Following after Jesus #59

Jesus had just quieted the countryside: the demon-possessed man was delivered from his constant screeching; the pigs were drowned and no longer squealing; the disciples were in shock after another successive miracle. Luke wraps up his account this way:

 34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 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. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

The herdsmen had gone to tell the owners and others what had happened to the pigs and to this man, so the people came out to see for themselves, but who did the most come out to see? They came to Jesus. He was the one responsible for this mess, this mess of a man, now sitting at Jesus feet, clothed, calm and collected. The herdsmen who had seen it said: "He's the one who did this!"  Their response was just like that of the demons when they first met Jesus: "Please Just leave us alone." Jesus deals with people differently than He does with demons.  People can change over time. He knows they are unreceptive at this time. They are still too comfortable with evil.  These people are not hardened and self-righteous like the Pharisees, who think their way to God is better, but they are not ready.  Jesus grants their request and leaves, but He is leaving behind the memory of this event, and He is leaving behind this witness, this man (or as Matthew tells us, two men, two witnesses) to attest to Who Jesus is: the Holy One of God. Jesus knows that His followers will be back there some day to build on the seed He had planted, and people will respond, and follow Him.  Let us not become complacent with evil, but let us be patient with those who still are.  Keep looking for them to get fed up with it too, and come to follow Jesus. 

Today we look at Luke's account of Jesus' interaction with the demon-driven man:

8:26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

Luke does a great job of explaining to Theophilus, his prime recipient, step by step where Jesus was, and the chronic condition this man was in - being driven by the demons to do things no person in their right mind would do.  Something that strikes me here is the high value God places on this one (or in Matthew's account, two) human beings, sacrificing 2000 pigs for his deliverance.  This is a common theme in the Gospels: how much more valuable we are to God than the birds, that He leaves 99 sheep for the lost one, that he stops in a crowd to reach out to one person who cannot get to Him on their own.  His actions and words say much about the value of human life, and His determination to reach the world one person at a time.  May we have the same perspective He does. 

Following after Jesus #57

Mark wraps up his account of Jesus healing the demon-driven man this way:  

18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

As we look back at this passage, there was a whole lot of begging going on. The demon-driven man at first begged Jesus to leave him alone, then, when it was obvious Jesus would not, begged Him to send these demons into the pigs.  When the owners and other townsfolk came out to meet Jesus and see what had happened they begged Jesus to leave them alone as well.  Now, this man who has been delivered begs Jesus to take him along with Him.  Jesus refuses, but He does not do what He did at times; He does not tell him to remain silent. Instead, He tells him to go and give God the glory for what He had done for him. God does not save us all to go, but He does save us all to tell.  This man had much to be thankful for. He was so drastically changed people could see God's mercy on his life; what he had to do was tell them how God had done it.  The same is true of us: God has done much for us; what people need to see is the change Christ has brought; what we need to do is tell them all He has done - what He has taken away from us, and what He has given to us.  May that happen today. 

Following after Jesus #56

From the disciples' perspective, the encounter between Jesus and the demon-driven man must have seemed like it was a standstill. In fact, Jesus was fully in control at all times. Mark continues:

9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.

When the disciples got off the boat, scared stiff from the storm and even more scared by Jesus' power over it, their fear had been increased at the sight of these two demon-driven men. Jesus had told the evil spirit to depart, but this man continued to be a roadblock into town.  Jesus knew why. It was not simply a demon, but many, so He exposes that fact by His question. The demons had no option but to answer honestly: "Legion", as in thousands.  There were many more reasons for these disciples to be scared than they could see.  It's a good thing we cannot see all the evil around us. Either we would live in constant fear or we would be like the citizens of that area: they were so accustomed to and complacent with such activity that they would rather have Jesus leave than expose it.  That's the kind of world we live in: much of the sin and evil we see is just a surface glance at what lies beneath. We ought not to live in fear, but neither should we ignore it or accept it as normal or get comfortable with it.  This evil world needs peace, and the only way it will get it is the way this man did, when Jesus did a work in his life.  

Following after Jesus #55

Mark's Gospel has the most detailed account of Jesus healing the man or men with an unclean spirit: 

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Jesus and His disciples stepped out of the boat after the storm and into a cemetery, where they were greeted by a human roadblock. Mark only talks about one of the two men, who probably served as the spokesmen. Mark's extensive details show us how much this memory stood out in the mind of Peter. He had known a lot of rough seamen in his life, but nothing like this. He was strong, wild, loud, dirty, violent, and emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually unstable. They watch this man come running toward Jesus and fall down in front of Him. It all happened so fast none of them had time to think to run to Jesus' defense in case he was coming after Him. Or maybe, they were all just too scared - even more than they were by the storm on the Sea, or by Jesus' ability to calm it.  What we find out at the end of the paragraph is that Jesus actually spoke first. Jesus was already commanding this unclean spirit to come out of the man. In other words, Jesus was not just reacting; He was on the offensive. He knew that their landing at the cemetery was no mistake. He was there to confront evil and Satan's forces head on. The demons were reacting to Him, begging Him for mercy they knew they did not deserve. As James tells us, even demons believe in God and tremble. That's what they do in Jesus' presence here. Peter was so glad they were with Jesus.  He takes control in even the scariest of situations, even when the evil is so blatantly obvious. 

Following after Jesus #54

Just when Jesus and His disciples came safely to shore after the storm, look when happens next:
28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

This is not the kind of Welcome Wagon the disciples were hoping for - two demon filled men standing in their way - not just oppositional, but downright nasty.  But the disciples were fine, as long as they stayed with Jesus. That's because the demons knew Who they were dealing with - the Son of God. Sad, but true, demons and demon-driven unbelievers often hold higher reverence and understanding for Christ than many professing followers do.  Jesus does not need to say much. We will see in the other gospels that He says far less than the freely talking demons; that might be a clue to us about what it means to follow Him. The only word Matthew records here is "Go." That one word is worth two thousand pigs, which ran over the cliff and into the Sea of Galilee. When the herdsmen go to tell everyone in town, including the owners, they come out and invite Jesus to leave. Jesus and His disciples had received a hostile response, and now they are asked to leave, without ever getting into town.  But Biblical history will show us this event left an impression.  They would have within their midst two witnesses forever changed by Jesus, the Son of God. 

Following after Jesus #53

Today we look at Luke's account of the storm:
22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” 

Luke is much less detailed than Mark about this account, including fewer words said by Jesus and His disciples. So the words recorded are much more succinct. First, it was all His idea to go across the lake. He got into the boat and said "Let's go!" So often in our lives we jump in the boat and hope Jesus will go along. Secondly, they are quick to point blame: "Master, Master, we are perishing!," with a kind of undertone saying "and it's all your fault." Often, when we feel we are following God's plan and trouble comes our way, whether outwardly or not, we say it's all His fault.  Jesus, as He calms the sea also calls on the disciples to be calm: “Where is your faith?” He is able to see in their eyes and hearts beyond their fear to their lack of faith in Him. We so easily forget His promises: He is Here, He does care; He can handle it. Their response is very revealing: Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” Who is this guy?  One positive outcome of this event is that these disciples did not abandon ship or abandon Jesus. They realized He was well worth continuing to follow, learning more about Him and what He could and would do in their lives.  May our response be the same. 

Following after Jesus #51

Yesterday we looked at Luke's account of the storm on the sea; today we look in Mark 4:35 

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Jesus had given a long description, through parables, of what it looked like to live by faith. Now they were to receive a memorable demonstration.  Whenever we look at familiar accounts in scripture, we should not just rush through, thinking we know it all.  Like in verse 36, when it says: they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. What does that mean? Just as He was. He was tired, exhausted, and of seemingly little use to them as a seahand in getting the boat to the other side.  As they awake Him, what are they asking Him to do? By their response to what He did do, it was not at all what they were asking Him to do. They were asking Him to grab a rope or grab a bucked and do something to help save their ship and save their lives.  But that's not what Jesus does. He speaks to, He rebukes first the storm, then His students. He simply speaks to the sea: "Be still!", and it did. What is the takeaway for the disciples, and for us? Whatever it seems to us to be big enough to make our lives out of control is under His control. He is there to help us through the storm, but often not the way we envision He could or should. Don't hand Him a bucket; ask Him to speak. 

Following after Jesus #51

As we follow after Jesus in Luke's record, we find that after Jesus had made this circuit of cities teaching, healing and driving out demons, not only His disciples, but a whole group of people began to follow: 

7:11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Before Jesus had done the unthinkable: He had touched a leper. Now He does the totally unthinkable: He touches the stretcher of a dead man, which would make Him totally ceremonially unclean. But now, in the presence of Jesus, the young man was no longer dead; he sat up and began to speak.  Jesus gave this widow her son back.  There is a two-fold response: fear and praise. They recognized that He was a great prophet Who spoke for God, who indeed had the power and authority of God to give life.  Here there are no naysayers like the Pharisees, criticizing every word and every move; there are only pure, raw witnesses who realize Jesus is like no other.  It was not just a handful of lunatics, rebels, or deceived country bumpkins, but the general public. Who do you say Jesus is.  Just ask this widow; He is the One who gives life.

Following after Jesus #50

As we have seen, Jesus was met with a lot of resistance as He went around the cities of Galilee. He ended up teaching on hillsides and from boats. He then headed back to His home base in Capernaum. Luke 7: 

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

This Roman leader had heard about Jesus. This man was honored by the Jewish leaders, who were willing to go ask Jesus on his behalf to come heal his servant.  These leaders were also willing to plead his case.  This was not normal for Jewish leaders to endorse going to the house of a Gentile. They really thought highly of this Centurion. Notice what God arranges. God wanted them to hear that this great man thought that Jesus was so much greater than Him, that Jesus was too holy to enter his home.  He is like a Gentile John the Baptist, who said he was not worthy to touch the feet of Jesus. As centurion this man had a lot of authority in that city, but by his words and actions he understood that Jesus had so much more authority. And, most of all this man believed that Jesus could and would heal his servant. This man had faith. Rarely did Jesus demonstrate surprise. But here He is pleasantly surprised by this man's faith and understanding. Finally notice how much this event was for the sake of these Jewish elders who had been sent: 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. They became eyewitnesses of Who Jesus was and what He could do, so they could later tell Luke their story.  

Following after Jesus #49

Luke is showing us the overall response of the religious leaders to Jesus' ministry. As we move into chapter 6, we find more grounds for criticism:

On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?” 5 And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
6 On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Doing good can often bring you harm.  The Pharisees had come up with a long list of what was acceptable to do on the sabbath. They refused to do anything that resembled work, which of course put the burden on everyone else to do anything.  They even defined rubbing grain between your fingers as work.  It was all a big power play on their part; they wanted to be in control of everyone's spiritual lives, even above God. That is why they had such a violent reaction against Jesus: they perceived Him as invading their territory, when in fact they had invaded His as the Son of Man and Son of God.  Probably what frustrated them the most is how He healed this man. He did not touch him, or give some command; He simply instructed him to stretch out his hand. There was nothing Jesus said or did that could be used as evidence that He healed on the Sabbath. Yes, everyone there who witnessed it knew He did it, but their was no proof, except the restored hand of this man.  But the arrogance of these Pharisees had been violated and they went away furious, trying to come up with a way to get rid of Jesus.  Sad to say, many people are actually trying to do the same - set up their own rules of righteousness to keep Jesus away, when He is exactly what we need. 

Following after Jesus #48

We saw yesterday that the Scribes and Pharisees had begun their attack on Jesus, criticizing Him for eating with tax collectors and other sinners. In Luke 5 they throw another accusation: 

33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” 

Prayer and fasting. What can be wrong with that? Nothing. We saw in His temptation Jesus had done a lot of that, and we know He prayed often alone, so His fasting was also probably done alone as well. That is the way God intended it. There was only one day that called for a public, general fast: the Day of Atonement, and it was not time for that yet - not the one the Jews commemorated, nor the one Jesus would institute once and for all.  The Pharisees did it for show, to make people think they were more spiritual, even though the Old Testament warned against this.  As for the disciples of John the Baptist, they were going through a time of personal and national repentance as they awaited the Messiah. Now He had come. So it was no time to have a public or prolonged fast, but a feast, just like they had at Levi's house. It was time to celebrate salvation, forgiveness, and deliverance from sin and self-righteousness.  The fasting of John and his followers naturally led to a feasting for those who followed Jesus, just as the fasts of those in the Old Testament were followed by breaking fasts, and a time of celebration for God saving, providing, and leading them to the answers they needed. We need to fast and pray - not to impress God or others, but to prepare for celebrating what He will do. 

Following after Jesus #46

As Jesus was travelling around Galilee with His first core group of disciples, He picked up some others along the way, like in Luke 5:

27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Guilt by association.  Jesus was hanging out with those considered to be the most corrupt members of society. Levi also known as Matthew, was one of those tax collectors who had government authority to back him up. He had overcharged people and had the poor thrown into prison for back taxes. But when Jesus comes his way, there is an immediate response of faith and reverence. Jesus was his honorary guest. By Jesus' last statement here, Levi was a repentant sinner. His lifestyle and purpose in living had changed. It was no longer about getting, but giving.  What kind of changes have taken place in your life since Christ has come in? Once again, have you made your home, and your circle of friends a place for ministry? Would people be able to describe you as one who has experienced God's grace and who now is generous? 

Following after Jesus #46

Yesterday, we looked at Mark's account of Jesus healing the paralytic man brought by his friends. Today we look in Luke 5: 

17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Luke has a few more details and comments than Mark, like this introductory remark: And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. People knew it was by the power of God that Jesus was performing miracles. But, as we saw yesterday, Jesus first pronounces the forgiveness of his sins; that was Jesus' priority. Notice that it was the scribes and Pharisees who pounced on that statement; the people did not seem shocked by it at all. It makes perfect sense that one who spoke as Jesus did and healed as He did, could also well have the authority to forgive sins.  But these religious leaders found it a stumbling block. Why? Because they felt that they had more authority to forgive sins than anyone else. We know we do not have the power to heal or calm storms, but we want to have control over something, so what we often try to do is withhold to ourselves the power to forgive sins. We want to be able to hold out and hold over people what they have done until we decide to forgive them. But there is only one powerful enough and holy enough to do so, and that is Christ alone.  We see here the ultimate test of whether or not Jesus was doing God's work by His authority: the man went home, glorifying God and the people glorified God and were filled with awe.  It was all about the Glory of God, while for the scribes and Pharisees, it was all about their own glory. Is what we do about our power and glory, or the Glory of God?

Following after Jesus #45

 

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But 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.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Mark, again speaking from the perspective of Peter's eyewitness testimony, says that after this first round of visits throughout Galilee Jesus returned to his headquarters in Capernaum, probably again from the home of Peter and Andrew. He picks right up where He left off, with a line out the door, where people came to hear Him preach and hope for healing.  Here we see that the faith of a few good friends can be very powerful in one's life.  They did everything they could to bring this man to Jesus. Are you that kind of friend? Do you do everything you can to clear the way for people to come to Christ? Once again we see that Jesus knew what was on people's minds and in their hearts. He knew this man was looking to Him as much for his spiritual need as his physical one, and He also knew that the scribes were questioning His credentials.  So Jesus does a double miracle: He heals the man's paralysis and forgives the man's sins. He is in the same business today, with the same priority: spiritual needs first, and for the sake of doubters, some great acts of healing, providing, and changing others, just so we know, He is God's Son indeed. 

Following after Jesus #44

Here is Luke's record of Jesus' encounter with a leper early in His ministry:

 5:12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Jesus was following the plan: go from city to city in Galilee, teaching about the Kingdom of God in the synagogues, and do battle with the forces of darkness along the way.  It was physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting.  Public speaking may not look like exhausting work, but it is.  Afterwards, most who do so are spent.  But Jesus was doing more: He was open to interruptions along the way, willingly spending time with individuals and families and small groups. Many of these interactions involved healing the sick.  It seemed like the line was endless; the more He taught and healed, the more people came to see and hear Him. How did Jesus deal with this day after day after day? He would pray, talk with His Father in heaven.  How often do we need to reread that, to remember that, to re-enact that in our daily lives? If it was good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for us. 

Following after Jesus #43

As Jesus heads out on His road trip to preach in synagogues across Galilee He encounters all sorts of people. In the last paragraph of his first chapter, Mark tells us 

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

This man is desperate, and he is depending on Jesus to do something that will change his life. That is a great way to approach Jesus, with humble faith and trust that He is the One Who can change our lives. Jesus must have shocked everyone there, as he reached out and touched this leper. No one did that. Leprosy was at the time considered to be the uncurable disease. People feared it like a coronavirus. Now Jesus did not have to touch the man, because it was when Jesus spoke the command "be clean" that the man was cured. But Jesus chose to touch someone who was serious about being healed. That tells us something about our own needs and those of others. We don't get crazy and careless when reaching out to people in need, but we do not withdraw in fear either.  As much as Jesus requested this man to remain silent until he was pronounced clean by the priest, the man was so overjoyed by His deliverance that he could not. When we ask God, through Christ to do something, and He delivers us from our desperation, neither can we remain silent. Ask, believe, receive, and proclaim. 

Following after Jesus #42

After the initial surge of induction activities the disciples went through, Luke goes through various events that provide more evidence about Who Jesus really was.  Luke 5: 

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Everything in Simon Peter's heart and mind said "No. I'm tired. It's not the right time of day. If I'm going to stay up any longer, let's fish for men, not fish." But he was learning to trust in whatever Jesus said. So He followed the instructions of the Rabbi, like any good disciple would, and found out Jesus knew more about fishing than Simon and his professional fishermen friends. But notice Peter's reaction: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” How does that connect with the miracle he had just witnessed and been blessed by? We see similar things happen in the responses of the people of Israel before God's holy mountain, Samson's father when he received a special visit, Job when God spoke to him, and Isaiah in the temple. God's power and holiness always join in His presence, and when we truly believe and recieve, we are humbled before Him.  This proves to be another stepping stone in the faith and commitment of these disciples. That's how it is when we follow Jesus: it happens one glimpse, one step, on decision and day at a time. Everything else gradually fits in life around our relationship with Him.  

Following after Jesus #41

After a busy Sabbath in the synagogue, then a late night healing session in the home of Simon Peter and Andrew, Mark records:
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Sometimes, humanly speaking, it seemed like Jesus had a hearing problem. But He did not; He was actually listening well to His Father, and following His plan. Mark tells us, again from the perspective of Peter, that Jesus had this pattern: when He had a busy day, He took time to pray.  What that often meant for His disciples was that they would end up with a change in plans.  Their plan was abundantly clear: Go back to town, to Peter's house, where everyone who did not get there yesterday was waiting in line for Him.  But God's plan was different; it was for Him to go to other towns, to other synagogues, and engage in spiritual battle there.  Yes, He would heal many in many places, but what happened when He went to the Synagogue and taught? He encountered the man with the unclean spirit. So, here in Mark 1:39, that is what is mentioned: not that He would go to the synagogues and heal, but cast out demons.  Let's put this all together. Most of our prayers are quick and limited to physical issues. Jesus prayed differently. He led His disciples to think, and pray, about the holiness of God, and deliverance from the evil one. Let us not look upon our day as surviving our physical ailments. Let us look on our day and pray for strength and wisdom as we go into spiritual battle. 

Following after Jesus #40

Today we look at Luke's account of Jesus' visit to the house of Peter: 

38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

We notice that Luke has a few less details than Mark, like that it was also Andrew's house, and that James and John were along.  That's because Luke's focus is not so much the impact this was having on the core group of disciples, but on the crowds - that there were all sorts of witnesses to this event: many who had been healed, and many who had loved ones delivered from demons.  And they could remember that these demons kept proclaiming Him to be the Christ and the Son of God. Evidence was mounting in Capernaum. If we do our due diligence to investigate the evidence, we will find the same to be true: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Who has the power to heal and deliver, to give new life and new hope. There are still all sorts of witnesses to Who He is, what He has done, and what He can and will do. Are you one of them?

Following after Jesus #39

 

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Ministry is not limited to houses of worship.  That is a lesson God's people have to learn over and over again.  Besides the Temple and Tabernacle, the main place of worship for the people of Israel was to be their home. During times when the ark was held captive, or the temple was torn down, they had to get creative and worship in their homes, by the river, or wherever they could gather without persecution. Jesus shows us the same thing here. He went to the home of Simon Peter and Andrew, blessing not only those who lived there, but all who came there.  When Christ enters a home, He draws other people there. It does not need to be big or fancy or even well-located.  People will hear that that home is open for the Lord's business and gather there.  It's a wonderful thing to see.  Invite Him in - not just to your life, but to your home.

Following after Jesus #38

Today we look at Luke's account of Jesus' first time teaching in a Synagogue. Luke 4:

 31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Notice just a couple of additions here to Mark's account. As Jesus is teaching, and people are astonished at how much authority Jesus spoke with, this man cries out - rudely interrupts Jesus. Note the way this first word is translated here: "Ha!' We would say: "Hey! Leave us alone!" In other words, Jesus had invaded their space. He was penetrating into deep spiritual territory, and as Satan and his demons always do, they arrogantly thought they were strong and in control. They also like to expose things people don't want anyone to know about. They thrive on fear and darkness.  But Jesus came to expose the darkness, and drive out fear. So He rebukes this group of demons and demands they come out. They stomp out like spoiled bullies, throwing the man down as they go.  Jesus showed them Who is really in charge, and that these demons were unwanted squatters in this man, in the synagogue, and in His presence. That's Who we need to come in and clean house - in our lives, in our churches, and in this world.

Following after Jesus #37

After Jesus called His first followers to join Him, Mark continues his account:

 21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

This memory was very clear from Peter's perspective, as Mark was recording this on his behalf. We will see soon that Peter was living there in Capernaum. People knew him, and they were about to be introduced to Jesus. They were astonished by Jesus' teaching - a common response whenever anyone heard, or still reads, His words.  But when you are astonished, you don't say much. But someone did: this demon driven man.  It's hard to imagine this man being their for synagogue worship, but still today, on any given Sunday, we find such people in church pews too.  Jesus' words are so powerful they yield a reaction. Jesus tells him, but especially the demons within him, to be silent. That is not the kind of witness He needed, nor was it yet time that anyone could handle the truth at that point. Very likely, this almost went over Peter's head at that time, but remembered this statement very clearly later: I know who you are—the Holy One of God. For many of us, we hear bits and pieces from and about Jesus that do not click right away, but some day we put it all together. That was the general consensus that day: most people knew that Jesus was unlike no other, but at the time they could not put it all together. But He would be in Capernaum again.  Like them, may we come back to Him for more. 

Following after Jesus #36

Yesterday we looked at Matthew's perspective on Jesus' calling of His disciples. Today we look at Mark's, showing again the perspective of Peter:

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

As we compare these two accounts they are almost exactly the same, with two minor additions by Mark. First. Jesus said “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” The key addition here is "become" fishers of men. This was going to be a process, not some snap-of-the-fingers experience. That is exactly what we see happening as these men follow after Jesus. There is a lot of saying stupid things and coming to the wrong conclusions on their part as they listen, learn, and begin to live like Jesus. We call that sanctification - this process whereby God changes us over time.  But there is this dramatic decision that initiates the process: "I am going to follow Jesus." The second addition here is in the last verse we read: that they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants.  James and John were from a well-to-do background; their father had not only his own business with boats; he had hired servants. Both pairs of brothers here were fisherman, but their economic class was not necessarily the same. As they chose to follow Jesus, it was not choosing an easier life; it was probably a step down the economic ladder. For many of us in our society, if we are serious about following Jesus, it may include choosing a less comfortable lifestyle than we now live. Like Matthew pointed out in his gospel, all these men immediately followed after Him. Have you?

Following after Jesus #35

Today we switch over from John's Gospel to Matthew's in chapter 4: 

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

First, we note that whereas John tells us what things looked like from the perspective of John the Baptist, who saw Jesus walking by, Matthew tells it from Jesus' side of things: while He was walking by, He saw these men fishing.  These men had met Him earlier, and were drawn to Him, but now His call to follow was much more involved, much more specific: He was not only calling them to follow Him to discover new life lived with Him, where they would learn from and obey Him; they were going to be in business with Him. They were going to switch from fishing for fish to fishing for me: to draw men to God. Let's think about that calling. Most people we know fish for fish with a hook and bait, for one at a time, in a sense deceiving these poor fish to lose their life for our entertainment or dinner, or both. But professional fishermen use nets, catching the fish alive and uninjured. Sometimes these fish are together; sometimes they are alone. The fishermen don't care which way they get them; in fact getting too many at one time can be a problem, tearing their nets. They just keep on casting their nets. In this case, they are casting their nets to bring them to the truth and grace of God.  Notice how they respond. Both pairs of brothers follow Him immediately.  That word would not faze me if it were in Mark's gospel, who uses it all of the time, but this is Matthew. He was struck by the fact of how quickly these men followed Jesus, because later on the same thing happened to Him: Jesus came to his tax booth, called Him to follow, and he immediately left all to follow Him for a new kind of life and business.  How quickly do you follow when Jesus calls?

Following after Jesus #34

 Jesus had begun to call disciples to follow after Him. After the first round of His draft, John tells us:

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son."

Jesus intentionally went to find and call Philip.  Philip then went and found Nathanael, and told Him about meeting Jesus.  Nathanael was skeptical because of Jesus being from Nazareth, but he was not so skeptical that he did not come and see. There is nothing wrong with a certain amount of skepticism about what we are told, but there is a problem if we prejudge before we "come and see."  Nathanael does not stay a skeptic very long. Why? What was it that turned him 180 degrees in a split second?  It was because when he met Jesus, he realized right away that Jesus knew all about him, including what he had been meditating on when under that tree. That is a resounding theme we will find as we follow after Jesus. The woman at the well in Samaria proclaimed: "He knew all about me." Repeatedly the gospel writers note that Jesus "knew what was in the heart of man." Because of that, and often despite that, Jesus wants us to come and follow Him. Jesus knows all about you-your past, your present thoughts, and your intentions for your future. He also offers forgiveness for your past, direction for your present, and a far more significant future, if you will follow Him. 

Following after Jesus #33

John the Gospel writer is sharing with us how he became a follower of Jesus:

 35 The next day again John (that is, John the Baptist) was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

John the Baptist was so in sync with God's plan through His Messiah, that there is a pretty much seamless transition from following Him to following Jesus. He had so prepared some of his followers for Christ that they were able to walk away just like that and start following Jesus.  That's humility. A lot more than most of us have. But it is an essential part of following after Jesus. What these disciples will find out is that Jesus is even more humble than John the Baptist was.  These two disciples, one of them John himself, are willing to submit themselves to Jesus' principles and lifestyle. They are willing to listen and learn and live in obedience to His instructions.  That is what He calls us to as well. He invites us to "come and see" the new life we can have in Him.

Following after Jesus #32

We are looking in John 1 at how John the Baptist presented Jesus as the One to be Followed:

 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

John the Apostle, as he wrote, had presented Jesus as the Word of God, the preexistent Christ Who had come into the world. He now identifies him with two more titles, as he shares how John the Baptist talked about Him and introduced Him. First, He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! That is one big picture in one concise statement: Jesus replaced and fulfilled all those lambs that were sacrificed year after year, and beyond that, it was not just the sins of those who brought them that were taken away; His sacrifice was sufficient for the sin of all." John then shared how he would know when this Lamb had arrived, and that He indeed had shown up at His baptism.  On this particular day, the Lamb came walking by again, so John fixes his eyes on Jesus and said: "There He is! He is the One. He is the Son of God." These titles form the bookends of this paragraph. The Lamb, the Son, and the Word are all the same One. The Son came into this world to be the Lamb of God. He is the One to watch, to keep our eyes on, to follow.