Tag Archives: healed

Joyful Generosity

Christian Life, , ,

JOYFUL GENEROSITY

“The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God. They recognised him as the one who sat begging at the Temple’s Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing.

“The man threw his arms around Peter and John, ecstatic. All the people ran up to where they were at Solomon’s Porch to see it for themselves.” Acts 3:9-11 (The Message).

What a commotion! What a sensation! The healed beggar was certainly creating enough noise to attract the attention of the worshippers in the Temple.

The Healer had come and gone and life in Jerusalem had settled down to business as usual. There was this new sect that had arisen around Him but they seemed quite harmless. They were joyful and generous, doing life together, sharing their resources, spending a lot of time with their leaders and just generally being pleasant to be around. They weren’t militant. They were no activists, stirring up trouble, and the people of the city had grown used to them.

Now this! A man crippled from birth, a familiar face at the gate of the Temple, suddenly gets up and walks. And, what’s more, two of Jesus’ disciples are in the mix and, mysteriously, the name of Jesus of Nazareth had reappears as the one responsible for this miracle.

The beggar’s reaction got the attention of the people. People are the same everywhere, curious, inquisitive; any commotion is sure to draw a crowd. This is not what the disciples intended. They were not out to get attention. Their action was purely out of compassion for the crippled man. What happened next was more than they bargained for.

The crippled man’s actions were quite amusing. He went “ballistic”! Wouldn’t you? He had never walked. His legs were shrivelled and weak from lack of exercise. He had always viewed life from ground level. He had always been treated with pity or contempt. He always depended on others for help. There was no wheel chair to get him around. Wherever he was dumped for the day, he had to stay put. What a life! One shudders to think about everyday things like going to the toilet, or washing his hands.

In an instant everything changed for him. A new and unfamiliar life had begun. He was walking — it was that simple and yet it opened up a whole new life of learning and possibility.

That’s what Jesus does. It’s not always about a physical miracle, though He does that too. Jesus is about setting people free. It’s His passion. There are many ways in which we are held captive to a life that has only one perspective, ourselves. We are crippled by bitterness, unforgiveness, small-mindedness, selfishness, greed, anger, guilt, shame, fear, everything that robs us of the freedom to realise our potential as beloved children of God.

He came to reconcile us to the Father so that we can enjoy freedom from the crippling enslavement to ourselves that robs us of really living. Living is about loving others for God’s sake. Only Jesus can set us free from loving ourselves for our sake into the same life of joyful generosity that Peter and John were living.

It takes a miracle to do that!

Let Them Be, Even In This

Christian Life, , , ,

LET THEM BE, EVEN IN THIS

“No sooner were the words out of His mouth than a crowd showed up, Judas, the one from the Twelve, in the lead. He came right up to Jesus to kiss Him. Jesus said, ‘Judas, you would betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’

When those with Him saw what was happening, they said, ‘Master, shall we fight?’ One of them took a swing at the Chief Priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.

Jesus said, ‘Let them be. Even in this.’ Then touching the servant’s ear, He healed him.” Luke 22:47-51 (The Message).

Picture the scene. A mob, led by Judas, one of Jesus’ followers, moves menacingly towards Jesus, brandishing swords and clubs. Luke does not mention who was in charge. John tells us that there were soldiers and officials from among the crowd, sent by the chief priests to arrest Him.

Instead of slinking away into the darkness among the tress, Jesus steps forward to meet them. Judas has a pre-arranged signal – ‘the one I kiss’ – to identify Him. A gentle rebuke from Jesus, ‘Judas, you would betray the Son of Man with a kiss?’ does not even touch his hardened heart. How bizarre that Judas would choose a greeting of affection to show the soldiers whom to grab. This was surely an idea straight from Satan whom Luke said had taken possession of him.

The disciples react in a typically human way. “Boys, let’s fight.” Their entire disciple training to be followers of Jesus and to wear the Rabbi’s yoke goes straight out of the window. What happened to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” and, “Turn the other cheek”? They are in no apparent danger. The soldiers are only interested in Jesus.

One of the disciples, the ever-impulsive Peter, lashes out with his sword – slicing off the ear of the one nearest to him. It happens to be Malchus, a high-ranking servant of the high priest. Now there’s going to be trouble! That action immediately involves the disciples and puts them in danger of arrest along with Jesus.

In the midst of the tumult, Jesus keeps His cool and remains who He is, the Son of Man and the Son of God. He stands as God’s representative and does what His Father does – restores the man’s severed ear.

What would Malchus remember of that whole incident when he lay in bed that night? Would he ever forget the face of the man they arrested as a criminal, the man who reattached his ear and miraculously stopped the pain and bleeding, in the middle of His own crisis? Would he ever understand the words and attitude of Jesus – “‘Let them be. Even in this'”? Six simple words in a paraphrase version, but loaded with significance!

Jesus had once informed His opponents, ‘No one takes my life from me. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it up again. This was given to me by my Father.’ In that statement He pulls the rug from under His enemies’ feet. They may think that they are in charge but they cannot do a thing to Him without His Father’s permission and His submission.

His statement also clearly indicates who takes responsibility for His arrest, trial and crucifixion – all those who were implicated in the event. This is a perfect example of God’s sovereignty working together with man’s responsibility. Our little brains will never be able to work out how He did it.

It was God’s plan, devised before the foundation of the world, working perfectly to effect man’s salvation but implemented through man’s wickedness so that God’s glory – His disposition of compassion and mercy, could be put on display. Wow!