Biblical Reference: MATTHEW 15:30-32
JESUS DELIVERED ONE OF HIS MANY TEACHINGS ON THE COAST OF GALILEE JUST AFTER PERFORMING HIS MOST FAMOUS MIRACLE. THE FEEDING OF THE FOUR THOUSAND WITH JUST SEVEN LOAVES OF BREAD AND A FEW FISH. IN MATTHEW
15:30-32, IT WAS MADE CLEAR THAT JESUS SPENT THREE DAYS AT THE SITE PREACHING TO THE SICK. IN CALCUTTA, INDIA AN ANCIENT BIBLICAL PARCHMENT WAS FOUND UNDER LOCK AND KEY IN AN INDIAN TEMPLE. THIS FOUND PARCHMENT
WAS ONE OF THE LOST SERMONS OF JESUS. THUS, THE REASON FOR THIS MORNING’S SERMON. IT WILL GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL INTO SOME OF WHAT HE TAUGHT DRUING THESE THREE DAYS. ONE MUST REALIZE THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE PARCHMENT, NOT ALL OF IT COULD BE TRANSLATED; BUT WHAT COULD WILL BE DISCUSSED HERE. THERE ARE TEN EXERPTS FROM HIS SERMON THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT; SO LET US TAKE A JOURNEY BACK TO THAT DAY ON THE COAST OF
GALILEE WHERE THE MULTITUDE HAD GATHERED TO HEAR HIM SPEAK.
JESUS ARRIVES AND FINDS A COMFORTABLE SPOT ON TOP OF A SMALL MOUNT. AS HE SITS DOWN, ONE CAN NOT HELP BUT TO NOTICE THAT HIS DEMURE IS QUIET. HE IS SILENT FOR A WHILE, THEN HE BOWS HIS HEAD AS IF IN A SILENT
PRAYER. HIS APPEARANCE IS THAT OF A SIMPLE MAN, TALL IN STATURE WITH GOLDEN BROWN HAIR THAT REFLECTS GOLDEN HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SUN. HIS FACE IS ALMOST OVAL AND OF COURSE HE SPORTS THE TRADITIONAL JEWISH BEARD. HIS
EYES ARE VIOLET-BLUE AND SEEM TO PENETRATE TO YOU VERY SOUL. HIS VERY PRESENCE GIVES YOU A SENSE OF BELONGING AND ONENESS WITH HIM. HIS SMILE EXPRESSES PURE LOVE AND I SUPPOSE THAT IS WHY SO MANY WERE DRAWN TO HIM.
I WAS ONE, AS WELL.
SOMETIME AGO,I WAS MARY MAGDALENE, THE ADULTER AND PROSTITUTE. ONE DAY MY "SINS" CAUGHT UP WITH ME AND THE PEOPLE OF MY VILLAGE WERE GOING TO STONE ME. THEY DRAGGED ME OUT BEFORE JESUS AND TOLD HIM OF MY SIN. THE
PHARISEES,THE TEMPLE PRIESTS AND THE VILLAGE PEOPLE SAID THAT I SHOULD BE STONED. AS I LAY THERE ON THE GROUND, AFRAID AND CRYING, JESUS BENT DOWN AND WROTE WITH HIS FINGER IN THE GROUND AS IF HE HAD NOT HEARD
THEM. THEY CONTINUED ASKING HIM AND HE STOOD UPFOR A MOMENT, THEN HE STOOPED TO THE GROUND. HE PICKED UP A STONE AND SAID TO THEM, "HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN AMONG YOU, LET HIM CAST THE FIRST STONE." IT SEEMED LIKE
FOREVER AND I EXPECTED TO BE STONED TO DEATH, BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. I HEARD THE STONES DROP ONE BY ONE FROM THEIR HANDS AND THEN SILENCE. THEN JESUS BENT DOWN AND PICKED ME UP AND SAID TO ME, "WOMAN WHERE ARE YOUR ACCUSERS? HATH NO MAN CONDEMNED YOU?" (JOHN 8:5-11) I REPLIED,"NO MAN, LORD."JESUS THEN SAID, "NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU; GO AND SIN NO MORE." I WAS OVERJOYED AND IN THAT ON SINGLE MOMENT, I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO
ALWAYS BE WHERE HE WAS. I WOULD FOLLOW HIM WHERE EVER HE WENT. NEVER HAD I FELT SO MUCH LOVE COME FROM SOMEONE AND NOT IN THE SENSE OF PHYSICAL DESIRE. SO HERE I AM, STILL FOLLOWING JESUS AND WATCHING HIM AS HE SITS UPON THIS SMALL MOUNT; JUST WAITING TO HEAR HIS WORDS.
IT IS HOT HERE ON THE COAST OF GALILEE, BUT THE SOOTHING BREEZES FROM THE SEA OF GALILEE MAKE IT TOLERABLE. IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER TO ME AS LONG AS I CAN BE NEAR JESUS AND HEAR EVERY WORD THAT HE SPEAKS.I DO NOT WANT TO MISS A SINGLE THING! THERE IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT THIS MAN - THIS SON OF GOD THAT MAKES ME NEVER WANT TO LEAVE HIM FOR A SINGLE MOMENT. JESUS FINISHES HIS PRAYER AND LOOKS OUT OVER THE VAST MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE GATHERED ON THE HILLSIDE TO HEAR HIM. HE CALLS THE DISCIPLES ON THIS LAST DAY OF THE THREE DAYS HE HAS BEEN HERE AND SAYS, "I HAVE
COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE, BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE WITH ME NOW THREE DAYS, AND HAVE NOTHING TO EAT! AND I WILL NOT SEND THEM AWAY FASTING, LEST THEY FAINT IN THE WAY." WHEN THE DISCIPLES ASKED WHERE THEY COULD
GET FOOD OUT HERE IN THE WILDERNESS TO FEED THE MULTITUDE; HE ASKED, "HOW MANY LOAVES HAVE YOU (YE)?" THEY REPLIED, "SEVEN LOAVES AND A FEW FISHES." HE ASKED THEM TO BRING IT TO HIM AND THEN HE TOOK THE BASKET WITH THE FEW FISH AND THE SEVEN LOAVES AND RAISED IT UP TOWARDS HEAVEN TO HEAVEN AND GAVE THANKS TO GOD. THEN THE MOST MIRACULEOUS THING HAPPENED - THE BASKET SUDDENLY BECAME OVERFLOWING WITH FISH AND LOAVES. AFTER THE FISH AND LOAVES BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO ALL AND THEY WERE EATING, JESUS SMILES AND BEGINS TO SPEAK.(1) "DO NOT WEEP, EVEN THOUGH YOU(THOU) WEAREST RAGS, EVEN THOUGH YOU(THOU)ART LAME,EVEN THOUGH YOU(THOU) ART HUNGRY. EVEN YOU(THOU) EAT THIS BREAD AND THIS FISH, REMEMBER; MY LOVE REACHES TO THE LEAST OF YOU(THEE,) AND IF YOU(YE) BELIEVE IN ME, YOU(YE)
WILL BE LIFTED UP INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN."
JESUS WAS TELLING US THAT EVEN THOUGH OUR LIVES MAY BE FILLED WITH ADVERSITY AND TRIALS, IF WE BELIEVE IN HIM AND REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE END, HE WILL LIST US UP INTO HIS KINGDOM. JESUS CONTINUES TO SPEAK, AS I
EDGE CLOSER TO HIM. THE CROWD IS TALKING AMONGST THEMSELVES ABOUT THIS AND I WANT TO HEAR HIM. JESUS CONTINUES ON EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE CROWD ARE TALKING AND THERE ARE RESTLESS BABIES AND CHILDREN. HE SMILES AT THEM AND SAYS,(2)"AS YOU(YE) FORGIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR FOR HIS TRESPASSES, SO MUST YOU(YE) FORGIVE THINE OWN SELF. OH DEAR! HOW THAT HAD HIT HOME WITH ME! I KNEW THAT I WAS FORGIVEN, BUT I COULDN’T FORGIVE MYSELF AND
WHAT I HAD DONE. NOW, I UNDERSTOOD THAT JESUS HAD FORGIVEN ME AND HE DOESN’T WANT ME OR ANYONE ELSE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES BURDENED BY THE GUILT OF PAST AND ALREADY FORGIVEN SINS. ONCE WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN THEN THE SIN NO LONGER EXISTS, UNLESS WE COMMIT THE SAME SIN AGAIN. WE MUST NOT FEEL GUILTY ABOUT SINS FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN, BECAUSE IT HOLDS US BACK AND DESTROYS OUR LIVES BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. ONCE JESUS
FORGIVES OUR SIN, HE NO LONGER REMEMBERS THEM AND NEITHER SHOULD WE.
AS JESUS SEARCHES THE FACES OF THE CROWD, HE CONTINUES TO SPEAK, SAYING, (3)I KNOW YOUR(THY) HEART, YOU WILL ASK ’IS HE A FALSE PROPHET?’ FOR THAT YOU ARE FORGIVEN, FOR EVEN I, ON MY LAST DAY WITH YOU, WILL
QUESTION MY FATHER." I COME TO UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN-NESS OF JESUS. HE IS SAYING THAT WE WILL BE FORGIVEN IF WE ASK IF HE IS A FALSE PROPHET; BECAUSE HE TOO WILL QUESTION HIS FATHER ABOUT THE VERY SAME THING. JESUS UNDERSTANDS THAT DOUBT IS NORMAL IN HUMANS AND THAT WE SHOULDN’T FEEL BAD ABOUT SOMETIMES DOUBTING HIS HOLY WORD OR EVEN HIS DIVINITY. ONLY BY
OVERCOMING THE DOUBT WE HAVE, CAN WE OBTAIN TRUE FAITH. LITTLE DID WE REALIZE THAT HE ALSO WAS TELLING US THAT HE WOULD SOON DIE AND HE WAS OF HIS OWN MOMENT OF DOUBT UNTIL MUCH LATER. THIS WAS WHEN HE WOULD ASK
GOD, WHEN HE WAS UPON THE CROSS, "WHY HAVE YOU(THOU) FORSAKEN ME?’
JESUS THEN TURNS TO EVEN MORE SERIOUS SUBJECTS. (4) VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, IF YOUR (THY) NEIGHBOR SLAUGHTERS YOUR(THINE)OXEN, DO NOT SLAUGHTER THEY NEIGHBOR’S OXEN. AND IF YOUR(THY) NEIGHBOR SMITES YOUR
(THY) BROTHER AND KILLS HIM, SMITE NOT YOUR(THY) NEIGHBOR AND KILL HIM. FOR MY FATHER HAS TOLD YOU (THEE) ’VENGENCE IS MINE’." I SAT THERE THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE AND REMEMBERED WHAT JESUS HAD DONE FOR
ME. I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT OUR RIGHT TO SEEK VENGENCE UPON ANOTHER BECAUSE HE/SHE HAS CAUSED US GREAT HARM OR GRIEF. THAT RIGHT BELONGS EXCLUSIVELY TO GOD. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT ALL PEOPLE CAN SEEK NO
VENGENCE AGAINST ANOTHER WHEN THE HARM OR GRIEF IS GIVEN TO ANOTHER BY THE ACT OF ANOTHER PERSON. THIS MEANS THAT THOSE WHO ARE LIKE THE ROMANS AND THE SCRIBES,PHARISEES AND ANY OTHER PERSON THAT SEEK VENGENCE ARE COMMITTING A SERIOUS SIN AGAINST GOD.(5)"I HAVE TOLD YOU(THEE)"; JESUS CONTINUES ON, "LOVE YOUR (THY) NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF(THYSELF). AND SO, IF
YOU(YE) WOULD NOT SUFFER BONDAGE; SUFFER NOT YOUR NEIGHBOR(THY) TO REMAIN IN BONDAGE." I REMEMBER HEARING OF HOW THE PHAROAH IN EGYPT HELD OUR PEOPLE IN BONDAGE UNTIL GOD ORDERED THEM FREED. JESUS WAS TELLING US THAT IT IS NOT RIGHT HO HOLD A PERSON OR PERSONS IN BONDAGE OR SLAVERY AND YET MANY WERE. IF THEY HAD NOT HELD PEOPLE IN BONDAGE AND SLAVERY
THEN THE SENSE OF HUMAN AND GODLY PRIDE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN STRIPPED AWAY FROM THEM.
JESUS STOPS FOR A BIT AND GETS UP AND WALKS AMONG THE PEOPLE. HE WALKS DOWN TO THE SHORE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE AND PAUSES. HE STOOPS DOWN AND TAKES A DRINK, THEN WALKS BACK TO HIS PLACE ON THE MOUNT AND SITS DOWN. THIS TIME WHEN HE LOOKS AT THE CROWD, HIS FACE IS VERY SOLEMN AS HE BEGINS TO SPEAK ONCE MORE.(6) "TO EAT THE BREAD AND FISH I GIVE UNTO YOU IS GOOD, BUT TO EAT THE FLESH OF ANY MAN IS AN ABOMINATION. BETTER THAT
YOU EAT A WHOLE HERD OF SWINE THAN EVEN ONE MAN. FOR I SAY UNTO YOU, THE FLESH OF YOUR BRETHREN IS MY FLESH." WHAT A TERRIBLE THING TO DO I THOUGHT - TO EAT ANOTHER HUMAN BEING! I WOULD MUCH RATHER STARVE THAN TO HEAR JESUS TELL US THAT IF WE DO, WE ARE EATING HIS FLESH! HOW AWFUL! I ALSO CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS WAS ALSO REFERRING TO GREED AND THE HABIT OF USING OTHER PEOPLE LIKE PIECES OF MEAT BY EXPLOITING THEM,
USING GUILT, INTIMIDATION AND OTHER SINFUL MEANS OF ANY KIND.
JESUS THEN REFERS TO HIS BIRTH. HE SAYS, (7) "I WAS BORN OF A WOMAN, INTO THE FLESH, AND YES(YEA) I TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU DISHONOR YOUR(THY) WIFE OR DISHONOR ANY WOMAN,YOU DISHONOR MY MOTHER, MARY." HERE IT
APPEARS APPARENT THAT JESUS WAS REFERRING TO THE MALE GENDER IN THE GROUP. FOR A MAN TO BE DISRESPECTFUL OF A WOMAN AND TO DEMEAN HER IN ANY WAY NOT ONLY DISHONORS THE WOMAN HERSELF BUT DISHONORS HIS MOTHER, MARY, WHO WAS SO BLESSED ABOVE ALL WOMEN. JESUS WAS ALSO SAYING THAT WOMEN WERE JUST AS EQUAL AS MEN WERE. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE EQUAL TO EACH OTHER AND ONE DOESN’T STAND ABOVE THE OTHER AND ABUSE THEM. HE ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT WOMEN ARE NOT "SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS" AND MEN SHOULD NOT TREAT THEM THAT WAY.THE CROWD HAS GROWN SILENT BY THIS TIME AS JESUS
CONTINUES ON, "MY FATHER’S HOUSE HAS MANY MANSIONS AND TO ALL OF THEM WILL I JOURNEY FOR HIS NAMESAKE."
AT FIRST I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS SAYING. THEN AS HE CONTINUED TO SPEAK, I THOUGHT OF WHAT HE HAD SAID OF HEAVEN AND HIS FATHER’S KINGDOM. WHEN I LOOK UP AT TH STARS AT NIGHT AND CONSIDER HIS HANDIWORK, HOW CAN ONE NOT UNDERSTAND. IF WE ARE ALL TO BE GOD’S CHILDREN THEN HE MUST HAVE A PLACE FOR US WITH HIM AND HE HAS MADE MANY MANSIONS FOR US
AND THE LORD WILL JOURNEY THERE TO ALL OF THEM. I THOUGHT THAT THE FATHER’S HOUSE AND HIS KINGDOM MUST BE PRETTY BIG! JESUS MUST HAVE BEEN KNOWN MY THOUGHTS BECAUSE HE LOOKED RIGHT AT ME AND SMILED. HE WENT ON
TO SAY, (9) "TO LOVE GREATLY IS NOT ENOUGH,YOU(YE) MUST LOVE MY FATHER ABOVE ALL ELSE. FOR LUCIFER WAS FULL OF LOVE FOR HIMSELF, AND ADAM WAS FULL OF LOVE FOR EVE AND YET THEY FELL." THE CROWD LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER WITH PUZZLEMENT ON THEIR FACES; YET I UNDERSTOOD PERFECTLY WHAT JESUS SAID. IT REMINDS US THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT HE LOVES
MOST. IF HE LOVES THE FATHER MOST OF ALL, THEN HE WILL BE WHAT IS GOOD AND RIGHT IN THE FATHER’S EYES. THE CROWD WAS GETTING TIRED AND RESTLESS BY THIS TIME AND JESUS DECIDED TO END HIS TEACHING WITH ONE LAST THOUGHT
BEFORE SENDING THEM ON THEIR WAY.
AS HE ROSE FROM HIS SITTING POSITION, HE SAID TO THEM, "I WILL COME AGAIN TO COMFORT YOU(THEE), AND AGAIN AND YET, AGAIN." IT WAS JESUS’S WAY OF TELLING US THAT HE WAS THE GREAT COMFORTER AND WOULD ALWAYS BE
THERE WITH US TO COMFORT US.THIS INDEED WAS A GLORIOUS THOUGHT! TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE IN PAIN OR GRIEVING OR IN A TRIAL OR TEMPTED, THAT JESUS WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE FOR US. FOR SOME REASON I UNDERSTOOD MORE THAN THAT IN WHAT HE HAD JUST SPOKEN. IT WAS ALMOST AS IF HE WAS TELLING US THAT DEATH HELD NO CONSTRAINTS ON HIM AND THAT HE WOULD COME AGAIN. HE IS ALSO TELLING US THAT HE WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON US - EITHER.
AFTER JESUS SENT THE CROWD AWAY, HE TOOK A SHIP TO MAGDALA. HE RESTED AND REFRESHED HIMSELF FOR WHATEVER HIS FATHER HAD FOR HIM TO DO NEXT. AS FOR ME, I FOLLOWED HIM ALL THE WAY TO CALVARY AND TO THE RESURRECTION THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE NOT TOO LONG AFTER. MY JOURNEY WITH THE LORD HAS NOT ENDED WITH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION. I CONTINUED ON MY WAY TELLING
ALL I CAN OF THE WONDEROUS LOVE OF GOD AND THE PROMISES ASD TEACHINGS HE GAVE US DURING HIS TIME HERE. HOW SAD IT IS THAT SO MANY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD. NOW I AM OLD AND SOON I WILL JOIN MY BELOVED LORD IN HIS KINGDOM. DON’T YOU WISH THAT YOU COULD TOO? IT REALLY IS QUITE SIMPLE; JUST ASK THE LORD JESUS INTO YOUR HEART AND SEEK HIS PARDON AND MERCY FOR YOUR SINS. HE WILL FORGIVE YOU AND WASH YOU AS WHITE AS SNOW.
THAT WAS QUITE A TRIP BACK IN TIME, BUT WHAT MARY EXPERIENCED AND HEARD THE LORD SPEAK; STILL RINGS TRUE TODAY.IF WE BUT COMMIT OUR LIVES TO HIM AND SEEK HIS FACE AND FOLLOW HIS COMMANDMENTS IN THE BIBLE FROM
EXODUS AND MATTHEW, WE,TOO WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH HIM FOREVER!
