I read throughout Matthew 8 and 9 that Jesus heals a leper, a paralytic, a woman with a bleeding disorder, two blind men, a mute man, brings a girl back to life and "many others". Jesus was roughly 30 years old when all of these recorded events took place. Before his ministry kicked off shortly before with his being baptized by John the baptizer, the only glimpse into his developmental years since his birth was of his few days in the Temple at 12 years old.
Here's the thing that struck me yesterday. These people that he healed in Matt. 8 and 9 were probably not the first blind, mute, leprous . . . people he had come across in his life. Granted I am venturing out into probabilities, which gets dangerous fast, but knowing the level of available medicines back then, or lack thereof, couldn't we safely assume that Jesus has encountered a blind man at the city gate? A paralytic man begging for a morsel of food at the market? someone dying in the small, close-knit town of Nazareth? Even today, it is difficult to find someone who could live to be 30 and never know someone who has died.
What I am wondering is, how did Jesus react when He saw these people as a ripe, young 13 or 18 or 24 year old? Certainly His compassion and physical strength would have moved Him to at least lift up a paralytic man and provide him with some food. Surely he would help a blind man get around. The more I think about it, the more I cannot see that the character and passion of Jesus would allow him to simply walk by. I can imagine the inward battle of Jesus to do something miraculous and change this person's life and yet his time to reveal his identity as the Son of God had not yet come.
So, once again, speculation flaunts its dominance over the world of the unknown. Or does it? Thoughts?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Small Words, part 2
Have you ever asked God ". . .if it is Your will. . ." knowing full well that it is or is not? I find that I want things so badly at times that I ask more in hopes that my desire changes the Will of God. Then I realize what I just asked and I feel completely stupid. I even wonder if the Holy Spirit as he is interceding for us in our prayers, looks down with a look of "Are you serious? I ain't saying that!" (That's right, my Holy Spirit says "ain't"). Does He turn to the Father and say, "Don't worry about that last part, he's just being selfish. . .forgive him for that."
Matthew 8:1-4 tells a story of a man who was living with the horrible disease called leprosy. A man who was considered so unclean that, due to his condition, was banished from society until he was cured or died. If he entered town, people would point and yell, saying things like, "Impure" and "Unclean". So, this man somehow works his way to the feet of Jesus and kneels. Not knowing a thing about this man (Jesus) and knowing that just speaking exposes him as "Unclean" in the midst of a repulsed crowd, he says, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." Jesus' answer could not be more concise than it is. He answers the first question of "Lord, if you will" with a strong, but simple, "I will." What a powerful tiny sentence that I overlook! He asks if it is the will of God that he be clean and Jesus states that cleanliness is EXACTLY what He wills! Jesus follows his declaration with another profound statement - "Be clean".
My first reaction is for clarity. Was this a healing or a command? Did Jesus heal the man of his past filth or instruct his future purity? Yes. Verse 4 explains that the man was instantly HEALED and was to go and SHOW his cleanliness.
Two sentences. Four powerful words. "I will. Be clean".
Matthew 8:1-4 tells a story of a man who was living with the horrible disease called leprosy. A man who was considered so unclean that, due to his condition, was banished from society until he was cured or died. If he entered town, people would point and yell, saying things like, "Impure" and "Unclean". So, this man somehow works his way to the feet of Jesus and kneels. Not knowing a thing about this man (Jesus) and knowing that just speaking exposes him as "Unclean" in the midst of a repulsed crowd, he says, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." Jesus' answer could not be more concise than it is. He answers the first question of "Lord, if you will" with a strong, but simple, "I will." What a powerful tiny sentence that I overlook! He asks if it is the will of God that he be clean and Jesus states that cleanliness is EXACTLY what He wills! Jesus follows his declaration with another profound statement - "Be clean".
My first reaction is for clarity. Was this a healing or a command? Did Jesus heal the man of his past filth or instruct his future purity? Yes. Verse 4 explains that the man was instantly HEALED and was to go and SHOW his cleanliness.
Two sentences. Four powerful words. "I will. Be clean".
Bucket List, of sorts
Ok, so the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) kicked my butt. As well it should. It is a sermon. With about 18 smack-you-in-the-face points. The two topics that left me with a similar thought - one that both scares me as well as potentially liberates me - are ANGER and LUST. Jesus refers to the current standard. For anger it stands that "You shall not murder" and for lust that "You shall not commit adultery". Jesus proceeds to step these up. "If you are angry with a brother, insults a brother, or calls them names, you are guilty of murder. . .and if you even look at someone else lustfully you are guilty of adultery." Well, Oh CRAP!
These are heart issues. And I am well aware that my heart is "desperately wicked". It is not devoid of these issues. So, what do I do? Jesus makes it clear in Matt. 5:23,24 to leave my offering, my sacrifice, my gift of praise and worship to God at the altar and make amends. After reconciliation has happened, and a healthy relationship is restored, should you go back and place your offering on the altar.
So, how do I apologize to all of those people? I don't want to write one blanket statement apologizing to the world for ever getting angry or having lustful thoughts. That doesn't restore relationships. How would the object of my sin know that I sinned against them? So, do I list out as many as I can remember in two lists, one for anger and one for lust and methodically seek out each individual? Could that destroy my ministry? my reputation? my family?
Maybe. But then I ask myself: What good can come from not doing anything with it? How long do you want to present unacceptable sacrifices to a pure and holy God? (This is the moment, as a worship leader, where my teeth got knocked in)
These are heart issues. And I am well aware that my heart is "desperately wicked". It is not devoid of these issues. So, what do I do? Jesus makes it clear in Matt. 5:23,24 to leave my offering, my sacrifice, my gift of praise and worship to God at the altar and make amends. After reconciliation has happened, and a healthy relationship is restored, should you go back and place your offering on the altar.
So, how do I apologize to all of those people? I don't want to write one blanket statement apologizing to the world for ever getting angry or having lustful thoughts. That doesn't restore relationships. How would the object of my sin know that I sinned against them? So, do I list out as many as I can remember in two lists, one for anger and one for lust and methodically seek out each individual? Could that destroy my ministry? my reputation? my family?
Maybe. But then I ask myself: What good can come from not doing anything with it? How long do you want to present unacceptable sacrifices to a pure and holy God? (This is the moment, as a worship leader, where my teeth got knocked in)
The Power of Small Words
Several weeks have gone by and to my 1 reader, I apologize :) Each day we are bombarded with words. So many, busy, moving, pointless words. Life rambles constantly while wisdom whispers a few small things. If your not paying attention, you'll miss them. Its like the quiet kid in the back of the class that never says anything, but one day he mutters a few words and the otherwise noisy class goes stone still. "Did. . . .did you just say something?!?" Everyone gathers around in hopes of an encore sentence. Some interested in what he said, most just wondering what his voice even sounds like.
I find myself getting easily frustrated with people who like to use 400 words when 12 will do. (Does that make me a hypocrite if I continue blogging??) Anyway . . .
Matthew 4:19. Jesus sees Simon Peter and Andrew casting nets. He calls out, "Follow me." Immediately they dropped their nets and followed him. Let's stop here. Wouldn't our culture find this reaction abrupt akin to a knee-jerk reaction? What about they're responsibilities? They can't just leave their nets there? What about they're families?
The Old Testament Jewish education system looked slightly different than ours. Children began school around 7-8 years old. Their first 2 years consisted of memorizing the first 5 books of the Law (Genesis thru Deuteronomy). That's it. That was their day. What a fun curriculum for a 2nd grader! At the end of the 2 years, the top half of the class were promoted to the next level while those who were on the lower half, were sent home to pursue other careers, often plugging right back into the family business (fishing, farm, mill, workshop). This is why when Jesus spoke He often referred to passages in Deuteronomy - all of the Jewish people hearing him had memorized it through verbal repetition because there weren't many copies of the Torah to go around, thus him saying, "You have heard it said. . .".
As the advancing students started level 2 more of the Old Testament was now memorized. Again, the top half would be promoted, while the lower half sent home. When it came time for the oldest students to "graduate" they would have had several discussions and lessons from the best teachers. Instead of handing them a diploma, awarding their accomplishments, the teacher (or Rabbi) would extend an invitation of two words to a particular student whom he wanted to have literally go with him everywhere to learn and discuss in a Master-apprentice type relationship. Those two words were, "Follow me." This was the greatest honor for any Jewish boy. It was an all-expense-paid, intense opportunity under a Rabbi that you shared mutual respect and admiration for, to prepare you for your ministry soon to come.
As Jesus approached Peter and Andrew, He approaches two men who were most likely sent fishing a long time before. They had come to accept that this was the best life would be until their time on earth was over. Then they hear a voice from the shore. "Follow Me." No squinting to see him better. No looking at each other to clarify or ask if the other heard the same thing. Immediate response.
How many times in my walk with the greatest Teacher is my response more like Gideon and his fleece rather than like two smelly, discarded fishermen?
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Graduations and Funerals
I attended the funeral of a 75 man the other day. His grand-daughters are in my youth group. As I ponder the words of Jesus, I am drawn to his words about children ("Let the little children come to me" and "faith like a child"). [I know this is out of order in my study, but the Holy Spirit moves in unpredictable ways :)] As I sat there, I saw this gentleman's 50+-year-old daughter recollect memories of her dad sharing many of the things that he did with her and her siblings. She looked 50, but sounded 5. The sound of her voice could only be likened to child-like infatuation for a daddy.
As a teacher I have had the privilege of attending graduation each year. Honestly, most of it I could do without, but the thing I do look forward to is seeing each graduate's face as they step up to the edge of the stage and look out for Mom and Dad. There it is again. I don't see an 18 or 22 year old young adult. I see in their eyes and smile a look of a 5-year-old quietly screaming, "Daddy, Mommy, aren't you proud of me?! I did it!" Its wonderfully similar to the look they gave from that same spot on a stage at their Kindergarten graduation!
To some, these may be odd observations or meaningless coincidence. To me, these are a reminder of how our relationship with God should be. Do you remember standing in that spot at graduation? Looking out at all of the faces. Your eyes dart from section to section trying to remember where Mom said they had reserved seats. And then it happened: you found them. At that point in your young life, that was the biggest sigh you have ever let out. You have connected with them. You see them beaming with pride, camera rolling. You longed to hear them say, "Well done."
So why do I try to use smart words or sound all "grown-up? I think He still wants us to come like those graduates or loved ones. Even at 33.
As a teacher I have had the privilege of attending graduation each year. Honestly, most of it I could do without, but the thing I do look forward to is seeing each graduate's face as they step up to the edge of the stage and look out for Mom and Dad. There it is again. I don't see an 18 or 22 year old young adult. I see in their eyes and smile a look of a 5-year-old quietly screaming, "Daddy, Mommy, aren't you proud of me?! I did it!" Its wonderfully similar to the look they gave from that same spot on a stage at their Kindergarten graduation!
To some, these may be odd observations or meaningless coincidence. To me, these are a reminder of how our relationship with God should be. Do you remember standing in that spot at graduation? Looking out at all of the faces. Your eyes dart from section to section trying to remember where Mom said they had reserved seats. And then it happened: you found them. At that point in your young life, that was the biggest sigh you have ever let out. You have connected with them. You see them beaming with pride, camera rolling. You longed to hear them say, "Well done."
So why do I try to use smart words or sound all "grown-up? I think He still wants us to come like those graduates or loved ones. Even at 33.
Temptation and Kevlar vests
Isn't it amazing how the minute you start an intentional drive towards growing in your relationship with God, the distractions and temptations and time-wasters come at you in full force!! I couldn't tell you how many times I have sat down to study further and something has interrupted me!
As I look at the big picture of the first words of Jesus during His earthly ministry, I see Him (Matt. 3:13-17) approaching John the Baptist and instructing John to baptize Him. (Talk about a humbling request!) The very next passage (Matt. 4), Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days! Forty days!? So, after baptism, the outward announcement of one's commitment to following God and none other, He gets hit for 40 straight days with temptation of all kinds. But there is a little phrase at the very beginning of verse 1 that changed everything for me: "by the Spirit". Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into challenging times. It's almost like the Holy Spirit is saying, "Let's see how serious you really are!" (Please see that I am not trying to sound blasphemous or infer division among the Trinity) How many times have we said to God, "I will worship You alone" or even, "I will never do that again" only to turn around and WHAM get slammed by challenges?
I equate it with Kevlar bullet-proof vests. Like our faith, a vest may leave the manufacturer having been pieced together carefully and completely. Before it is released to the public, it is sent to a testing facility where trigger-happy men and women fire everything they've got at it to see how well it does what it is supposed to.
If we've ever taken a stand for Christ, we've been there. You may still be feeling the aches and exhaustion as you read this. When we are there, trying to hold up, trying to prove that this is the "real thing", remember those 3 words, "by the Spirit". God is not waiting on the other side of challenges, hoping you survive your"40 days of Wilderness". He is right there, with you, the whole time. Don't let the instant temptations dishearten you. If anything, let them inspire you with the truths that God is with you AND what you are doing is thoroughly angering the devil. That sounds like the place I wanted to be in from the start!
As I look at the big picture of the first words of Jesus during His earthly ministry, I see Him (Matt. 3:13-17) approaching John the Baptist and instructing John to baptize Him. (Talk about a humbling request!) The very next passage (Matt. 4), Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days! Forty days!? So, after baptism, the outward announcement of one's commitment to following God and none other, He gets hit for 40 straight days with temptation of all kinds. But there is a little phrase at the very beginning of verse 1 that changed everything for me: "by the Spirit". Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into challenging times. It's almost like the Holy Spirit is saying, "Let's see how serious you really are!" (Please see that I am not trying to sound blasphemous or infer division among the Trinity) How many times have we said to God, "I will worship You alone" or even, "I will never do that again" only to turn around and WHAM get slammed by challenges?
I equate it with Kevlar bullet-proof vests. Like our faith, a vest may leave the manufacturer having been pieced together carefully and completely. Before it is released to the public, it is sent to a testing facility where trigger-happy men and women fire everything they've got at it to see how well it does what it is supposed to.
If we've ever taken a stand for Christ, we've been there. You may still be feeling the aches and exhaustion as you read this. When we are there, trying to hold up, trying to prove that this is the "real thing", remember those 3 words, "by the Spirit". God is not waiting on the other side of challenges, hoping you survive your"40 days of Wilderness". He is right there, with you, the whole time. Don't let the instant temptations dishearten you. If anything, let them inspire you with the truths that God is with you AND what you are doing is thoroughly angering the devil. That sounds like the place I wanted to be in from the start!
Getting started
I turned 33 a few weeks ago now and in my time with God I was challenged with this thought: Jesus died on the cross when He was 33 years old. Why not take this year and only study the words of Jesus, you know, the ones in RED. We had just finished studying the Christmas story and I can't think of a better place to start. So, with the help of a Reese Chronological Bible, my cultural help (Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, by Kenneth E. Bailey) and my red-letter Bible, I started. I have observed, since my start, that this exact study is apparently a big trend in North American Christendom! I don't want this to be another blog lost in the rush of similar blogs. Since I have started, I have found some very intriguing things. So much so, that I wanted to write them down and, in this digital age, a blog made more sense than a journal. This one is more about my journey, my questions, my wonderings and awe-struck moments as I seek to know Jesus better. I will ask questions, some rhetorical, some literal. Feel free to respond to either. Here we go!
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