Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 10: 27-33 Jesus Teaches the Fear of God

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Confess Christ Before Men

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

Ever wonder why Jesus called so many fishermen to be his disciples? Fishermen were used to hard work, long hours, bad working conditions, and sudden storms. Fishermen understood that once you had launched out onto the Sea of Galilee, you were committed, whether or not you enjoyed the experience. As a tax collector, Matthew had had to thread his way through the Roman bureaucracy and the demands of local religious leaders who shunned him until they needed money. The other disciples were probably equally tough-minded.

In an earlier day, the Timex people used to boast about their watches that “They take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’!” The idea was that no matter how badly a Timex watch was abused, it would still work under the worst conditions. Here Jesus is telling us that if we want to be his disciples, we must be like Timex watches, taking abuse and continuing to work in spite of it.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.” When God gives you a message, you are bound to deliver it, no matter the circumstances. In Jesus’ day, housetops were flat, making it easy for someone to stand on the housetop and shout messages to all the neighbors. It’s possible that if someone had an announcement for the community, they would shout it from the housetops. If we are serious about the Gospel being good news, we too should be willing to broadcast it by any means possible. St. Francis of Assisi is quoted as having said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” People believe our behavior far more than they do our words if our words fail to match our behavior.

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” For many of us, martyrdom is simply a concept; however, for many Christians in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Iraq, Iran, Northern Korea and other places, martyrdom is a constant possibility. These people gather to pray and worship, realizing that at any minute they might be shot or beheaded. These people fear God more than they do Satan or his emissaries.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”  You can imagine Jesus smiling as he says this, teasing the disciples. Many times we think God is sitting somewhere at a great distance, occasionally hurling thunderbolts at bad people. But God is as close to us as our heartbeats and knows us more completely than we know ourselves. Each of us is precious to God, so precious that He knows the number of hairs on our heads. We can trust the One who knows us!

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” One of the saddest scenes of the night before Jesus is crucified is the scene in which Peter is warming himself over a fire out in the high priest’s courtyard. Three times, onlookers question Peter to see if he is one of Jesus’ disciples and three times Peter denies it. Just as Peter denies Jesus for the last time, Jesus looks from the room where he is being interrogated, and his eyes meet Peter’s. Suddenly, Peter realizes what he has done and stumbles out, weeping bitterly.

Blessedly, for Peter this is not the end of his story. Later Peter fearlessly preaches about Jesus and eventually is crucified for his faith. Peter humbly requests that he be crucified upside down, believing that he is unworthy to die in the same fashion as Jesus.

Sooner or later, all disciples will deny Jesus at some point. No matter how we might protest, we are just as fallible as Peter was. But Peter changed, and so can we. May we trust God to change us so that we will be utterly faithful, utterly fearless, and utterly hopeful!

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. Redeem us from our failures and mistakes and help us to be faithful, fearless, hopeful, and loving. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 10:16-26 Persecutions Are Coming

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”

Ah, ministering the Gospel! Stand before a receptive crowd of people, tell them what Jesus has done for them, explain the Scriptures, and they will all receive you happily and tell all their friends……Sounds fine, until the first stone hits!  

Jesus has already warned his disciples that when he is sending them out, sometimes they will be received well and sometimes they may meet complete opposition. Now Jesus is going even farther to warn the disciples that they may be persecuted and even killed. Is Jesus advising his followers to be paranoid? No. Jesus is advising his followers to be wise, paying attention to what’s happening around them. But at the same time, they are to be harmless, even though they may be surrounded by those who might harm them.

“But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Here Jesus is warning his followers that they WILL be delivered up to councils and scourged; however, they are to trust God for the words they should say. In case anyone has treasured misconceptions about how easy it will be to follow Jesus, these warnings should change their minds. And the warnings become even more stringent.

““Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” True disciples must be prepared to give up everything that makes life lovely, including relationships with parents and siblings as well as friends. There may be times when disciples will be hated by everyone, forcing them to flee from city to city, spreading the Gospel as they go. Disciples must single-mindedly tell others about Jesus by their words, their deeds, and their demeanor.

”A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.” Just as Jesus was persecuted, so his disciples should expect persecution and insults. But God knows the human heart and God knows the schemes of those pretending to be friends while they are plotting destruction.

At first, this passage is extremely depressing. Can Christians only expect persecution and hardship? NO! While persecution and hardship may come, the joy of serving Jesus far outweighs any suffering. Knowing the love of God and experiencing it is far more important than any amount of struggle.

May we know the joy of Jesus’ love and trust him, no matter what may come. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thinking about suffering frightens us. Help us to trust You and to lay down our lives, knowing that You are worth any amount of suffering. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Twelve Apostles

Matthew 10:1-15 “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Sending Out the Twelve

These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

Sometimes we think of Jesus as being the only one who actively ministered during his lifetime; however, that is far from the truth. Here Jesus is empowering his twelve disciples and sending them out “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” A ministry focusing on only one individual dies the day the individual falters or dies. If God has called you to a ministry, you should be doing everything you can to pass on that calling and experience to others. The law of the Kingdom is multiplication, not subtraction. Jesus is already preparing his disciples for the time when he will leave them by sending them out now. If the disciples encounter problems or challenges, they can come back and get direct further instruction; later on, Jesus won’t be with them to physically guide them.

Look at the unusual instructions. “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.” Why is Jesus giving such orders? Jesus wants the disciples to know beyond all doubt that when they are doing God’s work, God will provide for them. Successful results will confirm that the disciples are doing God’s work. Jesus also wants those to whom the disciples are ministering to focus on the ministry and not on what the disciples are wearing. We must leave anything that detracts from the message of the kingdom behind.

How will the disciples know that they are in the right place? “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.” Sometimes people have an undeserved reputation for righteousness. Such people may appear loving and charitable in public; however, things are far different at home. Jesus knows that humans may prove privately to be imposters. As folks in Texas would say, some people are “all hat and no cattle.”

What if God sends you somewhere and the entire city rejects you? “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

How do we reconcile this advice with Jesus’ earlier teachings to “pray for those who despitefully use you”? We can always pray for people, no matter how badly they treat us. But unless God specifically call us to remain in a difficult situation, we are not bound to stay if people refuse to receive either us or our message. We are also not bound to risk our lives unless Jesus specifically orders us to do so.

Remember the Gadarene/Gennesaret mad man/mad men? When Jesus first comes and casts out the demons, the whole town begs him to leave. But the next time Jesus comes, the same people who refused to listen are now running to haul their sick and demon-possessed people to Jesus for healing and deliverance. “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.” (Mark 6:53-56) Never underestimate what God can do in people’s hearts.

Pauline Smith and Adeline Wichman were Assemblies of God missionaries in Ghana for 50 years. Polly and Addie once told us that they never lost hope for evil people because they had seen some of the vilest people repent and change completely when God got hold of them.

Steve Jobs is quoted as having said, “If you want to be popular, sell ice cream.” Many times, we choose to settle for popularity in ministry rather than presenting the naked Gospel with its ability to convict sinful hearts. If we present anything less than the Gospel, we do people a fatal disservice, for only the Gospel can change stony hearts to hearts of flesh.

Recently, I saw a short video on Facebook in which a traveling evangelist described witnessing to a man in Alaska who had just learned that he had a medical condition that would kill him swiftly. The evangelist had a plane he needed to catch; instead, he dedicated himself to making certain that this man understood the way of salvation and was truly saved. The evangelist went through all the scriptures concerning salvation and asked the man, “Do you understand?” The man agreed that yes, he understood, but nothing was changing for him. The evangelist then had the man read the scriptures out loud for himself. As the man was reading John 3:16 for the third or fourth time, suddenly the truth of what he was reading dawned on him and he began to weep tears of joy. Instead of being a lovely theory, the good news of Jesus Christ and salvation was now real and this man KNEW that Jesus had died for him and that his sins were forgiven.

We can present the Gospel quickly. Years ago, my husband was working as an EMT and was taking a patient with lung cancer home to die. This man told my husband that he had been all over the world, and now his life was ending. My husband asked the man where he stood with the Lord; whereupon the man said, he wasn’t sure. My husband prayed a simple prayer with this man, and he turned his life over to Jesus. Three days later, the man’s obituary appeared in the paper. God can handle time if we will make ourselves available.

Go where Jesus sends you, stay where he keeps you, be ready to move when he tells you, but also be ready to speak when he gives you the opportunity. Don’t worry about your ability; after all, God once spoke through a donkey, so He can certainly speak through you if you will let Him.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, here we are. Use us and help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 9:27-38

Two Blind Men Healed

“When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks

As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

The Compassion of Jesus

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Theres’ something funny about the way Jesus is ministering here: he’s refusing to advertise himself and even going so far as to order those being healed not to tell anybody. Of course, the crowds are busy spreading the news about Jesus as far and as rapidly as possible, but Jesus himself is refusing to keep score. By contrast, if any of us were to do even one such miracle, we would announce it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and every WhatsApp platform going. If we have a blog, we will announce it on the blog and then do an email blast in addition. What’s the difference? “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”

Jesus is seeing people as individuals with specific needs. Lamentably, we frequently categorize people-“Needs healing,” “Needs deliverance,” “Needs financial success,” “Needs a husband/wife,” etc. We even report crusades in those terms. To Jesus, the crowds appear to be scattered and wandering aimlessly, like sheep without a shepherd to guide them. The long and complicated lists of religious rules have failed to help in the daily life of the people who supposed to be observing them.

Jesus also describes these people as weary. Why? These people want to experience God and have worn themselves out searching for God. But those who should be pointing the way to God are advertising themselves instead. Rather than ministering to people, these religious experts are treating people and their problems like commodities to be bought and sold.

Why does Jesus tell his disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Every little village in Israel at this time has religious leaders; however, many of these villages are also coming under Greco-Roman influence, along with a pantheon of corrupt gods. These influences are even more noticeable in the big cities, where young men may even have operations to reverse their circumcisions so that they can exercise in the nude in the gymnasium and look like everybody else.

This story highlights two sides of Jesus’ ministry. On the one hand, Jesus heals and delivers three men individually, two from blindness and one from demon possession and epilepsy. On the other, Jesus ministers to huge groups of people, preaching and teaching and healing. But whether dealing with individuals or with crowds, Jesus continues to show compassion to all who come to him. Jesus’ approach never changes; he deals with people one at a time.

What makes Jesus’ approach different? Jesus prays frequently and sometimes for long periods of time. God the Father gives Jesus insight into the problems of those coming to him. Many times, physical problems are merely a manifestation of something spiritual. Jesus is praying for the whole person, not merely for the most obvious needs such as blindness or deafness. Jesus frequently orders those who have been healed not to tell anybody. Why? Jesus wants his Heavenly Father to get the credit and not him.

As disciples, how do we minister? Do we try to make sure God gets the credit and not us, or do we become legends in our own minds, blindly thinking that we are the ones making healing and deliverance happen? God may use us because people’s needs are so urgent; however, once those needs have been met, God can move on to use someone else, leaving us wondering why miracles aren’t happening any more. May we always be careful to give God the glory!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, no matter how mightily You use us, help us to always give You the credit and the glory. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 9:18-26 A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

“While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.”

Some accounts call the man Jairus, a ruler in the local synagogue. Everyone knew Jairus to be a devout man who loved God and his family, especially his little daughter, Rachel. Rachel was the light of the entire household, laughing, playing, singing, and loving. But during the night, Rachel suddenly became ill and that morning she breathed her last. Desperate, Jairus rushed to Jesus, seeking any help he could find, despite all the wild stories the Pharisees were circulating about the carpenter from Nazareth. As soon as Jairus explained the situation, Jesus began walking rapidly back  to Jairus’ house with the disciples trailing along behind him muttering, “The girl’s already dead! What can Jesus possibly do? Why waste our time this way? Doesn’t Jesus need to go off and preach somewhere?”

Call the woman Miriam. The vaginal bleeding had gone on for twelve years, rendering Miriam unclean and therefore unfit to mingle in society or to attend temple. But that morning as Jesus and his disciples rushed by on their way to Jairus’ house, Miriam veiled herself, mingling with the crowd. An old tradition taught that when Messiah came, all one had to do was to touch the tassels(tzitzit) of his prayer shawl (tallit) to receive healing. Miriam had never been so rude in a crowd before, but she was desperate for help and forced her way to the front. As Jesus stopped to allow a donkey cart to pass, Miriam crept to his feet and touched the tassels of his prayer shawl. Suddenly, Miriam felt a warmth go through her body, as if the sun had suddenly come out on a cloudy day. The gnawing pain in Miriam’s abdomen with which she had lived for twelve miserable years was gone and in its place Miriam felt whole.

Meanwhile, Jesus felt that power had gone out from him. Turning around, he looked down and saw Miriam cringing at his feet. Jesus reached out his hand, raising Miriam up and saying, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well. Go and show yourself to the priests.” By now, the disciples were really fuming! What did this woman mean by interrupting Jesus when he was on a desperate errand of mercy? What had happened? Was this lady really sick in the first place, or was she faking it? How dare a mere woman interrupt the Master? Jesus heard the disciples muttering but paid no attention.

Now the group reached Jairus’ house to find professional mourners and flute players already singing and playing dirges. Women were wailing and the noise and sadness were nearly unbearable. Ousting the curious from the girl’s room, Jesus said, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” At that statement, the crowd began jeering; however, Jesus demanded they leave the room. Once the nay-sayers left, Jesus reached out his hand to Rachel, taking Rachel’s hand in his, and said, “Talitha koum.” (“Little girl, get up.”) Rachel sneezed once, took a deep breath, and then opened her eyes. Looking at her father, Rachel asked, “Is it morning already?” Jairus and his wife were speechless for joy and began hugging Rachel as hard as they could. (The phrase “Talitha Koum” occurs in Mark’s account, but it’s the same girl.)

Two situations, one was a life and death emergency while the other problem was a chronic one. The disciples were undoubtedly annoyed at Jesus for paying attention to Miriam and her bleeding. Here was one of the most important men in town begging for help. Why did Jesus bother with this miserable woman? Couldn’t he have taken care of her later?

There is a fine leisure in the fashion in which Jesus ministered. Jesus already knew what he would do for Jairus and he also knew that he was a vessel of God’s healing power. Spending a few moments with Miriam to confirm her healing would take nothing from the miracle he was about to perform for Jairus and his family. Both healings would be manifestations of God’s love and grace. Both healings would equally build up the faith of those seeking God. It was likely that Miriam was quite poor because she had spent all her resources trying for healing. Miriam would represent the lower end of the social scale while Jairus would represent the upper crust. Jesus knew that God wanted to demonstrate His unconditional love for all classes of people, not merely for the wealthy or religious leaders.

While we know what Jairus’ neighbors likely felt, what about Miriam’s neighbors? After spending twelve years as a social outcast, Miriam was now free to go out in public, to fetch water from the well, to chat with friends, and to attend the synagogue. Once a few ladies got to know about Miriam, they probably spread the word throughout town. Relatives who had shunned Miriam for years now resumed visiting her, eager to hear first-hand the story of her healing. All those people who saw Miriam and realized that her healing had been validated by the priests would flock to hear Jesus the next time they could.

For the disciples, the big lesson was that ministry opportunities don’t operate on a schedule. One pastor friend of ours told of a time when he was headed out of a hospital, only to be told that one of the community members had just died. The pastor had nearly reached his car when he began feeling that he had to return to the hospital and pray for that patient, even though the patient was dead. The pastor encountered the nursing staff in the elevator as they were moving the body to the hospital morgue. Laying hands on the patient, the pastor prayed. Nobody was more surprised than the pastor when the patient suddenly sat up and asked, ”Why am I in the elevator? What’s happening?”  

True disciples must minister just as Jesus did. This means that we must be ready to pray and to speak whether we feel like it or not. Disciples follow the master, whether or not it’s convenient. We must be available, for once we make ourselves available, God will use us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to work on Your schedule and not on our own. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 9:14-17 Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

In Jesus’ day, In Jesus’ day, Jews fasted on six days a year, including two full-day fasts and four minor fasts; however, those who were particularly observant might fast more frequently. Remember Jesus’ story of the tax collector and the Pharisee praying in the temple. The Pharisee boasted that he fasted twice a week, and this was a relatively common practice. Evidently, John’s disciples may have been following a similar pattern while Jesus’ disciples were not fasting. Little wonder if John’s disciples felt that Jesus’ disciples were getting off lightly. It’s not clear whether John was demanding this frequent fasting or if his disciples were doing it on their own to prove their holiness.

Jesus gave a loving answer to John’s disciples by telling them that his disciples were not fasting now because he was with him. Once Jesus returned to heaven, then his disciples would definitely fast.

Yes, disciples should fast sometimes; however, there are all kinds of fasts, depending on the reason and the needs. The day-long traditional Jewish fasts were observed as part of days of repentance and prayer. Jesus mention after healing a boy with demonically induced epilepsy that such demons could only come out by prayer and fasting, indicating that there were times when he fasted. Earlier on, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advised that fasting should be carried out secretly so that only God and the one fasting would know what was happening. True fasting is a matter between God and you and is not an opportunity for you to show off or to boast. Generally, one of the effects of fasting is that God can speak to you, showing you things in your life that need to change.

When Queen Esther found herself having to approach the king, she and her maids and the rest of the Jewish community went without food or water for 3 days because the need was so urgent. Many people will take only water and fruit juice or milk.

Sometimes, people may engage in a “Daniel fast,” in which they eat only vegetables and drink only water. Such fasts can be carried on for weeks if the person feels so led. If you feel God calling you to fast, ask God what He wants you to do, for He certainly knows what your body needs and is capable of handling.

Does fasting work in modern times? Yes. I was once in a ladies’ prayer meeting when a demonically possessed woman began manifesting. One of the ladies present, a slightly built older lady, stepped forward, prayed a simple prayer, and the demon left. Later we learned that this woman had been fasting all during the Christmas season because God had ordered her to do so. This meant giving up all the Christmastime goodies, but this lady was faithful. Her comment was, “Now I know why God insisted I should fast.”

Jesus mentioned patches of new material on old garments and new wine in old wineskins to indicate that new times call for new practices. John’s disciples were following traditional practices and copying the Pharisees because they thought that’s how disciples of holy men should behave. Jesus wanted John’s disciples to know that he was bringing in a new era of freedom in which believers would fast because God wanted them to and not simply because they were following tradition. The new wine of the Messiah had arrived and new times demanded new practices.

Should you fast? Ask God. You might want to begin by giving up one meal a day or by limiting your diet or by only eating within a limited time period. But ask God to show you why He wants you to fast, for He will surely do it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, teach us to fast the way You want us to. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 9:9-13 Matthew the Tax Collector

“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Market day was always a busy day for Matthew. As a collector of Roman taxes, it was Matthew’s job to ensure that everyone coming to market paid their fair share plus whatever he decided to add on top. Matthew was really lenient; he only charged 5% above the government tax as personal revenue. Other tax collectors might charge 10% or even 20%.

The market was crowded and Matthew could hear the din of traders crying out their wares for people to buy, buyers haggling with sellers, donkeys braying, cocks crowing, and sheep and goats baaing. Matthew was busy recording his receipts when a shadow fell on his small table. Looking up, Matthew saw that carpenter from Nazareth that everybody had been talking about. Generally, people would cringe in dread when they saw Matthew, wondering how much he would demand from them. But this Jesus was looking at Matthew with eyes of love. Matthew couldn’t remember the last time anyone had looked at him like that. Jesus lifted his eyebrows as his gaze pierced Matthew’s heart and said, “Matthew, follow me.”

Suddenly, following Jesus was the most natural thing for Matthew to do. Rolling up the recording scrolls, Matthew placed his table and chair back in the corner and followed Jesus out of the marketplace. Matthew handed in his records to his supervisor and said, “Zakaria, give these to the next man to take my place. I quit.” Zakaria, Matthew’s supervisor, was shocked. Matthew was the most productive of all the tax collectors. What could possibly be happening? Matthew stopped, turned, and said, “If you want to know why I’ve taken this decision, come to lunch at my house today and you’ll understand.”

Lunch that day was a revelation. All Matthew’s friends showed up, along with a number of others who were frankly curious. When Jesus and his disciples came in, the buzz of conversation stopped. There was an air about Jesus, an air of sanctity and an air of peace. But what those at the table felt the most was love, unconditional love.

There was nothing pretentious about Jesus; he joked and laughed and teased those around him as if they had been good friends for years. But as those at table listened, they realized their hard hearts were becoming softer. Here was a man who knew exactly what they had been doing but who loved them anyway. Here was a man who believed that there was still hope for them and that God was calling them to Himself.

Meanwhile, just outside Matthew’s door, the town’s religious leaders were fuming. Why were all these undesirables invited to eat with Jesus? Actually, the religious leaders had also been invited; however, they refused to enter for fear of making themselves unclean. Who did these people think they were anyway? The head religious leader called Peter out and queried him. “

“Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Just as Peter is scrambling for an answer, Jesus comes to the door. Smiling, Jesus addresses the head of the group. “Rev Shmuel, those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus is doing four things here: he is calling Matthew to be a disciple, he is calling Matthew’s friends and associates to repent and come to God, he is demonstrating God’s love to his disciples, and he is also reaching out to the local religious leaders.

For centuries, the all-absorbing question for religious leaders has been “What must we do to to please God?” In the process, religious leaders have developed a system with so many minutiae that observing all these rules has become a full-time job, something completely beyond the reach of normal people. But in the process of observing the rules, people have lost sight of God and His mercy. Now Jesus enters the scene and explodes all the taboos, leaving religious leaders who don’t love God reeling.

As far as the disciples are concerned, Matthew the tax collector doesn’t look like promising disciple material. This guy has been in bed with the Roman government, not to mention associating with some of the most unsavory characters in town. But Jesus knows Matthew’s heart and today is the day for Matthew to repent, to come to God, and to begin a long and fruitful career as a disciple. It’s interesting to note that despite the fact that Matthew is the one writing this account, he writes as a disinterested observer, not in the first person.

What must the disciples be thinking as they realize that Matthew has just joined them as the newest disciple? The good thing is that many of these men are pragmatic fishermen, more interested in what works than in preconceived notions, and they also have complete faith in Jesus and his judgment. “Let’s wait and see how this works,” is probably the general sentiment.

We are quite prone to judge by appearances while God knows our hearts. As the Son of God, Jesus knows the end from the beginning and he knows those who will follow to the end. While we can’t imagine some people making good disciples, Jesus already knows that some of the best disciples are those who have led the roughest lives and who have previously suffered, for they won’t quit when things get tough. Today, Jesus is offering us the same opportunity he offered Matthew: follow Jesus. Come be a disciple. Will things be easy? No. Will things be difficult? Most likely. But it’s far better to follow the One who loves you completely than to try to elicit love from those who cannot give it.

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help each of us to realize that You are calling us to be disciples, here and now, just as we are. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Matthew 9:1-8 Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic

So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house.

Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.”

Jesus has just left the mob scene of ungrateful Gadarenes and has returned to Capernaum, home of Peter and Andrew and several other disciples. Although Jesus is originally from Nazareth, Capernaum has become a second home for him. Jesus has scarcely gotten out of the boat when some men bring a paralyzed man to him. Let’s call this man Isaac.  Perhaps Isaac is an old polio victim or has been injured in a terrible accident. Whatever the cause, as a paralytic, Isaac can only enter the outer courts of the temple, not the inner courts or the sanctuary. (Leviticus 21:18) Isaac might be the most faithful worshiper imaginable but he is barred from accompanying his friends. Day after day, year after year, others carry Isaac as far as the outer courts, leave him, and then enter the inner courts along with all the other able-bodied men, leaving Isaac to wonder if God has truly forgiven him or is angry at him.

We don’t know the location of this incident; however it might take place in the outer courts of the temple because there are lots of scribes witnessing Jesus’ actions. Word has already made it across the Sea of Galilee about Jesus freeing men from demons, and the scribes are both furious and jealous. The scribes have scrupulously observed every bit of the Law, even the tiniest of inflections, since their youths; yet, they have never had power over a single demon. Who is this upstart carpenter anyway? Why is God favoring him and not the scribes?  

Now Isaac’s friends bring him to Jesus. Notice that when Jesus sees the faith of Isaac’s friends, he tells the man, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” As Jesus utters this statement, Isaac begins to weep for joy as he lies on his pallet. In all the years Isaac has attended temple, NOBODY has ever given him such hope. This is the assurance for which Isaac has longed and for which he has begged God. While the scribes may be quibbling over Jesus’ authority to forgive, Isaac has no such problems. Isaac KNOWS he is forgiven, and now it matters little whether he ever walks again or not. But Jesus knows Isaac and loves Isaac and now has something even more in store for Isaac.

As Jesus tells Isaac that his sins are forgiven, the scribes are muttering into their beards, “This Man blasphemes!” Jesus only smiles, for he has anticipated this reaction. Professional religious people always think they have a lock on God, little realizing that their merciless attitudes show them to be far from God or anything remotely resembling His work.

“But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house.”

Now the scribes are really fuming! Not only does this man claim to have authority to forgive sins, but he tops that off by healing Isaac so that Isaac can pick up his pallet and go home. How terrible! Why hasn’t God allowed THEM to be the stars of this healing? Has all their faithful service all these years counted for nothing? These men are sure that Isaac must have done something horrible to have become paralyzed in the first place. Left to them, Isaac would still be on his pallet, groveling at their feet, where he ought to be. The idea that God has allowed Isaac’s paralysis so that He can get glory is unthinkable for these men.

Meanwhile, Jesus has moved on away from the crowd, leaving the crowd to react. “Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.” Notice that Jesus doesn’t stick around for everybody to admire him, pat him on the back, shake his hand, or congratulate him in any way. Jesus wants people to know about his Heavenly Father and give glory to Him, not to Jesus. Jesus knows God has called him and empowered him and that is enough. Jesus knows Who has called him and the mission for which he has been called.

These days, advertising is everything. In Ghana, every bare surface in a city might be plastered with posters advertising an upcoming crusade. These posters always have photos of the featured speakers and promise miracles, healings, etc. Frequently, such posters also mention the Holy Spirit. But who is getting the glory in these crusades? God or the featured speakers? Sadly, many times these men and women behave as if God is their pet on a leash and they can call Him whenever they want Him to perform. In the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan, the lion, is the Messianic figure. At several points, the statement is made that “Aslan is not a tame lion.” Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is not a tame lion, nor can you demand he perform on your commands.

One of the most effective miracle-working men of God we have ever met is a humble pastor from a small northern village in Ghana. We have been privileged to have this man pray for us, and he has no need of posters or social media announcements. This pastor prays simple prayers and people get healed and delivered from demons. Those involved in witchcraft burn their equipment and leave freed. But this man always makes sure people know that it is God who is working and not him. Again, this man knows God has called him and the mission for which he has been called.

Do you aspire to do miracles or participate in someone’s healing? Ask God to give you the Holy Spirit, that Spirit that glorifies Jesus and God the Father. The members of the Holy Trinity never work separately but always in unity. God does not call everyone to work miracles all the time, but if you will make yourself available, God may use you.

Years ago, I cared for a poor lady who had had uterine cancer along with a number of horrific side effects. This woman had received all the chemotherapy, all the radiation therapy, and every other kind of medical care possible. Her right leg was swollen to nearly three times the size of the left, and when I anointed her with skin lotion and we prayed together, all we thought we were asking for was for the pain in her leg to abate. The lady went home to die. Two years later, I was making pre-op rounds and came to see a woman with an incisional hernia who would be operated the next day. The lady looked at me and said, “You don’t remember me, do you?” I had to admit that I certainly did not. IT WAS THE LADY WITH THE CANCER!!! GOD HAD HEALED HER!!! Her legs were both normal size and she was fine. The only reason this lady had returned to the hospital was to have a minor operation to repair an incisional hernia. We had a prayer and praise meeting right there in her room!

Did I have faith for this lady’s healing? Absolutely not! Did I anticipate what God would do for her? Absolutely not! But God can use anybody, and that time He used me. Did this incident launch me into a healing ministry? No. I pray over every patient I operate and sometimes God heals them while other times He does not heal physically. But I tell this story to illustrate the fact that God is sovereign and He works as He pleases. We should never hesitate to ask God for miracles, as long as we are willing to make certain He gets all the credit.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always be available and to always give You credit for the marvelous things You do. In the mighty and matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 8: 28-33 Two Demon-Possessed Men Healed

“When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes (Gadarenes), there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”

And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.

Then those who kept them 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.”

Where does this story take place and who were the Gergesenes/Gadarenes? Wikipedia tells us this: “Gergesenes means “those who come from pilgrimage or fight.”

Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the “Country of the Gadarenes” or “Gerasenes” rather than the Gergesenes. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. They were both Gentile cities filled with citizens who were culturally more Greek than Semitic; this would account for the pigs in the biblical account. Gerasa and Gadara are accounted for in historical accounts (by writers such as Pliny the Elder and Josephus) and by archaeological research. Today they are the modern towns of Jerash and Umm Qais.

A third city, Hippos, was similar in character to Gadara and Gerasa, and it may fit the biblical account even better. It was located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, whereas Gerasa and Gadara were several kilometers south-east of it. Hippos, Gerasa, and Gadara were all counted in the Decapolis, an informal grouping of Greco-Roman cities just south of the ancient city of Caesarea Philippi.”

One other bit of information: Caesarea Philippi was an ancient center for worship of the God Pan, a Roman nature god, whose worship included sexual orgies with lots of drinking. There was likely no shortage of demons in the area. Caesarea Philippi was located at the base of Mount Hermon at a point where water gushed out of a hidden spring to form one of the streams that combined to result in the Jordan River.

Everybody knew about the Gergesene demoniacs. Somehow these two men had become demon-possessed and were making their homes in the tombs, attacking anyone foolish enough to pass within their reach. Such doings were scandalous, but nobody knew how to solve the problem.

When Jesus and his disciples reached the shore after Jesus had calmed the storm, here were these two demoniacs waiting for them. The demons inhabiting these men cried out, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, and asking if he had come to torment them before the time. But to what time were these demons referring? These demons realized that their time on earth would be limited and they wanted to create as much havoc as possible while they could.

The demons knew that Jesus was about to cast them out of the men; that’s why they begged to be allowed to enter the herd of swine. As soon as the demons entered the pigs, the poor pigs went crazy and ran off a high cliff into the sea, drowning themselves. The swine herders immediately ran into town to tell everybody what Jesus had done. Everybody in town rushed out to see Jesus.

“Fine,” you think. “All these people are going to thank Jesus for delivering them from these two mad men. The families of these two men will probably invite Jesus and the disciples home for a meal, perhaps even offer them beds for the night. Perhaps the city leaders will even arrange some special honor for them.” That’s probably what the disciples anticipated; however Jesus already knew better.

When the first rock struck the boat, the disciples were horrified. Jesus had just freed these people from an evil menace, but now they were attacking and screaming insults, even throwing rocks and dust into the air. “You evil Jew! You must be in league with the devil if you are able to control demons in this fashion! Go back to where you came from before worse things befall us! Who invited you to come here anyway? Leave our town! Leave this region now or we will settle with you!”

Why did the Gergesenes/Gadarenes react so ungratefully? Perhaps part of their reaction was due to the financial loss when all those pigs drowned themselves. While Jews refused to eat pork, there were plenty of Greeks and Romans who had no such scruples and who might pay top price for good meat. Perhaps the local people were fearful that Jesus might expose their pet sins; after all, someone who could evict demons with a single word was certainly a powerful holy man, perhaps even a wizard. And perhaps these two men were not the only demonically influenced people in the area. Perhaps others were also demonically influenced but their evil was far more subtle and hidden. Certainly, the citizens of the area had a reaction very similar to that of the demons.

One lesson for would-be disciples is this: just because you do miracles, healing people or casting out demons, don’t expect that people are going to praise you or welcome you. Holiness frightens many people and you never know who has secret sin in their lives and who fears for that sin to be exposed. If people receive you, fine. But if people do not receive you, go elsewhere. You never know what God might do in your absence.

A pastor friend of ours used to say that we are only in advertising while God is in management. We are responsible for telling the Gospel in the best and most effective way we can; however, we must leave the results to God. As long we are obedient, we can trust God to handle things to bring people to Himself.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to consistently and persistently spread the word about You. But also help us to trust You for the results and not to worry if people reject us. We cannot know how You are working in people’s hearts. We pray all this in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 8:23-27 Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

“Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Storms on the Sea of Galilee can be sudden and fierce. The mountains to the east of the Sea of Galilee form natural wind tunnels that funnel winds right on to the lake. During a visit to Israel, my tour group was eating supper at a restaurant on the west bank of the Sea of Galilee. The moon was bright and there was only a mild breeze when we went in to supper. But suddenly we heard roaring winds. Looking out the windows of the restaurant, we could see high waves crashing over the boat dock just outside the restaurant. Later we were told of a group of youngsters who started out floating on inflatable rafts near the shore, only to be blown into the center of the lake when such winds suddenly came up. Local fishermen had to go out in their boats to rescue the kids.

Look at this story critically. Most of Jesus disciples were either local fishermen or citizens of villages around the Sea of Galilee. These men were highly experienced and could foretell the weather by looking at the clouds and testing the wind. Had these men anticipated such a storm, they would certainly not have ventured out onto the lake. But everybody wanted to escape the crowds for a while, and it made sense to cross to the other side of the lake.

Jesus was asleep in the bottom of the boat. Some people say that there was a big leather cushion that was part of the normal equipment in such boats and that Jesus was asleep on that. At any rate, Jesus was undoubtedly exhausted; otherwise, he would have wakened up as soon as the wind picked up and the waves began slapping against the side of the ship. Jesus was so tired that the disciples had to shake him awake before he realized what was going on. Little wonder then, that the disciples were shouting to be heard over the wind, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Every one of those men had probably lost friends in similar storms and knew how deadly those storms could be. While we would like to flatter ourselves that had we been there, we would have had complete faith in Jesus, the plain fact is that we probably would have been right there shouting at Jesus and shaking him awake also.

You can almost feel sorry for the disciples as Jesus asked them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” How were these guys to know what Jesus was going to do next? They probably weren’t even sure that Jesus could do anything, but they were fearful and desperate. What happened next was beyond description, for Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves and everything immediately became calm. The only response the disciples could utter was ,“Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

So many times God allows storms to come into our lives. Like the disciples in that boat, all we can think of doing is to beg for deliverance. We are angry and disgusted with God; doesn’t He realize we are suffering? Doesn’t He care? But God brings storms into our lives so that we will witness His power to save and deliver us. When things are going smoothly, we are quite likely to take complete credit for the peace, little realizing that God is the One giving us peace and not we ourselves.

Jesus still has power to save and deliver. A few years ago, a friend and his family were at home one evening when they were suddenly attacked by armed robbers. While the robbers were collecting cell phones and computers, they also threatened to rape his daughters. When the oldest daughter began calling on the name of Jesus, the robbers became angry and agitated and then suddenly left without harming the family.

We make a terrible mistake if we reduce Jesus to the status of a great teacher, or a wise holy man, or a miracle worker, for Jesus is all those things and far more. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and God has given him all power and glory to work in heaven and on earth. When we take on the role of a disciple of Jesus, we are allying ourself with the greatest power in the universe. After all, why settle for adulating a sports hero or a movie star or a musician? Sooner or later, every one of those people will disappoint you because they are only human. But Jesus is far more than human and far more powerful than any human hero or heroine can possibly be.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to appreciate You and to worship You. Help us to trust that You have power to save and deliver us from every calamity. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.