Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 12:38-45 The Scribes and Pharisees Ask for a Sign

”Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”

But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”

An Unclean Spirit Returns

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus has been moving throughout cities and towns healing people, delivering them from demons, and preaching the good news of the Kingdom. The Pharisees pride themselves on their knowledge of scripture, and yet they are ignoring the Messianic prophecies, particularly Isaiah 35, which tells us, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”

Jesus has just healed a man who was deaf, mute, and demon-possessed and this is only the latest of thousands of healings. The villages are full of stories about the miracles Jesus has performed; yet, the Pharisees are still demanding more signs. What do these men want anyway?  

Jesus describes these men as “an evil and adulterous generation” because they are more absorbed in religious rituals than they are in seeking God. These men have been seduced by the belief that they are operating on a different spiritual plane than those around them and they are now serving a god of religion rather than the One True Living God. (Not all the religious leaders are this deceived. Throughout the Gospels, there are mentions of religious leaders who secretly follow Jesus but refuse to come out openly for fear of ostracism.)

In Matthew 11:16-17 Jesus has already derided these men for their ridiculous lack of logic.“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.’

Jesus knows that there is no sign that these men will accept; however, he foretells his death and resurrection by mentioning the story of Jonah. “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” 

Jesus goes on to rebuke the Pharisees for their spiritual blindness. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”  Nowhere in the Book of Jonah does it indicate that Jonah performed any miracles; all Jonah did was to walk through Nineveh crying out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”  Such a simple message, and yet the entire city of Nineveh repented in sackcloth and ashes and fasting. King Solomon never performed a single miracle; yet, the Queen of Sheba traveled long distances to hear his wisdom.

Spiritual blindness can lead to far worse consequences. “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus has come and has ministered. Those who truly continue in the Holy Spirit will be safe; however, those who have witnessed the miracles simply as entertainment and who have not undergone a spiritual awakening will become progressively more spiritually confused.

What about us? Sometimes people demand that God should prove Himself by saying, “Oh if God really exists, why doesn’t He______________?” God has already given us Jesus, but as with the Pharisees, there are those who have already seen signs and still demand more anyway. And then those who have begun as atheists and wound up as Christians upon closely studying Jesus.

Years ago, Josh McDowell published a book entitled Evidence that Demands a Verdict. This book was later updated in 2017. One reviewer says: “It is the stated goal of the book to offer such an abundance of evidence in favor of the claims of Christ that people will see that they must come to a verdict – they must decide what they will do with Jesus.”  Lee Strobel was a tough-minded journalist when he began investigating claims about Jesus. Strobel came to faith and wrote The Case for Christ. Decades earlier, Chuck Colson was a top Washington lawyer who was imprisoned for his part in the Watergate coverups. While in prison, Colson read C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity. The logical arguments put forth by Lewis so convinced Colson that he became a Christian and founded Prison Fellowship.

Why not try Jesus? You can pray and ask Jesus to make himself real to you and he will do so.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, many of us are confused and not sure which way to go. We want to believe in you, but we really aren’t sure you exist or that you work today as you did two thousand years ago. Will you please make yourself real to us and show us that you really are there and you really do hear our prayers? Amen

Matthew 12: 31-37
The Unpardonable Sin
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

A Tree Known by Its Fruit
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood (offspring) of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus is continuing his confrontation with the Pharisees after they have accused him of casting out demons by employing Satanic power. Blinded by prejudice, the Pharisees refuse to recognize that the Holy Spirit exists, let alone that Jesus is working by the power of the Holy Spirit. As far as the Pharisees are concerned, there is only one God; for them, the Holy Spirit is a complete unknown factor. When Jesus speaks about the Holy Spirit, he might as well be speaking a foreign language. After all, Jesus is the Messiah that the Pharisees have supposedly been anticipating, and they have failed to recognize him because he has not met their expectations. If the Pharisees cannot recognize Jesus as Messiah when he stands before them, they certainly will not understand that the Holy Spirit exists.

Why is speaking against the Holy Spirit the unpardonable sin? It is by the Holy Spirit that God works in the hearts of men. When Jesus sends out disciples to minister, he lays hands on them, imparting the Holy Spirit to them, so that their ministry will be effective. Later, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends on 120 believers in an upper room in Jerusalem and subsequently comes to thousands of new believers as they are prayed for. Up to today, those ministering must work in the power of the Holy Spirit or their ministry is in vain. Speaking against the Holy Spirit is in effect rejecting God.

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” Jesus has just healed a demon-possessed man who is blind and mute. Now Jesus is effectively asking the Pharisees, “Is what I have just done a good thing or a bad thing?” What can the Pharisees possibly say? Obviously, the man is now healed, whole, and free from demons, a result to be duly desired. On the other hand, the Pharisees are furious that Jesus is getting such wonderful results while they have nothing to show for centuries of relentless pursuit of rules and regulations. Can it possibly be-gasp!-that the Pharisees have been wrong and that there’s more to God than they have been willing to believe?

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Now the Pharisees are really angry! While they have been muttering curses and imprecations, Jesus has continued to heal people. Does this mean that they are evil? But the Pharisees have done everything correctly! Surely that must count for something….or does it?

Now we step out of the scene between Jesus and the Pharisees to examine ourselves. First, a question: How careful are we about our speech? Do we take God’s name in vain each time we say, “Oh my God!” or text OMG to someone? When we speak, are we speaking blessings on people, or are we complaining and criticizing? Lately, God has been convicting me that anytime I begin to criticize someone, I should immediately pray for their salvation and for God’s blessings on them instead. If we truly believe that only God knows the human heart, how can we pass judgement on others?

What kind of fruit are we bearing? Are people glad and happy to be with us, or are they relieved when they escape us? In an earlier age, there were those described as being men and women of good will. We can recognize such people, for we feel better whenever we are with them. Are we people of good will? Are we exhibiting the love of Jesus? Are we concerned about those around us, or are we only concerned about their opinion of us?

Nels Carlson was one of my great grandfathers who came from a poor area of southern Sweden and eventually succeeded in owning his own small farm. Nels also taught Sunday School at a local Lutheran church, and when I was small, some of Nels’ former Sunday School students were still living in the community. Remarkably, as soon as I would mention Nels’ name to these people, they would get a dreamy look in their eyes. “Oh, Nels!” these people would say. “What a wonderful man! How much he loved us!” Decades after Nels’ death, those who had been his Sunday School students still remembered him and loved him for the love he had given them. Those people might not have remembered the particulars of the Sunday School lessons, but the love still shone through.

As disciples, what does our fruit look like? An old hymn speaks of “Sowing seeds of kindness.” Are we sowing seeds of kindness that bless people and point them toward Jesus? If not, why not?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to bear good fruit and to work under the anointing of Your Holy Spirit. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 12: A House Divided Cannot Stand

“Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

Well, Jesus is at it again! Now he is healing a man who is demon-possessed, blind, and mute. Predictably, the Pharisees are infuriated. How dare this man do all these miracles? Unable to recognize that Jesus is the Messiah and carrying out the Messiah’s tasks, these critics conclude that Jesus must be a tool of the devil. But why should anybody working for the devil cast demons out of someone? Surely it would make more sense if such a person would increase the number of demons, rendering the man completely paralyzed as well as being blind and mute. And there’s another thing: even at this time, there are itinerant healers who go about attempting to cast out demons and sometimes succeeding. Where is the power coming from for these exorcisms?

Such thinking on the part of the Pharisees clearly demonstrates that once someone puts on prejudicial glasses, truth becomes irrelevant. Despite such short-sighted thinking, Jesus persists in attempting to teach everyone including the Pharisees. “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges… Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. ”

Jesus fully recognizes that Satan rules over an extensive kingdom, one inhabited by untold numbers of demons. Satan will never oppose himself. How are these itinerant exorcists succeeding? Surely these men must be operating under the power and the anointing of God; otherwise, they will not succeed and they themselves might wind up demon-possessed. No mere mortal has power in himself to cast out demons.

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. …He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Here Jesus is clearly affirming that he is ministering by the Spirit of God, graphically demonstrating that the kingdom of God has arrived. Jesus is also warning that now that he has come, from now on exorcisms and healings are to be done through the same Holy Spirit that is giving him power over the devil.

We work in Africa, where demon possession is common. Some pastors have very effective ministries involving healing and exorcism. It seems that the closer the pastor is to the Lord and the humbler the pastor is, the more effective his healing and deliverance ministry will be. One of the pitfalls of such ministries is that the one doing the praying may become confused and think that he/she has power in and of himself/herself. Such an attitude is very dangerous, for if such a person prays for someone, they may find themselves in a worse situation rather than a better one. Such people begin to believe their own publicity and move progressively farther away from the Lord.

Satan is simply waiting for these people to cross the line and believe that the power is in them rather than coming from the Holy Spirit. Once over the line, one is no longer ministering by the power of the Holy Spirit but by Satan. Satan may give some small success to encourage the individual to continue to trust in themselves rather than in God. But Satan has to be careful, for if someone repents, confessing self-trust as sin, and turning their lives and ministry over to the Holy Spirit, that ministry can still be redeemed.

What about people who come in faith to be prayed for? Many times, God honors the faith of believers asking for prayer and uses whoever is available to pray for them, even if the person doing the praying is not in fellowship with God.

What happens to disciples who are not ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit? At the very least, such people become frustrated, discouraged, and disappointed. If the person swiftly realizes he/she is moving away from the Holy Spirit and repents quickly, little harm occurs. But if the person persists in attempting to operate alone, their ministry will grind to a halt. May God keep us humble and close to Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always realize that You are the source of power and not us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

Matthew 12:15-21 Behold, My Servant
“But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
“Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
He will not quarrel nor cry out,
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;
And in His name Gentiles will trust.”
This is a direct quote from Isaiah 42:1-4, except that the last verses say” He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

What does Jesus know that causes him to go somewhere else? Matthew 12:14 explains what happens after Jesus heals the man with the withered hand in the synagogue where everybody can witness the Pharisees’ loss of face. “Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.” Jesus knows that eventually he is to die for the sins of the world; however, he also knows that his time has not yet come.

An old hymn starts out “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild…” Unfortunately, that might lead us to think that Jesus is a wimp, and nothing can be more wrong. Only truly powerful people can choose to be gentle; Jesus is choosing to be gentle so that he can minister to as many people as possible without frightening them away. Jesus warns the multitudes not to speak about him because he is interested in ministry, not publicity. Jesus is working under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit works quietly much of the time.

In Isaiah 42, God describes the Messiah: “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.” Jesus is ministering, knowing that his Heavenly Father is pleased with him. Even so, Jesus frequently resorts to long sessions of prayer to ensure that he is continuing to do the will of his Heavenly Father.

“He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench…” Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he avoids intimidating anyone who comes to him, even the Pharisees. The Pharisees are more than willing to attempt to intimidate; after all, they have been the religious experts for generations. The Pharisees flaunt their learning, their dedication to observing minute religious rules, their superior social status, and sometimes their wealth. Some of the Pharisees have such a narrow view of things that as someone has once said, “Their view is so narrow that they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”

How weak is a bruised reed? Reeds are supple and can bend readily as long as they have not been injured, but once a reed has been bruised, it can easily break completely. The slightest rough handling can easily break a bruised reed. In Jesus’ day, wicks for oil lamps are sometimes made of flax. Flax that is smoldering is about to go out completely, unless someone fans it back into flame. Here God is telling us that the Messiah will be so gentle that he will restore those who are bruised and those whose spirits are so damaged that they are ready to give up on everything.

While Jesus might be gentle, what about those of us who claim to be his followers? Several years ago, we were in a church with a man who claimed to be an apologist and a defender of the faith. We rapidly realized that his idea of defending the faith was to seek out arguments with anybody who did not happen to share his peculiar beliefs and then to verbally assault them with scriptures to validate those beliefs and win the arguments. By the time we encountered this man, he had already attended several churches and had always left when he found their doctrines did not agree with his prejudices. When this man wanted to engage us in theological discussions, we begged off and avoided prolonged contact with him in the future. When we met this man, we had already served two terms on difficult mission fields and were somewhat thick-skinned emotionally. But what if we had been unbelievers seeking to know more about Jesus?

Now there are times when a harsh approach yields results. Part of my husband Bob’s testimony concerns the pushy Christian in a factory where he was working who kept telling him, “Bob, either you get the Lord in your life, or you’re going to hell!” One morning, my husband found himself turning around and asking this man, “How can I get the Lord in my life?” That was the day my husband accepted Jesus as his Savior. My husband was a no-nonsense US Navy veteran for whom a soft approach would not have worked. But the next Sunday Bob attended a church where they welcomed him by saying, “Oh, you’re Tink’s brother! We’ve been praying for you!” and began showing him the love of Christ. The people in that church knew how to nurture bruised reeds and how to fan smoking flax into flame. While the harsh approach got Bob’s attention, it was gentleness that developed his faith.

During part of my surgical training, I was going through a very difficult time. Every Sunday, one lady at church would hug me and ask how I was doing. There were times when hugging me must have felt like hugging a wooden fence post, but this lady persisted. Eventually, I began healing enough to hug her back. The memory of this lady’s encouragement has remained with me for more than 40 years.

If we claim to be disciples, are we willing to copy Jesus, or do we have some personal agenda? Do we minister in gentleness as Jesus did, or do we behave like the Pharisees? Do we pray with people to help them, or are we hoping for some juicy tidbit about which we can gossip? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us or is some other spirit controlling us? WARNING: If any other spirit is working in us apart from the Holy Spirit, it is from Satan!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow you all the days of our lives and to minister under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, lifting up those who are bruised and broken and encouraging those who are losing hope. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

They’re selling my grandparents’ farm today. When my dad’s estate finally got settled, a relative from out of state wound up with the land my great grandfather, my grandfather, my dad and my brother had farmed for years. At one time or another, I have walked, ridden, or driven tractors over every bit of that land. Unlike the farm on which I grew up, this land is mostly flat, requiring few waterways.

Owning this farm was a dream come true for my Carlson Swedish immigrant great grandparents, both of whom began their lives in America as hired help, then as tenant farmers, and finally as land owners. In Sweden, it was generally the rich who owned land, leaving poorer people to work grueling hours under harsh conditions. Little wonder then, that land ownership in America became a sign that the family had achieved something wonderful, that they had truly made it.

I can remember the farmstead when it still had its full complement of buildings with a large cattle shed, a horse barn, a dairy barn, a hog shed, a chicken house, a corn crib, and a tool shed, as well as the house, the cob house, the coal house, and the summer kitchen. To the west of the house, there used to be a one-acre orchard, and my grandmother kept a large garden as well as many flower beds. Over the years, many of the buildings have been removed to reduce onerous taxes imposed by city residents who want those in the country to pay for everything. I also remember when the lanes to the various fields were bordered by hedge rows full of Osage orange, a tree so tough that fence posts made from the wood resisted attempts to nail staples into them when we were constructing fences.

Am I sad that the land is being sold out of the family? Not really, and here’s why. I firmly believe that love never dies and that land remembers those who have loved it and who have cared for it passionately. I have decided that there are people who truly love land wherever they are, and the land senses that and returns that love. On the other hand, there are those for whom land is merely a commodity; they are tone-deaf to the songs of the land.

Today I am praying that someone who loves the land will buy it and will care for it with the same degree of affection and passion as those who have gone before. For me, I have my memories and I can salute the land without owning it. And once more I remind myself that love never dies.   

They say everybody’s got to be from somewhere, and for me, the village of Altona, Illinois is my home town and Immanuel Lutheran Church is the first church I ever called a home church. Built by Swedish immigrants, Immanuel Lutheran Church truly is a very beautiful church and the sanctuary has such excellent acoustics that I have frequently sung solos there without a microphone.

We came back to Immanuel yesterday to present at Sunday School and the main service. “Oh, you’re Jean Young; you’ll be up in the parish hall,” a twelve year old boy told me as I checked out the basement meeting area. “Here’s how you get there.”

“Honey,” I said, “I was here before this part of the church was ever built!”

It’s true. Before there was a new addition with many Sunday School rooms, we all attended Sunday School in curtained-off side areas in the parish hall. When I go to the display of photos of confirmation classes, I can find photos of my grandfather and his siblings, my dad, and my confirmation class and those of my brothers.

When I walk through the church, I am comforted by ghosts. If I go to the kitchen, I remember ladies who were bearers of delicious cookies and sweet rolls for Vacation Bible School. When I walk through the north side on the way to the sanctuary, I remember when choir robes for junior and senior choirs hung there. I remember choir anthems. I remember my mom singing solos. I remember candlelight services on Christmas Eve. I remember those from three generations back who sat in those pews and exactly where they sat.

Yesterday, we sat close to where Carl and Amelia Swanson of my grandparents’ generation, sat for years, right up at the front on the pulpit side. We sang familiar hymns and liturgy, I read the Gospel, gave the Children’s Sermon, and then gave part of the message.

I could look up at the balcony where my brothers and I used to sit as long as we would behave ourselves. I could hear echoes of anthems and hymns, echoes of John Stainer’s cantata The Crucifixion. I have great photos of the church decorated for Christmas from that balcony.

Yesterday, I spoke words I felt God wanted me to say, but what I did not say is this: TREASURE THE PLACES YOU COME FROM! NEVER BE ASHAMED OF SMALL VILLAGES, OF LITTLE CHURCHES, OF HUMBLE BEGINNINGS! ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE! NEVER TAKE THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU FOR GRANTED, FOR ONE DAY, THEY WON’T BE THERE ANY MORE! TAKE PLENTY OF PHOTOS BUT MAKE SURE ABOVE ALL ELSE THAT YOUR MEMORIES ARE ENGRAVED ON YOUR HEART, FOR THERE THEY CAN REMAIN FOREVER! LOVE NEVER DIES!

Matthew 12:1-14 Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

“At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!”

But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Healing on the Sabbath

Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.

Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.”

The Pharisees are gloating! This time, this upstart carpenter from Nazareth has surely broken the Sabbath laws! The nerve of him, allowing his disciples to pluck heads of grain and eat on the Sabbath! Everyone knows that they should avoid all work on the Sabbath….or are there exceptions? And then to make matters even worse, Jesus proceeds to heal a man with a withered hand in the synagogue of all places! Scandalous!

The Pharisees are certain that this time, they have caught Jesus out and he cannot avoid their censure. But once again, Jesus speaks to those stony hearts. First, the Pharisees are furious because Jesus’ disciples are collecting small amounts of grain to feed themselves on the Sabbath. Jesus answers by citing Biblical precedents for such behavior. Those familiar with the Law of Moses should realize that mercy and kindness are two of the virtues God wants people to practice the most. Farmers are ordered to leave fallen grain and olives behind for the poor and strangers. Notice that none of the Pharisees is stepping forward to invite Jesus and his disciples for a Sabbath meal; all they can think of is catching people with infractions so they can criticize them. When Jesus reminds all the people of the examples of David and the priests, nobody can bring out a counter-argument.

Next, Jesus carries the confrontation right into the synagogue. There is a man in the outer court with a withered hand who cannot enter further because of his infirmity. Despite this problem, this man is still so passionate about God that he has come as far into the synagogue as Mosaic Law will allow. The Pharisees are sure that they really have Jesus at a disadvantage now! “And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.”

“Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.”

Jesus knows that if there is one thing the Pharisees really love in addition to being right all the time, it’s wealth. Nobody is about to leave an expensive sheep in a pit just because the poor sheep falls into a hole on the Sabbath. Of course, the owner will be out there, even if he has to get others to help him to save the sheep. But now comes the question: which is more valuable, a sheep or a man? What if one of the Pharisees falls into a pit on the Sabbath? Won’t he scream for help until others come to deliver him and care for any injuries? Jesus concludes that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

Rules are good and laws are helpful; however, sometimes we can confuse rules with God’s heart of mercy, making human sacrifices in the process. In an earlier age, missionaries were sent out to China and other stations to stay for seven years before being allowed to return home for furlough. Those familiar with the story of Lottie Moon, the famous Baptist missionary to China, may remember that one of the missionary wives threw herself into the ocean rather than face that seven-year ordeal. Even up to as recently as three decades ago, some mission groups insisted that all missionary children had to go to boarding school, whether or not a child was a suitable candidate. Other groups demanded that children return to their countries of origin for school, separating them from their parents for several years at a time. (For a graphic description of the experiences of a missionary child who did not do well in boarding school, read Letters Never Sent by Ruth E. van Reken.)

Disciples who are workaholics can make human sacrifices of their families without even realizing it. One hard-working surgeon was about to leave on vacation with his family when the hospital called, demanding that he dictate all his back records before leaving. The family’s departure was delayed by a day while the surgeon caught up on his dictations. Those who are in helping professions such as counseling, health care, law enforcement, and others may find themselves working long amounts of overtime because they want to complete their tasks properly; yet, in so doing they are stinting their families, leaving those families actively resenting the profession that takes first place over them.

As a missionary surgeon who has spent years as the only doctor for more than 100,000 patients, I confess that there have been many times when I have had to disappoint my husband. Emergency C-sections, intestinal holes from typhoid, bleeding from ruptured ectopic pregnancies, and other catastrophes have kept me in the hospital for long hours. During an outbreak of Necrotizing Enterocolitis among newborns when I was in residency, I spent ten days straight living in the ICU at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. The only way my husband got to see me was by bringing me food so we could share meals in the ICU conference room.

My situation has been a unique one; yet, over the years, I have learned to try to limit over-work as much as possible. Over-work leads to burnout, and those who burn out will require five or more years before they can return to the work in which they burned out in the first place. Burnout damages families and individuals, sometimes irreparably.

We must remember that God has only approved one human sacrifice in all history, Jesus’ death on the cross at Calvary. When Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac, God stopped him, giving him a ram to sacrifice instead. Jesus tells us that God wants mercy and not sacrifice. Let’s be merciful to our families, our friends, and ourselves. And let’s allow God to enforce His moral laws, rather than setting ourselves up to judge.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be merciful and not judgmental. Help us to be sensitive to those around us and to trust that You can make sure our work is done thoroughly and that it is not all up to us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 11:25-30 Jesus Gives True Rest

“At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Unless we look at the context in which Jesus is speaking, we might not realize the full impact of these statements. Jesus has just finished warning his disciples that they may face persecution or death, even from their own family members. In the light of these warnings, how can Jesus possibly give these assurances?

“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Jesus has been given authority by his Heavenly Father to teach about the Kingdom and to reveal Him to the world. Under that authority, Jesus has the divine right to make a startling offer.

  “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” If Jesus were an ordinary prophet, such a promise would be meaningless, for there would be no power behind the promise. But Jesus DOES have that power. In Matthew 28:18 Jesus tells his disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”  Jesus has received the Holy Spirit during his baptism by John the Baptist, giving him the power and authority to offer spiritual rest for people’s souls. (I am not concerned about arguments as to WHEN Jesus received the Holy Spirit; the point is that he is operating under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.)

  “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Anybody who thinks being a disciple is easy hasn’t been one for very long. The further you go in your walk with God, the more stringent the trials and temptations. Self-awareness is one of the major stumbling blocks. It’s very easy to begin to examine yourself to the point that you become self-absorbed rather than God-absorbed. While we are advised to examine ourselves, it is also well to ask God to give us HIS mind about us and to die to our own imaginations as to what God wants us to do or be.

There are always temptations to rebellion, but they become more subtle the longer we walk in the faith. God wants to train us so that we will always obey His still small voice without needing to be hit over the head with a large stick before we will listen. The most common response to a prodding from the Holy Spirit is, “Oh, it will be all right.” But it isn’t all right; you are trying to do your own thing while the Holy Spirit is trying to warn you that disaster is looming. Examine yourself for very long and you will realize as someone once said that “If I just could kick the person responsible for all my problems, I wouldn’t sit down for a week!”

How do we give God our burdens? Pray and tell God about your problems and then give them to Him for His solutions AND REFUSE TO TAKE BACK THOSE PROBLEMS! Some of us give God our problems and then retrieve them immediately if no instant answers are forthcoming. While God can work instantly, He frequently uses processes because He is trying to work on several parts of our characters simultaneously. Once you have given God a burden, remind yourself each time you begin to worry that the worry is now God’s problem and not yours. Thank God for the solutions He is bringing and carry on.   

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” When oxen are yoked together, they share the load  with the stronger of the two oxen working harder than the weaker. When we are yoked with Jesus, he does the heavy lifting.

Many of us are carrying very heavy burdens, things we cannot even share with others. But Jesus already knows our problems. Why not let Him bear the weight?

There’s an old hymn that sums up our need to trust Jesus with our problems.  

I Must Tell Jesus by Elisha Albright Hoffman

I must tell Jesus all of my trials; I cannot bear these burdens alone;
In my distress He kindly will help me; He ever loves and cares for His own.

Chorus: I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

I must tell Jesus all of my troubles;

He is a kind, compassionate Friend;
If I but ask Him, He will deliver,

And in my griefs with me He will blend.

Tempted and tried I need a great Savior,

One who can help my burdens to bear;
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;
He all my cares and sorrows will share,

O how the world to evil allures me!
O how my heart is tempted to sin!
I must tell Jesus; He will enable
Over the world the vic’try to win.

Chorus: I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone;
I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

Matthew 11:1-19 John the Baptist Sends Messengers to Jesus

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

John is in prison, having offended Herod by telling him that it is illegal for him to marry his brother’s wife. Notice that Jesus begins to travel and work miracles on a large scale only after John is no longer ministering. It’s as if the ministry baton passes to Jesus. While John has baptized Jesus and has seen the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus, he remains worried. Has he suffered for nothing? John knows he is about to die. Jesus LOOKS like the Messiah but is he REALLY the Messiah?

“Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Jesus gives John an answer straight out of Isaiah 35:5-6: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”  

Now Jesus turns to the people who are busy scrutinizing and criticizing. Having spent time with the Essenes and having come from a priestly family, John has lived very moderately, on a vegetarian diet (locusts and honey), fasting frequently. (Incidentally, although locusts as insects are kosher, there are also trees belonging to the locust family bearing carob pods. The Israelis refer to carob as “St. John’s bread,” raising the question as to whether John was eating insects or carob. John was also a Levite so followers could have brought him show bread from the temple after it had been removed from display.)

Jesus is both amused and frustrated. “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”

The critics have accused John of having a demon because his diet is so restricted and he fasts frequently. Now the same people are accusing Jesus because he shares meals with society’s undesirables and only fasts as required by the Law of Moses. These guys can’t make up their minds!

John came as the prophetic forerunner to prepare the way for Jesus. John came preaching a message of repentance, and his ministry was mostly carried out in the wilderness. During John’s ministry, the people came to him. Jesus as the Messiah has been called to preach, teach, and heal, and he is going where the people are in the cities and towns. As the saying goes in the American South, “Same dog, different fleas.”  

You have to arm wrestle my husband Bob to get him into a fancy 3-piece suit. Bob swears that he went into the U.S. Navy because they tied their neckties loosely. Bob’s favorite fancy dress is a northern Ghanaian smock. Bob does NOT look like an evangelist. But as a former fire fighter, EMT, police officer and Navy veteran, Bob has a special ministry to anyone in uniform. We have lots of checkpoints on the Ghanaian roads, and Bob prays for the police and immigrations officers at these checkpoints. Bob also prays for janitors, store clerks, waiters, and waitresses, and just about anybody else he feels needs prayer. In an average day when we are traveling, Bob may pray for ten or fifteen people, and these people are always thrilled and blessed that someone has taken the time to notice them. Only in eternity will we know how many of these people Bob has prayed into the Kingdom.

If you roll out cookie dough, you can use a cookie cutter to cut the same shapes repeatedly. But God doesn’t make cookie cutter disciples. God has created each of us with unique abilities and callings. Nobody else is occupying exactly the same spot in creation as you are. May God help you to find your calling and to refuse to compare yourself with others!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen and wait so that You can reveal our calling to us. Help us to realize that no matter where we are, You have a ministry for us right there and then. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 10:34-42 Christ Brings Division

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

A Cup of Cold Water

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Although many families today have become fragmented, there are still cultures in which the family is just as important as it was in the time of Jesus. In Jesus’ time, fathers had complete authority over their children, particularly their daughters, and a father’s word was law. Sons generally worked with their fathers and under their fathers’ authority, and it was fathers who arranged marriages with little or no consultation as to their children’s wishes. Sons who married would add rooms to their fathers’ households called bridal chambers where they and their wives would live. When the bridal chamber was complete, the father would select the day for the marriage and people would be notified by a trumpet call and a shout.

In Ghana, as in most other African countries, many families live together in compounds. Any friction between a mother and her daughter or a mother-in-law can make life difficult if not almost unbearable. The same thing can be said for friction between sons and fathers. Now Jesus is promising that those who follow him will find members of their own households to be their worst enemies. Why?

Conscientious parents are committed to maintaining family stability. Anytime a family member shows up with a new religion, particularly something that threatens the status quo, parents will immediately be questioning and probably rejecting these ideas. The longer the family member tries to share his/her new faith, the more resistance the other family members will exhibit, until a believer may find himself/herself completely rejected and disowned by  the family.

In many Muslim cultures, accepting Jesus results in death for the believer, and sometimes for the rest of the family. Recently in Afghanistan, a believer came to a small village and witnessed. When many people accepted Christ, the Taliban got wind of this and massacred all but one member of the community who somehow escaped. Now this believer is being trained to go on to witness to other village. (Information from Christian radio September 4, 2024.)

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”  The question is this: how many of us are willing to lay down our lives for our faith? And if we are not willing, how committed are we? When we allow Jesus to control our lives, we might encounter opposition, ridicule, or even death. But we will have gained eternal life, trading a few short years here on earth for eternity with the One who loves us most.

“He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

What can be more refreshing than a cup of cold water on a hot day? Thirty years ago, we had only a small LP gas refrigerator in our village home because there was not electricity. Friends would come and beg for small cups of cold water. When the village got electricity and we returned to visit, everybody wanted to give us cold Coca Cola to show that they now had refrigerators. We must have drunk 10 bottles of Coke that first day!

The wonderful part of these promises is that even if our own families and friends disown us, there will always be people who will receive us, helping us, feeding us, giving us places to stay, refreshing us just as a cup of cold water refreshes on a hot dusty day.

Through the years, so many people have sheltered us, fed us, and transported us. Then there are those who have lent us vehicles or clothing, or who have allowed us to use their internet. These people have acted out of love; yet, Jesus assures us that all those who have helped any Christian at any time will receive a prophet’s reward.  

On of the fundamental laws of the Kingdom of God is “the measure you give out is the measure you will receive.” When we are willing to lay down our lives for our faith in Jesus Christ, he is free to use us in any way he chooses. Several years ago, when I was going through some difficulties, I wrote this song. The words are still relevant and this will be our prayer for today.

PRAYER: Don’t Let Me Crawl Off the Altar

Jesus, I’ve followed You so long,

By now I should look like You.

But when I examine my innermost thoughts,

There’s nothing to remind me of You.

So Lord, please come, let the fire fall

As I wait on the altar just now;

For Lord, if you do not help me,

I’ll shrink back and abandon my vow.

So don’t let me crawl off the altar.

Don’t take conviction away.

Don’t let me fail or falter,

But let Your Fire burn where it may!

Let Your Fire consume all my weakness,

All my passion and pride, all my dross,

And fill me with Your holy meekness

So that then I may take up my cross,

So that then I may take up my cross

So that then I may take up my cross,

So that then I may carry the cross.