special star in the sky to show where His boy was. And now He was going to send a big choir of angels to sing His happy song to the world: He’s here! He’s come! Go and see Him. My Son!

Now where would you send your splendid choir? To a big concert hall maybe? Or a palace perhaps? God sent His to a little hillside, outside a little town, in the middle of the night. He sent all those angels to sing for a raggedy old bunch of shepherds watching their sheep outside Bethlehem.

In those days, remember, people used to laugh at shepherds and say they were smelly and call them other rude names (which I can’t possibly mention here). You see, people thought shepherds were nobodies, just scruffy old riff-raff.

But God must have thought shepherds were very important indeed, because they’re the ones He chose to tell the good news to first.

That night some shepherds were out in the open fields, warming themselves by a campfire, when suddenly the sheep darted. They were frightened by something. The olive trees rustled. What was that…?

They turned around. Standing in front of them was a huge warrior of light, blazing in the darkness. “Don’t be afraid of me!” the bright shining man said. “I haven’t come to hurt you. I’ve come to bring you happy news for everyone everywhere. Today, in David’s town, Bethlehem, God’s Son has been born! You can go and see Him. He is sleeping in a manger.”

Behind the angel they saw a strange glowing cloud – except it wasn’t a cloud, it was angels…troops and troops of angels, armed with light! And they were singing a beautiful song: “Glory to God! To God be Fame and Honor and all of our Hoorays!”

Then as quickly as they appeared, the angels left.

The shepherds stamped out their fire, left their sheep, raced down the grassy hill, through the gates of Bethlehem, down the narrow cobble streets, through a courtyard, down some step, step, steps, past an inn, round a corner, through a hedge, until, at last, they reached…a tumbledown stable.

They caught their breath. Then quietly, they tiptoed inside.

They knelt on the dirt floor. They had heard about this Promised Child and now He was here. Heaven’s Son. The Maker of the Stars. A baby sleeping in His mother’s arms.

This baby would be like that bright star shining in the sky that night. A Light to light up the whole world. Chasing away darkness. Helping people to see.

And the darker the night gets, the brighter Jesus – the Light of the world – shines.

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Good News of Great Joy (or The Weary World Rejoices)

³For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, ⁴and that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, ⁶then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, the majority of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

⁸But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), ⁹that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. ¹³For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:8-13

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

We have spent a good bit of time the past few weeks at Christ Community in Luke 2:10 and the verses around it. The declaration of the angels to those poor and frightened shepherds should about be memorized at this point: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people”. Good news. Great joy. For all people.

The word translated “good news” is often translated gospel, and the message that the angels proclaimed on that hillside 2,000 years ago is a beautiful and succinct picture of the gospel. They preached that the Savior “who is Christ the Lord” was born for them – for those dirty, stinky shepherds – and that He could be found that very day in Bethlehem. It was news that would and could change the trajectory of their lives. They just needed to believe in Him and receive the salvation He had to offer – they would receive grace by faith through Him.

Now, I know that on the day they heard that gospel message Jesus was still laying in the feeding trough, still an infant, and was decades away from His death, burial, and resurrection. But the babe in the manger was still “the Word [become] flesh” (John 1:14). He was still the Lamb slain “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

We sometimes want to overcomplicate things. We know the whole story and want to add and fill in the gaps in the angels’ proclamation that day, but the “good news of great joy” is still just as simple. In fact, Paul gives very succinct proclamations of the gospel, too. The first can be found in 1 Corinthians 15 where he tells the church at Corinth that he is passing on to them the most important message he had to offer – the very same message that he received himself: Jesus died for our sins according to the way that the Bible said He would, He was buried, and He rose from the dead on the third day exactly as the Bible and His own preaching said He would. That’s good news!

Paul’s second succinct gospel summary comes in his next letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:21. In one complex little sentence, he shares that God put the sins of those who would be saved on Jesus. Jesus had never sinned and did not deserve any condemnation, but He willingly bore our sin on our behalf. Those who trust in Him no longer are under the condemnation and shame due to their sin; Jesus bore that (Colossians 2:13-14). In a great exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. He bore the wrath of God and exchanged that for God’s favor. Basically, He traded His extravagantly full bank account for our bankrupt one so that when God looks upon those who Jesus has saved, He does not see their sinfulness but Jesus’ righteousness! That’s good news!

The gospel is good news, but there is also bad news. Those who do not confess Jesus as Lord and believe He died for their sins and rose again to not receive part in that great exchange. They remain in their sin. Their condemnation remains their own. It does not have to be that way. All who call out to Jesus in faith will be saved. Anyone who believes in Him will not be but to shame, but not believing leaves the shame where it belongs – on the sinner.

Look at how the Christmas hymn “O Holy Night” puts it:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees!

Those who are without Jesus are still in their sin and “pining” after the wrong things, sinful things. But everyone – all people – have the opportunity to fall on their knees, believe in Him – confess Him as Lord, and repent of their sin. And those who do will not only have heard the good news of great joy but also to have believed it and received the salvation Jesus offers.

I love the phrase “good news of great joy” because 1) it is straight from the Bible, and 2) it captures what Jesus offers. But I also love the way the writer of “O Holy Night” captured what it is to be a sinner and receive Christ: “a weary world rejoices”. If you have been reading with us over these past two weeks, you have read snippets of the “good news of great joy”, but have you received it? Have you believed on Jesus, or are you still on the fence? If you haven’t, I urge you: fall on your knees, believe what the Bible says about Him, confess Him as Lord, and rejoice in the salvation He brings!

Good News of Great Joy | Christmas Eve, December 24 — “The Resurrection of Jesus”

Luke 24 concludes with the hope and joy of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, a fitting reflection on Christmas Eve as we prepare to celebrate His birth tomorrow. This chapter invites us to marvel at the completeness of God’s redemptive plan, which began in a humble manger and was fulfilled in an empty tomb.

A New Beginning: The resurrection marks the triumph of life over death, just as Jesus’ birth ushered in light to a dark world. As you reflect on the empty tomb, remember that Christmas celebrates the beginning of this miraculous story.
Hope Fulfilled: The disciples on the road to Emmaus moved from despair to joy as Jesus opened their eyes to God’s promises. This Christmas, let your heart burn with hope as you trust the One who fulfilled every prophecy.
Peace and Assurance: Jesus brought peace to His disciples, proving His resurrection by showing His scars and eating with them. He offers us the same assurance—our Savior lives, and His peace is for all who believe.
A Call to Worship and Witness: The disciples responded to the risen Christ with worship and proclamation. As we celebrate His birth tomorrow, let our joy overflow in worship and bold witness, sharing the good news that Christ has come, died, and risen for us.

On this Christmas Eve, look forward to tomorrow with awe and wonder, knowing that the child born in Bethlehem is the risen Lord who reigns in heaven. May your celebration of His birth be filled with the same joy and hope that the disciples experienced as they worshiped the resurrected Savior. Merry Christmas!

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

The Empty Tomb (24:1-12)^[1]

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁹and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, ¹¹but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹²But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus (24:13-35)^[2]

¹³That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²²Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³²They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples (24:36-49)^[3]

³⁶As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” ³⁷But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴²They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate before them.

⁴⁴Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus (24:50-53)^[4]

⁵⁰And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. ⁵¹While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³and were continually in the temple blessing God.

[1] On the first day of the week, women arrived at Jesus’ tomb with spices but found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Two angels appeared, reminding them of Jesus’ words that He would rise on the third day. They reported this to the apostles, but their testimony was met with disbelief. Peter ran to the tomb, saw the linen cloths, and marveled.

[2] Two disciples, one named Cleopas, walked to Emmaus, discussing the events of Jesus’ death. A stranger joined them, explaining how Scripture foretold the Messiah’s suffering and glory. At dinner, their eyes were opened, and they recognized the stranger as Jesus, who then vanished. Filled with joy, they returned to Jerusalem to share the news.

[3] Jesus appeared to His disciples, offering peace and proof of His physical resurrection by showing His hands and feet and eating with them. He explained that His death and resurrection fulfilled Scripture and commissioned them to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. He promised the Holy Spirit would empower them.

[4] Leading the disciples to Bethany, Jesus blessed them and ascended into heaven. Overwhelmed with joy, they returned to Jerusalem, worshiping Him and continually praising God in the temple.

Good News of Great Joy | December 23 — “The Crucifixion of Christ”

Luke 23 portrays the depth of Jesus’ suffering and the breadth of His grace, emphasizing His innocence, humility, and sacrifice.

Innocent Yet Condemned: Pilate, Herod, and even a Roman centurion declared Jesus’ innocence, yet He was condemned. This Advent, reflect on the Lamb of God who bore our sins willingly, though He was blameless.
Forgiveness Through Suffering: Jesus prayed for forgiveness for His executioners even as He was crucified. Meditate on the boundless grace that offers forgiveness to all who repent.
A Promise of Paradise: The thief on the cross exemplifies faith. Despite his guilt, he recognized Jesus as King. This season, take comfort in Jesus’ assurance of eternal life for those who trust Him.
Hope in the Darkness: The supernatural darkness and tearing of the temple veil signify the fulfillment of God’s plan. Jesus’ death opened the way for humanity to approach God. In your trials, hold fast to the hope secured by His sacrifice.
A Call to Boldness: Joseph of Arimathea risked his reputation to honor Jesus. How might you boldly live for Christ this Advent season, demonstrating your devotion and faith?

As you prepare your heart for Christmas, may Luke 23 inspire awe at the cost of our redemption and deepen your gratitude for the Savior who gave His all for us.

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod (23:1-25)^[1]

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. ²And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” ³And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” ⁴Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” ⁵But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

⁶When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. ⁸When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. ⁹So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. ¹⁰The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹²And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

¹³Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, ¹⁴and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. ¹⁵Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. ¹⁶I will therefore punish and release him.”

¹⁸But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— ¹⁹a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. ²⁰Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, ²¹but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²²A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” ²³But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. ²⁴So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. ²⁵He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus (23:26-49)^[2]

²⁶And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. ²⁸But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ ³¹For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³²Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. ³⁵And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” ³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ³⁷and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

³⁹One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

⁴⁴It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ⁴⁷Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

Jesus’s Burial (23:50-56)^[3]

⁵⁰Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, ⁵¹who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. ⁵²This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. ⁵⁴It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. ⁵⁵The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

[1] The Sanhedrin brought Jesus to Pilate, accusing Him of misleading the nation, forbidding taxes, and claiming kingship. Though Pilate found no guilt in Him, he sent Jesus to Herod, who mocked Him but also found Him innocent. Pilate sought to release Jesus, but the crowd demanded Barabbas, a murderer, instead. Despite three declarations of Jesus’ innocence, Pilate ultimately handed Him over to be crucified to appease the crowd.

[2] Simon of Cyrene carried Jesus’ cross. On the way, Jesus warned the mourning women of the judgment coming upon Jerusalem. At Golgotha, Jesus was crucified between two criminals. He prayed for His executioners, “Father, forgive them” (v. 34), and endured mockery from rulers and soldiers. One criminal mocked Jesus, but the other asked to be remembered, and Jesus promised him Paradise. Darkness covered the land from noon to 3 p.m., and the temple veil was torn in two. Jesus committed His spirit to the Father and breathed His last. A centurion acknowledged Jesus’ innocence, and the crowds left, grieving.

[3] Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin who awaited God’s kingdom, courageously requested Jesus’ body. He placed it in his own unused tomb. The women who followed Jesus observed the burial and prepared spices and ointments, resting on the Sabbath according to the law.

Good News of Great Joy | December 22 — “The Path to the Cross”

Luke 22 offers a profound view of Jesus’ humility, obedience, and love as He prepared to sacrifice Himself for humanity’s redemption.

Betrayal and Sovereignty: Even amid betrayal and suffering, God’s sovereign plan unfolded. This Advent, trust that God is working His purposes in your life, even in trials.
The Lord’s Supper: The bread and the cup remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice. Reflect on His body broken and His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins as you prepare your heart for His coming.
Servant Leadership: Jesus modeled greatness through humility and service. This season, seek ways to serve others with Christlike love.
Prayer in Suffering: In Gethsemane, Jesus demonstrated how to surrender to God’s will. Let His example inspire you to pray with honesty and trust during difficult times.
Endurance in Faith: Like Peter, we may falter, but Jesus intercedes for us. Take heart in His grace and commit to strengthening others in their faith.

As you anticipate the celebration of Christ’s birth and His return, may Luke 22 remind you of the depth of His love and the call to follow Him in humility and faithfulness.

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

The Plot to Betray Jesus (22:1-6)^[1]

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. ²And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.

³Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. ⁴He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. ⁵And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. ⁶So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

The Last Supper (22:7-23)^[2]

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” ⁹They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” ¹⁰He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters ¹¹and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹²And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” ¹³And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

¹⁴And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. ¹⁸For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. ²¹But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. ²²For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” ²³And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

True Greatness in the Kingdom (22:24-30)^[3]

²⁴A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. ²⁷For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

²⁸“You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, ²⁹and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, ³⁰that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial (22:31-34)^[4]

³¹“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, ³²but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” ³³Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” ³⁴Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

Preparation for Coming Challenges (22:35-38)^[5]

³⁵And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” ³⁶He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. ³⁷For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” ³⁸And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane (22:39-46)^[6]

³⁹And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ⁴²saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” ⁴³And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. ⁴⁴And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. ⁴⁵And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Jesus’s Arrest (22:47-53)^[7]

⁴⁷While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵²Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? ⁵³When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

Peter’s Denial (22:54-62)^[8]

⁵⁴Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. ⁵⁵And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. ⁵⁶Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” ⁵⁹And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” ⁶²And he went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus is Mocked and Tried (22:63-71)^[9]

⁶³Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. ⁶⁴They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” ⁶⁵And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

⁶⁶When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, ⁶⁷“If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, ⁶⁸and if I ask you, you will not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ⁷⁰So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” ⁷¹Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

[1] As the Feast of Unleavened Bread approached, the chief priests and scribes plotted to kill Jesus but feared the crowd’s reaction. Satan entered Judas, who sought out the religious leaders to betray Jesus for money. This marked the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s sovereign plan.

[2] Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal. During the meal, Jesus redefined the bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood, establishing the Lord’s Supper. He spoke of His imminent suffering and betrayal, emphasizing that His death was both foretold in Scripture and a part of God’s divine purpose.

[3] A dispute arose among the disciples about who was the greatest. Jesus taught them that true greatness lies in servanthood, using Himself as the ultimate example. He assured them of their future role in His Kingdom, where they would sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

[4] Jesus warned Peter that Satan had demanded to test the disciples. While Peter would deny Jesus three times, his faith would ultimately be restored. Jesus encouraged Peter to strengthen his brothers after his own repentance.

[5] Jesus reminded the disciples of the earlier mission where they lacked nothing. Now, they would face hostility and needed to prepare for practical and spiritual challenges. His reference to swords emphasized the need for readiness, though not for violence.

[6] On the Mount of Olives, Jesus urged His disciples to pray so they would not fall into temptation. In agony, He prayed to the Father, submitting fully to His will. Though His sweat was like drops of blood, He demonstrated perfect obedience to God’s plan.

[7] Judas arrived with a crowd to betray Jesus with a kiss. One disciple struck a servant of the high priest, but Jesus healed the wound and rebuked the use of violence. Jesus highlighted the darkness of their actions, carried out under the cover of night.

[8] As Jesus was taken to the high priest’s house, Peter followed at a distance. Three times he denied knowing Jesus, fulfilling Jesus’ earlier prophecy. When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered Jesus’ words, and in deep sorrow, he wept bitterly.

[9] Jesus was mocked, beaten, and blasphemed by the guards. When brought before the Sanhedrin, He affirmed His identity as the Son of God and the Son of Man, referencing His divine authority. His claim was deemed blasphemy, sealing their decision to bring Him to Pilate.