I think we find an
interesting account
of Jesus going to the temple and taking the scroll of
Isaiah and reading from it. I find it interesting because most carpenter sons
could not read and usually only those educated in the scriptures were allowed
to read from the scrolls.
of Jesus going to the temple and taking the scroll of
Isaiah and reading from it. I find it interesting because most carpenter sons
could not read and usually only those educated in the scriptures were allowed
to read from the scrolls.
Let’s look at that account.
Luke 4: 17
and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found
the place where it is written: 18 ”The
Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news
to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery
of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
20 When 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. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled
in your hearing.”
hearing.”
John 14: 12
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto
my Father.
These
two scriptures point out Jesus’ and our mission.
So
I ask why isn’t the
church healing more people?, freeing captives? Restoring the sight of the sight
of the blind?
captives? Restoring the sight of the sight
of the blind?
Before we answer this question Let’s consider a few questions:
Do you
believe 1 Corinthians 6: 19? You should know that your
body is a temple[a] for the Holy Spirit
that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves.
body is a temple[a] for the Holy Spirit
that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves.
Do you believe 1 Corinthians 3: 16 You should know
that you yourselves are God’s temple.[a] God’s Spirit lives in you.
Do you believe Luke 17: 21? People will not say, ‘Look, God’s kingdom is here!’ or ‘There it is!’ No, God’s
kingdom is here with you.
not say, ‘Look, God’s kingdom is here!’ or ‘There it is!’ No, God’s
kingdom is here with you.
Do you believe 2 Corinthians 13: 5?
2 Corinthians 13: 5 Look closely at
yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith. Don’t you
realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Of course, if you fail the test, he is not
in you.
Finally, Do you believe 1 John 4:
4? My dear children, you belong to God, so you have already defeated these false prophets. That’s because the one who is in you is
greater than the one who is in the world.
defeated these false prophets. That’s because the one who is in you is
greater than the one who is in the world.
I believe most of us would answered yes to those questions but I wonder
do we really deep in our hearts believe those apply to us personally. I wonder that
because I often do not see the church being very effective at doing what Jesus
said we would be doing.
to us personally. I wonder that
because I often do not see the church being very effective at doing what Jesus
said we would be doing.
Why isn’t the church healing more people?, freeing captives? Restoring
the sight of the sight of the blind? I believe the answer is found in:
? I believe the answer is found in:
Mark 4:35-41 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let
us go over to the other side.” Leaving
the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were
also other boats with him. A
furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was
nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
with him. A
furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was
nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.
The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet!
Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you
still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each
other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Another account of this event is found in Matthew 8: 23-26
of this event is found in Matthew 8: 23-26
I believe what we discover in these verses is the disciples reacted and
Jesus responded to the storm from different realities. Look at the account
again.
in these verses is the disciples reacted and
Jesus responded to the storm from different realities. Look at the account
again.