Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 16: 21-28 Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

When Jesus says this, he has just made the ringing pronouncement, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The name “Simon” means someone who hears; however, here, Jesus refers to Simon as Peter, a rock, indicating that one who hears has now become a rock with solid faith. But if Peter is such a rock of faith, why is he rebuking Jesus?

Sometimes our families and friends might be the biggest hindrances to our calling as disciples. When Jesus makes this startling announcement to his disciples, they are horrified! Surely the Messiah is not going to be killed but will enter Jerusalem triumphantly. Have they all followed Jesus for nothing? What might happen to them? After all the sufferings and all the sacrifices, will their decision to join Jesus result in a quick and painful death?

As the least inhibited and most forward of the disciples, Peter naturally feels it’s his duty to take Jesus off into a quiet corner and try to change his mind. But Jesus’ answer is a shocking one, for he implies that by this rebuke, Peter is doing the work of Satan. Peter is horrified; how can Jesus possibly say such a thing? Peter is only trying to talk common sense into Jesus, for goodness’ sake. But far from accepting Peter’s rebuke, Jesus continues to explain his position even further.

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Just in case any of the disciples is still deceived about how easy a time he will have following Jesus, these statements should stop him in his tracks. The phrase “take up his cross” refers to criminals on their way to crucifixion. These wretched individuals are forced to carry the cross piece of their crosses as a form of pre-crucifixion punishment. Here Jesus is implying that he will die by crucifixion and that anyone following him must be prepared to die also.

Jesus wants his disciples to realize the full cost of their discipleship, so that later they won’t complain that nobody ever warned them. But Jesus also wants the disciples to know that there are eternal rewards for following him. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it… For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

The big question for all of us as disciples is this: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”  There is literally nothing that we can possibly give that will buy back our souls if we have squandered them. There is a story told about a very wealthy man who died. Someone was asking, “What did he leave behind?” The answer came quickly, “Everything!”

No matter how prestigious our professions, no matter how much wealth we have amassed, how many honors we have gained, or how important we have been in life, one day we will die. On that day, all of those material things will disappear, and we will be left with one simple question: Who do you say Jesus is? If we have followed Jesus all of our lives, we know that we will be with him when we die because we have worshiped Jesus as the Son of God. But if we have worshiped money or wealthy or fame or any other created thing, we will find ourselves standing before the judgment seat of God while he tells us, “Depart from me! I never knew you!”

The only time we have is today, this very moment. Why not take the opportunity to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord and become a disciple? The rewards are heavenly.

PRAYER: Father God, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we can do is good enough for us to earn our way into heaven. We thank You for sending Jesus, Your son, to die for our sins. Please forgive our sins and help us to follow You all the days of our lives, trusting that our sins are forgiven because Jesus has made the ultimate sacrifice for them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 16:13-20 Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.”

Unless you know exactly where Jesus and the disciples were when Jesus made this announcement, you won’t completely understand it. Ray Vander Laan in his excellent teaching That the World May Know says this about Caesarea Philippi:

City of Pagans

Caesarea Philippi, which stood in a lush area near the foot of Mount Hermon, was a city dominated by immoral activities and pagan worship.

Caesarea Philippi stood only twenty-five miles from the religious communities of Galilee. But the city’s religious practices were vastly different from those of the nearby Jewish towns.

In Old Testament times, the northeastern area of Israel became a center for Baal worship. In the nearby city of Dan, Israelite king Jeroboam built the high place that angered God and eventually led the Israelites to worship false gods. Eventually, worship of the baals was replaced with worship of Greek fertility gods.

Caesarea Philippi, which stood in a lush area near the foot of Mount Hermon, became the religious center for worship of the Greek god, Pan. The Greeks named the city Panias in his honor.

Years later, when Romans conquered the territory, Herod Philip rebuilt the city and named it after himself. But Caesarea Philippi continued to focus on worship of Greek gods. In the cliff that stood above the city, local people built shrines and temples to Pan.

Interestingly, Jesus chose to deliver a sort of “graduation speech” to his disciples at Caesarea Philippi. In that pagan setting, he encouraged his disciples to build a church that would overcome the worst evils.

The Gates of Hell

To the pagan mind, the cave at Caesarea Philippi created a gate to the underworld, where fertility gods lived during the winter. They committed detestable acts to worship these false gods.

Caesarea Philippi’s location was especially unique because it stood at the base of a cliff where spring water flowed. At one time, the water ran directly from the mouth of a cave set in the bottom of the cliff.

The pagans of Jesus’ day commonly believed that their fertility gods lived in the underworld during the winter and returned to earth each spring. They saw water as a symbol of the underworld and thought that their gods traveled to and from that world through caves.

To the pagan mind, then, the cave and spring water at Caesarea Philippi created a gate to the underworld. They believed that their city was literally at the gates of the underworld, the gates of hell. In order to entice the return of their god, Pan, each year, the people of Caesarea Philippi engaged in horrible deeds, including prostitution and sexual interaction between humans and goats.

When Jesus brought his disciples to the area, they must have been shocked. Caesarea Philippi was like a red-light district in their world and devout Jews would have avoided any contact with the despicable acts committed there. It was a city of people eagerly knocking on the doors of hell.

Jesus’ Challenge

Jesus presented a clear challenge with his words at Caesarea Philippi: He didn’t want his followers hiding from evil: He wanted them to storm the gates of hell.

Standing near the pagan temples of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples “Who do you say that I am?” Peter boldly replied, “You are the Son of the living God.” The disciples were probably stirred by the contrast between Jesus, the true and living God, and the false hopes of the pagans who trusted in “dead” gods.

Jesus continued, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (see Matt. 16:13-20).

Though Christian traditions debate the theological meaning of those words, it seems clear that Jesus? words also had symbolic meaning. His church would be built on the “rock” of Caesarea Philippi, a rock literally filled with niches for pagan idols, where ungodly values dominated.

Gates were defensive structures in the ancient world. By saying that the gates of hell would not overcome, Jesus suggested that those gates were going to be attacked.

Standing as they were at a literal “Gate of Hades,” the disciples may have been overwhelmed by Jesus’ challenge. They had studied under their rabbi for several years, and now he was commissioning them to a huge task: to attack evil, and to build the church on the very places that were most filled with moral corruption.

Jesus presented a clear challenge with his words at Caesarea Philippi: He didn’t want his followers hiding from evil: He wanted them to storm the gates of hell.

Not Ashamed

Jesus’ followers cannot successfully confront evil when we are embarrassed about our faith.

After Jesus spoke to his disciples about storming the gates of hell, he also gave them another word of caution: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory” (Luke 9:26).

Jesus knew that his followers would face ridicule and anger as they tried to confront evil. And his words came as a sharp challenge: no matter how fierce the resistance, his followers should never hide their faith in God.

Jesus taught with passion, even when bystanders may have thought him a fool. And at Caesarea Philippi, he challenged everyone within hearing: “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very soul?” (v. 25).

In a city filled with false idols, Jesus asked his followers to commit to the one true God. While false gods promised prosperity and happiness, they would ultimately fail to deliver. Jesus didn’t promise an easy life, but he delivered on the promise of salvation; the only kind of prosperity that really matters.

Today, Christians must heed the words of our Rabbi, especially when we are tempted to hide our faith because of embarrassment or fear. Our world is filled with those who have “gained the world” but lost their souls. If we hide our faith, they may never find the salvation they need.

On the offense

As we listen to Jesus’ challenge today, we as Christians should ask ourselves the important question: When it comes to the battle against evil, are we on defense or offense?

In a culture that embraces diversity, it is offensive to suggest that there are certain truths that apply to everyone. Pointing out sin isn’t popular and many Christians are labeled as “intolerant” for refusing to accept certain behaviors and ideas.

Unfortunately, many people have embraced a distorted Christianity that tries to be “politically correct.” They don’t want to offend anyone, so they accept sin rather than confronting it. Ultimately, their words of “love” ring empty because they accept sins that ruin people’s lives.

Other Christians just try to avoid sinful culture altogether. They have been taught to go on the defense, to hide in their churches, schools, and homes and to shut the door on the evil influences of culture.

But Jesus challenged his followers to be on the offense, to proclaim the truth without shame.

Our schools and churches should become staging areas rather than fortresses; places that equip God’s people to confront a sinful world instead of hiding from it. Jesus knows that the pagan world will resist, but he challenges us to go there anyway, and to build his church in those very places that are most morally decayed.

As we listen to Jesus’ challenge today, we as Christians should ask ourselves the important question: Are we on defense or offense? https://www.thattheworldmayknow.com/gates-of-hell-article

I encourage you to check out Vander Laan’s web site as well as the excellent set of teachings embodied in his series That the World May Know.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to learn to know You and then to take that knowledge to a hurting world, to build Your temples right where Satan dwells. Keep us from fear and help us, so that our churches will be staging areas rather than fortresses. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 16:1-12 The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

“Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” 

And He left them and departed. Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”

But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Well, the religious professionals are at it again! This time, these oily guys sidle up to Jesus and say, “Rabbi, if you’re so great, show us a sign from heaven.” Sounds good, right? But Jesus has already been doing miracles, so where do these people think the miracles are coming from? Demon-possessed people are clothed and mentally sound, while the lame, the maimed, the deaf and mute and the blind are freed from their afflictions. If these healings aren’t coming from heaven, where are they coming from? How could such miracles possibly benefit Satan?

Jesus knows these men are only trying to boost their standing in the community and have no real interest in seeking God. The Pharisees and Sadducees might disagree about whether people will go to heaven or simply die and disappear forever, but they have no problems attacking an upstart who appears to threaten their position as religious experts. These men are not interested in truth but are trouble-makers.

What does leaven symbolize in the Bible? Gotquestions.org says this: The Bible mentions leaven, or yeast, in several contexts. In some contexts, the reference to leaven is obviously literal; in other contexts, leaven takes on symbolic connotations.

Leaven causes dough to rise, but the process takes time. The Israelites, when God freed them from captivity in Egypt, had no time to spare, so, in their haste, they baked and ate flat (unleavened) bread for their journey: “With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves” (Exodus 12:39).

To commemorate of His deliverance from Egypt, God instructed the Israelites to celebrate a week of feasting following the Passover Day (the 14th day of the 1st month on the Jewish calendar). This was called the “Feast of Unleavened Bread.” During that time the Israelites were commanded to remove all leaven from their houses and eat no bread that contained leaven (Exodus 12:15; 13:6–7).

Elsewhere in the Mosaic Law, leaven represents sin or corruption. The law forbade grain offerings made with leaven (Leviticus 2:11). In fact, no yeast was allowed to be burned on the altar in any sacrifice. The grain offering for Aaron and his sons (the priests) was also not to contain leaven and was to be eaten in a holy place (Leviticus 6:17).

Leaven is also mentioned in the New Testament. In Matthew 16:6–12, Jesus compared the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians to leaven. The Pharisees had come to Jesus to test Him (verse 1), but Jesus perceived their true intent and the state of their hearts. He later warned His disciples against being taken in by their teachings (verse 12), which He compared to leaven. A small portion of the “leaven” of falsehood can permeate a person’s heart and mind. In Luke 12:1 Jesus specifies that the leaven of the Pharisees is “hypocrisy.” Having a show of piety, without true holiness, is like leaven in that it gradually increases and spreads corruption, puffing up a person with vanity. Lies and hypocrisy can poison one’s whole character.

Paul warned the church at Corinth against tolerating sin in their midst, using leaven as a metaphor (1 Corinthians 5:1–8). There was a man in the church who was guilty of sexual immorality. Paul told them to remove the man from their fellowship because, like leaven, his influence would permeate the whole church. “Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?” Paul asks (verse 6). Then he points them to the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread: “Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (verse 7)…”
https://www.gotquestions.org/leaven-in-the-Bible.html

In Egypt, leaven was used to brew beer. Throughout the Bible, leaven frequently is used as a symbol of something small that can corrupt everything. Why should disciples worry about leaven? 1 John 2:15-17 says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

How easy is it to imbibe our surrounding culture without even realizing it? Two generations ago, most people attending church would dress in their very best; these days, jeans and brief cut-off shorts are a common sight. Young women may wear low-cut dresses with very short skirts. One famous Ghanaian musician has stopped singing during the offerings when people come to the front of the church because women are wearing such low-cut dresses that he is distracted from worshiping the Lord. Will God love us no matter how we dress? Certainly. But when we dress to please only ourselves without a thought for the impact on others, there may be unexpected consequences. Those wishing to share the Gospel with Muslim friends and neighbors find themselves struggling to explain why Christian young people are dressing in a provocative fashion while Muslim young people are dressing modestly.

Am I against anyone looking attractive? Absolutely not! But there are many ways to look attractive while still dressing modestly. The question is this: Are we dressing to glorify God or to attract members of the opposite sex? We cannot claim to be disciples if we want God to give us a pass when we go to the closet or the dresser to select our clothing.

How pure is our speech? How many times a day do we say “Oh my God” or “OMG,” as if the abbreviation would make it more acceptable? What TV shows or videos are we watching? What are the lyrics in the music that entertains us? What is the spiritual effect of such music?

Several years ago, we lived in an apartment in New Orleans that had an evil presence. When we came home, it would take several hours before the evil presence would leave. We tried leaving the radio tuned to classical music that simply entertained the demons. The same thing held true when we left the radio tuned to Christian stations that played contemporary Christian music. But when we found an African American station that featured old time hymns and a great deal of preaching about the blood of Jesus, we could return to a spiritually clean house. It’s the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from sin and it’s teaching about the blood that routs demons.

Jesus warned his disciples to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees because it gave the appearance of holiness but would lead people into mindlessly following a minute set of rules that could draw them further away from God, rather than closer to Him. The same pitfall still exists for disciples today. Once we become disciples, we must still beware of leaven.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You and to surrender all of our lives to You including the way we dress, the music and movies that entertain us, our manner of speech, and the way we present ourselves in public. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 15:32-39 Feeding the Four Thousand

“Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?”

Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?”

And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.”

So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.”

Well, it’s been an exhilarating and exhausting three days of ministry as Jesus has healed all those coming to him. But the food people have brought with them is finished, and many of them are so hungry that if they leave for home now, they will collapse. Naturally, the disciples are unhappy! “Master, have you LOOKED at the number of people! You have 4,000 men plus women and children. There must be nearly 10,000 people sitting out there on the hillside! Where can we possibly get enough food for such a mob?”

You really can’t blame the disciples; these are practical men who know how much a hungry crowd can eat. It’s not that the disciples don’t care, but they really have no idea what to do in such a situation. But Jesus isn’t worried because he already knows how he will handle it.

“Peter, what food do you have?” Jesus asks. “Well, we have seven loaves and a few fish, but they’re awfully small,” Peter answers. “No problem,” Jesus says, “Just have people sit down and hand me the bread and the fish.” As the crowd sits on the stony ground, Jesus blesses the bread and the fish and then gives the baskets to his disciples. The disciples begin distributing the bread and the fish, but a marvelous thing happens. As soon as one loaf of bread is finished, another appears in its place. The same thing happens with the fish. Even when some people in the crowd are demanding second helpings, there is still sufficient food to care for them. By the time the feeding is completed, there are still seven large baskets full of fragments left. The disciples are exhausted but happy-now they too can eat, and there will be food for the next few days as well.

We read these miracle stories and wonder if God really does this stuff. Yes, He does. In the fall of 1980, I was interviewing for pediatric surgery, and the airfares took most of my free money. I had bought dry supplies back in August, but now it was October. One night I realized that I should have run out of flour, beans, etc., some time ago but that I had not. The level of the supplies in my cannisters was still only half-way down. That’s when I realized that God was up to something. During this time, I was paying tithes at church and supporting an orphan through World Vision. I was not wasting money on myself. God continued to replenish my food stores until I had completed interviewing and was no longer paying for transportation.

One pastor friend told of how his wife and he made it back from Mississippi all the way to Charleston, WV, on one tank of gas, despite the fact that they should have filled two or three times. Another pastor’s wife told of having nothing in the house but some dried beans and a ham bone. When this lady cooked the beans and the ham bone together, there were large pieces of ham in the stew pot, even though the ham bone had been bare when she put it into the pot.

Notice the conditions for this miracle: The disciples were carrying out their normal duties, and the crowd had done nothing wrong but were following Jesus because they wanted to see him do miracles and because they needed help. Nobody was trying to gain anything from this situation, apart from healing and deliverance. Nobody had failed to plan; events simply overtook the crowd. It’s likely that those people had carried food with them, but three days is enough to exhaust any supplies they might have carried.

God steps in when we are doing His will. Are there ever times when God will deliver even if we have failed to plan or have planned badly? Yes. Sometimes God is merciful and delivers us from our own foolishness. The key concept here is that we look to God and not to ourselves.

This does not mean that God blesses poor planning or wastage of resources. Back when VCR’s were new and very expensive, one pastor friend spent the money from an unexpected windfall on a fancy VCR, only to need expensive dental work later in the week. God intended that windfall to cover the dental work, not something frivolous.We may sometimes find ourselves in difficult circumstances of our own making; but even then, God will deliver us when we humble ourselves and ask Him for help. May God help us to trust Him as we minister, so that we will work fearlessly!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust that when You guide us, You will provide. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 15:21-31 A Gentile Shows Her Faith

“Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs (puppies).” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs (puppies) eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

Talk about nuisances! All the disciples are trying to do is to protect Jesus as he goes about ministering to the Jews scattered throughout the area; meanwhile, here’s this pestilential woman who refuses to stop annoying them. So what if her daughter is severely demon-possessed? There are lots of demon-possessed people running around, throwing themselves on the ground and into fire and water. Why is this woman bothering? She isn’t even Jewish, for goodness’ sake. Obviously, Jesus doesn’t want to bother with this lady or he would already have granted her request and healed her daughter.

But this desperate lady refuses to shut up or give up. Jesus has healed other demoniacs, and surely, he can also help her daughter. Finally, the disciples go to Jesus, demanding that he get rid of this lady so they can have some peace. That’s when the lady makes it through the crowd of gate-keeping disciples to Jesus. Initially, Jesus also tells her that he was only sent to the Jews; however, this lady is persistent. When Jesus quotes a local saying about not giving the children’s bread to the dogs, she swiftly responds by reminding him that puppies still allowed to sit under the table to eat any crumbs dropped by the children. Jesus throws back his head and laughs as he assures this woman that her daughter is being healed that instant because of her faith.

Why does Matthew tell this story? Nowhere else do we read that Jesus ever limits himself to working miracles for the Jews. Many of the people of Gennesaret are not Jewish; yet, Jesus heals everybody who touches the tassels of his talith. In the story that follows next, Jesus never makes any racial distinctions as he heals all those who come to him. Perhaps Matthew tells this story just because Jesus tries this lady’s faith to demonstrate the depth of her belief to the disciples and to expand their vision. The One True Living God never intended that He would only limit himself to the Jews, but that Israel was to become a shining light to the nations of what could happen if a people would believe in Him and honor and worship Him. But the Jews failed in their assignment as they wandered into idolatry, resulting in the Babylonians and Assyrians killing them or carrying them off into captivity. Through the years, the Jews have become proud of being true worshipers of Yahweh without considering why God has chosen Israel in the first place.

When Jesus speaks with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that “God so loved the world that he gave his only son.” If that is the case, why is Jesus telling this woman that he has only been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel? Is Jesus saying this to test the faith of the woman or to echo what the disciples are already thinking or both? Perhaps Jesus has allowed this particular incident to take place so that after his death and resurrection, the disciples will come to realize that the scope of their ministry is far broader than they have imagined. Jesus also wants the disciples to know that they cannot schedule ministry but that ministry will simply happen as God brings people to them, whether or not it is convenient or fits their prejudices. If the disciples are bothered by this woman, they won’t believe what’s about to happen.

Jesus Heals Great Multitudes

“Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.”

All Jesus wants is some quiet time to pray and to instruct his disciples, so he leaves for a deserted place on one of the small mountains overlooking the Sea of Galilee. But at this point, Jesus can’t go anywhere without people tracing his path and following him.

As soon as Jesus sits down on a rocky elevation, hordes of people swarm the area. The noise of their voices sounds louder than a storm on the lake. The disciples look helplessly at Jesus, asking what they should do. Jesus looks at the crowd and orders the disciples to have people pass by one by one. As people pass, Jesus heals them. Whether the need is physical, spiritual, or both, Jesus heals all who are coming to him. As the healings commence, now cries of joy and gratitude echo off the mountainside while those watching are cheering, entranced by what they are witnessing. It’s a wild scene as tongues that have never worked from birth are loosened, causing their owners to shout and sing, shriveled limbs are restored while their owners wave them around, previously lame people are jumping and dancing, and previously blind people are shouting, “I can see! I can see! I can see!” Praise swells from the multitude as they cry out, “Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam!”  “Blessed be the God of Israel! Blessed be the Lord God of the Universe who heals all our diseases!”

Peter shouts in Jesus’ ear, “Master, are you going to try to teach anything today?” Jesus smiles and shouts back, “How can I? Today is a day for healing and deliverance and rejoicing and celebration! I’ll teach some other time.” Jesus knows what the disciples do not, namely, that ministry happens in God’s timing and not in man’s.

My husband Bob was once entering a restaurant, intent on collecting a cup of coffee and going on to other errands when he encountered a friend who needed to talk. Bob turned around, sat down with the man, and began counseling him. That was the day that man entered the Kingdom as a new believer. Bob could have ignored the nudge of the Holy Spirit and could have gone on about his business… but it wouldn’t have been God’s business.

As disciples, our time is not our own, no matter how we might wish it to be. Being a disciple means being available to God whether or not you feel like it or whether or not it fits your agenda. A pastor friend once told us about being in a hospital elevator when he learned a community member had died. He left the hospital, intent on going to his car, when the Holy Spirit ordered him to return to the hospital and pray for that person. The pastor obeyed, laying hands on the man as they were sending his body to the morgue. Nobody was more shocked than that pastor when the man sat up, literally rising from the dead. The man lived for several more years, rejoicing in his salvation.

May God help us so that we are sensitive to His leading and His guidance and we respond to the Holy Spirit when He wants us to minister, rather than to our own sense of urgency about our schedules. When we do our will in God’s Name, nothing happens. But when we do God’s will in God’s Name, the results will be astounding.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen so closely to You that we will always minister when and where and to whom You want us to. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 15:1-20 Defilement Comes from Within

“Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus, you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Jesus and the disciples are about to break bread when the Pharisees swoop in, anxious to attack. As an observant Jew, Jesus would naturally wash his hands before eating, so is it possible that this time, Jesus has specifically commanded his disciples not to wash their hands to see the reaction of the Pharisees? Jesus knows that the Pharisees always have informers poised to carry stories back to them, and sure enough! As soon as Jesus’ group begins to eat with unwashed hands, here come the Pharisees as a group.

“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” Oh boy! Jesus has just been waiting for this question. The poor Pharisee who has asked is about to be thoroughly embarrassed, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!

“He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’

OUCH! Jesus has hit on a well-known fact. Everyone in the crowd can name a destitute relative of some hyper-observant Pharisee who has suffered because that Pharisee has donated to the temple to enhance his reputation rather than supporting the aged as God has intended. But Jesus has barely gotten started.

“Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”  Now the Pharisees are boiling with anger. What has happened to the Law of Moses? Between the time God gave the Law to Moses and now, a huge body of teaching has sprung up in attempts to interpret that law. There are rabbis whose sole purpose in life is to discuss these teachings, parsing them and creating even more minute regulations to observe if one is to please God. The Pharisees have become so obsessed with being R*I*G*H*T that they have forgotten to be merciful.

Now Jesus engages the crowd even further, calling them to come to him and saying, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”  

The disciples can see that the Pharisees are really boiling, and they are frantic. These men can have the disciples put out of the synagogues so they can never worship God there again. Jesus is really on shaky ground here. But Jesus isn’t worried; instead, he tells the disciples, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

The disciples aren’t sure they understand Jesus. Surely, Jesus can’t be criticizing the major teachers of Israel. “Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Suddenly, Jesus has moved the conversation from the purely physical to the spiritual, and now the disciples are slowly getting it. Jesus is not demanding that his disciples fail to wash their hands before eating, for they might fall sick if they do so. But Jesus wants his disciples to be aware that heart issues truly defile while physical dirt only requires soap and water for cleansing.

The temptation to behave like a Pharisee is a common one for disciples, for it is far simpler to follow a set of rules than it is to confess our sins to God and allow Him to deal with them. In this story, the Pharisees are busy creating new rules and then observing them; however, they have forgotten God’s fundamental nature as a merciful God. Overall, the Pharisaical attitude is one of harsh criticism and judgement. Charity has become a competition, particularly charity to the temple, causing Jesus to warn his disciples to give secretly without publicity.

Those of us who aspire to be disciples must also check our hearts. Are we following Jesus’ example and exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control? (Galatians 5:22-23) If we correct, do we correct gently or harshly? Galatians 6:1 tells us, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”  If the Pharisees were to follow this command, they would have asked gently, not attempting to expose or criticize.

True disciples of Jesus check their own hearts before attempting to correct anybody else. If we fail to examine ourselves, others will notice the discrepancy and refuse to accept Jesus because of our poor example. Let us remain humble, gentle, and honest!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to examine ourselves before we criticize anyone else. Help us to act guided by your Holy Spirit, not by any other spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 14:34-36 Many Touch Him and Are Made Well

^“When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.”

Mark 6:53-56 “When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.”

Gennesaret has been described this way: “It is a small plain bordering on the W shore of the Sea of Galilee between Capernaum and Magdala. The plain is about four m. long, running N and S along the sea coast, and up to about two m. wide.

The land is level, rising gently from the level of the Sea of Galilee, which is 650 ft. below the Mediterranean. Hills rise sharply on three sides. The main road from Capernaum to Tiberias runs through close to the sea shore.

During the time of Christ, this plain was the garden spot of Pal. Josephus eloquently described the beauty and fertility of the land (Jos. War III. x. 8). The soil was rich like that of the Nile delta. The climate ranges from hot to temperate. Plenty of water for irrigation was available from streams flowing out of the surrounding hills, and from several flowing springs. The land produced an abundance of wild trees and flowers, as well as important crops such as grapes, figs, olives, walnuts (Josephus), rice, wheat, vegetables, melons. The rabbis spoke of this plain as “the Garden of God” and a “paradise.” https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Gennesaret

Remember the people of Gennesaret, also called the Gergesenes? The first time Jesus and his disciples landed on their shore, they were met by two demon-possessed men who had made passage through that area impossible. Jesus cast out the demons, allowing them to enter a herd of swine, who then rushed off a cliff and into the sea, drowning themselves. The people’s response was immediate and shocking. “Then those who kept them (the swine) fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.” (Matthew 8:33-34)

Poor citizens of Gennesaret! Rather than being grateful that Jesus had cleared their area of a menace, they could only beg Jesus to leave because they were afraid of his power. But time has passed, and people have had time to think and reflect. In addition, word of Jesus’ miracles has spread from other places, and the people of Gennesaret have realized that they have made a horrible mistake. Now Jesus has returned, giving them a second chance, and they are not about to blow it.

As soon as the boat carrying Jesus touches shore, the word begins to spread throughout the area. Young people begin running throughout the whole region, alerting all those families with sick or demon-possessed members that the Jewish miracle worker has returned. People begin swarming to the market places, carrying their sick on litters, leading the blind and the deaf and dumb to sit by the main roads so that they can touch Jesus as he passes by. Even though these people are not really Jews but of mixed races, they have heard about Jesus and they know that if they can simply touch the hem of his garment, the fringes of his talith, they will be healed. And Jesus obliges, passing through the entire area so that as many people as possible can be freed from their sicknesses and their demons.

After the bitter reception given Jesus and the disciples the first time, it would be quite reasonable for Jesus to have given this place a miss, passing on to somewhere else where he had been previously welcomed. But Jesus is taking orders from God the Father, and God the Father knows that now the people of Gennesaret are spiritually ready. Even though many of these people do not actively worship the One True Living God, they have faith that Jesus can heal them, the kind of faith not seen in Nazareth, Jesus’ home town. The poor Nazarenes were so busy finding fault that they failed to realize that the long-awaited Messiah was in their midst; consequently, Jesus did only a handful of miracles in Nazareth. But now Jesus is in the Gennesaret, and things are totally different. As Jesus touches each person, the Holy Spirit also begins working in their hearts, for nobody can receive a touch from Jesus and remain unchanged. It’s possible that thousands upon thousands are receiving healing and deliverance as Jesus passes by.

As disciples, what can we learn from Jesus’ return to Gennesaret? PUSH is an acronym popular in Christian circles; it stands for Pray Until Something Happens. Many times, we might attempt to tell someone about Jesus, only to be rebuffed. But frequently the people who protest the loudest are doing so because God is working on their hearts and they are trying to resist. The lesson for us is quite clear: Keep praying! Don’t give up! Keep asking God for new opportunities to witness to those who have rebuked and refused to listen. My husband came to know Jesus because one man at his workplace kept telling him he would go to hell if he didn’t accept Jesus. Daily, this man repeated that warning, and daily my husband refused to listen…until one day when God had prepared his heart. That was the day my husband turned around and asked this man how to get the Lord in his life.

Acts 14:19-23 tells the story of how Saint Paul was stoned in the city of Lystra, but survived. Believers collected Paul and went on to other cities to preach and teach, but eventually they also returned to Lystra to strengthen the church there, and that time, there were no problems. Paul could have refused to return to Lystra, but he went there to encourage believers and as a sign that the power of God was greater than the prejudices of men.

What can we learn from these stories? Be consistent and persistent. Don’t give up! Continue to pray for those who have rejected you, for even if they continue to reject you, someone else may succeed where you have failed. Disciples must plant the seeds of the Gospel, content to allow others to follow with encouragement and further teaching. When some people complained to Paul about the ministry of Apollos, Paul answered, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-8)

May all of us aspiring to be disciples continue to follow after our Master, no matter how much rejection we face!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and to be faithful in our deeds and persistent in prayer, knowing that You are the One in charge of results. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus Walks on the Sea

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

FINALLY! Finally, Jesus is going to be able to pray by himself and hear from his Heavenly Father as to why John had to die and receive comfort from his Heavenly Father. Even while the disciples are still marveling over the miraculous feeding of thousands of people, Jesus urges them to get into the boat and begin the journey across the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus climbs up on a mountain overlooking the sea to pray and listen to God. But as Jesus is praying, he can feel the wind picking up from the east and he can hear the waves beginning to crash on the shore. The Sea of Galilee is long and narrow, and the mountains on either side form natural wind tunnels that funnel wind right onto the water, creating enormous waves that can easily swamp a small boat.

The Romans have divided the night into 3-hour long watches so that soldiers won’t fall asleep. The fourth watch is from 3 AM to 6 AM, and now the wind has really picked up and the waves are crashing over the disciples’ boat. If the winds had been favorable, the disciples would have reached the other shore by now, but they are stuck in the middle of the storm. Jesus realizes that he will have to do something to save these poor men who are only obeying his orders.

Jesus has wanted to be by himself to deal with his reaction to the death of John the Baptist. First, the crowds have made praying impossible and so Jesus has waited until night when everyone else is sleeping. Needing to be alone with God, Jesus has sent the disciples on ahead of him. But in the middle of Jesus’ prayers, he realizes that the disciples are in trouble. At this point, Jesus has a choice: continue praying or save the disciples. But if Jesus chooses to keep praying, what good are those prayers? God the Father is merciful, and Jesus must also merciful, so Jesus must decide that he has prayed enough and leave that mountain.

Jesus comes to the men by walking on the water, frightening them and inspiring awe. Peter impulsively jumps out of the boat and then has a lapse of faith, but Jesus takes his hand and lifts him back up. As soon as Jesus and Peter climb into the boat, the storm ceases. Only at this point do the disciples worship Jesus, proclaiming, “Truly, you are the Son of God!”

Crises don’t neatly schedule themselves, nor do they have the slightest regard for our sleep schedules. Times without number, I have hauled myself out of bed to operate on patients. In the years before we had a stand-by generator at the hospital, we might have to send our own small petrol generator to the hospital so we would have light in the theater (OR). As long as I am in Ghana, I can receive calls from any of the wards asking for orders or for advice. How can a disciple cope with such uncertainty? Ask God for strength and endurance. Through the years, I have prayed all kinds of “God! HELP!!!” prayers, and He has always answered and given me strength.

One aspect that is sometimes neglected by disciples is physical exercise. You cannot minister to people effectively if you don’t exercise regularly, chiefly because you won’t feel good enough to give of your best. Exercise also helps drain off the stress and results in endorphins that can boost your spirits. Periods of rest are also important. Sabbath rests allow us to recharge so that we can minister more effectively. When we are rested and refreshed, we can also respond more positively to emergencies, and for disciples of any kind, there are always emergencies. If you don’t take time to regenerate, you will feel as if “you are a Coca-Cola and everybody has a straw,” to quote one missionary’s grandfather.  

In the story, Jesus gave the disciples enough time to reach the other shore on their own before going to them at the third watch. It’s important to allow people to help themselves if they can, but it’s also important to intervene when necessary. Jesus could have given all kinds of excuses and remained on the mountain; however, he knew his Heavenly Father would not approve and therefore further prayers would be worthless. May God help us so that we can strike a balance between private devotions and public ministry!  

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to love You better each day. Help us to respond to those in need of our help, realizing that ministry is also a form of active prayer. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 14:1-21 John the Baptist Beheaded

“At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore, he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”

And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

Jesus knew it was coming. Herod Antipas, also called Herod the Tetrarch, the ruler of Galilee, was a son of Herod the Great who had ordered the death of all the babies of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. (Herod the Great died shortly after this wicked order.) Jesus’ cousin John was never shy, so when Herod Antipas insisted on taking his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, for himself, John naturally spoke out. Infuriated, Herod longed to find some excuse to put John to death, even though he realized that John was a true prophet. That excuse came during Herod’s birthday celebration.

Herodias arranged for her nubile daughter to dance before Herod as part of the birthday party. Drunk with wine and lust, Herod promised the girl to give her whatever she asked, and Herodias promptly saw a means of destroying this pestilential prophet who had dared to criticize her adultery. John was beheaded and his head brought before the entire party on a platter for the girl to give to her mother. John’s disciples collected his body and went to inform Jesus. Meanwhile, Herod shook off his drunkenness long enough to realize that he had committed a heinous crime against a holy man who had only spoken the truth. Herod was sorry, but it was too late. John was dead and Herod’s crime would become one more wicked act perpetrated by his family.

Feeding the Five Thousand

When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

When Jesus received the news of John’s death, all he wanted to do was to withdraw to some remote and quiet place so he could grieve. John was not only Jesus’ cousin, but when Jesus’ mother Mary visited John’s mother Elizabeth, John had leaped in Elizabeth’s womb as he was filled with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had been fearless and faithful to the day of his death, only begging word from Jesus after he was imprisoned to make sure that Jesus really was the Messiah and that John’s labors had not been in vain. John was the one who had baptized Jesus and who had witnessed the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove. John was the only one apart from Jesus who heard God the Father say, “This is my beloved Son., in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus and John may have met together many times to encourage each other. Now the one man who had never failed to believe in Jesus’ ministry was dead, and Jesus was hurting.

But even though Jesus and his disciples had withdrawn to a deserted and desolate area, the crowds who were watching followed them.  We don’t know if Jesus was sitting in a cave or on a hillside. All we know is that when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them and began healing their sick. At the close of the day, Jesus even fed 5,000 men plus women and children, perhaps 12,000 altogether, after multiplying five loaves of bread and two fish.

Many times, we might read the account of the miraculous multiplication of food and focus on this miracle without realizing that a greater miracle had already taken place, namely, Jesus’ willingness to minister in the face of his own grief. The demands of ministry don’t wait for us to be in excellent shape physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Many times, we might have to minister when we are sick, weak, depressed, and wrung out.

Make no mistake, many times, ministry costs dearly. A friend once asked Oral Roberts about the sacrifices he had made for his highly successful ministry. Roberts said that among others, he had had to refuse to have a normal social life so that he could spend time in prayer and Bible study. Once we say “yes” to God as disciples, we become God’s property and He gets to direct us.

In the fall of 2011, we knew my father was dying and that it was only a matter of time. We left America in September with my father’s blessing, knowing that we would never see him again this side of eternity. I begged God to allow me to close my father’s eyes when he died, even though I realized that might be impossible. At noon on December 16^th, I suddenly felt severe chest pain that lasted for 30 minutes and then left as swiftly as it had come. A few hours later, I received an email from one of my brothers informing me of Dad’s death. When I worked out the time, I realized that God had allowed me to feel the pain of Dad’s last heart attack.

Our village was remote and travel to the capital city took time, let alone arranging for plane fare back to the U.S. In addition, this event took place during the Christmas season, a time when most doctors in small district hospitals returned to their home villages, sometimes for several weeks. I was the only doctor for our hospital, and I knew people would be counting on me to handle surgical emergencies. My husband and I decided that it would honor my dad more if we were to remain at post than if we were to struggle to return to the U.S. for the funeral.

During our time in our current station, I have sometimes had to perform emergency surgeries when I was on IV antibiotics for typhoid. I have pulled cannulas out of my hand so that I could scrub my hands to operate. In 1995 when I was recovering from hepatitis, I was so weak that I had to have one of the workers pick me to the hospital on the back of a bicycle. Blessedly, nobody has ever demanded that I feed several thousand people; however, there have been times when God has had to multiply our drugs and supplies to care for our patients.

If ministry costs so much, why do it? Because the rewards are literally out of this world. Eric Liddle, the Olympic champion and missionary to China told someone that when he ran, he could feel God’s pleasure. When we are fulfilling our callings, we know we are pleasing God and things feel right. Liddle told an audience, “Many of us are missing something in life because we are after the second best, I put before you what I have found to be the best – one who is worthy of all our devotion – Jesus Christ. He is the Saviour for the young and the old. Lord, here I am.” God is faithful, and when you commit to Him, he will never leave you or forsake you. If you are called to minister when you are weak or sick or grieving, God will give you the strength to do His work, even in your weakness. Is ministry worth the cost? Absolutely!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to dedicate themselves to You, knowing that You have already bought their salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. We ask this in the precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 13: 53-58 Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

^“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” So they were offended at Him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

Until now, Jesus has been ministering all over the Galilee, using the homes of some of his disciples in Capernaum as a base of operations. Crowds in the thousands have been following Jesus everywhere he goes, to the point that he has to climb into fishing boats floating just off-shore so the people coming to hear him won’t crush him. Today he is back in Nazareth. The leaders of the synagogue are curious enough to allow him to teach, and everybody is amazed at his wisdom…but they are also perplexed and angry. What does Jesus mean by coming up with such great spiritual insights? Where does Jesus get the authority with which he teaches? 

Popular sentiment tends to support Jesus, but the “buts” start coming. “We should support Jesus because he’s a home town boy…but he is a carpenter…but…he is not from the tribe of Levi…but as far as we know, he has only had basic schooling. Sure, what Jesus is saying makes perfect sense and sure, he is giving incredible spiritual insights….but he shouldn’t be able to come up with such stuff! Where has Jesus gotten his material? Is somebody writing things for him to memorize and repeat in public? Why does Jesus think he’s so special?” The men in the crowd remember when they attended school with Jesus, and they certainly don’t have the depth of knowledge that Jesus is exhibiting.

No audience is harder to please than those with whom you’ve grown up in a small town. Generally, relatives represent an even harder audience because relatives remember when you were a naked infant crawling around on a blanket on the floor. There’s always some auntie who can regale onlookers with stories of how you spit up on her shoulder when she was burping you. Never mind that such stories have no bearing on what you have become; as far as relatives are concerned, familiarity definitely breeds contempt.

Then there’s the response from Jesus’ family members. Even though eventually many of the family are mentioned as followers, in the beginning, the family views Jesus as a major embarrassment. Frankly, Jesus’ brothers and sisters wish that he would stay home and keep  the carpenter shop going. Why does Jesus have to show off like this? Doesn’t Jesus understand his place in society?

Why is it so difficult to please a home town crowd containing many of your childhood friends and relatives? For those who have remained at home and who have not distinguished themselves in any way, a returning home town hero is proof that someone from those humble circumstances can make it big. But the corollary is this: if this person has distinguished himself/herself, why haven’t others from the same town or family done likewise? Because these people are allowing themselves to become offended at Jesus’ success, they cannot possibly accept the idea that he is the Messiah and therefore in a different class than they are. Humanity cannot possibly compete with divinity, but these people refuse to believe that Jesus can possibly be divine.

The people of Nazareth have heard about all the miracles Jesus has been doing-healing lepers, raising the dead, opening blind eyes, dumb lips, and closed ears, and restoring withered limbs to wholeness. Now these people are expecting Jesus to put on a show for them; perhaps if he does enough miracles, they MIGHT consider believing in him. But there’s a major problem: unbelief. The people of Nazareth want to be entertained, but their “knowledge” of Jesus blocks their ability to believe that he can actually work miracles. Matthew tells us, “But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

Notice something: it does not say that Jesus did not do ANY mighty works. Somewhere in the back streets of Nazareth, there were humble people who did believe, and for them, Jesus did accomplish miracles. Jesus was in his home town, knowing the lame, the blind, the deaf and dumb, and the lepers. It’s quite possible that Jesus quietly stole away from the crowd of critics to help the poor who were not offended at him. For years, Jesus had longed to make things right for these people, and now God had given him the approval to do so. While the religious leaders in town were busy organizing a meeting and considering how to get rid of Jesus, Jesus was continuing to bring the Kingdom of God to those who would receive it. You can almost see Jesus stretching out his hand, “Zacharia, come here and let me touch you. You are freed from your leprosy; go report yourself to the priests as Scripture demands. Isaac, can you hear me now? Samuel, can you see those people over there? Mariam, speak to me and tell me what you are thinking?”

The Kingdom of God is unshakable and unstoppable; only unbelief can resist the spread of the Kingdom for a short time. But just as a river will flow around an obstacle, so God’s love will continue to flow also. What does this story tell potential disciples? We must realize that we too may face opposition and unbelief from the very people who feel they know us best. We must be sure of our calling and equally sure that God is inspiring us and moving us to minister; otherwise, when our family members begin to criticize, we might be tempted to quit.

When I received the call to be a missionary in a dream at the age of eleven, nobody else in my family believed me. I learned to keep such things to myself. When we finally began preparing for the mission field, close relatives demanded to know why we couldn’t just do good works at home rather than leaving for Africa. When God had us give away a car to a family who really needed it just as we were about to return to Ghana, my father demanded to know why we didn’t sell the vehicle to raise extra money. We could only answer that God had ordered us to give away the vehicle.

Those who become disciples in Muslim countries have a much worse time. Relatives may kill such people and boast about it, feeling that they are heroes of their faith. Being a disciple is not for the faint-hearted. No matter where you are, you must be sure of your calling.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives, refusing to listen to critics who want us to abandon Your call. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.