Monthly Archives: July 2015

Walking Trees

Bible Study, , ,

WALKING TREES

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When He had spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him, Jesus asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ He looked up and said, ‘I see people; they look like trees walking around.’ Once more Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home saying, ‘Don’t even go into the village.’ (Mark 8: 22-26).

Why so secretive? Was this another of those occasions when Jesus wanted to dodge the crowds? Never did He pass up on an opportunity to show mercy. When this blind man was brought to Him with a desperate plea to heal him, He responded immediately with a great big “yes” but, at the same time, He was not in Bethsaida on a healing campaign.

He gently led the blind man away from the people. The poor guy must have wondered where Jesus was taking him. Outside the village, where He was alone with the man and His disciples. Jesus rubbed spit on the blind man’s eyelids. What was the purpose of that? Was it an aid to faith? Was there power in His spittle? Perhaps the reason was far simpler than that. Did Jesus use His spittle to lubricate the man’s eyelids so that He would not injure him when he touched his eyes? Every person, every situation demanded a different strategy.

After the first touch, Jesus questioned him. “What do you see?” This answer to this question seems to indicate that blindness had come on him at some stage in his life – cataracts may have formed or some disease may have caused him to go blind. Whatever the cause, he had once been able to see because he was able to identify trees. People as trees walking? Hazy objects moving – that’s all he could see at that moment. Light had begun to enter his eyes but he was still unable to focus.

Was Jesus perturbed because His touch had not worked? Not at all. He simple touched the man’s eyes a second time and the healing was complete. This time the man’s vision was perfect and he was able to identify everything clearly. Imagine his joy when the world around him once again came into view!

Why did Jesus send him home? Surely the man’s first objective was to run into the village square – unaided and without his cane to guide him, if he used a cane, and tell everyone the good news. What would they think of him if he sneaked off home and didn’t even announce to everyone that he could see again? What about the people who brought him to Jesus? Wasn’t it only right that he should at least report to them what had happened?

Jesus’ instruction had to override his desire to tell the world his good news. The Master had a very good reason for telling him to dodge the people and go home. By the time they found out that he had been healed, Jesus and His disciples would be far enough away to escape being mobbed by a crowd of desperate people wanting healing.

But why did Jesus act so secretively? Surely He wanted them to know who He was. Wasn’t this why He came – to introduce the kingdom of God to His people? Weren’t His miracles a witness to His identity and His mission?

In the next part of Mark’s story we get a clue to the reason why Jesus acted as He did. When He was among His own people, He warned many of those whom He healed not to talk about it because He wanted people to weigh up the evidence for themselves. He did not want a mob of curiosity-seekers to run after Him. He wanted people to believe in Him because they were convinced that He was the Messiah. Miracles do not produce faith. Faith produces miracles. Had miracles produced faith, the children of Israel would have trusted and obeyed God in the wilderness. Jesus would have gathered a crowd of believers in Him before He was ever crucified. But it didn’t happen.

Jesus is not interested in opportunistic followers. Unfortunately, campaigns of miracles and healing are doing exactly that today. People are invited to follow Jesus for what they can get out of Him. When He does not oblige, they walk away disillusioned because they have not learned to bow to Him as Lord.

Whether we experience miracles or not is irrelevant. Jesus demands our allegiance and obedience because of who He is, not because of what He can do for us. He is gracious and merciful, and He does heal and meet our needs, but that is because of who He is, not because of the demands we make of Him.

Do you follow Jesus as Lord, or do you use Him for your own ends?

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Beware The Leaven

Bible Study, , ,

BEWARE THE LEAVEN

The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked Him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.’ Then He left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side (Mark 8:11-13).

Good move, Jesus! Get as far away as possible from these people. They are nothing but a hindrance.

These Pharisees had no interest in believing in Him. They already had all the signs they needed if they would just open their eyes and their hearts. Everything Jesus said and did were signs of His origin, His identity, and His mission. John recorded only seven miracles which he called “signs” and which he especially chose so that his readers would come to faith in Jesus as many of those who received His miracles did.

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ‘Be careful,’ Jesus warned them. ‘Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.’ They discussed this with one another and said, ‘It is because we have no bread.’

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketsful of pieces did you pick up?’ ‘Twelve,’ they replied. ‘And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketsful of pieces did you pick up?’ They answered, ‘Seven.’ He said to them, ‘Do you still not understand?’ (Mark 8: 14-21).

How clearly the disciples displayed their “footpath” hearts! Using the exact words of Isaiah which Jesus had quoted in His explanation of the parable of the sower, He exposed the hardness of their hearts. The “signs” of the feeding of multitudes with a few loaves of bread and fish should have alerted them to the identity of their rabbi. These signs pointed to the truth that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Father’s authentic representative. If He had taken care of the physical needs of many thousands of people, surely He would take care of them as well.

What did He mean by His warning to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees? Leaven in Scripture was a symbol of the permeating power of evil. One whole feast was dedicated to this picture. After the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was celebrated for seven days. All leaven was removed from their homes and their bread was baked without yeast – symbolically speaking of an aspect of Messiah’s work – the removal of sin after the sacrifice for sin was made. Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.

What was the leaven of the Pharisees? Their pernicious unbelief. Just like leaven in a lump of dough, their sin of unbelief not only affected them but it also infected others. The danger of unbelief was that it spread among the people like an infectious disease. The most glaring example is the story of the Israelites after the twelve spies had returned from the Promised Land. O yes, it was a good land alright. Didn’t they have the fruits of the land to prove it? But the giants! Ten of the spies were convinced that the giants stood in their way and they were too big and frightening to overcome.

Only two of the spies did not see the giants as obstacles but as opportunities because they had the promises of God. What an opportunity to put God’s promises to the test! They had many months of His faithfulness behind them as a sign of His intention. He was there to take them into the land because He had promised it to Abraham centuries before.

Wherever the Pharisees went, they sowed seeds of doubt by their questioning and arguing. No doubt the people around them were infected by their unbelief. Where were His supporters when the religious leaders were baying for His blood? In the end He died alone. Not even one of those He had healed or rescued from demons stood by Him to plead His innocence.

How important that we stay away from the sceptics and the critics. Their influence is as pernicious as the Pharisees. To remain hot, we must stay in the fire. Coals removed from the fire will soon cool off and die.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

   

 

Love In Action

Bible Study, , ,

LOVE IN ACTION

During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.’ His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?’ (Mark 8: 1-4).

Why did Mark include this story in his gospel record? It certainly gives us an insight into the heart of Jesus. Some other popular rabbi might have dismissed the crowd with not a thought for their physical well-being. Not Jesus! He cared as much for their bodies as for their souls. He was not holding a preaching and healing campaign out in the hills to gain more renown for Himself; He was there to minister to people, and that included the whole person.

He was first and foremost their rabbi. He wanted them to understand their role as His followers. If they were to be true disciples, they were to be like Him in every way, including His compassion for people as real people, with physical as well as spiritual needs. He could not send people away to walk long distances without sustenance. Since they had come after Him, it was His responsibility to see that they arrived home safely.

 ‘How many loaves do you have,’ Jesus asked. ‘Seven,’ they replied. He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When He had taken the loaves and given thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; He gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketsful of broken pieces that were left over. About four thousand were present. After He sent them away, He got into a boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. (Mark 8: 5-10).

This is a puzzling event. Was Mark simply retelling the story of the feeding of the five thousand with a few changes in the details? If it was a different situation, why were the disciples so forgetful that they were stuck with the same problem they faced on the previous occasion without even one of them remembering Jesus’ solution? Why did they not simply say to Jesus, ‘You fed them last time; do it again’?

This incident not only gives us an insight into the depth of Jesus’ love for people but also the extent of the disciples’ unbelief. How true was Jesus’ understanding of the way people responded to His word. At this point, the disciples were like the hard ground of the footpath in the parable of the sower and the seed. For them to have forgotten the miracle of feeding five thousand people with five barley loaves no bigger than a hamburger bun and two fish the size of a sardine, was indeed surprising.

How did Jesus feel about them? He must have been quite disheartened by their response. Obviously He still had a long way to go with them before they would be ready to pick up where He left off. To these men He would have to entrust the mission for which He had come to give His life. It was crucial that they not only understand His teaching, but that they also relate to the Father as He did with perfect confidence in Him and obedience to His word.

We know this is not just a repeat record of the previous incident because Jesus referred to both events in conversation with His disciples on another occasion. Although Mark was the only one who recorded both miracles, he had a purpose for doing so. This story highlights Jesus’ relationship with His disciples and gives us an insight into the depth and intensity of His training for their mission in the future. Early in His ministry, when Jesus first called His disciples, Mark recorded that His modus operandi was twofold – that they might be with Him and that He might sent them out to preach.

As apostles and representatives of Jesus, they would encounter many different situations for which they would have no answer unless they were equipped with the kind of faith in the Father that Jesus had. It was His role to show them how to act and how to trust on their journey of faith with God. Jesus did not do magic. He did not turn stones into bread. He used the little He had and multiplied it into much so that there was much left over.

This is a lesson for us as well. He has called us to give what little we have and we shall receive back what we gave away and much more. God’s principle is always the same – the measure we use will be measured to us again.

 Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

A Touch And A Sigh

Bible Study, , ,

A TOUCH AND A SIGH

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place His hands on him. After He took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (which means ‘Be opened!’). At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more He did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. ‘He has done everything well,’ they said. ‘He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.’ (Mark 7: 31-37).

Another Gentile on the agenda! This was Jesus’ third visit to the Decapolis. It was as though He kept being drawn there by the need of the people. First the demon-possessed man; then a healing campaign that touched many lives, and now a deaf mute who life was forever different because Jesus was there.

By this time He must have been well known in the region because there was no longer a problem when He arrived. People came to Him; they no longer fled from Him; and they brought the ailing ones to receive His touch.

One thing stands out when we read the gospels. Jesus had no set opus memorandum, no formula for healing the sick, or presenting the challenge of the kingdom to people. He treated each person as a unique individual. To some He merely spoke a word, to others He did something to them, possibly to awaken or to strengthen their faith. This man was a Gentile, a resident of an area far removed from the influence of Jewish teaching about God. He may have been an idol-worshipper or perhaps he had not religious belief at all.

As he looked into the face of Jesus, not understanding what was happening but simply gazing into the dark eyes of a man which were pools of love and compassion, he was not afraid. He waited, content to trust a man who dealt so gently with him. The stranger’s hand were warm on his face. He felt his breath on his cheek as Jesus let out a deep sigh – then suddenly his silent world came alive around him. He was invaded by sounds he had long since forgotten – the wind blowing softly in the trees, the murmur of voices which rose to a shout as his face lit up with expressions of recognition.

Another gentle touch, this time on his tongue, and a stream of words fell from his mouth. At last he was free from his silent, wordless prison! Once again the stranger from Galilee had set another captive free. How many people in that region were whole again because Jesus had been there? The Decapolis was alight with the news that the healer had been there again. Another notable miracle set the tongues talking.

Why did Jesus warn this man not to tell his story when He had sent the once-demon possessed man home to tell everyone what the Lord had done for him? Like the people in Israel, Jesus did not want His popularity as a healer and miracle-worker in this region cloud His real purpose – to introduce people to His Father and to show them the kingdom of God right there where they were under the rule of Satan, the ruler of the dominion of darkness.

Jesus’ miracles were not to be an end in themselves. They were signs of something far greater that lay ahead for those who believed in Him as God’s Messiah. The rule of God was being re-established on earth through Jesus. He was soon to be nailed to a cross. Though He was innocent of any sin, the religious rulers were to judge and condemn Him as guilty of blasphemy and to drag Him before the Roman governor to sentence Him to death as a threat to Rome.

Every miracle Jesus did spoke loudly of who He was, the Son of the living God. When they crucified Him, they killed the God-man, Lord and Creator of the universe. They called Him a blasphemer and accused Him of treason – why? Because He failed to obey their rules while He showed them what God the Father was like and how He wanted them to live. Jesus showed them up for what they really were, greedy and wicked hypocrites who masqueraded as “holy” men. He burst from the tomb on the third day to prove, once and for all, that the kingdom of God had really come just as He had taught and shown them.

God’s kingdom had come to the Decapolis as well. The door of the kingdom was flung open to them as well. As much as the Jews hated them, they were also God’s children, made in His image and eligible for His grace because forgiveness of sin was for everyone. But they were not to spread His fame abroad because, like for the Jews, everyone was to decide for himself, on the strength of the evidence, who He was and to come to faith in Him by their own choice.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

 

A Desperate Mother

Bible Study, , ,

A DESPERATE MOTHER

Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, yet He could not keep His presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about Him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. (Mark 7: 24-26).

What was He going to do? Jesus was a Jewish rabbi trying to find seclusion for a little while in a Gentile city. Unfortunately for Him, His fame had gone before Him. His presence in that region could not remain a secret because many of the people had already travelled many miles to Galilee and Judea to seek Him. As soon as He arrived in their region, they recognised Him and announced His presence.

Among them was a desperate mother. Her daughter was demon-possessed, probably not uncommon among the pagans of that area. The child’s mother had no hope outside of a miracle and, wonder of wonders, the renowned miracle-worker from Galilee had arrived in her country. What was she to do? Without hesitation she went to Him. Perhaps she did not know what proper behaviour was for a woman in Jewish circles but desperation drove her to the Master. She did the only thing she knew; she threw herself down at His feet in an act of humility and supplication. She worshipped Him.

‘First let the children eat all they want,’ He told her, ‘for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’ (Mark 7: 27).

What on earth was Jesus getting at? Was He rejecting her by refusing to give her “the children’s bread”? Who were the “children”? What was their “bread”? Was He insulting her by calling her a dog? Was He acting just like His fellow Jews, arrogantly refusing to have anything to do with Gentiles? Our Jesus? How out of character for Him!

A few chapters before, He had risked the hazard of a storm on the lake to deliver a demon-possessed Gentile in the region of the Decapolis. Then He had returned to the same region in spite of being chased out by the citizens for destroying their pigs, only to find that they gladly received Him after the powerful testimony of the healed man had convinced them that He was not dangerous.

Why was He acting so differently here? Perhaps He had thought better of His action and decided not to help Gentiles after all. No! Emphatically, no! Jesus was not like that at all. When He acted in an unusual way, it was often to test the faith and the perseverance of the one seeking Him. Jesus was never after popularity. He always acted consistently with the Father. Even His presence in that region was under the Father’s authority.

How desperate was this mother to help her daughter or was she just another sensation-seeker?

‘Lord,’ she replied, ‘even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then He told her, ‘For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.’ She went home and found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone (Mark 7: 28-30).

What a woman! Nothing would put her off from her determined purpose – not even an apparent insult from Jesus. She passed the test with flying colours. Jesus was not reluctant to help a Gentile. In fact, He didn’t see race or colour. Everyone was a person in His eyes, a son or daughter of God who needed to know that God was gracious and wanted them to return to His family regardless of who they were and what they had done. In her humility she was willing to receive only the leftovers of His compassion and mercy because that was enough to bring healing to her child. Even though her faith may have been as miniscule as a mustard seed, it was enough to engage with the compassion of Jesus and bring relief to her child in her torment.

Don’t you just love Jesus? If He ever displayed reluctance to show mercy it was only to encourage and increase faith by testing the sufferer’s perseverance. Why, then, are we so often slow to learn the lesson? Jesus is never reluctant to answer our prayers. Sometimes the delay is about timing. God’s story is much bigger than ours. Our chapter must fit into His story – not the other way around. Sometimes it’s about faith and patience. Weak faith must be strengthened and impatience overcome so that we trust God – period – rather than believing Him for what we can get out of Him.

His goal is that we rest in Him, regardless of the circumstances, like a baby at his mother’s breast, content to be still and enjoy the closeness to his mother, and not worry about whatever is going on around him.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com