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While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “ Tell people, ‘ His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep. ’ And if this comes to the governor ‘s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

Sometimes we have the false belief that if we could just articulate the Gospel in the right way, make it relevant, be catchy enough for people to pay attention, grab the right folks and say just the right words, then they will believe. The Bible never depicts the Gospel that way. People don’t reject the gospel because they don’t understand it enough, they reject the Gospel because they don’t believe it. The chief priests were presented with the absolute unshakable eye witness testimony that Jesus is Divine and His message really was true… their response was to keep power, not to repent. Let that sink in. Don’t be like them. Don’t try harder and harder to hold on to your own authority over your life. Think about what it means that Jesus IS Lord. Trust in Him today.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

What has God called you to do? Are you doing it? Ananias and Sapphira didn’t just lie to the church, they didn’t just lie to Peter, they lied to themselves, and worst of all, they lied to God. They had schemed in their hearts to pretend they were more generous than they were. Be careful to give to the Lord that which you’ve been led. You’re not just lying to yourself, you lying to God!

Jesus answered him, “ You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Who is responsible for the one who makes it into office? Well, we all are. Look, in America (at least in theory) we elect our leaders. Joseph de Maistre (or Alexis de Tocqueville if you simply repost memes) rightly points out that “every country has the government it deserves.” this is especially true in a democratic style government. God does allow our leaders to have the power they have, you can’t get around that, but it also doesn’t lessen our responsibility to work hard to elect good leaders. We the people are responsible, yet, God is in control. Work hard for the truth, but then rest in the Lord.

Jesus answered, “ My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

When we look at the current political situation in the United States we can tend to think “what is going on Lord? Why aren’t you doing something?” Well, His kingdom is not of this world. If it were, we’d never get bad leaders, we’d always vote for the right policies, and politics would solve our problems… the reality is the opposite. Don’t worry, participate and be an agent for justice (what is right) as salt. Stand up and speak what is true as light, and then trust in the Lord because he is going to set everything right. Even through the death of Jesus, what appeared to be the greatest defeat in all history, His greatest victory was won! Trust Him.

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “ Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.

Are you willing to put your life in Jesus’ hands? This is not an exercise for when everything is going great. Following Jesus when Jesus asked you to do what you want is not faith, it’s just you being you. It’s in the times when life is hard, when things go different than you want, and you remain faithful. You choose the hard way, you remain faithful to Jesus when it’s hard, you don’t do the easy thing. The only kind of faith that is any kind of faith is trusting God when it’s hard. Your life, in His hands.