road2answers

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Deliverance

Mark 5:1-20

This is a great story of deliverance.

We have here before us an account of extreme demonic oppression.

As we go through this account, we are going to look at the condition of the demon-oppressed man, the condition of the evil spirits and the condition of those who observed the deliverance.

Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee and came into the region of the Gerasenes (also known as Gergesenes or Gadarenes). This area was part of the Decapolis. The map below shows the area.

[i]

Decapolis literally means “ten cities.” This area was the center of Greek and Roman culture in an area otherwise dominated by the Jews and other Semitic speaking people. To the Jews, this was known as a Gentile area, and was generally southeast of the Sea of Galilee. The fact that this was a Gentile area would account for the large herd of pigs.

Living as they were in close proximity to the Jewish people, the people of this area would have had some influence from a Biblical culture, or at least would have had some familiarity with the ways of the Jews.

For our purposes today, we can assume that they are not that much different from the unbelieving world around us. People are aware of some of what the Bible teaches, but their knowledge is confused and mixed up at best. Often times their understanding of the Bible is completely misconstrued and full of errors, omissions and additions, not unlike the understanding of the Gerasenes of Jesus’s day.

As Jesus stepped out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit.

Now, as to the condition of this man, we will start with the fact that no one could help this man, nor could anyone subdue or restrain him.

I will say more about the condition of this particular person, but first I want to talk in general about the condition of those who are lost, without Christ. Romans 6:19 explains to us that before redemption by Christ a person is a slave to sin. It says:

I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. ESV[ii]

This slavery to sin is spoken of in different terms in Ephesians 2:1&2, which say:

¹And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ²in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience… ESV

Being slaves of sin or dead in our sins and following the course of this world, points out our inability to deliver ourselves. As much as humanity tries to solve our problems, there is only one way of deliverance. Acts 4:12 tells us:

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. ESV

Just as the demon possessed man could not be set free by anyone but Jesus, so also no person can be delivered from sin, the world and the devil except by Jesus.

However, the person in the account today was not typical. He represents a case of extreme demon possession. Let’s talk a little about the condition of the demons.

When Jesus asked the unclean spirit its name, it said, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” (Mark 5:9, ESV) A legion of soldiers consisted of six thousand men or more, even up to twelve thousand men. Here in this context it most likely means a very large number rather than a specific count. There was a large enough number to send two thousand pigs rushing to their deaths in the sea.

Whatever is in Scripture is for our instruction. While the case of this person having so many demons dwelling in him is exceptional, it points out that our enemies are many. Ephesians 6:11-12 says:

¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

This makes it clear that people are not our enemy, but evil spirits are. The legions that afflicted the man in Mark 5 are still around and there are many more legions besides. Few, if any of us, will ever deal directly with the devil, simply because, as the accuser of the believer, Scripture speaks of him as being in the heavenly realms. In Revelation 12:9, John saw Satan cast out of heaven:

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ESV

This is something that has not happened yet. In addition to this reference in Revelation, we have examples like Job 1 where Satan is pictured as appearing before the Lord among the sons of God. (Job 1:6, Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. ESV)

Although it is unlikely that any of us will deal directly with Satan, it is not possible to go through life without dealing with his henchmen. This has already been made clear by Ephesians 6:11&12 where we are told who and what we struggle against. 1 John 5:19 tells us that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. In addition, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says:

³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ESV

In this passage, we see that the devil operates in the mind of every unbelieving person. He works by blinding them to the truth. It is important that we understand that demons work primarily in the mind. For example, in 1 Chronicles 21:1, Satan worked in the mind of David, causing David to take a census of Israel. (Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel. ESV) This is the principal means by which Satan works. (When I say Satan, I am referring to his operations carried out through his subordinate demons. Since Satan is only one creature, he cannot be everywhere present working in every person’s life. However, he has many legions to do his work.) Satan works principally in the mind. This is why it is so important to follow the Scriptural principle of taking every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says:

³For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ESV

This battle for the mind is also reflected in the command to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” ESV)

Jesus told the Jews that believed in Him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31 ESV)

When the demon-possessed man was freed from the demons, he was said to be “in his right mind.” (Mark 5:15) A completely insane man was restored simply by having the demons cast out.

So far, we have seen that the demon-possessed man could not gain deliverance except through Jesus Christ, and we have seen that the forces of evil work principally in the mind. Next, let’s talk briefly about how those observing this deliverance reacted. What was their condition?

We see first, the herdsmen fled. Of course, they would have been terrified seeing their pigs suddenly run wildly into the sea.

These men ran and told everyone they met what had happened. And so, naturally, people went out to see for themselves. Mark 5:15 tells us that when they saw the man who had been possessed by demons clothed and in his right mind, they were afraid.

In Luke 8:37 it says:

Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

Here it shows the depth of their fear. They were seized with great fear.

On more than one occasion, the disciples were overcome by fear when they saw the power of God displayed. For example, when Peter saw the great catch of fish in Luke 5:8, he said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ESV

Fear was also the reaction of Israel when God appeared to them at the Mount Sinai. Exodus 20:18-19 tells us:

¹⁸Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off ¹⁹and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” ESV

When people see the power of God displayed, fear is the natural reaction. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but the kind of fear that we are speaking of keeps people from being delivered from the power of sin and from the power of the evil one. As Moses told the Israelites:

Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” Exodus 20:20, ESV

There is a difference between the fear of love and respect and this fear. Jesus told us not to let our hearts be troubled but to trust or believe in God. (John 14:1)

In the account before us, Jesus instructed the delivered man to remain in the area. He said:

“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19, ESV)

The world needs to see God’s mercy. The power of God, His holiness and justice seen next to our sins is frightening. Any person who enters the presence of God becomes terribly and frightfully aware of his sin and the righteous judgement of God against that sin. However, God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:17) The world needs to see that God has come to deliver us. People need to see God’s mercy.

However, fear of judgment is not the only fear. For most, deliverance also means loss. For the Gerasenes, they saw the loss of the pigs as a threat. For many, deliverance seems frightening because it will mean the loss of their favorite sin. Where would the adulterer be without adultery? Where would the drunkard be without drink? We often fear being without our sin, and are not willing to give it up.

Jesus has come to deliver us and to set us free, and He is able to deliver even the most extreme cases. However, fear of judgment and fear of loss cause many to ask Him to go away, to insist that He goes away.

Although our condition may not be as bad as the demoniac’s, none of us can deliver our self.

We have an active and deceitful enemy. Every one of us must diligently fill our minds with truth.

Each one must go to Jesus to be delivered. We must accept His mercy, and be willing to part with our sins.

[i] Image copied from, http://www.bible-history.com/maps/decapolis_cities.html. Accessed August 11, 2017

[ii] Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Forgiveness of Sins

Mark 2:1-12

Mark 1:46 tells us that because of Jesus’s ministry of healing and casting out demons “Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.” ESV[i]

Mark 2:1 tells us that Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, and word got around that Jesus was at home. Because of this, Mark 2:2 says:

Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God's word to them… NLT[ii]

People were flocking to Jesus. He healed the sick, cast out demons and taught the word of God. People flocked to Jesus by the thousands seeking healing, deliverance and truth.

I am using healing, deliverance and truth to summarize what Jesus was doing. When the crowds built up in one area, Mark tells us that Jesus moved on to the next. He explained:

“Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” (Mark 1:38, ESV)

From this, I take it that Jesus considered teaching the truth to be His highest purpose.

People are still seeking healing, deliverance and truth.

For example, in the Philippines, Apollo Qibology claims to be the “Appointed Son of God.” His church claims to have 6 million followers.[iii] Of course, 6 million is nothing compared to the 1.8 billion Muslims in the world.[iv] Humanity is searching for truth, for healing and for deliverance.

In their search, people flock to anyone who appears to have an answer.

People are searching and have been since the days of Jesus.

Mark 2 tells of a paralyzed man whose four friends brought him to Jesus. Now, these friends did the right thing, because, as we know, Jesus is the answer. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life.

The paralyzed man could not come by himself so his friends carried him to Jesus. However, when they got to the house where Jesus was, they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd. So, they dug a hole through the roof of the house and lowered the man, “right down in front of Jesus.” (Mark 2:4, NLT)

If the world is lost and confused, and it is, then we as believers need to bring people to Jesus.

Notice, the friends did not try to heal their friend themselves. They simply brought him to Jesus. Jesus taught, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV) You and I do not have to be the answer. Jesus is the answer. 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ESV

Bringing people to Jesus is our role as ambassadors.

The paralyzed man and his friends ran into an obstacle. The crowd was too large and there was no way to get to Jesus. Therefore, they went up on the roof and made a hole, lowering their friend down in front of Jesus.

When you and I try to bring our friends and neighbors to Jesus, we also will run into obstacles. We might not have to dig through a roof, but we will have to do some digging. Our digging starts with prayer.

In 1 Corinthians 3:6, the Apostle Paul talks about how he planted and Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. In the same way, none of us causes the growth. We might plant over a number of years by being a good neighbor and friend. God might use somebody else to water that seed. If God has given you a burden for a family member, a friend or a neighbor, start by praying. Do not stop praying and trust the Lord to use you.

In the account in Mark, the friends brought the paralyzed man to Jesus for healing. In effect, their prayer was, “Heal our friend.”

Healing or deliverance is where we usually start. We pray for healing of physical disease. We pray for help with relationships and family problems. We pray for help with disasters and troubles. We come to Jesus with problems too big for us. However, consider with me where Jesus starts.

The first thing Jesus said to the paralyzed man is, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5, NLT)

Jesus starts with the person’s relationship with God.

When Jesus started His ministry He preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15, ESV)

John the Baptist, who prepared the way before Jesus, preached the same message of repentance.

Jesus and the one who prepared the way before Him came to restore people’s relationship to God, and the first thing to be dealt with is our sin. Our sins come between us and God. The relationship is broken.

The Bible is clear. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, ESV)

Sin, guilt and shame are a huge problem for us. Shame is a painful emotion resulting from the realization that one has done something wrong, and is also a part of self-loathing. Shame and vulnerability researcher Brene Brown claims, “Shame is highly correlated with addiction, depression, eating disorders, suicide, violence, and bullying.”[v] Psychology tries to deal with guilt and shame as problems of the mind, and there are as many approaches to this problem as there are psychologists. However, Jesus dealt with it in one sentence. “My child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5, NLT)

This is the first and deepest need of the human soul, to know that our sins are forgiven. Romans 8:1 says:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ESV

Sin, guilt and shame are huge problems for us because they represent a broken relationship with God, but God has removed the sin and therefore the guilt and shame. In addition, we know that God accepts us. In fact, John 1:12 tells us that when we receive Jesus, we gain the right to be God’s children.

We, as the Church, have a ministry of healing, deliverance and truth. The forgiveness of our sins, our acceptance by God and relationship to Him as His children is far more important than deliverance from physical suffering. In fact, God uses physical suffering in the lives of His children. This is why James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” ESV

Jesus told the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven because his need for forgiveness was much greater than his need to walk. He could live without walking, but he would die an eternal death if he remained in his sins.

But, there was a problem - not everyone accepted that Jesus could forgive sins.

When Jesus told the man his sins were forgiven, Mark 2:7 tells us:

Upon hearing this some of the teachers of religious law were outraged. They thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” (Mark 2:7, NLT)

Throughout His ministry, Jesus claimed to be God. Some people tried to stone Him for making such a claim. However, Jesus demonstrated that He was God by the things He did.

Jesus knew what was in the hearts of those present and so He discerned their thoughts and reaction. We do not know what people are thinking, but if we talk to people, we will discover that many of them have different ideas about who Jesus is.

Even in His day, people did not agree on who Jesus was. Therefore, on more than one occasion, Jesus asked His disciples:

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14, ESV)

Notice the different answers people gave. People answered based on their experience, education and current political context. They fit Jesus into what they knew. We all do this.

However, who did Jesus say He was? Isn’t this to be considered?

Jesus claimed to be God. In the passage before us, the teachers of religious law were right. Only God can forgive sins. However, if Jesus was God, then they were wrong to say it was blasphemy. For a man to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” is blasphemy, but for God to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” is grace.

Anyone claiming to be God either is a liar or is crazy unless, of course, they truly are God.

The Old Testament authors spoke of one who was to come. Jesus met all the requirements, predictions and prophesies. In addition, Jesus offered many convincing proofs. He did things that only God can do. He healed the blind and even raised the dead to life again. But even greater than this, He predicted His death and resurrection and then fulfilled His predictions. Romans 1:4 tells us:

[He] … was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead… ESV

Of course, at the time of the miracle in Mark 2, while Jesus had the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, he did not yet have the resurrection so He said:

⁹Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” (Mark 2:9-11, ESV)

The key point for us today is:

…that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...

The world is seeking for something they do not understand. What they need is Jesus. They need their sins forgiven and their relationship with God restored.

Are you searching today? Do you want your sins forgiven?

Come to Jesus.

[i] Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[ii] Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Quiboloy. Accessed August 2, 2017.

[iv] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/05/26/muslims-and-islam-key-findings-in-the-u-s-and-around-the-world/. Accessed August 2, 2017.

[v] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-flood/sin-guilt-and-psychology-_b_4883456.html. Accessed August 3, 2017.

Monday, July 31, 2017

Trust

Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus walked on water – incredible, hard to believe but true.

People are still talking about it. This event has become synonymous with someone who can do anything.

However, this story contains truth that is essential for our lives and our relationship with God.

If you ever experience turmoil, trouble or perplexing circumstances, the truth we are about to explore can make a difference for you.

Matthew 14:22 starts with “Immediately.” This, of course, points back to what has just happened. In this case, Jesus just fed 5,000 men plus women and children with five loaves and two fish – a huge miracle. To understand the importance of all of this, we are going to have to go back and tell more of the story.

Herod has just killed John the Baptist. This was upsetting for the nation of Israel. Especially since the people thought John was a prophet sent from God. In addition, Jesus had sent the twelve out in pairs to preach, heal and cast out demons in the countryside of Judea. Healing and casting out demons caused enough of an uproar that Herod heard about it and thought that Jesus was John the Baptist returned from the dead. Herod was paranoid and anxious to kill any person he considered a threat. When the disciples returned from their traveling, Jesus took them to a desolate place to be alone for a while. However, the people saw Jesus leaving to cross the Sea of Galilee by boat. News quickly spread and a huge crowd raced around the lake, arriving at the far shore before Jesus did. Seeing this crowd, Jesus had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.

This crowd was hungry spiritually long before Jesus fed them physically. As Jesus taught them and healed their sick throughout the long day, He fed their hungry troubled souls. Political and spiritual instability had these people extremely worked up and agitated – harassed. If you want to understand more, compare the accounts in Matthew 14, Mark 6 and John 6.

In John’s account, after Jesus fed the people, they decided to make Jesus king. John 6:14-15 says:

¹⁴When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

¹⁵Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. ESV[i]

Matthew 14 gives some details about what happened and how Jesus withdrew. Matthew 14:22 tells us the first thing Jesus did was to compel His disciples to get into the boat. The word translated “made” or “compelled” is the word “anagkazo” and it means to compel with urgency or to constrain whether by force or threats.[ii]

This was necessary because the disciples did not understand Jesus’s mission. Later, after Jesus had spent three years teaching them, Jesus was explaining that He had to go to Jerusalem to die on the cross. Peter began rebuking Jesus and Jesus told Peter:

Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. (Matthew 16:23, ESV)

When Jesus was forcing them in the boat, the disciples were in serious danger of being swept along with the crowd in the passion of the moment.

Too often, we are like Peter. With our minds set on the things of men, we are a hindrance to the work of God.

In the midst of the political turmoil, it made sense to the people to make Jesus king. In the disciples’ understanding of the mission of the Messiah, it made sense to make Jesus king. The timing seemed perfect since the nation was upset with the ruling king.

It seems it is always this way. Isaiah 55:8 puts it in these terms:

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” NLT[iii]

The only way to counteract this tendency is to follow the instructions given us in Colossians 3:1-2:

¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ESV

The disciples had to trust that Jesus knew what He was doing. They had to trust God’s plan.

God (Jesus) made His plan clear at each step of the way. The problem was not that God’s plan was not clear. The problem was that their minds were on the things of man. The same is true for you and me. God makes His plan clear one step at a time, but so often, His way is contrary to our thinking.

In addition to trusting God’s plan, the disciples had to trust God’s presence.

In Matthew 14:15, it was the disciples’ plan to send the crowds away so the people could feed themselves. Now, after the crowds have eaten, Jesus sends the disciples away and then sends the crowd away.

The word translated "dismiss" in verse 22 and “send away” in verse 15 is the same word. The word is “apoluo,” and it implies the release or annulment of an existing bond.[iv] It is also the word used for divorce. Jesus sent the disciples away while He dealt with the crowd. He had to deal with their Messianic hopes and kingdom aspirations. He had to let the crowd know that their plan was not His plan. He had to send them away.

As a side note, we often get sent away in the same way. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. However, often we come to Him with our plan and our agenda and tell Him what to do, how to do it and when to do it. When we come this way, we get dismissed. Calling on the name of the Lord and coming to Him with an agenda for Him to follow are two different things.

Back to the account in Matthew… The disciples had been crowd control for Jesus during the meal. They served the food and picked up the leftovers. Now, they had to leave the important stuff to Jesus and slog through a long night crossing the lake. Did Jesus even know what was happening with them on the boat? Did He even care? Once, at a different time, they were in a boat and Jesus was sleeping in the back. When a storm came up they woke Him with the question, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38, ESV) In the case before us, Jesus was not even in the boat. And by the fourth watch of the night, which is between 3 and 6 in the morning, they were struggling. They had been rowing all night but the wind was against them. When Jesus came walking to them, they were terrified. (Matthew 14:26)

Have you ever felt abandoned? I think the disciples did at that moment. They thought Jesus was a ghost. They were learning and the lesson was ““I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

God taught the Israelites this lesson, saying in Deuteronomy 31:6:

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. ESV

How often we panic or are in fear because of circumstances and the storms of life! As God’s people, we are to be strong and courageous. 2 Timothy 1:7 says:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. NLT

Whatever you are facing, let me encourage you with the promise that the Lord Jesus will never abandon you. We, along with the disciples, must trust in His presence.

The disciples had to trust in God’s plan and His presence as they left Jesus and got into the boat, and when they found themselves in a bad situation, they had to trust in His power.

Peter showed audacious faith when he said:

“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28, ESV)

A moment came when the storm got Peter’s attention. This world is so pressing, so real to us that the thought of walking on water is impossible. Jesus asked Peter why he doubted (verse 31). However, Peter believed his eyes, ears and senses. A lifetime of interacting with water had taught Peter how to swim but not how to trust God over what he was seeing. How many of us truly believe Jesus’s statement:

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. (Mark 11:23, ESV)

Matthew 14:32-33 says:

³²And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” ESV

The heart that has seen the power of God worships.

When the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea on dry land, they worshiped.

When Goliath had been slain by a shepherd boy, Israel worshiped.

When the heavens and earth were created, the angels worshiped.

Whenever a sinner repents, the angels worship.

Whatever storm you are facing, stand still and worship because you will see the deliverance of the Lord.

We live in an age of troubled hearts. Political turmoil abounds. Wars are only increasing. The end is drawing near. We all know it. It is important to remember the words of Jesus:

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” (John 14:1, NLT)

Trust God’s plan.

Trust God’s presence.

Trust God’s power.

[ii] http://biblehub.com/greek/315.htm. Accessed July 26, 2017

[iii] Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

[iv] http://biblehub.com/greek/630.htm. Accessed July 26, 2017

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Compassion

Matthew 14:13-21

God cares for His people.

In Jeremiah 31:3, the Lord says:

Long ago the LORD said to Israel: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” NLT[i]

In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, He says:

⁷The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! ⁸Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. NLT

The Earth and all it contains is the Lord’s, and yet He has called out a people for Himself.

There are those who say everyone will be saved, but then what do we say about Egypt or Canaan? Acts 4:26 says:

The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against his Messiah. NLT

Many have set themselves against the Lord, and although God reaches out to them with mercy and forgiveness, they reject Him.

The incident from the life of Jesus that we are looking at today shows us an example of the compassion which God has for His people in the midst of a world that has set itself against the Lord and His Messiah. The central part of the account is found in Matthew 14:13-21. However, there was a lot happening at that time that is not included in this passage.

Immediately preceding this account is the story of Herod’s execution of John the Baptist.

This was a time of political upheaval and trouble for the nation of Israel. The people thought John the Baptist was a prophet, and were troubled that Herod killed John. Josephus was a historian from that time and he says that the Israelites attributed the troubles Herod suffered subsequent to the execution of John to the judgment of God. In other words, the death of John dealt a heavy blow to the morale and psyche of the nation.

In addition to this national crisis, Jesus and His disciples were personally affected. According to Mark 6, around the time of Herod’s execution of John, Jesus sent out the twelve in pairs. The twelve were given authority over unclean spirits and they anointed many with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:13) This got the attention of Herod, and is what is behind the statement of Matthew 14:1-2:

¹At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, ²and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ESV[ii]

The political upheaval and miracles of Jesus were all part of the motivation for the crowd to seek out Jesus. Herod’s murderous tendencies and paranoia about Jesus were also good reason for Jesus to go to a desolate place. If we place this account as the same one mentioned in John 6, we know that it was also near the time for the Jewish Passover. Everything would have been gearing up for the annual trip to Jerusalem and therefore an unusual number of people would have been available to seek out Jesus.

It was as if a storm was brewing around Jesus. As quoted before, the world and its leaders were raging against the Lord and His Messiah.

If you want to live godly in Christ Jesus, the world and the prince of this world will rage against you. 2 Timothy 3:12 says:

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted… ESV

In addition, 1 Peter 5:8 says:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ESV

We need not be surprised by the fiery trial that surrounds us. (Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12, ESV) However, we can take comfort in the compassion of the Lord.

Matthew 14:13 tells us that when Jesus heard about the death of John the Baptist, He withdrew by boat to a desolate place by Himself. Mark 6:30-31 adds detail by telling us:

³⁰The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ESV

While Jesus led His disciples away, the crowds, having heard about it, raced around the lake and arrived at the landing before Jesus and His disciples got there. (Matthew 14:13-14, Mark 6:33) When Jesus saw the huge crowd that waited for Him, the text tells us he had compassion on them. Again, Mark 6 gives us some extra detail when it says, “…they were like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mark 6:34, ESV)

This idea of the crowd being like sheep without a shepherd is repeated in the gospels. Matthew 9 tells us that Jesus traveled through the towns and villages of Judea, teaching in their synagogues and healing the sick. Matthew 9:36 tells us:

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ESV

This word harassed is worth noting. Traveling through the towns and villages meant that Jesus was seeing them in their everyday lives, and they were harassed. This word harassed in the original is “skullo” and has as its root meaning to flay. It consequently means to skin alive and thus carries the meaning to annoy in the extreme.

God judged the leaders of His people for not shepherding His sheep. Through Jeremiah the prophet, He said:

"My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray and turned them loose in the mountains. They have lost their way and can't remember how to get back to the sheepfold.” (Jeremiah 50:6, NLT)

Jesus found the crowd on the shore of the Sea of Galilee that day in this condition. This is the condition of so many of the people in the world even to this day. It is helpful for us to see how Jesus showed compassion for these harassed sheep.

First, He taught them.

Mark 6:34:

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. ESV

He taught them many things. When God sent His Son to walk among us, His principal ministry was teaching. When God established His Church, He also made teaching its principal ministry.

What is the principal job of a parent?

While there is not going to be agreement on this, it could be argued that one of the main jobs of parenting is teaching.

One of the gifts that God has given the Church is teachers. Ephesians 4:11 says:

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers… NLT

In Jeremiah 3:15, God promises His people:

And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. ESV

In the midst of the fiery ordeal that assaults us, it is essential that we feed regularly on the Word of God.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Along with teaching the crowds, Jesus also healed them.

This is still part of the ministry of the Church. We are to pray for each other and bear each other’s burdens:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16, ESV)

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

This ministry of healing is also why James 5:14 says:

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ESV

Finally, along with teaching and healing, Jesus fed the crowd.

He saw their physical condition and ministered to it with what God provided. A whole book could be written on how God can take what little we have and make it into an abundance of provision if we only give it to Him and let Him bless it.

Every one of us will find ourselves in a desolate place with no visible means of sustenance, and yet God is faithful and provides. Just as He sustained the children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, feeding them with Manna, God has promised to meet all of our needs.

Jesus’s compassion made Him aware of the conditions affecting the crowds, their condition and their circumstances, and it also moved Him to address their needs by teaching, healing and feeding them.

He has passed on His mission to us. He has left us to make disciples. As the Word of God says:

¹⁸All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20, ESV)

This ministry of reconciliation is what true compassion is about. Teaching, healing and feeding have no meaning apart from bringing lost sheep to the safety of the sheepfold. Again, as the Scriptures say, “For the love of Christ controls us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14, ESV) This is why we make an appeal to all to be reconciled to God. Without the message of the gospel, the world leaves people harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. The battle for the hearts and souls of people is not fought in the political arena. It is fought on the streets and corners of our villages and towns. It is fought in the desolate places both literally and figuratively.

Let the compassion of Christ control you. Feed on and offer people the Word of God. Pray for, encourage and help those who are sick. And finally, give what little you have to God and allow Him to bless it to the meeting of many needs.

[i] Scripture quotations marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Faith

John 2:1-12

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)[i]

In John’s account of Jesus turning water into wine, we see the practical side of this definition.

John 2:1 says:

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

Three days before this wedding, Jesus called Nathanael to be one of His disciples. Jesus demonstrated supernatural knowledge to Nathanael by telling Nathanael what he had been thinking about. This was early in Jesus’s ministry and the disciples were still untested in their faith. They had shown enough faith to follow Him and learn more, but they had no experience and knew very little about Jesus. Nathanael, for example, had three days of exposure to Jesus at this point.

John 2:2 says:

Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

Jesus, His mother and His disciples were all invited to the wedding. Apparently, this was a close family friend or relative. In addition, when they ran out of wine, Mary knew about it, and was concerned. The master of the feast apparently did not know about the problem. When the wine that Jesus made was brought out, the master of the feast’s only comment was that the bridegroom had saved the best for last. This gives the impression that the master of the feast had no idea of the disaster that had just been avoided. The fact that Mary was one of the few people who knew seems to indicate a more intimate involvement in the happenings of the wedding.

Mary approaches Jesus and says, “They have no wine.”

This is not a question or a request. It is a statement of fact. The request, if there is any, is implied. Jesus responds with:

“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4, ESV)

It is worth noting that Jesus does not call her “Mother.” His address to her is polite, even friendly, but it is distant. He then puts even more distance between her, the problem and Himself. He says, “What does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

A lot can be learned at this point. It is crucial that we notice a few things.

Mary had as intimate a relationship with Jesus as anyone. She was the only person on earth who could call Him “son.” However, her intimate and privileged position did not allow her to change God’s plan or timetable. Jesus says clearly, “My hour has not yet come.” In another place, Jesus says:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5:19, ESV)

Then again, somewhere else:

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38, ESV)

Jesus is pointing to the fact that not even He acted independently. If it was contrary to the will of the Father, it did not matter who asked, Jesus was not going to do it. Jesus has told us, “…ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7, ESV) However, this is not the whole statement. He begins with “If you abide in me and my word abides in you.” Therefore, just because we ask does not mean we will get what we want, even though that seems to be the implication of this statement.

Mary’s response to Jesus shows us much about faith.

She turns to the servants and says:

“Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5, ESV)

Here again, as a side note, Mary giving instructions to the servants seems to indicate a close relationship with the wedding party. Her faith is evident in the way she leaves it to Jesus. She does not instruct Him in what to do or how to fulfill the need. She leaves it completely up to Him. I have spent much time telling God how and when things need to happen and explaining why it has to be this way. How differently Mary approaches it! She has done nothing more than state the problem.

I would state a principle here:

Faith asks audaciously.

The size of Mary’s request, if we can call it that, was overwhelming. The text says there were six stone water jars there and each held from twenty to thirty gallons. Therefore, when it was all said and done Jesus made somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 gallons of wine. I am sure Jesus intended there to be leftovers, but 150 gallons of wine can serve a lot of people. However, does it really matter how many gallons or people? Producing wine with no visible means is an audacious request whether it is a little wine or a lot of wine.

How did Mary know that Jesus could do something about this problem?

Of course, she, of all people, knew about Jesus’s miraculous birth. And, she had been saved by the angel’s warning when they fled to Egypt. She had found Jesus in the Temple discussing theology with the doctors at the age of 12. These are the only things the Bible tells us about. John says:

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25, ESV)

We have no way of knowing what Mary had seen and experienced up to this point. However, we do know that the Scriptures say a few times “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

The Bible tells us:

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17, ESV)

Faith is built on the word of God. This is why Jesus says:

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7, ESV)

The faith to ask audaciously comes from the word of God and abiding in Jesus. Mary lived with the Word of God incarnate. Therefore, she had faith to ask audaciously.

Faith also rests confidently.

I get this from the way Mary left it all up to the Lord. She stated the problem. She did not even ask Him to do anything about it. She did not say, “Can you give me money to go buy more?” She did not say, “Can you send your disciples out to get some?” She did not even make any suggestions. She left it totally in His hands and told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Even Jesus, when He prayed, said, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:43, ESV)

The Scriptures teach us about faith that prays this way. In James 1:6, it says:

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

This kind of praying requires a confidence that God knows what is best, will do what is best, wants to bless us and loves us. Jesus repeatedly told His disciples what great things they would see if they had even a little faith. In Matthew 21:21 Jesus says:

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Mary shows this kind of faith when she assumes the problem is dealt with. She shows this kind of faith when she says to the servants, “Do whatever He says.” She told Jesus about the problem and then rested confidently.

One more thing this incident teaches us about faith is that:

Faith grows steadily.

Jesus’s disciples had not seen any miracles yet. At least, John 2:11 says:

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

If you follow the disciples through their journey with Jesus, you will see them experience many miraculous signs. They saw 5,000 men plus women and children fed from only five loaves and two fishes. They saw blind people receive their sight, lepers healed and even the dead raised. Peter walked on water with Jesus. As they journeyed and walked with Jesus, their faith was constantly challenged and it steadily grew. Their faith was far from perfect, but it was growing. This is why one of these disciples, James, says:

²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4, ESV

Another of these disciples, Peter, in speaking of trials we suffer says:

…so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

We all face trials of various kinds.

Running out of wine at a wedding is not life threatening, but it was not too insignificant for Jesus to help with.

There were not any wine merchants available. Jesus used common water pots and water to fill the need.

You may have a problem or challenge that does not seem important enough to bother Jesus with, but He is concerned with every detail of your life, even to the number of hairs on your head. You and I may not see any resources to deal with the challenges, but remember Jesus can use even common water pots to accomplish His work.

Whatever trial you are facing, can you trust that God is good and is looking out for your best interest? Bring your burden to Jesus and leave it with Him.

[i] Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.