"JESUS IN ACTION"
LUKE CHAPTER 7
INTRODUCTION
Before the world was created -- before man was ever formed by the hand of God. God the father; God the Son; and God the Spirit were together. They have always been....THEY WERE/ARE/WILL ALWAYS BE... When Moses asked God who should he tell pharaoh had sent him -- God said tell him "I AM HAS SENT YOU.."
And God choose to create a world that had free will; people would have the choice to serve God or not to serve God... Now, God knew that this would led to some problems, but He did it anyway as He wanted true worshippers and not puppets.
Yes, God knew man would fall -- so before creation it was decided that God the son would one day come to earth; leave His glory, put on human flesh -- and live and walk among the people. Jesus came to this world to teach us about God, and to provide a way to save us from our sins.
And to me one of the most fascinating things in Jesus ministry here on earth, was his encounters with people. To see how God in the flesh -- responded to people (real people like you and I, people who had hopes, dreams, fears and problems) to watch Jesus interact with them in a very real and personal way is awesome, and these encounters with man/woman/and children often teach us something about ourselves and about God.
Today we began a study of the Gospel of Luke -- written by Luke the doctor who was a traveling companion of Paul throughout most of Paul’s journeys. And as always, I encourage those who really want to study and learn about the life of Christ to pick up the questions in the back and join us wednesday morning or evening, it would be worth your time.
Today we want to study the 7th chapter of Luke (JESUS HAS JUST FINISHED HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNTAIN OF GALILEE, AND HE HAS JUST ENTERED THE CITY OF CAPERNAUM LOCATED ON THE NORTHERN SHORES OF THAT SEA). And in this chapter the good Doctor records for us 4 encounters that Jesus had with 4 very different people...(a roman soldier, a jewish widow, a prophet of God and a prostitute), 4 people who were suffering and troubled in some way; there was; a man troubled over his dying servant, a mother grieving over the death of her only son; a perplexed prophet locked up in a prison cell and a sinful woman, seeking forgiveness...
We will look at each of these encounters -- see how Jesus responded to them, and then try to take some lessons home with us.... IN LUKE 7:1-10;
I. JESUS RESPONDS TO FAITH AND A MAN LEAVES JESUS AMAZED
LUKE 7:1-10
It is not often that the Son of God was amazed. As a matter of fact the word used here for amazed (enthaumasen) is only used in 2 other places in the bible -- (in Mt account of this same event) and in Mk. 6:6, where Jesus is amazed not about faith, but about the peoples unbelief, after all they had seen Him do and say.... AND WHEN YOU COME DOWN TO IT, UNBELIEF REALLY IS AMAZING BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE CHURCH, IN LIGHT ALL THAT JESUS DID, DOES AND SAID -- BUT THAT IS ANOTHER SERMON
The man these verses center around is a centurion, a centurion is a Roman Officer who is a commander of 100 men; Polybius an ancient historian says that it was only the best men in the Roman army who held the position of centurion.
Now according to our text their are a lot of impressive things about this centurion. AND Remember he is a Roman OFFICER, a man away from home, a man living in a land that was hostile to his very presence... The Jews hated the Romans for occupying their nation and because they were gentiles...
But despite all this, this centurion had an impressive character;
1. Luke says that he highly regarded his slave (which was uncommon in that culture) -- He didn’t see this man as a piece of property to be thrown out when useless -- but rather he cared for him.
2. He also was respected by the Jews; it was Jewish elders who made the request for the centurion.
3. In addition to this, Luke says that the centurion loved the Jewish nation and that he even built a synagogue for them.
4. He was also a humble man; imagine, a Roman officer telling a poor Jewish rabbi, that he was unworthy to have Him enter his house... Romans were not know for displaying humility, especially before their Jewish subjects.
BUT AS IMPRESSIVE AS THESE THINGS ARE, AND AS UNCOMMON AS THEY WERE IN THAT DAY AND TIME THEY ARE NOT WHAT AMAZED JESUS.
WELL, WHAT DID AMAZE JESUS???
LUKE 7:7-10
The centurion’s faith amazed Jesus. Here a Gentile, with a Pagan background and a built in Roman self sufficiency... A man who didn’t have the benefit of knowing the OT law and prophets, A man who probably never heard Jesus speak in person; but only heard reports from others... YET, he had real faith -- he recognized Jesus authority. And he saw a parallel between the way he commanded his soldiers (when he said do this they did it) and the way Jesus commanded diseases. He knew and believed, that all Jesus had to do was say the word, and things would happened and his servant would be cured...
This centurion had faith, n real faith, alive faith; and he acted on that faith and HIS SERVANT WAS HEALED, AND JESUS WAS AMAZED.
From there Jesus traveled to Nain, 20 miles southwest of Capernaum, a good day’s walking distance.
And as he approached the town gate
II. JESUS RESPONDED TO DESPAIR AND A WIDOW’S SON WAS RAISED.
LUKE 7:11-17
2 crowds were about to meet -- one had come from capernaum with Jesus, they were excited, filled with wonder and awe as the walked with the Lord towards the city... -- the other crowd was quit a different picture they were leaving the city and heading for the cemetery... It was a funeral procession and it was quit a scene... You see, Hebrew funerals were always full of emotions, loud weeping and wailing... Often professional mourners were hired... AND There would also be flutist playing sad songs accompanying the procession... Closed coffins were unknown in that day -- the young boy would be laying on an open flat wooden frame -- and bodies were buried usually less than 10 hours from death for hygienic reasons... because anyone who touched the body, or anything that had been in contact with the body would be unclean under the law.
It was her only son, and being a widow she was now all alone. And not only did she face the devastation of this personal loss, but also being a woman -- she now had no way to take care of herself -- there were no social programs or job opportunity for women in that day... AND As she led her son to the grave -- her life was as dark as dark could be -- and her future looked even darker...
AND As Jesus came with in view of this women... The text says, "HIS HEART WENT OUT TO HEART" which is a translation of the strongest word the greeks had for compassion.... Jesus saw these women and his heart broke over her situation..
Have you ever been to a funeral? Imagine if you will, a grave side scene -- a mothering is weeping intensely over the death of her only son... Her family and friends are weeping with her. The minister is reading some words of comfort and suddenly a man approaches and says to the women "WEEP NOT!" And then He walks over to the coffin lifts the lid and tells the young man to get up, the young boy sits up in his coffin speaks with the man who then lifts him up and hands him to his mother.... Has that ever happened in a funeral you attended?
But that is exactly what happened to the widow in our text... Just when she thought life was over, just as the dark storm clouds had rolled in and engulfed her -- Jesus came on the scene and resurrected her son and restored her life! It’s true! It happened!! Wouldn’t you have loved to have been there?
Listen to verses 16 and 17 again.....
The NIV has the phrase "GOD HAS COME TO HELP HIS PEOPLE..." a more accurate translation is God has visited His people, The idea that God would visit His people was common in the O.T. And it is particularly expressed in IS 7:14 WHERE THE TERM IMMANUEL IS GIVEN TO CHRIST -- WHICH MEANS "GOD WITH US" -- AND WHEN THOSE THERE SAW WHAT JESUS HAD DONE THEY KNEW THAT GOD, THE AUTHOR AND SUSTAINER OF LIFE, WAS WITH THEM, AND NEWS OF JESUS SPREAD THROUGHOUT JUDEA AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY..."
IN THE NEXT SERIES OF VERSES WE SEE:
III. JESUS RESPONDING TO DOUBT AND A MAN WHOM JESUS PRAISED
LUKE 7:18-28
He was an outdoors man, his clothes were made of camel’s hair, he wore a leather belt around his waist, he ate locusts and wild honey and he lived in the desert regions of Judea. People from Jerusalem and all of Judea went out to hear his message of "the coming judgment and baptism and repentance for the remission of sins...."
He was Jesus’ cousin, just 6 months older than Jesus, his name was John, they called him John the baptizer.
I picture John looking like Grisly Adams... He was big strong and spoke the truth no matter who was around...the people loved him and the leader feared him. And that is what got John in trouble and landed him in prison.
You see, when John found out that Herod was committing adultery with his brothers wife -- he rebuked Herod right to his face for this sin (to John wrong was wrong and right was right, and he wasn’t going to compromise or bite his tongue just because the guilty party was the appointed King of Judea). And Herod throw him into prison...
And at the time our text takes place, John has been in jail for many months, possibly close to a whole year...
It must have been very difficult for someone like John, accustomed to the wilderness life, to be confined to a prison (and prison back then was prison -- not a party with cable TV , wt. rooms, and a college education). The emotional and physical strain were no doubt great -- and the long days of waiting and wondering did not make it any easier. The Jewish people were doing nothing to help him... and it seemed as if Jesus was doing nothing for him either... If Jesus came to set the captives free, John must of thought that he was a good candidate...
And in the darkness and loneliness of his cell, John began to have doubts.
NOW, It is not unusual for great spiritual leaders to have their days of doubt and uncertainty. Moses, was ready to quit on one occasion (Nu 11:10-15); and so were Elijah and Jeremiah; and even Paul knew the meaning of despair.
BUT we need to understand however that there is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind: we cannot understand what God is doing or why he is doing it?
Unbelief is a matter of the will: we refuse to believe God’s Word and obey: what he tells us too...
Someone has said that, "doubt is not always a sign that a man is wrong -- it may be a sign that he is thinking.."
In John’s case, his inquiry was not born of willful unbelief, but of doubt born of physical and emotional pressure and impatience and misunderstanding.....
As John sat in prison he became confused.. things were not working out the way he thought they would.
Now we can look back at the ministry of Jesus, and we can understand what he was doing. BUT John did not have that advantage.. After all, John had announced the judgment of God, but Jesus was doing deeds of love and mercy... John had said, the kingdom was at hand -- but he no evidence of it so far... Perhaps John had envisioned the Lord mounting his Cherubim -- soaring in on the clouds to receive the righteous and punish the wicked... And so John sat in his cell, a perplexed prophet, not sure anymore of God’s plan or his place in it.
He sent some of his disciples to Jesus and they said to Jesus, "JOHN THE BAPTIST SENT US TO YOU TO ASK YOU, `ARE YOU THE ONE WHO WAS TO COME OR SHOULD WE EXPECT SOMEONE ELSE?’"
And Jesus did not answer them he just went out and continued to do the things he had been doing... (the things that had perplexed John in the first place).
And then he told them go back and tell John what you have seen and heard -- TELL HIM TO EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE the blind made to see, the lame to walk, leprosy cured, deaf ears opened up, the dead raised and the good news preached to the poor..(IN OTHER WORDS "TELL MY DEAR COUSIN, THAT I AM DOING EXACTLY WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE DOING)... AND THEN JESUS SAID TO THEM BE SURE TO TELL JOHN THAT BLESSED (HAPPY, CONTENT JOYFUL) IS THE MAN WHO DOES NOT FALL AWAY OR STUMBLE ON ACCOUNT ME. WHO STICKS WITH ME EVEN WHEN HE DOS NOT UNDERSTAND ALL THAT IS GOING ON...
And I imagine when John received the report back in his cell, that he said something like this; "OKAY JESUS JUST THOUGHT I’D ASK -- WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY -- SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, SEE YA COUS."
And after the messengers left Jesus, perhaps because some may had become critical of John, Jesus praised JOHN as being THE GREATEST MAN WHO HAD EVER LIVED UP UNTIL THAT TIME... GREATER THAN MOSES; GREATER THAN DAVID/ELIJAH/JEREMIAH..
WHY? BECAUSE, HE WAS ONE THE ONE TO PREPARE THE WAY AND ANNOUNCE THE ARRIVAL OF CHRIST... BECAUSE, HE SPOKE GOD’S MESSAGE WITH BOLDNESS AND POWER IN ALL IT’S TRUTH DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WOULD COST HIM HIS HEAD... BECAUSE, HE REALIZED HIS POSITION "THAT JESUS MUST BECOME GREATER AND HE MUST BECOME LESS..." BECAUSE, WHEN HE HAD DOUBTS HE WENT TO THE SOURCE AND FOUND THE ANSWERS... AND FOR THESE JOHN WAS PRAISED....
AND AS LUKE CLOSES OUT CHAPTER 7, WE SEE:
IV. JESUS RESPONDING TO LOVE AS A WOMAN IS SAVED
This passage has been a special passage to me ever since I read in William Piles book, WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT GRACE and I saw how this passage explodes with the grace of God...
Let’s try to picture the scene. Jesus has been invited to a dinner by a Pharisee, named Simon. Now the Pharisees were self righteous men, who loved to makes rules for other people to follow (kind of like U.S.congressman)... They felt as though they were the spiritually elite... that they had already arrived ... they had jotted all of the jots and crossed all of their tittles... They saw themselves as a kind of religious aristocracy.
So these are not the kind of guys, that you picture throwing a party, and if they did, you can’t imagine them having any fun.. There were other guests there besides Jesus that evening, and I am sure that they were all Pharisees as well, you know the saying birds of a feather flock together... Someone has referred to this gathering as a B.Y.O.R. PARTY (BRING YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS.. And the Pharisees felt they had plenty of that.
But littler did these men know, that their party was about to be crashed by a woman, a sinful woman at that; more than likely as prostitute.... The Pharisee and his guests refer to her as "A WOMEN OF HER KIND.." So she was one of those women... BUT Why did she crash the party? Well, because that is what you do when
you don’t HAVE A TICKET, WHEN YOU ARE DESPERATE. She was either going to get thrown out, or it was going to be the best party of her life...
And once inside she went straight to the guest of honor, she went straight to Jesus. You see, she had heard about Jesus; maybe from a blind man who had received his sight, or a lame who was made to walk -- or maybe from another woman of the night who was given a new start by Jesus...
AND SHE CAME LOOKING FOR THE MASTER’S HAND TO TOUCH HER AND MADE HER LIFE BRAND NEW..
She anointed Jesus with perfume, fell at his feet -- wetting his feet with her tears... And then she dried his feet with her hair.
When she burst into the room Simon and his friends nearly went into cardiac arrest, choking on their lamb chops... They could not understand how Jesus could let a woman like her near him, let alone touch him. Jesus knowing their thoughts said the following to them;
LUKE 7:40-47
When Jesus announced that her sins had been forgiven... These guys couldn’t handle it... This wasn’t their idea of a good time (forgiving someone who didn’t deserve forgiveness) they would have much rather preferred to rebuke her and cast stones at her, sending her hurling out the door... And so they reverted to what they always found to be safe and enjoyable -- ignoring the truth, the real issue, and arguing over words, "WHO IS THIS MAN WHO EVEN FORGIVES SIN?"
JESUS SENT THE WOMAN HOME IN PEACE. THE PARTY WAS OVER. THE PHARISEES, LEFT IN TURMOIL. SIMON, VOWED TO WATCH HIS DOOR MORE CLOSELY, NEXT TIME. AFTER ALL, THE ONLY ONE WITHOUT AN INVITATION WON THE GRAND PRIZE? AND THAT IS THE WAY GRACE IS... IT BLESSES THOSE WHO ADMIT THEY NEED IT; AND IT IRRITATES THOSE WHO THINK THEY DON’T. THOSE WHO NEED IT FIND IT, AND GO AWAY IN PEACE, THOSE WHO DON’T THINK THEY NEED, DON’T FIND IT -- AND JUST GO AWAY...
These 4 snapshots show Jesus in Action -- meeting with and responding to real people.
So what are we to take home for these 4 encounters..
FROM THE PROSTITUTE (WHO REPRESENTS ALL OF US, WHO HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION; THAT WE ARE LOST, HELPLESS AND HOPELESS) WE NEED TO TAKE HOME THE FOLLOWING...
1. THAT THE GRACE OF GOD IS AVAILABLE AND FREE TO ALL WHO WILL ADMIT THAT THEY NEED -- AND WHO WILL RESPOND IN LOVE AND REPENTANCE AT THE FEET OF JESUS... WHERE ALL OF OUR SINS, WILL BE FORGIVEN... NOW THAT’S GOOD NEWS!
2. THE GREATER THE AWARENESS WE HAVE OF OUR SIN/AND NEED FOR GOD’S GRACE RESULTS IN A GREATER LOVE DISPLAYED FOR JESUS... THOSE WHO FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT AS BAD AS OTHERS, AND THEREFORE DIDN’T NEED AS MUCH OF JESUS -- THOSE WHO FEEL THEY MADE IT PART WAY THEMSELVES, AND ONLY NEEDED A BOOST FROM JESUS -- WILL NOT LOVE JESUS VERY MUCH...
NOW, HOW DO WE DISPLAY OUR LOVE FOR JESUS -- THE WOMEN KNELT AT JESUS FEET -- AND SO MUST WE, WE MUST SUBMIT TO HIS LORDSHIP -- JESUS SAID, "IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY ME...."
IF YOU DON’T OBEY JESUS -- YOU DON’T LOVE HIM.... AND MAYBE YOU DON’T LOVE HIM, BECAUSE YOU DON’T REALLY REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU NEED HIM AND HOW MUCH HE HAS DONE FOR YOU...
GRACE AVAILABLE TO ALL -- AND HOW AND WHY WE LOVE JESUS, IS WHAT WE TAKE HOME FROM THE PROSTITUTE
AND LET’S TAKE THE FOLLOWING HOME FORM THE PERPLEXED PROPHET..
1. DOUBT IS NOT NECESSARILY WRONG, IF WHEN WE DOUBT WE CHECK IT OUT... IF WE GO TO JESUS/EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE....
I HAVE HAD MANY DOUBTS AS A CHRISTIAN -- AND MY FAITH HAS ALWAYS GROWN THROUGH THOSE DOUBTS, AS I WENT TO JESUS AND EXAMINED THE EVIDENCE.
(AND IF MORE OF THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND OUTSIDE OF CHRIST WOULD SIMPLY EXAMINE THE EVIDENCE -- THEY WOULD SEE THE SCALES TIP HEAVILY IN FAVOR OF GOD, THE BIBLE AND JESUS CHRIST... THERE IS MORE EVIDENCE FOR A BELIEF IN THESE, THAN WHAT THE LOST PRESENTLY BELIEVE AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN).
2. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS DOES NOT ALWAYS DO WHAT WE THINK HE SHOULD DO -- NOR, DOES HE ALWAYS DO IT, WHEN WE THINK HE SHOULD...
JESUS IS IN CONTROL -- HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING -- BUT HE OPERATES HIS WAY AND ON HIS TIME TABLE, AND NOT OURS.
AND THEREFORE, JESUS TELLS ALL OF HIS PERPLEXED PEOPLE WHO MANY TIMES DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY THINGS ARE THE WAY THEY ARE -- HE SAYS; BLESSED/HAPPY/CONTENT ARE THOSE WHO STICK WITH ME EVEN WHEN THE ROAD IS CONFUSING AT TIMES -- BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO TRUST ME TO WORK ALL THINGS OUT FOR GOOD -- WHO TRUST ME (THEIR SHEPHERD) TO LED THEM ALL THE WAY TO THOSE GREENER PASTURES... WHO DON’T STUMBLE AND GIVE UP ON ME, JUST BECAUSE THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND -- I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING.
AND FROM THE WIDOW WHOSE SON WAS RAISED WE TAKE HOME THE FOLLOWING
1. JESUS HAS POWER OVER DEATH.... HE DEFEATED DEATH ON THE CROSS AND IN THE TOMB... THE POWER OF DEATH, SIN -- HAS BEEN DESTROYED THROUGH HIS BLOOD AND RESURRECTION!! (P.T.L. GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT -- THANK YOU JESUS -- DON’T BE HO HUM ABOUT THE GREATEST TRUTH IN THE WORLD)
2. AND AS JESUS PICKED UP THE BOY AND REUNITED HIM WITH HIS MOTHER -- ONE DAY HE WILL REUNITE ALL CHRISTIANS WITH THEIR LOVED ONES...
3. JESUS IS THE AUTHOR OF LIFE AND ONLY HE CAN BRING US BACK FROM THE DEAD...
.. HE CAN BRING US BACK FROM A LIFE DEAD IN SINS....
.. HE CAN RESURRECT US FROM THE DARK CLOUDS OF THIS LIFE...
.. MANY TIMES LIFE CAN BE VERY DARK AND SEEM VERY HOPELESS; AS THE DARK CLOUDS ROLL IN AND ENGULF US -- AND JUST WHEN WE THINK ALL HOPE IS GONE IF WE GO TO JESUS WE FIND THAT IT IS JUST LIKE JESUS TO ROLL THE CLOUDS AWAY... IT’S JUST LIKE JESUS, TO ROLL AWAY THOSE DARK CLOUDS, TURN OUR GRAY SKIES TO BLUE AND OUR NIGHT DAY.
THE PSALMISTS WRITES; "YOU TURNED MY WAILING INTO DANCING; YOU REMOVED MY SACKCLOTH (THE DRESS OF A MOURNER) AND YOU CLOTHED ME WITH JOY...
JESUS, IS STILL IS THE LIFE AND RESURRECTION BUSINESS TODAY!! DOES YOUR LIFE NEED A RESURRECTION... THEN REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS IN THE CLOUD ROLLING BACK BUSINESS..
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT STILL AMAZES JESUS -- EVEN TODAY?
GIVE ME A: F A I T H
1. PEOPLE WHO TAKE JESUS AT HIS WORD...
WHO RECOGNIZE HIS AUTHORITY
WHO DEMONSTRATE THEIR FAITH NOT WITH LIPS ALONE, BUT WITH LIVES
THOSE WHO HAVE AN ACTIVE AND ALIVE FAITH
WHO WALK BOLDLY AND CONFIDENTLY INTO THE WATERS OF LIFE TRUSTING HIM TO PART THE SEAS...
SAYING IN THEIR HEARTS, "I BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAID JESUS, I TRUST YOU.."
AND AS JESUS RESPONDED TO THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION, HE STILL RESPONDS TO FAITH TODAY
BY FAITH, WE ARE JUSTIFIED
BY FAITH, WE STAND FIRM
BY FAITH, WE HAVE A SHIELD THAT WILL EXTINGUISH ALL THE FLAMING ARROWS OF THE EVIL ONE....
PETER SAID IN HIS LETTER BY FAITH, WE ARE SHIELD BY GOD’S POWER UNTIL THE DAY CHRIST COMES TO TAKE US HOME...
BY FAITH WE CAN: CONQUER KINGDOMS, GAIN WHAT WAS PROMISED,
SHUT THE MOUTHS OF LIONS, QUENCH THE FURY OF THE FLAMES,
ESCAPE THE EDGE OF THE SWORD, HAVE OUR WEAKNESS TURNED TO STRENGTH, BECOME POWERFUL IN BATTLE, FACE JEERS/FLOGGING/CHAINS/PRISONS AND DEATH... FOR FAITH IS THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD!!! DO YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!
FAITH STILL AMAZES JESUS, AND DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE REAL FAITH IS STILL SO RARE...
EVEN IN THE LIVES OF "CHURCH PEOPLE" WHO "CLAIM" TO TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD.....
JESUS SAYS, "STEP OUT IN FAITH AND I’LL PROVIDE" -- BUT MANY SAY TO HIM, "PROVIDE 1ST JESUS, AND THEN I’LL HAVE FAITH."
JESUS SAYS, "SEEK FIRST MY KINGDOM AND MY RIGHTEOUSNESS AND I WILL PROVIDE ALL YOUR NEEDS" AND MANY DON’T HAVE, BECAUSE MANY DON’T SEEK... THEY SEEK THEIR KINGDOM/RIGHTEOUSNESS
JESUS SAYS, "THIS HOW TO BE; A GODLY -- MAN/WOMAN/HUSBAND WIFE/PARENT -- BE LIKE THIS AND THINGS WILL WORK OUT FOR THE BEST..IN YOUR LIFE" BUT MANY TELL JESUS, "JESUS I HAVE A BETTER WAY -- I DON’T THINK YOU NOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT" AND HOMES ARE DESTROYED, MARRIAGES BROKEN AND LIVES RUINED...
JESUS SAYS, "GIVE AND IT WILL GIVEN TO YOU. A GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN AND SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER, WILL BE POURED INTO YOUR LAP....FOR THE MEASURE YOU USE TO GIVE -- IS THE MEASURE I WILL USE TO GIVE TO YOU.." AND MANY WITHHOLD FROM GOD -- THEY KEEP THEIR TITHE/THEIR TIME/THEIR TALENTS FOR THEMSELVES -- THEY DON’T REALLY TRUST JESUS TO GIVE.....
JESUS SAYS, SEEK AND YOU’LL FIND, ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE, KNOCK AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPENED" BUT FOR MANY THE DOOR REMAINS SHUT -- THE GIFT IS NEVER RECEIVED AND TRUE LIFE IS NEVER FOUND...BECAUSE THEY DON’T TRUST JESUS ENOUGH TO SEEK, ASK OR KNOCK..
JESUS SAYS, "AVOID THESE SINS -- IT IS FOR YOUR BEST..." BUT MANY DON’T -- AND MANY SUFFER
JESUS SAYS, "BE THIS KIND OF LEADER, RAISE THE STANDARD -- SET THE EXAMPLE... DON’T COMPROMISE..." AND MANY LOWER THE STANDARD, COMPROMISE THE TRUTH, IN ORDER NOT TO APPEAR UNLOVING AND UNKIND TO THE WORLD...
SO YOU SEE REAL FAITH STILL MAZES JESUS BECAUSE IT IS SO RARE...
JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES, "IF YOU HAVE FAITH AS SMALL AS A MUSTARD SEED, YOU CAN SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN MOVE FROM HERE TO THERE, AND IT WILL MOVE.. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU.."
AND HE ALSO TOLD THEM ON ANOTHER OCCASION, "WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES BACK TO EARTH -- WILL HE FIND FAITH..."
REAL FAITH IS POWERFUL AND RARE AND IT AMAZES JESUS....
JESUS WAS IN ACTION THEN, AND HE IS STILL IN ACTION
IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE TODAY
ALL OF US AT TIMES IN OUR LIVES WILL HAVE DOUBTS...
WE WILL HAVE MOMENTS OF DESPAIR
AND WE WILL ALL NEED FORGIVENESS....
AND THESE ENCOUNTERS ILLUSTRATE HOW JESUS RESPONDS TO US AT THOSE TIMES...
I WANT YOU TO BE ENCOURAGE BY HOW JESUS RESPONDED TO JOHN, THE WIDOW WOMAN AND TO THE PROSTITUTE SEEKING FORGIVENESS...
AND I WANT YOU TO BE CHALLENGED BY THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE
CENTURION
BECAUSE WHEN WE REALLY COME DOWN TO IT, EACH OF US WHEN WE WALK OUT OF THIS PLACE TODAY... IS GOING TO AMAZE JESUS...
EITHER WE ARE GOING TO AMAZE JESUS, THROUGH A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO AN ALIVE, ACTIVE REAL FAITH... NOT JUST HEARD ON OUR LIPS BUT SEEN IN OUR LIVES...
OR WE WILL AMAZE JESUS BECAUSE; THOUGH WE’VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE; WE HAVE READ IT IN HIS WORD; SEEN IT WORK FOR OTHERS -- YET WE WILL WALK OUT ONE MORE SUNDAY IN DISBELIEF...
"JESUS, JESUS HOW I TRUST HIM! HOW I PROVED HIM O’ER AND O’ER -- JESUS JESUS PRECIOUS JESUS! O FOR GRACE TO TRUST HIM MORE!
HOW ARE YOU AMAZING JESUS TODAY?
