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Tag: Gospel

The Gospel is Good News to all who will humbly accept Jesus and listen to His teaching.

We refer to the four books of the Bible which tell the story of Jesus Christ as the Gospels. These books are named for their authors: Matthew, a Jewish Apostle; Mark, a disciple of the first generation who recorded accounts of Peter and the Twelve; Luke, a gentile Physician and disciple of the first century; and John, one of the Twelve Jewish Apostles chosen by Jesus.

  • Interrupting Jesus 10 – a child of God

    Interrupting Jesus 10 – a child of God

    Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. – Proverbs 20:11 KJV

    The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Proverbs 23:24 KJV

    Before we look at the role of children and a rather well-known interruption of Jesus, I would like for us to briefly consider the role of Jesus as Son of God.

    GOD, the LORD Jehovah, is Creator of all men, Father of all mankind and Ruler of all creation.

    I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. – Isaiah 43:15 KJV

    In a sense we are all sons and daughters of God; yet Jesus IS God Incarnate, a begotten Son of God the Father by a woman born to man.

    It hadn’t been so many years since Jesus as a young man had became known to the rulers of the Temple.

    Luke 2:40-52 English Standard Version (ESV)

    40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

    Just a couple of quick questions for you as a 21st century parent:

    • Do you spend time in the Bible with your children so that they will become strong in the Lord and filled with wisdom?
    • Do you regularly observe the teaching traditions of the church with your children?

    The Boy Jesus in the Temple

    41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it…

    Joseph and Mary trained up Jesus in the way He should go, that when the time came for a young man to seek the favor of God that their young adult would obey the Lord.

    46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers…

    52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

    The leaders would be older men with years of understanding from scripture and from life. Jesus is now just thirty years old, a relatively young teacher at the beginning of His ministry, who though not married is of age most other men have sons of their own. This iterate Rabbi is not the stately grandfather who sits in the Temple or Synagogues only to share their wisdom of age.

    The Apostle John tells a story of how Jesus uses the faith of a young boy to bring many to faith.

    Jesus is teaching the crowds. The Apostles are serving Him and ministering to the crowds. It has been centuries since the Kingdom of Israel. It has been centuries since the miracles of the Prophets.

    Which generation will see the restoration of the Kingdom, the people ask? Which generation after all these will see the coming of the Christ?

    The people followed Jesus to hear the Lord teach and to witness His righteousness and power and healing.

    John 6:

    3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples…  5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

    Imagine that your son comes to you and says, “I want to go with the neighbors who are going to see Jesus of Nazareth teach on the mountainside.”

    “Just a moment young man,” says the good Jewish mother. “Not without some food and water you don’t.” And the mom packs her son a lunch and sends him out with it and skin of cold water from their well for the long day ahead.

    “Now off with you” the mother encourages her son, “and be back by dark.”

    Returning to John’s Gospel:

    8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 

    Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

    It is no small role this young man who wanted to see Jesus played in the faith of the five thousand.

    Another interruption: a father coming to Jesus for the sake of his young son:

    Luke 9:

    38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child…

    How many parents would willingly press through the crowds surrounding this Jesus Christ, a superstar descended from the mountain, just to have an uncontrollable child healed?

    “…  Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.

    How every loving parent would love to have the Lord give your suffering child back to you. Jesus is not here only to feed the five thousand on the mountaintop. Jesus is present for even a child in need. Jesus IS here even for you.

    Jesus’ Disciples often thought of Him as a leader of men, here only to restore Israel and heal the faithful. How often we are wrong about the Messiah.

    Mark 10:

    13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

    15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

    16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

    First century families and the religious establishment often thought the teaching of Rabbis was important only to men, especially men of learning; certainly not to women (let her husband instruct her) or to children (who were only to obey without understanding).

    Jesus most often used the relationship of God as Father, a loving Father; therefore our Lord showed children the kindness of a loving Father in Heaven.

    Is it not important for us to lead our children by the example of our compassion?

    Jesus welcomed children to hear scripture, to receive healing, even to receive life. Children have so much value for a time that will last beyond a generation of our own.

    Christ Jesus welcomes woman and men to God’s Kingdom with joy. He teaches us to have a simple faith. Let Jesus be your Lord, as a loving father would be your parent.

    Men now relegate religion to the attention of the woman of the house ‘for the instruction of the children.’ Christianity is for children and moms, not working dads who know better than to bow down before anyone (let alone God). How sad for our broken homes that we would send children to Jesus and not hear the very Word of God for ourselves.

    We are a hard-hearted and sinful generation in a way more lost than those to whom Jesus first came on the mountainsides of Galilee and in the hills of Jerusalem.

    • When was the last time you interrupted GOD with a childlike praise?
    • When will your week finally conclude with your reverent worship of our loving Father?
    • When will we humbly bow down to GOD our Father and have the pure joy of Jesus as our Lord?

    How long, O man, will you count your days as if they are your own?

    Mark 10:24

    And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

     

  • Interrupting Jesus 7 – a lowly woman

    Interrupting Jesus 7 – a lowly woman

    Luke 7:

    36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

    Nice. One of the leading men of your church asks you to dinner. Jesus did just what we would do: He accepted.

    37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment…

    alabaster-jarYou go to a nice house of one of the leading citizens in town and chit-chat while the food is being prepared. You begin enjoying your dinner and conversation; but like so many times during Jesus’ mission, some of the common people in town hear about the Messiah’s dinner plans and just show up uninvited.

    38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.

    Now what?

    39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

    You are trying to convince an important religious leader that He needs to believe that you are the One God has sent to Israel as the Messiah. (If you or I had been sent all we would need here is a small miracle; or perhaps we would make a more persuasive logical argument from the Law or the Prophets, like so many times before.)

    Jesus (as we know) doesn’t deal with interruptions by people the same way you and I do, fortunately.

    He lifts up the lowly and humble and rebukes the high and arrogant.

    Jesus speaks the truth in love to his host.

    40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

    (Jesus has a way of telling stories which convicts softly.)

    The impact of a parable is in the love for the hearers convicted.

    41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

    43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.”

    And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

    [Note now the gentle body language of our Lord as He turns to the lowly woman, glorifying her, while He speaks the gentle truth of His rebuke for His host, the Pharisee, Simon.]

    Woman annointing Jesus' feet Olejek44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.

    Three strikes for His host: no water, no kiss of greeting, no anointing. Here is where we fail in our everyday dealings with ordinary guests. Simon is most certainly convicted, while Jesus points to the humility of the woman who interrupted them as a better hostess, even though she is a sinner looked down on by society.

    47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much.

    But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

    • Do you dwell comfortably at a table of those with little to forgive?
    • Do you consequently lack compassion for those whose sins seem worse than your own?

    48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

    [The dinner and Bible study continues. The host and invited guests wonder at the compassion of Jesus as He sends this sinful woman away.]

    49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”

    50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

    Shalom. Your faith in the Messiah Jesus has saved you.

     

  • Interrupting Jesus 6 – Jesus of Capernaum

    Interrupting Jesus 6 – Jesus of Capernaum

    Who are you, really?

    I was raised in Cortland, Ohio U.S.; therefore you might call me: Roger of Cortland. Yet is that really who I am? No, of course not. I now live somewhere else and who I am or what I do is not related to where I live.

    We often make a mistake in looking back on the Person of the Son of God, the Messiah, simply as Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was known by that because of where Joseph and Mary raised Him after they fled from Bethlehem of Judea under the threat of Herod before they returned to Galilee after Herod’s death. In fact, the Gospels reveal that Jesus of Nazareth had resettled in Capernaum.

    Capernaum, by the sea of Galilee is about a nine hour walk from Nazareth. {I encourage you to look at a satellite map of the area behind this link.}

    Think in terms of Capernaum and Galilee as part of the occupied area of the Roman Empire with no identity as Israel. This context of daily life of Jesus in Capernaum and surrounding areas would be more accurate of the secular Roman culture than to see only through the lens of a few Bible verses and traditional maps in your Bible. (Is our own 21st c. culture really so different?)

    Capernaum SynagogueThe Synagogue in Capernaum was important to Jews, but the town and area are ruled by Rome (as was Jerusalem).

    During the Israelite/Iron period (1200-587BC) there was a break in the population, which was restored in the 5th C BC (the period of the returns of the exiles to Zion). It was designed according to that period’s urban design of straight lines, which was built in parallel to the main Roman imperial highway, that crossed the village on the northern side. Capernaum grew larger at the time of Jesus (early Roman period, 1st C AD), and a synagogue was built in the center of the village. [source: Capernaum history]

    Tetrarchy of PhilipJesus of Capernaum, the Son of Man, taught in the towns nearby like Chorazin and Bethsaida-Julius where Scribes and Pharisees studied the Law and the Prophets. Jesus of Nazareth, as He was known, also taught on the hillsides near Capernaum. Most of these places where the teachings of Jesus were heard and miracles witnessed were near Capernaum.  We can be certain that Roman officials tracked every move of this popular leader of the crowds. Certainly Centurions would listen to every word for the first sign of another insurrection against Rome.

    “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?

     “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

    Matthew 5

    Matthew 8

    When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

    Word of miracles gets around quickly. Crowds followed Christ Jesus because of the miracles and His teaching . Jesus taught everybody with ears to hear:  Judeans, Galileans, Samaritans, Jews, Gentiles… and even Roman occupiers who traveled with the crowds to keep things under control.

    Now a Roman officer asks Jesus for a miracle! (What an interruption to what Jews thought the Messiah would do only for Israel.)

    5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him,

    6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.”

    7  “I will come and heal him.”

    8  “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

    10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him,

    “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    13 And to the centurion Jesus said,

    “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.”

    And the servant was healed at that very moment.

     

    You may not be a Jew. You may not even be a Christian (one of those who follow Christ Jesus, such as those to whom our Lord turned to note the faith of this Centurion.) Like the Roman soldier you probably live in far-away places from Capernaum (like Cortland or L.A., London, Rio, Addis Ababa, Beijing or Delhi).

    • Do you have the faith to interrupt the Son of God, Incarnate in the Person of Jesus, with your plea to heal a loved one of yours?
    • Do you have the humility of the Roman Centurion to tell Christ Jesus, “I will take you at your word and trust that by your Authority that You will do what you say?”
    • Will you recognize that this lowly, first century Son of Man was sent to a cross to be sacrificed for your sins and for mine?
    • Do you, dear foreign friend, have the faith of a Roman Centurion?

    Ask Christ Jesus, though the Holy Spirit of God, to come into your eternal life with the healing of your sin.