Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

I’m Jemima L. Yeggs, a.k.a. Stinker.  Pink Lady Apple Yeggs, my landlady and my auntie, wants to read about how younger people, especially couples respond to what the Bible says.  And she wants to know how God is at work at Lily the Pink.

B.B. and I were in our “green room.”  Arabella lurked either inside or outside the door.

I mentioned while she was working on my hair, “B.B., I feel like singing today.”

B.B. moaned, “Stinker, please don’t.  I didn’t bring my hearing protection.”

I growled, “B.B., I can sing!  But I will have to admit.  With all your teasing me, Emmett volunteered to play some music.  The band has grown.  Emmett plays one instrument or another.  Darrell plays the guitar.  Mags Kildare plays the cello.  Tamara Collins plays the flute.  Fred plays the trombone.  And Mike Kildare has that weird tubulum thing, and he has a few other percussion things added to it.  But the choir is really strong.  I could sing today and no one would notice if I drifted off key.”

B.B. groaned, “No, Stinker.  I would notice.  You forget that we sit next to each other.”

I laughed, “I don’t force you to sit there.”

B.B. asked, “Where is another seat?  If it weren’t for our husbands saving the seats, we’d be standing most Sundays.”

A familiar voice behind the toilet stalls said, “I have an idea.  We can get Stinker to sing a solo, and we can clear out half the people in the room.”

I screamed, “I can sing, people.  I do a great job of carrying the tune.”

B.B. laughed, “Arabella, let’s hold onto that idea.  Are you on the swooning couch?”

Arabella shrugged, “I like it here.  I have magazines to read, and if I feel sick to my stomach, there is a dispenser for emesis bags.”

I snickered, “Arabella, only you could find comfort with an emesis bag dispenser.”

Arabella replied, “It means the sick ladies who swoon here are not throwing up on the upholstery.”

B.B. said, “See there, Stinker.  You can learn something from our small fry over here.  She sees the blessing in every little thing.”

Arabella huffed, “Small fry?!  Little things?!  I will have you know that I have grown an inch lately.”

I asked, “Was that you getting a larger bra size or did you buy some shoes with taller heels?”

Arabella snarled, “At least Michael notices.”  She opened the door, and we went to the den.

Rev. Joseph led us in prayer and the entire band and choir were ready.  They sang Psalm 23 (the Phil Wickham version).

I said, “Emmett, that was wonderful, as usual.  And Mrs. Kildare, that was a lovely cello piece.”

Mags smiled, “Please, it’s Mags.  And thank you.  My cello practice is good therapy.”

Samuel asked, “Where are we searching for Jesus today, Aunt Jemima?”

I smiled, “We are looking into the book of Psalms.  Arabella, do you need Mr. Dictionary?”

Arabella shrugged, “I think I know what the psalms are, but I doubt if you are going to find any Christophanies.”

Without opening his eyes, Easy said, “We do not see any angel appearing and giving the psalm to the psalmist, but we see the descriptive words.  ‘May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away; may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.’ (Psalm 35:5-6).  So, you pretty much need to have a historical narrative to see Jesus standing before you.  But since Jesus is a person in the Trinity, we should see something of Jesus throughout the Psalms.”

Arabella smiled, “Thank you, Mr. Dictionary.”

Dr. James (Psalm 2:7-9) “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.’ ”

Dr. Kildare said, ”This is a messianic prophecy.  It speaks of Jesus becoming the Son, but there is an element of the Davidic line of kings.  When you were anointed king, some considered the king to be the son of God.  The ends of the earth is definitely Jesus.”

I smiled, “Very good, Dr. James.  And now for the New Testament quote.”

Mags (1 Corinthians 3:19) “For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father’? Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son’?”

Mags said, “This quotes the part about Father and Son.”

I smiled, “Thank you, Mags.  It also quotes the Father and Son connection in Acts 13:33, even stating that it comes from the second psalm.  These might seem disjointed except that Jesus claimed ‘I and the Father are one.”’ (John 10:30).  That ties it in with Jesus along with the miracles Jesus performed and the prophecies fulfilled.”

Brooke (Psalm 16:10) “because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”

Brooke said, “This says that the Messiah will be in the realm of the dead, but He won’t see decay.  And Peter quoted this in his Pentecost sermon ‘because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.’ (Acts 2:27).  The lack of decay is because Jesus rose from the dead.”

I laughed, “Great!  Now Goober can get the next one, but first, let’s look at Psalm 22:1: ‘’My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?”  And then in Matthew, ‘About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)’ (Matthew 27:46).  Now, to other things in this psalm.”

Goober (Psalm 22:15-18) “My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

Goober said, “The dry mouth corresponds with Jesus saying He was thirsty.  ‘Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ (John 19:28).  But anyone can get thirsty, but the next verses talks about piercing the hands and the feet.  It does not say what was nailed to the tree, but Jesus told Thomas… ‘Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’” (John 20:27).  And then casting lots is in all four gospels.  ‘And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.’ (Mark 15:24).”

I smiled, “Excellent, Goober.”

Carla (Psalm 41:9) “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.”

Carla said, “So, this psalm says that Jesus was betrayed by a friend. ‘I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’ (John 13:18).  So, Jesus tells them it is one of those who He shares brad with, but then… ‘Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.’ (John 13:26-27).  So, we have His betrayal by a friend to whom He gave bread to eat.”

Brenton (Psalm 69:4. 21) Verse 4: “Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.  And now verse 21: ‘They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.’”

Brenton said, “If we follow what Goober read in John 19: ‘A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.’ (John 19:29-30).  That covers Ps. 69:21.  ‘If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: “They hated me without reason.”’ (John 15:24-25).  So, Jesus was hated for no reason, and they gave Him vinegar to drink.”

Tamara (Psalm 110:1-5) “The Lord says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, Rule in the midst of your enemies!’ Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath.”

Tamara said, “This talks about Jesus being at the Lord’s right hand, ruling over all the nations.  Is this during the millennial reign?  But the New Testament Scripture gives the Pharisees a brain teaser. ‘While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.’ (Matthew 22:41-46).  So, Jesus who is God already was before David was born and then He gave up the heavenly realm to become a baby in Mary’s womb.  But the Pharisees would probably think that to be ridiculous.”

I replied, “Thank you, Tamara.  You started with a question and the answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’.  Jesus fulfills David’s prophecy in that He presently sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding for us.  So, that part is not the millennial reign, but then putting all earthly enemies at His feet would probably be the End Times and the millennial reign.”

I added, “We are running out of time.  I have a lot of New Testament quotes from the Psalms.  I think we can make that a full class next week.”

Grannie Fannie (Galatians 6:18) “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.”

Lauren ran up to Grannie Fannie and hugged her.  “Are you ready to drive us?”

Brooke picked up Stormie and strapped her into the carrier.

Credits

Here is Psalm 23 sung by Phil Wickham with Tiffany Hudson.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.