A Mute Man Speaks

The two blind men, having received their sight, left the house (Matt. 9:32a). "As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed" (v. 32). No rest for the weary! It seems that Jesus didn't even have a chance to catch His breath. Two leave, having been healed, and another man is brought in.

This man was a mute; he could not speak. He was probably unable to speak for some time. He was also demon-possessed. The two conditions are most likely connected. The demon that controlled him wouldn't let him speak. Jesus knew that the way to heal the man's voice was to cast out the demon; and Jesus did just that. He cast out the demon, setting this man free!

In a very matter-of-fact manner, we are told, "And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke" (v. 33a). Just like that, the man was set free as the demon was cast out, and for the first time in a long time, the man began to speak.

What a miracle! The Scripture continues, "And the multitudes marveled, saying, 'It was never seen like this in Israel!'" (v. 33b). The crowd that was following Jesus, was dumbfounded. Never had they witnessed such a great miracle in Israel throughout its long and storied history.

The crowd marveled; but the Pharisees were troubled. Jesus continued to steal their thunder. The multitudes continued to follow Jesus instead of following them. They declared to the people, "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons" (v. 34).

This same thought was raised by the scribes in Mark 3:22, where Jesus responded, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end" (vv. 23b-26).

One greater than Satan, one much stronger than Satan, has cast out this demon. That one, of course, is Jesus Christ. He is God's Son, our Lord and Savior. Trust Him! Never forget, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4b). Amen.

According to Your Faith

After healing the daughter of Jairus and bringing her back to life, "Jesus departed from there" and "two blind men followed Him" (Matt. 9:27a). They kept "crying out and saying, 'Son of David, have mercy on us!'" (v. 27b).

"When He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him" (v. 28a). What house? I can't say definitively, but Jairus served in a synagogue and they were in the vicinity of Capernaum, so this is most likely the home of Peter, where Jesus usually stayed when in the area.

"Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?'" (v. 28b). He was interested in what they believed. Did they know who He was and did they believe that He could restore their sight? "They said to Him, 'Yes, Lord'" (v. 28c). They did understand, and they believed! Belief is important in having your prayers heard and answered.

"Then He touched their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith let it be to you.' And their eyes were opened" (vv. 29-30a). Belief and faith go hand-in-hand. Jesus encouraged them to confess their faith in Him, but He was the one who healed. Their faith was important, but it did not heal them. Jesus healed them by the power of His grace.

Again, "Jesus sternly warned them, saying, 'See that no one knows it'" (v. 30b). As we have noted before, it is not yet time for a full revelation of who Jesus is. Yet, as usual, these two men pay no attention, but spread the news of their healing by Jesus to everyone who would listen "in all that country" (v. 31).

It is important to understand, as Jesus taught here, our faith is important in having our prayers heard and answered, but our faith does not answer our prayers, nor does faith heal us. Jesus does. By the power of His grace, Jesus answers prayers and heals. Amen.

Little Girl, Arise!

"When Jesus returned" from the region of the Gadarenes to the shores of the Sea of Galilee near the city of Capernaum, "the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him" (Luke 8:40). Many people waited with great anticipation for Jesus to return and preach the Word of God, as well as to heal those among them who suffered from various ailments.

"And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying" (vv. 41-42a). Jairus was essentially the head of the synagogue. He was responsible for the maintenance of the synagogue building and the organization of the worship services (what we today would call a trustee or a deacon).

As Jesus was going with Jairus to his home (v. 42b), a woman made her way through the crowd, "touched the border of His garment," and was healed (v. 44). Jesus acknowledged her healing, and "while He was still speaking" with her, someone from Jairus' home came and said, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher" (v. 49).

Jesus heard what was said, turned to Jairus and said, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well" (v. 50). What a word of comfort that must have been! Yet somehow, even though that word came from Jesus, I can imagine that Jairus was still overtaken by grief. Who wouldn't be? I know I would be. It would seem that actually seeing her alive is what would help the most.

"When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl" (v. 51). Outside the home there was quite a scene. According to tradition, people gathered and "all wept and mourned for her" (v. 52a). But Jesus said to them, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping" (v. 52b). They then began to ridicule Him because they knew "she was dead" (v. 53).

Jesus then went into her room, "took her by the hand and called, saying, 'Little girl, arise'" (v. 54). We know that she had indeed died because her spirit or soul had left her body. When Jesus said to her, "Arise" (v. 54b), "her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat" (v. 55).

Of course, "her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened" (v. 56). Again, it wasn't time for Him to be fully revealed as to who He is and why He came. But the people outside would figure it out when they saw the little girl alive and well.

Any time Jesus speaks to your heart and mind with that still small voice, take note. Listen to what the Lord says and trust Him. He will never fail you. He will take care of your needs and bless you greatly. Again, just trust Jesus. Amen.

The Woman Who Told the Whole Truth

Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, summoned Jesus to come to his home and heal his twelve-year-old daughter (Mark 5:22-23). As Jesus was making His way to Jairus' home, He sensed a surge of power go out of Him (v. 30a). But before we continue, let me set the stage for this miracle by describing the very painful ailment of this woman.

"Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years" (v. 25). This is something that I know very little about. It involves the monthly cycle of a woman's menstrual period. In the case of this woman, her monthly flow of blood would not stop, but continually flowed in her "for twelve years" (v. 25). It was extremely painful, and also quite embarrassing. She had been ostracized by society and treated much the same as a leper. She had seen multiple physicians, "spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse" (v. 26).

"When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, 'If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well'" (vv. 27-28). She believed in Jesus. She believed all she had heard and had faith in Him. "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well" (v. 28).

"Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction" (v. 29). She was trying to be very stealth-like so as not to be noticed, but of course, Jesus knew what had happened: "And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, 'Who touched My clothes?' But His disciples said to Him, 'You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, "Who touched Me?"'" (vv. 30-31).

Then Jesus "looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth" (vv. 32-33). And how did Jesus respond? "He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction'" (v. 34).

Jesus recognized her faith, her great faith, and He confirmed her healing. If we believe in Jesus and have faith in Him, even a little faith, we can come to Him and be healed. Even if we are not healed, many were in the throng of people crowding around Him and even touching Him, yet they were not healed; still we know that Jesus will give us strength for the day and guide us through anything. Just trust in Jesus every day. Amen.

The Man Who Lived in the Tombs

Jesus and His disciples sailed across the Sea of Galilee "to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee" (Luke 8:26). Galilee is located to the north and west of the Sea of Galilee, with Capernaum on the north shore. From the northwest shore they crossed the sea to the southeast shore, to the Hellenistic or Greek town of Gadara, which is about six miles southeast of the sea and east of the Jordan river. Gadara was a member of the Decapolis, a league of ten Greek cities.

"And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs" (v. 27). A strange man indeed! A man who was out of his right mind; and for good reason. He had long been taken over by many demons. He had no control over what he was doing.

"When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, 'What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!' For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness" (vv. 28-29). The man was controlled by demons and he had strength that was anything but human! Even heavy chains and shackles could not hold him.

"Jesus asked him, saying, 'What is your name?' And he said, 'Legion,' because many demons had entered him" (v. 30). This is not a name, as such. In Greek, the word "legion" means "many." It refers to a regimen of many soldiers gathered together in the Roman army.

The demons begged Jesus not to "command them to go out into the abyss" (v. 31). In Mark 5:10, they begged Jesus to "not send them out of the country." "Out of the country" (v. 10) or "into the abyss" (Luke 8:31) carries the thought of a permanent punishment. They would rather be cast into the many pigs feeding nearby.

"Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned" (vv. 32-33). Mark 5:13b adds that "there were about two thousand" swine. A legion can be up to as many as three thousand or more. Mark estimated about two thousand swine. That means this man was possessed by at least two thousand demons! No wonder he had no control.

The herdsmen ran and spread the word throughout the region of how Jesus had cast out these demons (Luke 8:34). "Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid" (v. 35).

"They were afraid!" Afraid of what? They were told how Jesus had healed this man (v. 36), but instead of rejoicing, they "asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned" (v. 37). They didn't understand in the least. That is why "they were seized with great fear" (v. 37b). We need not fear Jesus, but rather, we should embrace Him by faith and sit at His feet and learn from Him.

"Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 'Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.' And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him" (vv. 38-39). Tell people about Jesus! Let them know what He means to you. Amen.

Stretch Out Your Hand

As was His habit, Jesus "went into their synagogue" (Matt. 12:9b). It was the Sabbath. Jesus was there to teach the people. While He was teaching, it was discovered that, among the congregation, "there was a man who had a withered hand" (v. 10a). The Pharisees were also present, but they had an ulterior motive. So they asked Jesus, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" (v. 10b). They wanted to find a way "that they might accuse Him" (v. 10c), so as to draw the people away from Him.

The Pharisees were jealous, you might say. They resented the crowds of people that followed Jesus. The fact that they all flocked to Jesus meant they did not follow the Pharisees. That didn't sit well with them and they wanted to discourage the people from following Jesus. They would tell any lie to draw the people away. Jesus saw right through their schemes.

Jesus turned and addressed the Pharisees directly. In answer to their question, He asked 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?" (v. 11). Then He added, "Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath" (v. 12).

See the difference? The Pharisees defined healing as work, while Jesus defined it simply as doing good. It may be against the law to do work on the Sabbath, but it was not against the law to do good on the Sabbath. We should follow the example of Jesus and do good, not only on the Sabbath, but every day of the week!

Then Jesus turned back to the man before Him and said, "Stretch out your hand" (v. 13a). And he was healed; his hand was fully restored: "And he stretched it out, and it was restored as full as the other"(v. 13b).

The Pharisees weren't happy: "Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him" (v. 14). The enemies of God will never give up; They will never quit persecuting God's faithful people. Do not give them the satisfaction of watching you walk away from Jesus. Follow Him faithfully every day without fail. Jesus has your back. He will take care of you. Amen.

Just Say the Word

Jesus had finished teaching His disciples, along with the crowds that followed Him everywhere, having given His sermon on mount. Then we are told in Luke 7:1, "Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum." Jesus was likely headed for Peter's home which served as headquarters for His Galilean ministry, as well as the place where He stayed when in Capernaum.

Upon entering the city, Jesus has an interesting encounter. We are simply told, "And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die" (v. 2). In the parallel passage in Matthew 8:6, the centurion clarifies the situation, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented."

The centurion, an officer in the Roman army that commands one hundred men, "when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant" (Luke 7:3). When the elders "came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving" (v. 4). They noted that this centurion "loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue" (v. 5).

"Jesus went with them" (v. 6a). As He began to approach the centurion's home, He came upon a second wave of messengers: "The centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, 'Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, "Go," and he goes; and to another, "Come," and he comes; and to my servant, "Do this," and he does it'" (vv. 6b-8).

As I have said before, Jesus recognizes great faith and He honors such faith. "When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, 'I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!'" (v. 9). The centurion, a Roman officer, sent word through his friends to Jesus, telling Him simply, "Say the word!" (v. 7b). That's all! Just, "Say the word, and my servant will be healed" (v. 7b).

And guess what? Jesus just said the word and the paralysis left the servant and he was healed. We are told, "And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick" (v. 10). Jesus did not lay hands on the servant. He did not even lay His eyes on either the servant or the centurion. He just said the word, as the centurion asked, and the servant was healed.

Have a little faith. Jesus said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you" (Matt. 17:20). When you trust in Jesus by faith, He will watch over you. Amen.

A Right Fishy Story

If you are a fisherman or you have friends who are, you probably heard many an exaggerated fish story. When I was struck by lightning on the boundary waters of northern Minnesota in 1979, we gave the doctor who arrived at our campsite in answer to prayer the fish the boys caught as payment for his "tent call." We told him that he better make up a good fish story as to how he caught them because his people would never believe the truth. But in reality, people see through the tall tales but will believe the miracle story because, as they might say, "No one could invent such a wild story!"

Well, Peter has a great fish story of his own! The story is found in Luke 5:1-11. There we read, "So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat" (vv. 1-3).

I stood where this is believed to have taken place in the land of Israel. It was a natural amphitheater along the shore of the Sea of Galilee (same body of water as Gennesaret), not that Jesus needed one to be heard by thousands. You could stand by the shore, speak in a normal voice, and be clearly heard way up at the top of the hill!

As usual, large crowds followed Jesus everywhere. They came to hear Him preach and teach the word of God, as well as to be healed of their various ailments. For a little breathing room, Jesus asked Peter to "put out a little from the land" (v. 3a). He then "taught the multitudes from the boat" (v. 3b).

Then it happened! When He finished preaching, Jesus said to Peter, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (v. 4). Peter was hesitant: "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" (v. 5). Peter thought it would be a waste of time, but he would do as Jesus asked.

Regardless of what you think about what Jesus asks you to do, remember who He is, that He is the Son of God, the Savior, and do as He commands. Follow the word of His still small voice and you will not go wrong.

When they (Peter and likely his brother Andrew) cast their nets, "they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking" (v. 6). "So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink" (v. 7). Wow! What a catch! It was beyond anything they had ever dreamt of.

Take note of Peter's response: "When Simon Peter saw it, he fell at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!'" (v. 8). They were all "astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon" (vv. 9-10a).

And now the purpose for this miraculous catch of fish: "And Jesus said to Simon, 'Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men'" (v. 10b). They are to become fishers of men! Jesus was calling them to join His disciples that very day and follow Him. If you will follow Jesus faithfully, you will learn to catch men and bring them into the kingdom of God.

"So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him" (v. 11). That word, "forsook," literally means, "left behind." In other words, they left everything behind to follow Jesus. They left their families, their homes, their possessions, their boats, their fishing business, all to serve Jesus as fishers of men.

We need to do the same. Leave everything and follow Jesus faithfully. If He leads you to foreign lands, go. If He leads you to foreign places in this country, go. If He leads you to fish for men right where you are, do it. Be faithful to Jesus and He will be faithful to you. Amen.

An Evening at the Home of Simon Peter

Having healed "Simon's wife's mother" of a "high fever" (Luke 4:38-39), Jesus took time to relax with His disciples while Peter's mother-in-law served dinner. Meanwhile, word spread quickly throughout Capernaum that Jesus was at Peter's home and had healed his mother-in-law. So of course, everyone made haste and "at evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed" (Mark 1:32).

Mark points out that "the whole city was gathered together at the door" (v. 33). That is an indication of just how many people had come. There were so many people that they were pressing against the front door of Peter's home. They were longing to see Jesus and to be healed.

Jesus loves all of His people who love Him, as well as all who are in need of a Savior. So He showed compassion on them, opened the door, and went out among them. He mingled with them and spoke with them as "He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they new Him" (v. 34).

The parallel passage in Luke 8 clarifies that Jesus "laid His hands on every one of them and healed them" (v. 40b). All were healed that evening at Peter's home! "And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, 'You are the Christ, the Son of God!'" (v. 41a). So Jesus, "rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ" (v. 41b).

Again, it was not His time. It was not yet time to reveal either His identity as the Son of God or His purpose to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin and to rise again to give us both an abundant life and an eternal life. But again, this miracle shows how much Jesus loves us; how much He cares for us. He is always there for us.

Jesus will always be there for you. Whatever your need, turn it over to Jesus. He will watch over you and accomplish His will in your life. You are always in good hands with Jesus. Amen.

Simon Peter's Mother-in-Law Healed

Mark 1:29 begins, "Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue" (v. 29a). What just happened? It was the Sabbath, so Jesus was in the synagogue teaching (v. 21). There was a man in attendance who was possessed by an "unclean spirit" (v. 23). Jesus proceeded to cast the unclean spirit out of this man to the astonishment of all who were present (vv. 25-27).

Jesus and His disciples "entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John" (v. 29b). Simon, or Peter as Jesus called him, and Andrew were brothers. James and John, brothers also, were the sons of Zebedee and fishermen who were colleagues of Peter and Andrew. Peter's home was likely the Galilean headquarters for Jesus's ministry.

What they immediately encountered was the fact that Peter's mother-in-law "lay sick with a fever" (v. 30a). Luke clarifies that she has a "high fever" (Luke 4:38b). The Greek word here refers to a fever or scorching heat, hence, a "high fever" (v. 38b). They wasted no time in letting Jesus know about the situation (Mark 1:30b).

Jesus "came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them" (v. 31). Again Luke clarifies, Jesus "stood over her and rebuked the fever" (Luke 4:39a).

"Rebuked" (v. 39a) refers to making sharp criticism of behavior. In Luke 8:24b, Jesus "rebuked the wind and the raging of the water," and all was calm. Here in Luke 4, Jesus "rebuked" (v. 35) the unclean spirit and cast it out of a man. Now, Jesus "rebuked the fever" (v. 39a) and she was well. The fact that she was well is proven by her fixing dinner for them and serving them (v. 39b).

In each case, whether the wind and the waves, a demon, or a fever, Jesus rebuked it. He told it that what it was doing was wrong and He commanded it to cease. And in each case, His command was immediately obeyed. Jesus is clearly in charge over all things. Whenever a need arises, pray about it, turn it over to Jesus, and let Him work His will in your life. Amen.

From Water to Wine

The first miracle of Jesus as recorded in Scripture, was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee: "On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee" (John 2:1a). We are told simply that "the Mother of Jesus was there" (v. 1b). The text also adds that "both Jesus and His disciples (just five so far) were invited to the wedding" (v. 2). It would appear that the bride or the groom was either related to Mary or a friend of hers, as she was in charge of the kitchen staff, bringing food and wine to all the guests (vv. 3ff).

They ran out of wine; shear disaster at an event of this magnitude! Mary came to Jesus and said simply, "They have no wine" (v. 3). Jesus responded bluntly, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come" (v. 4). That seems a little harsh at first glance, especially considering He is speaking to His mother, but what Jesus was telling her is that it was not yet time to reveal Himself to the masses.

His mother turned to the servants and said, "Whatever He says to you, do it" (v. 5). Great advice! When you are walking with Jesus and hearing His call, and His still small voice speaks to your heart and mind, do it. Whatever it is, do as Jesus directs you. Don't hesitate. Just say, "Yes, Lord," and follow everything He asked of you.

"Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece" (v. 6). Note two things here: (1) These waterpots were certainly clean because they were used for holding the water used in purification ceremonies. In certain situations of life, the Law of Moses required the Jews to perform a ceremony of purification to make them clean again. The water used for this was held in these waterpots.

(2) These waterpots were made "of stone" (v. 6a). Stone does not absorb the liquid they contain. It does not absorb the taste of any liquid, thus ensuring that there could be no mistake concerning what was contained in these six large waterpots. Water in; Wine out! No mistaking that by these servants "who had drawn the water" (v. 9b). They knew the truth!

"Jesus said to them, 'Fill the waterpots with water.' And they filled them up to the brim" (v. 7). When Jesus reveals what He wants you to do, fill it up to the brim! Pour yourself completely into whatever He asks of you. Never do things just partway when it comes to serving the Lord Jesus.

"And He said to them, 'Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.' And they took it" (v. 8). Again, the servants immediately did what Jesus directed them to do. No hesitation. Immediate action should be taken by us as well.

"When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, 'Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!'" (vv. 9-10).

It was the best wine, the finest wine, that Jesus made from water. He does nothing partway. His work is the best. But take note, with this first miracle, He did not reveal who He was to the masses. Only He, His five disciples who were there, Mary, and the servants knew. No one else! His time had "not yet come" (v. 4b).

"This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him" (v. 11). The purpose was accomplished. He revealed Himself to just a few. The masses didn't know what happened. His disciples did know, and they "believed in Him" (v. 11b). Their faith was growing. Believe in Jesus and watch Him grow your faith. Amen.

The Miracle at Nain

Jesus and His disciples left Capernaum and began to make their way toward Jerusalem. Look at Luke 7:11. "Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd."

Jesus had just healed the servant of a centurion at Capernaum (vv. 1-10), and now He is about to step up His game. He and His disciples, followed by a large crowd of curious onlookers, came to the "city called Nain" (v. 11a). "And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her" (v. 12).

Nain is a small city, "a village," might better describe this town. It is one of those small towns where everyone knows nearly everyone. So a large number of people, "a large crowd... was with her" (v. 12b). Nearly all came to the funeral of this beloved widow's son. So crowd meets crowd, greatly multiplying the number of people who witnessed this miracle first hand.

"When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep'" (v. 13). Jesus felt a sincere concern for this widow because of her great misfortune and suffering. As a widow in that society and at that time, she already had little to no means of earning a living, but now her only provider, her only son, had died and was being carried out of the city to the cemetery to be buried.

Then Jesus "came and touched the open coffin" (v. 14a). In that day, this was the final opportunity to view the body for closure to the loss of this young man. But Jesus touched the coffin, "and those who carried him stood still"(v. 14b). Then Jesus spoke to the young man who had died, saying, "Young man, I say to you, arise" (v. 14c).

And what happened? There are too many witnesses for this to be denied. "He who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother" (v. 15). Jesus raised this young man from the dead! He restored him to life and restored him to his mother, so that he could again provide for her needs.

"Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has risen up among us'; and, 'God has visited His people'" (v. 16). Verse 17 concludes, "And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region." Rightly so. It was true. God had visited His people in His Son Jesus Christ. Trust Jesus. Follow Jesus. Jesus meets needs; your needs! He will even perform a miracle, if need be, to take care of you! Amen.

Were There Not Ten?

Luke 17:11-19 tells a fascinating story about ten lepers. "Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off" (vv. 11-12). We last saw Jesus in Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee where His ministry was headquartered out of the home of Peter. It was there that He healed a man who had leprosy.

Because of the common belief of that day that leprosy was extremely contagious, all who suffered from the disease were housed in separate villages of their own. Not only did they live apart from society, but if they went anywhere and came across people, they covered their face with their cloak, crying out, "Unclean, unclean." But that is not what happened here.

Instead, the scripture says, "And they lifted up their voices and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!'" (v. 13). They likely covered their faces with their cloaks, but they did not holler out, "Unclean, unclean." They knew who Jesus was, or at least, they knew He had the power of God to heal. So their approach was to call out to Him, "Jesus, Master, have mercy in us!" (v. 13).

"When He saw them," Jesus responded, "Go, show yourselves to the priests" (v. 14a). An interesting response indeed! He saw their faith, their strong belief that Jesus could heal, and He told them simply to fulfill the Law of Moses by going to the priests. Leviticus 14:1-32 gives the requirements of the law to be fulfilled by anyone healed of leprosy, but the interesting thing is that they are required first of all to have been healed already. These men left Jesus and headed to see the priests before being healed. However, "as they went" in faith, "they were cleansed" (Luke 17:14b).

"And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks" (vv. 15-16a). And it is noted that "he was a Samaritan" (v. 16b). When Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, they took some of the Jews to other conquered lands and brought other conquered peoples to northern Israel and settled them there. That resulted in intermarriage between these Jews and the foreign peoples, creating a mixed race known as the Samaritans. Because they are not full-blooded, the Jews despised them.

Note how this man not only returned to thank Jesus for his healing, but he came giving God the glory "with a loud voice" (v. 15b). He wasn't ashamed of his faith. He wanted all to know what Jesus had done for him. And he laid prostrate before Jesus, both giving thanks for his healing and worshiping Him. That is how we all should respond when our prayers are answered.

Note here that Jesus paid close attention to what had just happened. He was grateful for the one who returned to thank Him, but He noted, "Were there not ten?" (v. 17a). "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" (vv. 17-18). Ninety percent of those who were cleansed went their own way and did not follow the Lord Jesus. Ninety percent!

Only one in ten truly reinforced his faith in Jesus by returning to Him and following Him. And to that one, Jesus said, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well" (v. 19). Oh, to live for Jesus! That is the way we all should go. Amen.

Got to Tell Somebody

There are many twists and turns in this short story about Jesus healing a man from leprosy. The story is found in Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 1:40-45, and Luke 5:12-14. Let's pick up the story in Mark: "Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, 'If You are willing, You can make me clean'" (v. 40).

A man who was suffering from leprosy came to Jesus, took a knee and bowed down before Him to honor and perhaps even worship Him. Yes, to worship Jesus. It would appear that this unnamed man had at least some understanding of who Jesus is. He had some measure of faith, however small that faith may be. This is revealed in the man's statement: "If You are willing, You can make me clean" (v. 40b). He at least knew that Jesus, and Jesus alone, possessed the power to heal him.

Jesus recognizes even a little faith and He encourages that faith to grow. "Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I am willing; be cleansed'" (v. 41). Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached out and touched this man. He laid His hands on him and healed him. People would have gasped because of the fear of this disease.

Actually, Leprosy is a long-term infection which, if left untreated, can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. The nerve damage can cause an inability to feel pain, resulting in loss of a person's extremities through repeated injuries or unnoticed wounds. Though it spreads between people, extensive contact is necessary. Of people who contract the bacteria, 95% do not develop the disease (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia).

"As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed" (v. 42). In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, this man was cleansed! He was healed! Such is the power of Jesus. He has such compassion. But Jesus "strictly warned him and sent him away at once" (v. 43). What is this about?

Jesus said, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them" (v. 44). Jesus knew that the people would want to make Him king, but it wasn't His time yet. So He sent him away quickly to present himself to the priest to fulfill what was commanded and make the necessary offerings. He was to let that be his "testimony to them" (v. 44b).

"However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction" (v. 45). I can just imagine that this man tried the best he could to keep quiet, but it didn't work. As he tries to keep quiet he kept thinking, "Got to tell somebody." "Got to tell somebody." "I got to tell somebody!" And so he did.

How about you? Do you feel the same? Do you have to tell somebody about what Jesus means to you? Well, now we can feel free to spread the good news of Jesus. Go and tell somebody about Jesus. Amen.

What a Word This Is!

Luke 4:31 begins, "Then He (Jesus) went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths." Capernaum, just off the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, was the home of Peter, as well as the other fishermen, such as John and James. It was the headquarters of Jesus' ministry. "Sabbaths" (v. 31b), being plural, indicates that He had spent some time there, at least a few weeks, teaching the people in the synagogue. As He taught them we are told, "And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority" (v. 32).

Luke continues, "Now in the synagogue there was a certain man who had a spirit of an unclean demon" (v. 33a). The demon spoke with the voice of this man, "And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!'" (vv. 33b-34). Note here that the demon refers to himself as "us," "we," and "us" again (v. 34). So it would appear that there were multiple demons possessing this man.

Jesus responded with the voice of authority and "rebuked him, saying, 'Be quiet, come out of him!' And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him" (v. 35). Mark clarifies, "And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him" (Mark 1:26).

Everyone was astonished! "Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, 'What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out'" (Luke 4:36). Mark adds, "What new doctrine is this?" (Mark 1:27). "Doctrine" (v. 27) refers to "teaching," so it could be translated, "What new teaching is this?" What Jesus did in casting out these demons was new to the people in the synagogue. They had never seen anything like this before.

The authority with which Jesus acted gave further proof to the people that He was none other than the Son of God, our Savior and Lord. Luke closes, "And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region" (Luke 4:37). Mark says, "And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee" (Mark 1:28). With this show of authority and power, it was no wonder that His fame spread everywhere. He is the One we must believe in and trust by faith. Amen.

The Endless Buffet

What a day it was; a day no one would ever forget. Jesus, assisted by His twelve disciples, offered up the first buffet, an endless buffet. Bread and fish for everyone! All you can eat! And it was no small crowd: "A great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased" (John 6:2). They followed Jesus because of all the healing and miracles He performed. Why not follow Him wherever He went?

"Jesus went up on the mountain" and "sat with His disciples" (v. 3). We are then told that "the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near" (v. 4). Why this comment? It seems to come out of nowhere. But it makes sense to mention this here for two reasons: (1) it helps explain the great numbers of people that had gathered because most were headed for Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover; and (2) these people were anticipating a great feast, and so a great feast Jesus gave them.

"Seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?'" (v. 5). He was testing Philip "for He Himself knew what He would do" (v. 6). Philip responded and pointed out, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little" (v. 7).

The answer came quickly. "One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, 'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?'" (vv. 8-9). It didn't seem to be an answer at all. The lunch of one boy, a boy who planned ahead albeit, to feed thousands of people! Hardly. But for Jesus it was simple.

Jesus told His disciples, "Make the people sit down" (v. 10a). It is noted, "Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand" (v. 10b). In that society only the men would be numbered. Add in wives and children, and you probably have at least fifteen thousand people being fed by Jesus.

"And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted" (v. 11). All you can eat! And there were leftovers: "So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, 'Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost'" (v. 12). And when all was said and done, "they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten" (v. 13).

Jesus meets our needs, whatever those may be. Not only does He heal various diseases and cast out demons, but He also feeds the hungry. A very timely message with food becoming so costly. Note what the people concluded about Jesus: "Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, 'This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world'" (v. 14). He is the Son of God; He is the Creator God who loves you, watches over you, and cares for you, meeting your every need. Trust Him. Amen.

The Nobleman's Son

Jesus "came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine" (John 4:46a). We are told that this is "the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee" (v. 54). So the first two miracles of Jesus as recorded in Scripture were both done in Cana of Galilee. The first, of course, being at the wedding reception when He turned water into wine. The second now is the healing of the nobleman's son. Let's pick up the story from here.

We are told "there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum" (v. 46b). "Nobleman" in New Testament Greek referred to hereditary rank or to certain dignitaries. Literally, it refers to "an officer of the king's court" (studylight.org/commentary/john/4-46.html), or an officer serving in the court of Herod Antipas.

This man's son was sick and they feared he would soon die. So this nobleman sought out Jesus because of His reputation for healing the sick and making them well. He was right to come looking for Jesus because He was the only one who could help the boy.

He came to Jesus and "implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death" (v. 47). But Jesus replied, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe" (v. 48). Jesus responded in this manner because so many people just wanted a show to entertain them, nothing more, like Herod (Luke 23:8).

The nobleman passionately replied, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" (v. 49). Seeing the passionate concern for his son and understanding that this man wanted no entertainment, but only His help, Jesus told the man, "Go your way; your son lives" (v. 50a).

Jesus honored what little faith he had and healed his son. But "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way" (v. 50b). He believed Jesus at His word! His faith was growing! On his way, "his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!" (v. 51).

What joy filled this man's heart! He could only respond one way. His faith grew several times that day. "Then he inquired of them the hour that he got better. And they said to him, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.' So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives.' And he himself believed, and his whole household" (vv. 52-53).

What joy filled that household! This great miracle of Jesus convinced this man and his entire household, servants and all, to believe in Jesus. He is indeed the Christ, the Savior in whom we must put our faith. Follow the footsteps of this nobleman and his family. Trust in Jesus, that is all! Amen.

Rise Up and Walk!

"Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem" (Luke 5:17a). Mark clarifies that Jesus was in "Capernaum" (Mark 2:1a). People "heard that He was in the house" (v. 1b), likely Peter's home. "Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door" (v. 2a). And Mark continues, "And He preached the word to them" (v. 2b).

Luke notes: "The power of the Lord was present to heal them" (Luke 5:17b). It would seem that there are two reasons to assume that Jesus was healing many of these people. One, Jesus "preached the word to them" (Mark 2:2b). Where the word is faithfully preached, there is power. Two, with this preaching of the word and the presence of Jesus, "the power of the Lord was present to heal them" (Luke 5:17b). When Jesus is surrounded by a throng of people, many of whom have various illnesses, Jesus heals!

"Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him. And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus" (vv. 18-19).

What faith! Faith that Jesus recognized and rewarded. Going to such lengths as to remove the tiles and uncover the roof where Jesus was and to let this man down by ropes tied to the corners of his bed, takes great faith in the Lord Jesus. Seeing the great faith of these men, "Jesus said to him, 'Man, your sins are forgiven you'" (v. 20).

Of course, "the scribes and the Pharisees" who were there "began to reason, saying, 'Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?'" (v. 21).

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-He said to the man who was paralyzed, "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house" (vv. 22-24).

"Immediately he rose up," took up his bedroll, "and departed to his own house, glorifying God" (v. 25). Giving God the glory was the right response because it was God who healed him. Everyone was amazed at what they had just witnessed, "and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, 'We have seen strange things today!" (v. 26). And indeed they had. No one could have imagined that they would witness such a miracle that day.

But note the faith that Jesus saw. People often think that when someone prays for healing and it doesn't happen, it is the lack of faith on the part of that person that is the problem. But in this case, Jesus didn't heal this man based on his faith. No. Jesus healed this man because of the faith of his friends.

James 5:16 says, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." When a righteous person prays, when someone who walks faithfully with Jesus every day prays, God moves mountains. He performs miracles, if necessary, not only for the healing of the one prayed for, but for strengthening the faith of those who witness the miracle. May you be so strengthened in your walk with Jesus. Amen.

The Light of the World

Jesus and His disciples were walking along and came across a blind man; a man "blind from birth" (John 9:1). He has never had the privilege of ever seeing anything. The encounter led to a timely discussion. The disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (v. 2). That was the question most on the minds of the people. They couldn't conceive of any other reason. Someone surely sinned and this was the punishment of God.

Jesus, however, begged to differ, saying, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned" (v. 3a). He then added, "This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (v. 3b). Jesus concluded with the declaration, "I am the light of the world" (v. 5b).

With that, Jesus illustrated what He meant with a real life miracle: "He spat on the ground and made clay" (v. 6a). Then "He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay" (v. 6b). And Jesus "said to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing" (v. 7).

"The neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind" (v. 8a), were downright amazed. They asked, "How were your eyes opened?" (v. 10). He answered, "A Man called Jesus" (v. 11) healed me. And the people wanted to find Jesus, but the man did not know where He was (v. 12).

Then the Pharisees questioned the man that had been born blind (v. 13). "Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes" (v. 14). That fact caused "some of the Pharisees" to conclude, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath" (v. 16a). "Others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?' And there was a division among them" (v. 16b).

The Pharisees again asked the blind man, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" (v. 17a). The man answered, "He is a prophet" (v. 17b).

Not believing that the man had been blind, they called in his parents (v. 18) and asked them how this could be? (v. 19). They confirmed that he was their son who "was born blind" (v. 20), but beyond that they deferred to their son, "He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself" (v. 21).

"So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this man is a sinner" (v.  24). His response: "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see" (v. 25).

They pressed him again as to how he was healed (v. 26), and he said, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?" (v. 27). They claimed to be disciples of Moses (v. 28), and added, "We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from" (v. 29).

The man was amazed and replied, "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing" (vv. 31-33). Then he was cast out of the synagogue (v. 34).

Jesus came and asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (v. 35). He replied, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" (v. 36). "It is He who is talking with you," said Jesus (v. 37). "Then he said, 'Lord, I believe! And he worshiped Him'" (v. 38).

The man who was healed began to talk of Jesus simply as, "A Man called Jesus" (v. 11). When questioned, he came to say of Jesus, "He is a prophet" (v. 17b). Upon further consideration he began to realize that Jesus was definitely "from God" (v. 33). Finally, he talked with Jesus again and came to believe in Him as his Lord! (v. 38). Jesus is the Lord of the universe. He is my Lord. How about you? Amen.

Four Days Late

Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were good friends of Jesus (a brother and two sisters). Lazarus was sick (John 11:1) so the sisters sent for Jesus (v. 3). Jesus responded, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (v. 4). Then Jesus stayed where He was for "two more days" (v. 6).

Jesus knew what He was about to do. That is why He said, "This sickness is not unto death" (v. 4a). Though He knew Lazarus would die, it would not be permanent. It was all for the glory of Jesus. After the two days, they headed back to Judea where Bethany was located (v. 7).

The disciples questioned the wisdom of this trip (v. 8), so Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead" (v. 14). Then Jesus added, "Let us go to him" (v. 15b). So they headed out for Judea, for the town of Bethany.

Upon arriving in Bethany, Jesus discovered that His friend Lazarus "had already been in the tomb four days" (v. 17). Jesus was four days late, yet He was right on time!

Martha came to Jesus (v. 20), and said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (v. 21). She continued, showing her faith, "But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You" (v. 22). Four days late, yet right on time!

Jesus told Martha, "Your brother will rise again" (v. 23). Martha knew he would rise again at the end of time (v. 24), but Jesus was referring to something a little sooner. He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (vv. 25-26). Martha responded with great faith, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world" (v. 27).

Then Mary came and said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (v. 32b). Four days late, yet right on time!

Even the Jews who had gathered said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" (v. 37). Four days late, yet right on time!

When Jesus stood before the tomb, He said, "Take away the stone" (v. 39a). Martha said, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days" (v. 39b). Four days late, yet right on time!

Jesus, speaking to Martha, said, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" (v. 40). So "they took away the stone" (v. 41a). Then Jesus prayed, "Father, I thank you that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me" (vv. 41b-42). Then Jesus cried out, "Lazarus, come forth!" (v. 43). And Lazarus waked out of the tomb, or more likely hobbled out of the tomb, as he was "bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth" (v. 44a). And Jesus said, "Loose him, and let him go" (v. 44b). Four days late, yet right on time!

And what happened? "Many of the Jews," having "seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him" (v. 45). Salvation all around! Four days late, yet right on time!

Often when we pray, it seems Jesus delays in answering our prayer. We are impatient and we think Jesus is late, maybe four days late, maybe longer. But when the answer does come, when Jesus acts, maybe even answering our prayer with a miracle, we realize that Jesus was right on time. Jesus is never late. He is always right on time. Amen.

A Borrowed Tomb

Joseph of Arimathea, "a council member," was "a good and just man" (Luke 23:50). But he disagreed with the rest of the council (v. 51). He acquired the body of Jesus after He was crucified and saw to His burial (vv. 52-53). The "Sabbbath drew near" (v. 54). The women planned to return after the Sabbath to finish preparing His body (vv. 55-56)

The grave was easily identified. But after the Sabbath, "on the first day of the week" (Luke 24:1), everything had changed. When they came to Jesus's tomb they were shocked by what they found. The stone had already been "rolled away" (v. 2) and Jesus wasn't there! The tomb was empty! He "is risen!" (v. 6).

Yesterday we celebrated Easter Sunday, or what I prefer to call Resurrection Sunday. We celebrated the great gift of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That Friday Jesus gave His life to pay the penalty for our sin. On Sunday He rose from the dead defeating death and providing us with eternal life. What a joyful gift this is!

Now is the day. Trust Jesus as Savior and as Lord. In Him is salvation. As the saying goes: By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone is salvation. Amen.

The King Is Coming

There is a great old hymn of the faith entitled, The King Is Coming. I love that old hymn. It really gets my blood flowing. I am always looking forward to that great day when Jesus will return and gather His faithful people together and take us home with Him to spend eternity worshipping at His feet. Oh, what a glorious day that will be!

Although that hymn is looking forward to the Second Coming of Christ, the Old Testament saints had a similar view of the future as they looked forward to Messiah's first coming. To them also the King was  coming! Check out Zechariah 9:9 where he speaks of and prophesied about the coming of Christ:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! 

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! 

Behold, your King is coming to you; 

He is just and having salvation, 

Lowly and riding on a donkey, 

A colt, the foal of a donkey.

When Messiah comes, Zechariah declared that He would arrive like a king. In ancient times, when a king arrived home from war, having won a great victory, he would often lead his captives into the city while riding on a donkey, or more accurately, "a colt, the foal of a donkey" (v. 9b). People would celebrate along with the king by spreading cut branches and their coats on the road before him.

That is what Jesus did nearly two thousand years ago. He came riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey like a victorious king. Afterall, He was about to claim victory over Satan. The only thing was His victory would come by way of a cross and a grave from which He would rise again. But the people didn't understand.

Today is Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We celebrate the salvation He brings. We should celebrate this day because this is the day when Jesus came to Jerusalem to die for you and me. He came specifically to redeem us from our sin. He came to ser us free. He came to draw us to Himself and make us one with Him. Enjoy this great day. Amen.

Have a Great New Year

Isaiah encouraged the people of Israel to turn the corner in life and to have a great new year.  He wrote:

                Do not remember the former things,

                Nor consider the things of old.

                Behold, I will do a new thing,

                Now it shall spring forth;

                Shall you not know it?

                I will even make a road in the wilderness

                And rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Isaiah begins by encouraging God's people to forget "the former things" (v. 18a), "the things of old" (v. 18b). Why? Because God plans to do something new on their behalf. "I will do a new thing" (v. 19a), God tells His people through Isaiah. Deliverances of the nation in the past will pale in comparison with the future deliverance the Lord will give His people.

In the Messiah's future kingdom, the barren places of Israel will be well-watered. "I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water" (Is. 41:18) and "to give drink to My people, My chosen" (Is. 43:20).

What God is saying through His prophet Isaiah, is to let go of the past and look ahead to better times in the future. God is looking to bless you greatly in the new year. Be forward looking and God will greatly bless you in the new year. Amen.