The Compassionate Christ (Part One)

Luke 8:40-56

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace” (8:48 ESV).

The Lord Jesus is always the same, but the human soul varies. Some people want nothing to do with Christ. Others, whose hearts have been touched by God’s grace, long to be with him. Those who look to Christ find him to be most gracious and kind. But even among those who have received grace, well sadly, our faith fluctuates.

There is an obvious difference between this section and the previous. Before we saw Jesus rejected by a whole town, except for one man. Here, people are thronging to see and to hear Jesus. There, a man is healed; here, two females experience the miraculous power of the Lord Jesus. The Gerasene people had asked Jesus to leave, but in this account, Jairus asks Jesus to come to his house. We may learn something from this. Though Jesus had been rejected, he went about his work. He did what God called him to do. So must we. Are there some people who won’t listen as you share the gospel? Well, it happened to the Lord, too. Move on to the next one. Keep doing what you ought to do.

Jesus did not allow rejection hinder him from showing compassion. He is God and loves to do what is good and to show kindness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made (Psalm 145:8-9 CSB).

Previously, we saw the power of Christ. Now in addition to his power, let us consider the compassion of Christ. The Gospel writers link the two miracles in this section. In one he had compassion on the socially influential, and in the other on a social outcast. The compassion of Christ knows no favoritism. In one to a girl, in the other a woman. The girl was near the end of her brief life; the woman had lived in misery for twelve years.

First, Jesus acted in spite of difficulty. Many sought Christ’s attention. Many of them were not interested in his message, but sought miracles. Soon crowds of people surround him. We have a scene similar to others in the Gospels. Compare Mark 2:2 or Luke 5:1-3. Travel in such a crowd would become quite difficult, especially when you consider the narrowness of ancient streets. The word Luke chooses (sunepnigon) is used earlier is the chapter (8:7) and means to “choke, crowd around or crush”.

Two significant events occur at this point. Jairus, a synagogue ruler and thus well-known and influential, asked Jesus to heal his twelve-year-old daughter. The girl’s need was desperate; she was dying. Jesus agreed and was on his way, when an unnamed woman sought healing for herself. She suffered from a condition that not only made her miserable for twelve years, but also made her unclean under old covenant law. This woman touched Christ’s clothing and was healed. “The edge of his cloak” may mean “the tassel on his robe” (Numbers 15:38; Deuteronomy 22:12). The corner of the cloak was worn tossed over the left shoulder. In this way, the tassel would hang down the back. This could be easily touched in a crowd.

When this touch occurred, power went out from Christ and healed her (8:46). Some may wonder about the KJV translation of “virtue”. At the time of its translation, virtue had the meaning of “power”, so it was a good translation. In our time, the meaning of the word virtue has changed, and this makes the KJV translation misleading to the modern reader. This is one reason that you ought to use a modern speech translation. If you still want to read the KJV, you are free to do so. But I strongly urge you to compare its translations against those of good modern translations, such as the NASV, the NIV, the CSV and the ESV. Please do not make the KJV the basis for your beliefs and opinions. Our language, not God’s word, has changed much in over four hundred years.

Now back to the text. The Lord Jesus Christ turned interruptions into ministry opportunities. Parents, do you think this way when your children interrupt you? Teachers of God’s word, that question by a listener, though perhaps off track, might be important for the asker and the other listeners. Act wisely, and answer immediately or after the lesson.

Second, Jesus made public the woman’s healing. It might appear that this was somewhat insensitive on Jesus’ part. He knew she was healed. Couldn’t he allow this to remain her private matter? Actually, his course of action reveals his compassion for her.

This would correct in her mind any wrong ideas she may have held about the reasons for her healing. It was her faith and not a superstitious touch.

  • The way of healing was not in the touch. To this day, people believe this. For you hear people talking about “a point of contact”. The only “point of contact” required is a submissive faith in the Lord.
  • The way of healing was not in her faith but in Christ’s power. Jesus plainly says that power went out from him. Her faith was not the healer; Jesus healed her.

This would restore her to a place in the community of Israel. Previously, to touch her meant ceremonial uncleanness (Leviticus 15:25-27). Now, she had a way to regain her place in the worshipping community (Leviticus 15:28-30). More than that, the Lord called her daughter. He welcomed her into the spiritual family of God. This is the only woman he addressed by that relational term in the New Testament Scriptures. She received a special blessing.

When the Lord has shown mercy and compassion to someone, so must we. The former outcast must be welcomed into the family of believers. Read 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. To whom do you need to show compassion? Who needs your acceptance and mercy? Who needs to know that you care?

Grace and peace,

David

The Power of Jesus (Part Two)

Luke 8:26-39

The man from whom the demons had departed begged him earnestly to be with him. But he sent him away and said, “Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you.” And off he went, proclaiming throughout the town how much Jesus had done for him (8:38-39 CSB).

Next, we see the cure performed by Jesus.

The demons reacted fearfully to Christ’s presence. They knew his identity (8:28); people may not know him, but the sinful spirits do. They knew his absolute power and authority over them. If he willed, they would immediately be sent into the Abyss. So they fell before the Lord. They also knew him as their Judge (8:28, 31). They knew what their end will be. Consider James 2:19. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! (ESV)

Christ Jesus followed his own procedure in this healing.

  • He delayed the cure (cf. Lk 4:35; Mk 9:25-27) in order to demonstrate his power more completely.
  • He exposed the demon’s complete hold on the man, who could not even say his own name.
  • He showed his sovereignty over the demons. They must ask for his permission (8:32). Compare Job 1.
  • He made the demons leave the man at his command (Mt 8:32).
  • He uncovered the destructive nature of the demons by allowing them to go into the pigs (8:33).

Objection: Someone might say, “I don’t like this loss of animal life and money!” I answer:

  • Animal life is under the ultimate control of God (Matthew 10:29)
  • “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God?” (Romans 9:20)
  • “Can anyone seriously hold that the pigs should have been saved and the man left unsaved?” (Leon Morris)
  • “By permitting this loss Jesus was actually helping these owners” (William Hendriksen). If they took this lesson to heart, they would know that they were selfish, caring more about pigs than about a human.
  • It is a sinful thought pattern that criticizes the Lord. He knows all things; he does all things well.
  • The demons were the active agent of destruction, not the Lord. Jesus didn’t tell them to destroy the pigs; he told them to leave the afflicted man. He did good; they worked evil.

The Lord Jesus completely cured the man (8:35). The man was freed from demons and their control. He was no longer restless; he sat at Jesus’ feet (cf. Lk 10:39). The man was no longer naked but clothed. The man was in his right mind. “Never is a man in his right mind till he is converted, or in his right place till he sits by faith at the feet of Jesus, or rightly clothed till he has put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ryle). Isn’t it good to know that we have a Savior who can cause such a cure? Since Christ is Almighty, we may have certain hope!

Think about the reaction to the cure by the Gerasene people.

  • They responded to the information from those who tended the pigs (8:34-35). Can you imagine what television news would do with this?
  • They were filled with fear when they saw the man healed (8:35). But they displayed no interest or appreciation about his cure.
  • When they heard the full story of what had happened, they asked Jesus to leave (8:36-37). This is the tragedy of the sinful human heart! How sad it is when a person asks Jesus to leave, and he does!

A couple thoughts: First, be careful what you ask for! The Lord might say yes. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them (Psalm 106:15 NIV). Second, it is sad to think of the many church buildings that are now used as museums or warehouses or worse. One day Jesus said to them, “Look, I stand at the door and knock!” And they refused his presence. May it not happen to your fellowship of believers.

Think about the reaction to the cure by the healed man. He wanted to be with Jesus! (8:38) Did you hear that? Do you have that same desire? Note the contrast with the Gerasenes.

Read Christ’s command to the man (8:38-39). The Lord wanted this man to testify for him. We are saved and then sent to tell others. Jesus sent him to an excellent “mission field”: to his home. They knew how he had been, and they would be most appreciative of the change in him. Did you ever think how many people would be in your church if everyone would bring their relatives, friends and neighbors?

Imitate the man’s response (8:39). His message was simple: what God did, Jesus did. He went back home as Jesus told him, and then did more (cf. Mk 5:20).

What are you doing for Christ? Who is hearing the good news about Jesus from your lips? In this hour, personal contact is limited due to Covid-19 restrictions, but we can prepare for when we can talk to many people again. Start by preparing your heart. Let’s humble ourselves before the Lord and have a renewed change of mind (repent) about God, Christ, ourselves, our sins, and God’s way of grace in the Lord Jesus. Seek the Lord while he may be found (Isaiah 55:6-7).

Grace and peace,

David

The Power of Jesus (Part One)

Luke 8:26-39

Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When he got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said in a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.

“What is your name?” Jesus asked him.

“Legion,” he said, because many demons had entered him (8:26-30 CSB).

Even believers need to be reminded of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Daily we see sin controlling and ruining the world around us. The consequences of human sin from the curse currently are wrecking the world. We see the lives of people being destroyed by the evil one. Christians know ourselves to be in conflict with Satan, the world, and the habit patterns of remaining sin. Yes, believers need to be reminded of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The best medicine for a discouraged spirit is a fresh acquaintance with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit would show us anew the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We see the power of the Lord Jesus in the healing and deliverance of this Gerasene man.

Look at the power of sin over this Gerasene man (8:26-30)

He was demon-possessed. This passage is valuable because it plainly reveals what happens when a person falls under the full sway of the devil. The destroyer’s true intent is unmasked. And we will see what a glorious difference Christ’s control makes! Here we see fullness of demonic control. This man was possessed by a “legion” of demons. (A Roman legion was 6,000 men.) Regardless of the number afflicting him, there was a large force of evil in this man. Observe that it was possible for more than one demon to possess a person (cf. Luke 8:2; 11:26).

Consider the results of demon-possession.

  • His clothing: He wore none. He was naked (8:27). His conscience was seared and he felt no shame. Sinful people think public nudity is a sign of liberation. In fact, it is a badge of bondage to sin.
  • His home: He lived in the cemetery (8:27). Remember that this wasn’t a modern American cemetery complete with all our sanitary regulations.
  • His behavior: He was wild and uncontrollable (8:28-29). The man was dangerous to others. That is why he was chained and guarded to some degree. He was dangerous to himself (Mk 5:5). He had anti-social behavior. He yelled loudly and drew away from normal human society.

This man was in desperate need. Humankind had no hope for him. This is still the case today. Our only “solution” is to commit such a person to a mental institution and sedate with drugs. Whatever we might think about demonic possession in this present age, let us remember that everyone outside of Christ is a slave to Satan and willingly yields to Satan’s foul leadership (Eph 2:1-3; 2 Tm 2:25-26). You who are outside of Christ, what will you do on the day that the evil one ravages your soul? Run to Christ for rescue now!

We currently face a global pandemic. It can seem out of control. Fear and hopelessness are growing. Yet people continue in their evil ways, not wanting to repent. It makes me think of what John wrote in the Revelation:

The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts (Revelation 9:20-21 NIV).

It is time to repent and to seek the Lord while he may be found (read Isaiah 55:6-7).

Grace and peace,

David

Start the Year with Praise

1 Timothy 1:17

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (CSB).

At the conclusion of every year, most people conduct at least a casual evaluation of what kind of a year it was for them. Answers range across the whole spectrum from “horribly terrible” to “most excellent”. I can understand the reasons many say, “I’m glad this year is over! I hope the new year will be much better!” My wife and I went through a series of years (2010-2015) that we were glad to see end. Looking back now, I think we can see the hand of God’s blessing on us at all times during those years, even though we suffered. Our Sovereign God was very merciful when it was hard to discern his hand of blessing. And we’re thankful!

Regardless of how you and I evaluated the past year, I know how we ought to begin 2020: with joyful praise to the Lord our God! If you had a difficult year, remember to keep the living God in your focus in the new year. If you think last year was great, don’t forget the Father in heaven who has loaded you with benefits.

Wherever you are on this spectrum, a godly response will require ongoing repentance and faith. By this I mean that we will need to have our thoughts of the true and living God transformed by his word, and then to trust him each step of the way. It is important to both have our minds renewed (Rm 12:1-2) and to commit ourselves to the Lord. It doesn’t do any good and even is spiritually harmful to say, “I will trust God better this year,” if we have wrong ideas and thoughts about God. For example, can you trust God if you have doubts about his wisdom or control over all things or his kindness or his love? The answer should be obvious. Can you trust God if you wrongly imagine that you have the right to decide what is best for you, or if God is required to make your life pleasant? Not at all!

So then, how can we have right ideas of God and attitudes about him, so that we desire to praise the true and living God? I think our text highlights some characteristics of God that will transform our minds and hearts.

  • God is King. He’s the Boss. He directs all things according to the counsel of his own will. While he joyfully includes us in his work, he doesn’t ask for our advice. This is rather difficult for people to accept who want to be directing life in this world. I hear too much about people asserting that “we have a free will”. I’ve never heard anyone ask, “Does God have a free will?”
  • God is immortal. He’s not affected by time, human events, and human opinions about him. He never changes in his glorious, holy essence. He is God, and there is no other. He will be the same holy and loving God for us throughout the year.
  • God is invisible. He is spirit, and we cannot perceive his presence with our physical senses. People long for various physical signs that God is present. That makes idolatry extremely popular. Too many contemporary churches try to make the spiritual physically apparent by the use of lights, fog machines, and the interior design of their buildings. This is not different from churches in the past that used paintings, sculpture, stained glass windows, and soaring architecture to try to achieve similar results. But God is invisible. You must trust his revelation of himself. The Spirit of Glory resides in every believer, but we do not have halos or a supernatural glow!
  • God is the only God. He has no equals or competitors. He is unique; he is holy. This truth demands that we set our minds and love on him above all. It also requires us to rejoice that he is God and not we ourselves.

May God give us the grace to think and live in conformity with his revelation of himself. Then we will be able to praise him during 2020.

Grace and peace, David

Reactions to the Birth of Christ

Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:1-2 NIV).

During this Christmas season, our granddaughter, who is almost three, learned the first stanza of the Christmas hymn “We Three Kings”. I think we all rejoice when young children can use their voices to sing the praises of the King of kings. It is always good to sing praises to the Lord, especially when we sing about one of the important events in the history of redemption.

When a child sings, it is interesting to listen carefully to their words, since they usually vary from the actual words of the song. When Elise sings this carol, she says, “We five kings….” We smile at her artistic license in departing from the traditional text. She makes no change to the Biblical texts in the number of kings (actually Magi), since Matthew only refers to them in the plural without counting them. Her devotion to singing to the Great King is an example to us all.

So now let us turn our minds to worship and consider four reactions to Christ’s birth. One of the key words in our text is the word “worship”. Let’s look at the people mentioned in the text and see how many of them desired to worship Jesus Christ the Lord.

Many people were disturbed (2:1-3). The source of much of this disruption came from King Herod. When an oppressive ruler is stirred up about something, others have reason for concern. King Herod had murdered his wife, three sons, a mother-in-law, a brother-in-law, an uncle, and many others. He would tolerate no opposition from anyone under his authority. Nor would he allow any potential rival to his throne to live.

The people of Jerusalem were caught up in the unrest. With a man like Herod in power, the people would be very concerned about what might happen from the appearance of these visitors with their scary question. What might Herod do? Who might get caught by his suspicious inquisition? Yes, the people had sufficient reason to be troubled. Did they pray for God’s protection from the king’s cruelty? Did hope arise in their hearts because of this news of a newborn? We do not know. None of them appear to have had any public interest in the birth of a Messiah. Fear ruled over worship. We need to show hope to a troubled world, because we know that God’s King has been born.

Religious scholars were disinterested (2:4-6). They knew the facts about the promised Messiah. They knew what God had said through the prophet Micah some seven hundred years before. They certainly knew the other prophecies about the Messiah that were written by David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, too. To men well taught in the Law and the Prophets, this was an easy question.

Yet they lacked a zeal for discovery. All Jerusalem was buzzing over the inquiry of the Magi. They should have wondered what was happening when the Gentile king ruling over them asked about their Messiah. But they were not stirred to pursue these matters. They knew a lot, but they lacked any deep, life-changing interest. So it is with many religious people. Perhaps they will have heard or will hear later the story of Christmas. But will they seek to know its meaning? Will they strive to know more about the newborn King? We ought to model the right kind of interest, rather than being content with correct information that the Savior was born over two thousand years ago.

King Herod was deceitful (2:7-8). He played the religious game carefully. He did not want to arouse speculation about the coming of the Messiah among the people. So he had to act quietly. He did not want to make the Magi suspicious before he gained some more information about how to identify the newborn King. Clearly, he was unaware of the nature of the star, inferring that it was simply some mumbo jumbo of astrologers. For this reason, he pretended to be a devout worshiper of the Lord.

His intent was far from worship of the Messiah. The sequel to this account shows what Herod intended. It was murder. Let us stay far away from his spirit. Let us love God’s peace.

The Magi were delighted (2:9-12).

  • They acted on the information they had received. It was meager compared to the riches of God’s word that we now have. But they made a long journey that cost them money, hardship, and time in order to find the baby King.
  • They rejoiced when they saw the star. They experienced God leading them when no one else could or would. It is not certain what this star was, but it was clearly special, since it led them to the house where Jesus was.
  • They worshiped and honored the baby king. Filled with joy, they gave him rich gifts. In response to God’s great gift of his Son, have you given him yourself? He wants you most of all. He welcomes you to know his surpassing greatness and love.

We should not be surprised when we encounter different reactions to Christ and Christmas. Besides the above mentioned, people may react in other ways. Most people are mired in the responses of unbelief, regardless of their form. They have been part of the human situation since the first Christmas.

In this account we learn anew how God can supply for his people in surprising ways. In this text we see a few of them: a star for the Magi, gifts for the young family, which will help them during their escape to Egypt, and dreams to provide a special warning for the Magi and to give Joseph direction to protect his family. God is active in our lives, whether or not we recognize him.

God’s love is seen in his willingness to send his Son to be the Savior of sinners. God sent his Son to save oppressors and the oppressed, the disinterested and those ready to listen, the deceivers and the deceived, those far off and those who are near. It matters not who we are and what we’ve done, Christ was born to save people like us. How deeply are you interested in the birth of Jesus? Yes, you are reading this post when you could be wasting your life on frivolity. Obviously, you have some kind of interest. But that isn’t the question. Are you interested enough to dig deeper, to learn more? Or have you grown too accustomed to these words to be stirred by them?

Grace and peace, David

Be Thankful

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15 NIV)

Thanksgiving. Most think of it as the holiday that kicks of the Holiday season. It features food, family, food, friends, food, football, food… Well, you get the idea. If you wanted to add a “spiritual sounding” word, you could have added “fellowship”, but often that sounds like “food” to many Christians. (The “Fellowship Hall” in the church building is where you eat, right?) Sadly, to many people, Thanksgiving is the time when you gather for feasting and hopefully fun, and there is NOTHING wrong with feasting and fun. But feasting and fun is all that is thought about, except for a quick prayer before the meal.

However, those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ have a higher and wider perspective. We know the One to whom we surely must give thanks. So, on the special day set apart for giving thanks in our culture, we will be thankful! Let’s think about some matters for which to give thanks. Feel free to use these suggestions, and develop your own.

  • We thank God for God himself. Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name (Psalm 103:1 NIV) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his faithful love endures forever     (Psalm 107:1 CSB). Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; Declare among the peoples His deeds (Psalm 9:11 NASB). For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen (Romans 11:36 NLT).
  • We thank God for saving grace. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:2-3 ESV). Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Ephesians 1:3-4 NIV). Giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light (Colossians 1:12 CSB).
  • We thank God for our family. House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord (Proverbs 19:14 ESV). Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him (Psalm 127:3 NIV)
  • We thank God for other believers. But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13 CSB). I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints (Philemon 1:4-5 ESV).
  • We thank God in all circumstances. Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:18 NIV). Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening (Acts 16:25 NLT).

So then, we have much for which to give thanks, and the above mentioned is only a starting place. As you read God’s Word, look for what the Spirit mentions that God has given to us, and then make those items on your praise list. Happy Thanksgiving!

Grace and peace, David

Jesus at Nazareth (Part Two)

Luke 4:16-30

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written… (Luke 4:16-17 NIV).

The Scriptures teach that the Lord Jesus Christ is both divine and human. In the above words we read of a very human Jesus. He had been brought up in Nazareth, which speaks of normal human development. He attended the synagogue, as he was accustomed to do. This means that he would walk to the meeting place, like everyone else. He would talk and exchange greetings with others. He and they would continue in their usual order of worship. (We do not have much information about first century synagogue services. What is usually written about them is actually information from a later century.) If things were similar to later times, they would read from a section of the Old Testament Scriptures called the Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve).

If so, by standing up, Jesus sought permission to read and speak from a passage from the Prophets. We do not know if the following passage was scheduled to be read for that Saturday or if they asked him to read it, or if Jesus selected it. Regardless of the reason, Jesus was involved in a very human action. He had to unroll the scroll of Isaiah to find the passage. (We all can pause briefly to thank God that we have books rather than scrolls, and that we have chapters and verses in our Bibles to enable us to quickly find passages. By the way, this is a very practical reason to memorize the order of the books of the Bible. It also helps to know the general content of the Biblical books.) Notice that Jesus was involved in the very human activity of finding a passage in the Bible. He didn’t command the scroll to unroll to the selected passage. He unrolled it. His very humanness set up the amazement by the congregation of which Luke later wrote (4:22). Though the hometown folks had heard of the signs and wonders he had done elsewhere, Jesus simply acted as an ordinary person as he stood before them.

Isaiah 61 is the fifth of what are called by scholars “Isaiah’s Servant Songs”. They are called this because of their poetic form and because they talk about the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah. These Songs are found in Isaiah 42, 49, 50, 52-53, and 61. When Jesus stood up to read that day, he read Isaiah 61:1-2a. He didn’t read the whole Song. He read what was important for his purposes that day. While I think it is profitable and wise to preach or teach through an entire book of the Bible for several reasons, this practice is not required of pastors and teachers by God’s Word. What is demanded is that we handle the passages properly.

Notice the verse in Luke’s Gospel after his reading. Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him… (4:20 NIV). He read only what applied to the Servant’s ministry that day. Then he had to do a couple other human actions. He rolled up the scroll of Isaiah (taking care of a valuable copy of God’s word), gave it back to the attendant who was in charge of the scrolls of Bible books, and he sat down (taking the position that religious culture expected from someone speaking about God’s Holy Writings.) Again, these were all very human actions that displayed reverence for God and his Word. None of this would have prepared those in the synagogue for the teaching he was about to give.

God has communicated his Holy Word to us through people and he uses people to preach and to teach from it. The Lord Jesus himself demonstrated his humanity as he spoke. His human actions set the stage for the words of divine sovereignty he was about to speak.

Grace and peace, David

“Jesus Is Passing By!” (Part Three)

Luke 18:35-43

“Receive your sight.” Jesus told him. “Your faith has saved you.” Instantly he could see, and he began to follow him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God (18:42-43 CSB).

Lastly, we see the happy outcome (18:42-43): Jesus caused the blind man to see. This was the last of his healing miracles in the Gospels. As he drew near to Jerusalem, his action demonstrated that the Lord, the Great I Am, had come to his people. The wilderness and the dry land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a wildflower. It will blossom abundantly and will also rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, steady the shaking knees! Say to the cowardly: “Be strong; do not fear! Here is your God; vengeance is coming. God’s retribution is coming; he will save you.” Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped (Isaiah 35:1-5 CSB).

He healed by word alone. Notice that there was no set pattern for the way that Jesus gave sight to the blind. The power was not in his method but in his ability. What we need in our local churches is not a successful method. We need only to see the Lord act in his sovereign mercy. We should become serious about asking the Lord Jesus to act for his glory among us. Is there any outlook that the western church of our time will recover the conviction that the Lord Almighty acts when his people pray? Now we hear of demographics, polished programs for children, nice facilities, worship bands, skilled communicators, etc. as churches try to get religious consumers to buy their pretty spiritual package they are marketing.

He healed the blind man immediately. There was no question about whether the man could see or not. Can you hear the man shouting? “I can see! I can see!”

What a happy day had come for the former blind man! He went from darkness to light, because he met Jesus the Son of God, who acted with power in his life. Has that happened to you? Have you by faith met the Lord Jesus? Can you now by faith see the glory of God in Jesus Christ?

God received praise because of Jesus.

The man became a follower of Jesus. And what did he do? He praised God. Isn’t that what followers of Jesus should do? God’s first purpose for us is worship. It’s not about you! It’s about the living God. When we join to praise the Lord, it’s not a matter of what we like or don’t like. It’s all about exalting God, whether a song was written in the 1730s or in the 2010s. We ought to magnify God with all our hearts. Lift up your voice and say, “Praise God, I can see! I can see! I can see! Praise his glorious name!” Don’t sit so silent. Or are you still blind?

The watching crowds also began to praise God. It’s hard to argue when you see a blind man receive his sight. The greatest attraction a church can have is to have the Lord changing people. “Look how they love each other!”

Grace and peace, David

“Jesus Is Passing By!” (Part Two)

Luke 18:35-43

Then those in front told him to keep quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to him. When he came closer, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see.” “Receive your sight.” Jesus told him. “Your faith has saved you.” (CSB)

Next we hear the blind beggar’s interview with Jesus (18:39-42). He had a problem getting to the interview. Was it a lack of transportation or a scheduling conflict? No, people tried to hinder the man from meeting Jesus (18:39).

They may have had various motives, such as self-centeredness or prejudice or disagreement with him. The incident is sort of an acted parable for what happens countless times. If someone starts to become interested in Jesus Christ, other people will try to hinder him or her from meeting Jesus. Many times this hindrance will come from family members: husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children, cousins and in-laws. People don’t like anything that might interfere with their weekend beer parties and pleasure trips. If someone really meets God through Jesus Christ, they’re sort of ruined for weekend carousing or leisure, which is all most people lust after in some form or the other.

Their opposition did not stop the blind beggar. He understood his desperate condition. He was blind and he wanted to see. And the only One who could help him was now very close. He couldn’t let this opportunity pass by. Jesus might never be this near again. So he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” People don’t like the ruckus that people who really believe that Jesus is the Messiah make. They have various objections: It’s not necessary; it’s not proper; it’s too loud; it’s disruptive, etc. etc. Guess what? The blind man wanted to disrupt the whole parade into Jericho. He had one thing on his mind: He wanted to see and Jesus could make him see. If you get around people who want to see and believe Jesus can do just that for them, you’re going to learn something. They will disrupt your quiet little parades into Jericho.

We need to have our quiet little walks into Jericho (metaphorical for a quiet, orderly church services) disrupted by some blind people who want to see. How much are you willing to see your sweetly ordered, neatly packaged walk through life disrupted? Your answer will reveal how much you want other people to see Jesus or perhaps it might reveal that you yourself have never seen him. When people who have lived years in sin come to trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, their change of world and life view will disrupt their family and their friendships. An old chorus written by Stanton W. Gavitt said, “Things are different now, something happened to me, when I gave my heart to Jesus. Things are different now—I was changed, it must be, when I gave my heart to Him. Things I loved before have passed away, things I love far more have come to stay. Things are different now, something happened to me when I gave my heart to Jesus.”

Jesus talked with the blind man (18:40-41). Jesus took charge of the situation and ordered the blind man to be brought to him. Jesus directed the blind man to his source of hope—Jesus himself. “What do you want me to do for you?” Any mercy coming to the blind man will be coming from Jesus Christ, the Son of David. He did not volunteer to be a medical advisor concerning ways that the blind man could restore his own sight. Jesus was examining the man’s faith in him.

What would you really like Jesus to do for you? What would you like Jesus to do for the church you attend? I would like to see the Lord Jesus giving spiritual sight to those who are spiritually blind, wouldn’t you? The blind man told Jesus that he wanted to see. Notice his respect for Jesus. He called Jesus “Lord”. The Spirit of God was at work (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3). Has the Spirit of the living God ever worked in your heart (your inner being), so that you cried out, “I want to see you, Lord?”

“Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, open the eyes of my heart; I want to see You; I want to see You: To see You high and lifted up shinin’ in the light of Your glory; pour out Your power and love as we sing holy, holy, holy” (Michael W. Smith).

Grace and peace, David

“Jesus Is Passing By!” (Part One)

Luke 18:35-43

As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what was happening. “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him. So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (CSB)

One summer we took a “presidential vacation” in Ohio, visiting various historical sites of Presidents McKinley, Hayes and Garfield. As we were concluding our visit at Garfield’s estate, a woman from the museum came up to us and asked if we would like to meet the great grandson of President Garfield. We were able to talk with him, and he autographed a book that I had purchased about his great grandfather. That was unusual, but then a day or so later as we visited my parents in Dover, Ohio, our then current president passed through Dover on his way to a meeting in Cambridge. My uncle and aunt went downtown with many others to see the President of the United States pass by. Yes, people are interested in meeting famous people or their relatives, even in the twenty-first century. So it should not surprise us that in the first century, a time with far less distractions, people eagerly thronged to see Jesus of Nazareth, the Great Prophet of God and worker of miracles. Let us consider what happened one day.

A blind beggar heard about Jesus approaching Jericho (18:35-38). Think about the sad condition of this man. Until we suffer, most people just coast through life, unaware of the challenges that other people face.

  • He was blind. The tragedy of not being able to see is a great disability in any day. But in the first century, there were no forms of public assistance. In a dark world, the blind were totally dependent on other people.
  • Most disabilities were accompanied by poverty, and here we see this man reduced to the task of begging. None of us can understand the degradation that this brought to the blind in that day.
  • He was dependent on others for information about what was happening around him. Since we are created in God’s image, we want to know about the world he has made and what is happening in it. Clearly, this man had heard about Jesus, and had done a lot of talking and thinking about the identity and significance of Jesus.

Think about the drama of this situation. Jesus was on his way to Jericho and from there to Jerusalem to offer the final Passover sacrifice—the sacrifice of himself for sinners. Only twelve men besides Jesus knew what is going to happen; actually, Jesus told had told them, but though they knew, they didn’t understand. All that the crowds knew was that the amazing Teacher and worker of miracles named Jesus was passing through their town and they wanted to be part of the event.

The blind man, however, could not figure out what caused all the commotion. He could hear the noise of the crowds and he knew that it was not normal. So he used what resources that he had available. He asked, what is happening?

Now, we are not given any background information about what this blind beggar may have heard about Jesus. Obviously, he has heard some positive information about Jesus and what Jesus is able to do. But in his inner being, his thoughts about Jesus had generated some ideas, and he made a remarkable deduction: Jesus is the Son of David.

Dr. Luke has already taught us the underlying issues in this theology book that we call the Gospel of Luke. Think of Luke 4:17-21; 7:20-23; 9:18-20; 11:29-32.  What the man did was reason through the acts of Jesus in the light of the interpretative framework of the Scriptures and then he came to the conclusion that Jesus must be the Messiah, God’s Anointed One, the Son of David. And if he is the Messiah, then he would able to help him out of his suffering. So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

What is your view of Jesus? That is a very significant question to have answered. Until you have true and adequate answers about his identity and significance, you will never depend on him for forgiveness and eternal life. Do you think that Jesus can help you out of your troubles?

Grace and peace, David