16 Pentecost - Sunday B

First Posted September 20, 2009

Isaiah 35:4-7a  -- God’s Promise of a Savior     

Psalm 146 -- God Promises Spiritual Healing  

James 1:17-22 (23-25) 26-27 -- How to be Spiritually Healed

Mark 7:31-37 -- The Fulfillment of God’s Promise

Isaiah:

The Lord God promised through the prophet, Isaiah, to come to his people, bringing salvation (from God’s condemnation), deliverance from, and vengeance upon their enemies, and justice and healing for the humble who fear (have the proper reverence and respect for) God’s power and authority.

The coming of the Messiah (Christ), the promised Savior, would be accompanied and distinguished by the restoration of sight to the blind, hearing for the deaf, healing for the disabled, and voice to the mute. At the Messiah’s appearance the Lord would cause the spiritual wilderness of this creation to be transformed into the lush garden paradise it was intended to be (Genesis 1:31). The spiritual wilderness within God’s people would similarly be transformed by “springs of living water” within their hearts, through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit which the Messiah was coming to bring (John 4:13-14; 7:37-39).

Psalm:

The Psalmist testifies that those who trust and hope in the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth and all that is in them, will be glad and will rejoice eternally. The Lord is eternally faithful. God gives justice to the oppressed and feeds the poor. But those who trust in humans and worldly leaders will be disappointed and eternally lost.

The Lord frees the prisoner, opens the eyes of the blind; he lifts those who are humble and burdened. The Lord loves the righteous (who do what is right according to God’s Word); he protects and provides for the sojourner (the homeless, the alien), widows, and orphans, but the wicked will be eternally destroyed.

James:

God is good and the source of everything good. He is completely faithful and unchanging. It is God’s eternal purpose to bring forth a kingdom of his people who are dedicated to his service, like the offering of “first fruits,” of the harvest of Creation. He has accomplished his plan by his Word of divine Truth (the Bible; and Jesus Christ, the fulfillment, embodiment and example of God’s Word in human flesh; John 1:1-5, 14).

We are called to no longer live according to our worldly human nature; to be open to hearing (God’s Word of Truth), careful in speaking, and slow to be angered, so that we can help accomplish God’s righteousness. So we should stop doing things which are sinful and wicked, like someone weeds a garden, so that we can receive and nurture God’s Word as a planted seed, growing to our spiritual maturity and salvation.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Unless we apply the Word of God immediately, it will fade from us, like the memory of our appearance in a mirror. But when we look into God’s Word, the perfect law of freedom, and persevere in applying it in our lives we will be blessed.

Anyone who thinks he is religious but doesn’t apply what he believes in his daily life is wasting his time and his “religion” is worthless. True religion is living in accordance with God’s will; caring for the weak and powerless as God does, and refraining from worldly ways that are contrary to God’s Word (the definition of sin).

Mark:

A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to Jesus by several people who implored Jesus to heal him. Jesus took the man aside privately and placed his fingers in the man’s ears, and he spat and then touched the man’s tongue. Immediately the man’s hearing was restored and he spoke clearly.

Jesus told the man and those who had brought him not to tell anyone about the healing, but the more Jesus instructed them the more they proclaimed it. And the people were totally amazed, and declared that Jesus does everything well, even healing the deaf and mute.

God has designed this creation from the very beginning with the intention of creating an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God. Jesus has been God’s plan to accomplish that purpose from the very beginning of Creation (John 1:1-5, 14). This lifetime is our opportunity to seek and come to know and have fellowship with God our Creator (Acts 17:26-27), and this is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

God promised through his Word and his prophets, that he would come to save those who trusted and obeyed him, and judge and condemn the wicked and disobedient. He promised to provide “water” to restore the spiritual wilderness of this world, and the spiritual wilderness within our hearts with transforming “water.” He promised that the coming of the Savior he promised would be accompanied and distinguished by healing of the blind, deaf, mute and disabled. This has been God’s intention from the beginning of Creation.

In God’s perfect timing, Jesus came in human flesh. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s Word; Jesus embodies God’s Word and demonstrates human life lived in obedient trust in God’s Word. God promised that he would heal our spiritual blindness, deafness, impaired speech and our spiritual illness, and Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise, to be received by faith (obedient trust).

Those who trust and obey Jesus are “born-again” (spiritually; John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). We are all spiritually blind, deaf, impaired in speech, and “terminally ill,” spiritually, until we accept the spiritual healing only Jesus can provide. We are all prisoners of sin and eternal death until Jesus sets us free as we trust and obey Jesus.

Only Jesus can lead us through the wilderness of this present world into the “Promised Land,” paradise restored, in God’s heavenly kingdom. Only Jesus can give the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the eternal spring of “living water” (John 4:13-14; 7:37-39) which restores our souls, and sustains us to eternal life.

The Author of the Letter of James was discipling Christian believers, in fulfillment of the Great Commission which Jesus gave to his disciples, to go into the world, after they had been “born-again” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8), to make disciples of Jesus Christ, teaching them to trust and obey Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20).

Christians are called to be Jesus’ disciples, to be “born again” as we learn to trust and obey Jesus, and then to carry on Christ’s mission of healing spiritual blindness, deafness, lameness, and defects of speech. The Holy Spirit opens our eyes, ears and minds to understand the scriptures as we seek understanding of God’s Word with the intention of applying it in our daily lives (John 14:26; Luke 24:45). The Holy Spirit gives us voice to proclaim God’s Word of Truth (Luke 12:11-12; 21:14-15), as we are led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Notice that when Jesus healed the physical disability of the deaf and mute man, the man and his companions didn’t trust and obey Jesus’ request to refrain from publicizing the healing. Jesus came to heal spiritual illnesses. His miracles of physical healing were intended to reveal who he was in fulfillment of scripture, and to demonstrate that Jesus can give spiritual healing. They thought they were helping Jesus by publicizing Jesus’ physical healing, but they were actually impeding Jesus’ ministry by attracting people who were only interested in what Jesus could do for them physically, like the healed man and his companions. Because they did not trust and obey Jesus, they did not receive the spiritual healing only Jesus can provide.

Notice also the detailed description of the physical things Jesus did when he healed the man. It might be tempting to think that we can have the power of Jesus by copying his physical actions and his words. We cannot carry on Jesus’ ministry of spiritual healing by “religious” ritual and incantations (Acts 19:13-16). What we need to do is emulate Jesus’ obedient trust in God’s Word; it was what Jesus did spiritually which allowed God’s power to work through him and accomplished God’s purpose.

Hearing God’s Word won’t save us or heal our spiritual deficiencies unless we apply God’s Word in our daily lives in obedient trust. “Religion” won’t heal us or accomplish God’s purpose, unless we apply God’s Word in our lives.  We’re only deceiving ourselves by church membership, attendance, and religious ritual, which are meaningless and worthless unless we trust and obey God’s Word.  

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

16 Pentecost - Monday B

First Posted September 21, 2009

Psalm 116:1-8 -- My Deliverer

Psalm:

The Psalmist testifies that the Lord is his deliverer. When he called upon the Lord in time of trouble, the Lord heard and answered his prayer. In gratitude, the Psalmist responds with love and a commitment to make the Lord his deliverer, and seek the Lord’s help and guidance as long as the Psalmist lives.

When the Psalmist was in great distress and death threatened he called on the Lord to save his life.

He testifies that the Lord is righteous (completely free of evil) and merciful. The Lord preserves the meek. When the Psalmist was in despair, the Lord saved him. Therefore the Psalmist has rest in his soul, because the Lord has blessed him abundantly. “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” (Psalm 116:8).

Commentary:

God’s purpose for this Creation is to create an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God. Our lifetime is our opportunity to seek and come to know, trust and obey God (Acts 17:26-27). Jesus is the only way to have forgiveness and restoration of fellowship with God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

God is completely free of any evil; he’s totally good. He doesn’t cause trouble, but he has designed this world to allow it so that we have the freedom to choose whether to trust and obey him or not, and the opportunity to learn by trial and error that God’s way is our best interest.

We all face troubles at times in our lives, and God allows them so that we will recognize our need for him. As we call upon the Lord in our tribulations, we learn that the Lord hears and answers our call for his help, and that he is faithful and able to deliver us from them. The Lord deals lovingly, mercifully and bountifully with us. As we realize and experience his deliverance our proper response is love and obedient trust in the Lord, and the growth and strengthening of our faith in the Lord.

When things are going well we think we don’t need the Lord; it is only when we come to the end of our own strength and ability that we turn to the Lord. There are worse things than physical troubles, even worse things than physical death. If we have come to know and trust the Lord and have experienced his deliverance from earthly troubles, we can be confident that he can heal and deliver us from spiritual troubles and spiritual death. We will have true peace in our souls.

Everyone who has experienced the deliverance of the Lord in time of trouble, including myself, joins in the testimony of the Psalmist that the Lord is willing and able and faithful to deliver us. When we trust and obey God’s Word we receive exactly what he promises. When we trust and obey, the Lord uses those experiences of deliverance to cause us to grow spiritually and be strengthened in faith.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

16 Pentecost - Wednesday B

First Posted September 23, 2009

James 2:1-5, 8-10, 14-18 --  God's  Impartiality

God shows no partiality for one person above another, and neither should his children. Humans are inclined to show favor based on outward appearance and worldly circumstance. We’re inclined to give respect to the wealthy and influential, and to disregard those who are poor and humble. We thus become unjust judges.

God chooses the poor and humble to be rich in faith and heirs of the promises of God’s kingdom. In judging by worldly standards we dishonor the poor and favor the rich and powerful who often oppress the poor and oppose Christ.

Jesus commanded his disciples to love their neighbor as themselves, but if we love the rich and powerful more than the poor and humble, we have sinned and broken his commandment. One who fulfills the commandment part of the time, when it suits, is guilty of breaking it.

What benefit is there, if a person claims to have faith, but has no “works” (actions based on that faith). Can that faith save him? If someone is hungry and cold, does it help to tell them to feel warm and well-fed, without providing food and clothing? In the same way, “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (James 2:17).

Some may claim to have faith without works, but what evidence is there of their faith? Works are the evidence of faith.

Commentary:

God judges everyone by the same standard, his Word, revealed in the Bible and in Jesus Christ who is the Word of God fulfilled, embodied and demonstrated in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). When we favor people because of worldly status we are supporting the injustice of sinful worldly ways. God’s way is not based on physical, material circumstances, but on spiritual standards. It doesn’t matter to God how much money and worldly influence a person has, but whether he trusts and obeys God’s Word.

God has given the physical resources of this creation to be shared without partiality among all his people. When we try to create our own security by hoarding those resources we demonstrate our own disobedience of God’s Word and our lack of trust in God to provide for us. The great inequity of the distribution of earth’s resources demonstrates that we do not love God or our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.

One always acts according to what one believes. When we say we have faith in the Lord but do not do what the Lord commands we demonstrate that we don’t truly believe. It isn’t the ones who say they’re Christians who will be saved from eternal condemnation, but those who do what the Lord commands (Matthew 7:21-27).

Faith is not like wishing on a star, or making a wish when we blow out our birthday candles. We don’t get whatever we believe, if we believe “hard enough.” Faith is obedient trust. We believe in God’s Word and act upon it daily. The promises of God are revealed in his Word, to be received as a free gift by obedient trust. We must know what God promises, by reading his Word, and then claim them by obedient trust in God’s Word. We can’t claim what God hasn’t promised, like worldly wealth or success, or what is contrary to his Word.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

16 Pentecost - Thursday  B

First Posted September 24, 2009

Mark 8:27-35 -- Peter’s confession 

Jesus and his disciples were passing Caesarea Philippi (on the northern border of Israel east of Tyre on the coast and the tributaries of the Jordan River). On the way, Jesus asked his disciples who the people were saying Jesus was. The disciples told him some were saying that he was John the Baptist, and some thought he was Elijah or one of the prophets. Then Jesus asked who his disciples thought he was, and Peter responded “You are the Christ” (Messiah; Mark 8:29b). Jesus told them not to tell anyone about him.

Then Jesus began to teach his disciples that the “Son of man” (Jesus) must suffer abuse and be rejected by the elders, priests and scribes (teachers of scripture) and be killed, and then after three days, rise again. Jesus told them this plainly, not in any parable. Peter began to rebuke Jesus, but Jesus looked at his disciples and rebuked Peter for being on the side of Satan instead of supporting God’s plan.

Jesus called the crowd of followers to him and told them that anyone who wanted to follow Jesus must also take up his own cross and follow Jesus. Those who want to preserve their “life” will lose it; but those who are willing to lose their “life” for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel will gain it.

Commentary:

The region of Caesarea had been given by Caesar Agustus to Herod Philipp II, son of Herod the Great. Herod Philipp had built Caesarea-Philippi and built a beautiful temple dedicated to Caesar Agustus, but the city was known as Caesarea-Philippi to distinguish it from Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast in Samaria. Caesarea Philippi was an area known for pagan worship.

In a sense the Roman Emperor represented the “god of this world.” Jesus is the Messiah (Christ; each mean “anointed” in Hebrew and Greek, respectively; i.e. God’s anointed savior and eternal king). Jesus asked his disciples who people were saying that Jesus was, and the answers indicated that people thought he could be a prophet, or perhaps Elijah who was to return to herald the coming of the Messiah, or John the Baptist (whom Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, had beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12), raised from the dead. Jesus asked his disciples who they thought Jesus was and Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ.

The Herods represent worldly leaders who serve the “god” of this world. Herod Philipp, son of Herod the Great, was doing what it takes to “get ahead” in this world. Herod was serving the “god” of this world, Caesar – and ultimately Satan - and trying to become a “minor god” in the process. He received a province from Caesar, and built a temple to Caesar in it, but Herod Philipp’s name was connected to the city commemorating Caesar.

Herod the Great had tried to destroy Jesus as an infant (Matthew 2:1-18).  Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, had beheaded John the Baptist, and subsequently said that Jesus was John the Baptist, raised from the dead (Matthew 14:1-2). Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas who had Jesus mocked and abused as a king and returned him to Pilate. Antipas later persecuted Christians, he had James the brother of John (of the Twelve Apostles) killed, and he had Peter imprisoned, intending to kill him also, but Peter was freed by the angel of the Lord (Acts 12:1-11). Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, was struck down by God as Agrippa was being heralded by the crowd as a “god” (Acts 12:20-23).

Jesus wanted to be sure that his disciples knew who he was, and then he began to prepare them for Jesus’ crucifixion. Peter knew that Jesus was the Christ, but resisted the role of Jesus in God’s plan. Jesus knew that the scriptures concerning him must be fulfilled, and he struggled with accepting that role himself (Matthew 26:39). Peter was trying to persuade Jesus not to fulfill God’s will. Peter was thinking about what he wanted rather that what God wanted. Jesus was telling Peter not to resist God’s will but to accept it.

Jesus wanted his followers to know that following Jesus is going to require self-denial and self-sacrifice. Followers are going to have to give up what they think they want in order to do what God wants. Followers are going to experience persecution from the rulers of this world.

God has always intended, from the beginning of Creation, to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who willingly trust and obey God. This lifetime is our opportunity to seek and come to know God and to learn, by trial and error, to trust and obey him. Jesus Christ has been God’s plan to accomplish that from the very beginning (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus is the only way to forgiveness of sin (disobedience of God’s Word), salvation from God’s eternal condemnation, and restoration of fellowship with God which was broken by sin (John 14:6, Acts 4:12; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right) through the indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

Those who love their physical lives and insist on following their own will in this sinful world are spiritually dead, and will ultimately loose eternal life in the paradise of God’s eternal kingdom in heaven. They will spend eternity in eternal destruction in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:28-29, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10). Those who learn to subjugate their own will to God’s, will be spiritually reborn (John 3:3, 5-8) to eternal life which they cannot loose. What we do now determines where we will spend eternity.

Are we willing to give up the fleeting pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25) for eternal life in heaven? Are we willing to co-operate with God’s plan, or do we insist on following our own plan? Are we willing to serve the Lord of the Universe or are we serving the “god” of this world.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

16 Pentecost - Friday B

First Posted September  25, 2009

Job 5:17-26 -- Chastening of the Lord

Ephesians 3:13-21 -- Steadfastness in Suffering

Job:

Job was a righteous worshiper of God, who had lost his children, his possessions and his health in a single day. Three friends came to him to mourn with him. One was Eliphaz, who was trying to console Job. Eliphaz said that the person whom God reproves should be happy, and should not despise God’s chastening. For though God wounds, he also heals.

The Lord will deliver his people from trouble six times and the seventh time will protect them from evil (seven is symbolic of perfection; i.e “every” time). The Lord keeps them from starvation in famine, and from death by the sword in war. The Lord will protect his people from slander and they will not fear destruction. They will laugh at the threat of destruction and famine.

God’s people will not fear wild beasts of the field; they will be like fieldstones to the wild beasts. They will know that their tents are safe, and their flocks and herds shall be safe from predation. God’s people will be assured that their descendants will be as numerous as the grass of the field; they will die in ripe old age, like a shock of grain coming to the threshing floor at the harvest.

Ephesians:

Paul, the first modern “post-resurrection,” “born-again” disciple and apostle (messenger; of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ, was discipling the Church at Ephesus in southwestern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). At the end of his second missionary journey Paul spent several years there (Acts 19:10) discipling the Ephesian Christians. Paul continued to disciple them by letter while Paul was imprisoned for preaching the Gospel.

Paul wrote the Ephesian Christians to not become discouraged by Paul’s suffering for the Gospel. Paul prayed that the Ephesians might be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit within them, and that Christ would dwell within them by faith (obedient trust). Paul prayed that the Ephesians, with all Christians, founded and anchored in love, would have the divine wisdom to comprehend the vastness of love of Christ, “which surpasses [human] knowledge, [and] that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

Paul praised the Lord who, by the power of his Holy Spirit within his disciples, is able to accomplish more than what we ask or can even imagine; “to him be glory, in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21).

Commentary:

Why do “bad things happen to ‘good’ people,” while the wicked seemingly go unpunished? There is more than one issue here. It is the nature of life in this world that troubles come to everyone sooner or later. It is what we do with adversity which matters.

This lifetime is intentionally designed by God to allow us to learn by trial and error whether to trust and obey God’s Word or not. In order to give us the freedom to choose, creation has been designed to allow for evil, which is disobedience of God’s Word, so one answer is “people who choose evil.” God allows disobedience now for a limited time, but he won’t tolerate it forever. This creation has a time-limit, until Christ returns on the Day of Judgment, and we have a limited lifetime.

God also allows us to experience adversity to teach us that we are not self-sufficient; that we need the Lord. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) is the example of a righteous worshiper of God. He was well-educated in the scriptures, and was so zealous for God that he was persecuting and imprisoning Christians.

The risen and ascended Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God (Romans 8:9), confronted Paul on Paul’s way to Damascus to persecute and imprison Christians, and struck Paul physically blind (Acts 9:1-9). When Paul was confronted, he asked who it was and Jesus replied that it was he, who Paul was persecuting. Notice that Paul submitted to Jesus’ authority as Lord (Acts 9:5), instead of rebelling and being angry, and Paul obeyed Jesus’ command to go to Damascus and await further instructions (Acts 9:6-9).

For three days Paul fasted and prayed in Damascus, trusting in Jesus’ word, the (spiritual) “vision” he’d been given, of a disciple named Ananias laying hands on him to heal him (Acts 9:12). Ananias came and Paul’s physical sight was restored, and Paul was “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul’s adversity of physical blindness made him realize his spiritual blindness, and as he trusted and obeyed Jesus his spiritual blindness was healed (Acts 9:12) and his physical sight was restored also (Acts 917-18).

Throughout the history of God’s dealing with Israel, which is recorded in the Bible, God has given his people his Word through scripture and through his prophets. As his people trust and obey his Word they are blessed, and as they disobey and rebel against his Word, God lifts his favor and protection from them and allows them to experience adversity. In adversity, they repent and turn to the Lord for deliverance, and the Lord delivers and restores them. That is the way we learn that God’s way is the right way, that his Word is absolutely true and reliable, and that God is able and faithful to deliver us from any adversity.

Job didn’t have the benefit of God’s Word, the Bible, or of Jesus Christ, God’s Word fulfilled, embodied and illustrated in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14), or a close personal relationship with the Lord through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Job didn’t know that there is existence after physical death and the possibility of eternal life. But Job clung to his hope in God, and eventually God delivered and restored Job.

We have God’s Word in the Bible; we have the fulfillment and illustration of God’s Word in Jesus Christ. We have eye-witness testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the testimony of every “born-again” Christian disciple that Jesus is eternally alive and present through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have the Biblical record that Jesus can deliver us from any adversity we can encounter in this world, and as we trust in God’s Word we will personally experience his deliverance.

Paul was testifying to and teaching what he had personally experienced: the power, the experience of the love of Christ, and the insight and guidance given by the indwelling Holy Spirit, that are available to us through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ, so that we “might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19b).

The Lord doesn’t promise Christians that they won’t encounter suffering and persecution. In fact, as we trust and obey Jesus we’re going to encounter persecution and opposition from worldly people. Jesus’ crucifixion is the illustration of worldly reaction to his Gospel. Paul’s experience is what a “born-again” disciple of Jesus can expect. But we also experience the power and love of Christ within us by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and have the assurance that the world cannot do anything to us in which the Lord cannot sustain, deliver and restore us.

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

16 Pentecost - Saturday B

First Posted September 26, 2009

Luke 7:11-16 -- Raising the Dead

Jesus and his disciples and a great crowd went from Capernaum to Nain (about 25 miles southwest of Capernaum in Galilee). As they approached the gate of the city a large funeral procession was coming out. The man who had died was the only son of a widow (her only means of support). The Lord had compassion on her and told her not to weep. Jesus came and touched the bier, and told the widow’s son to arise, and the man sat up and began to speak. Everyone was filled with fear and praised God. Some said that a great prophet had arisen, and others, that God had visited his people.

Commentary:

This was the first miracle of resurrection that Jesus did. Jesus had come to proclaim the Gospel (“Good News”) of the possibility of life beyond physical death and to bring spiritual “re-birth” (John 3:3, 5-8) to those who believed in (trusted and obeyed) Jesus. Jesus had compassion for the widow who was otherwise totally bereft, and so he chose to raise her son to life.

Some of the witnesses to the man’s resurrection believed that Jesus was a great prophet, like Elijah, who had raised the dead son of the widow of Zarephath to life (1 Kings 17:17-24). Others said that God had visited his people. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14) that the promised Messiah would be called Immanuel (or Emanuel) which means “God with us (Matthew 1:22-23).” Jesus is also the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Angel to Joseph that the child should be called Jesus, which in Aramaic (the language of Jesus) means “Savior;” “he will save” (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus’ miracles of healing and feeding and resurrection were physical, but intended to demonstrate that he is also able to heal and feed and give life spiritually. The young man was restored to physical life, but unless he trusted and obeyed Jesus from then on he would not receive spiritual rebirth and eternal life.

Jesus came to give (“baptize” with; “anoint” with) the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Only Jesus gives the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Jesus is the Word of God fulfilled, embodied and exemplified in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus’ word is the Word of God (John 14:10, 24), and has the creative force of God’s Word. When Jesus commanded the young man to arise he did. When Jesus rebuked the storm on the Sea of Galilee, the wind and waves obeyed (Luke 8:24-25). Jesus could command us to obey him and we would have no choice except to obey, but Jesus was very careful not to tell people who he was.

He wants us to be free to choose whether to accept and obey him or not. That is why Jesus usually referred to himself as the “Son of man,” which was true, but allowed people to decide for themselves whether he was the Son of God. Jesus was also falsely condemned to crucifixion by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy for claiming to be the Son of God (Matthew 26:63-65), which he had not done. The “Son of man” was also a hint to his identity from the Book of Daniel (Daniel 7:13).

Jesus’ life was a demonstration of human life lived in obedient trust in God’s Word, and his resurrection, witnessed by over five hundred people (1 Corinthians 15:3-11), demonstrated the reality of life after physical death. Jesus has promised to return on the Day of Judgment. When he returns he will not come humbly as at his first, physical coming; He will return in great glory and supernatural power.

When Jesus returns he will command all those who have died physically to arise; those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus  will arise to eternal life, but those who have rejected Jesus and refused to trust and obey him will arise to eternal condemnation (John 5:28-29). Jesus will judge the spiritually living and dead. Those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus have been born to spiritual, eternal life, but those who have not trusted and obeyed Jesus and have not been filled with his Holy Spirit are spiritually, eternally dead (Matthew 25:31-46).

When we die physically our eternal destiny is fixed and cannot be changed. Jesus will separate his “born-again” disciples from the spiritually dead and eternally “lost,” and when Jesus commands, we won’t have any choice but to obey.

Jesus’ disciples who have been born-again have the assurance and certainty of the Holy Spirit within us, to guide and empower us. We personally experience the resurrected Jesus and testify that he is eternally alive. As we trust and obey him we personally experience his power and faithfulness to save, protect and deliver us. We need not fear even physical death (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?