I would like to focus on Luke 5:26 today, it says "And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, we have seen strange things today."
I know we can all admit to focusing our attention to strange, or different things. I’ve heard it said people used to go to the circus and pay to see the bearded lady, or the elephant man, or maybe the two headed chicken, no telling what was, or is still seen that people will go out of their way, or pay to see. just to see something different. It is in our human nature to focus our attention on something out of the ordinary.
Every year millions of people vacation to go see amazing sites, maybe the Grand Canyon, or the Statue of Liberty, one of my favorites, the arch in St. Louis, Mo. People travel to see the White House, Mt. Rushmore, all over our wonderful country amazing objects draw the attention of the World. Why? Because it is amazing, different, or may I even say, breath taking.
The same we find here in Lukes Gospel, as Jesus has now became Famous (Luke 5:15) Miracles and wonders are being made manifest by God through Jesus (Luke 5:17). multitudes gathered around Him in amazement of the healings, and teachings, and wisdom of God revealed through His son. Jesus withdrew from the multitudes and went into the wilderness, and prayed (Luke 5:16) but found himself on a certain day teaching again, and in the midst of the multitude was Pharisees, and Doctors of the law.
As Jesus was teaching to this great crowd, two men brought in their friend on his couch, this man was stricken with Palsy. But as they tried to get this handicapped man to Jesus they could not get to him because there was too many people in the way, but we as christians know, when we need to get ahold of God, we will go above and beyond the call of duty to see to it that Gods knows our need, even when people get in the way. These men were determined to get this man to Jesus, so they climbed to the roof of the building, and lowered this man down, right next to Jesus, THAT GOT HIS ATTENTION!!
Just a quick question here to make you think, what have you done out of the ordinary lately to get the attention of God? Do you have the same ole prayer? The same ole testimony?The same ole song? The same ole offering? Ouch, that was a tough one!! Want to get the attention of God, let Him know you desperately need Him, Pray, and fast more often, and more desperatly, Testify with a voice of victory and joy,sing a new song, and give an offering like you never have before. God may say to you, "you have My attention now!"
As they lowered this man into the presence of Jesus, He stopped his teaching, and focused his attention towards this very faith filled man, but before he is healed , He tells him his sins are forgiven, so here is were the Pharisees, and Doctors of the law have to speak up and question Jesus, they tell Jesus He has no right to forgive sins, God is the only one who can forgive sins, Jesus makes a statement that shuts them up real quick, He say’s in vs. 23 "What is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven, or rise up, and walk?" Jesus here is showing the difference in a non seen miracle, verses a seen miracle, salvation is the greatest miracle ever, but it is obtained by faith (Not Seen), but a healing is seen by all, so here Jesus turns back to the man on his couch, and tells him to take up his couch and walk, and Immediately!!!, he rose up and went home praising, and Glorifying God.
Please focus on this very closely, Jesus told him he was saved, Jesus told him he was healed, but in vs. 25 God recieved the Glory, not only from this man, but the whole multitude, even the Pharisees, and doctors of the law, because verse 26 says, " And they were ALL amazed, and THEY Glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying we have seen strange things today.
Let me share with you 2 of many scriptures that have signifigance to our witness here on Earth.
Matthew 5:14-16 " Ye are the light of the world"
1 Peter 2:9 " Ye are a chosen generation" notice in this verse the word "peculliar". ( That means unique, or different.)
God has truley called us out of darkness, He has truley calling us to be different. Why? So He, and He alone can recieve the glory, and the honor He deserves, Jesus declares, " If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto Me."( John 12:22 ). If men are drawn to Jesus, then God recieves the glory,as He did in this miracle because Jesus is the bridge between God and Man, so you want to get to God, you have to go through Jesus.
God recieves Glory by our lives as a living testimony. When we live a rightious and Holy life for the glory of God, men will be drawn unto God because there is something strange, unique, different, amazing, miraculous, out of the ordinary. Dare to be different, and see if multitudes can be won for God. I believe if there was ever a time when the children of God needed to go beyond their ordinary life, and live according to the word, it is today. Pauls says it better than anyone in Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore bretheren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is a reasonable service. vs 2, Be ye not conformed to the world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Let the transformation take place, and let God recive the glory.
