Scars

The Life of Jesus Series

How Jesus interacted with others.

John 4:1-26

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A1-26&version=NIV;NLT

 

Recently a friend of mine had surgery on his hand. The incision was approximately four inches long and required twenty-five stitches. After a week and a half, he was still wearing a large bandage which helps the healing process; but also hides the scar.

 

In his words, “You don’t want to see this scar. It’s not pretty”.

 

The woman at the well had many scars, and she did her best to hide them. She went to the well in the heat of the day when she knew that the other women wouldn’t be there. You see, she had a history of divorce; of broken relationships; and was likely gossiped about as an immoral woman.

 

While trying her best to draw water as an invisible Samaritan woman, she has a “chance” meeting with Jesus, who was also alone. The only reason that Jesus was in the region was because he decided to leave Judea and return to Galilee through Samaria. When he arrived at the well, he was tired, hungry and thirsty; so his disciples went to find food while he waited at the well.

 

This “chance” meeting took place on holy ground. The well was in the shadow of Mount Gerizim. For the Samaritans, there was no place more holy than this. It was where they worshiped God. Going to Mount Gerizim was like the Jews going to Jerusalem for their religious feasts and festivals.

 

The woman at the well met Jesus on holy ground. However, it wasn’t holy ground because of Mount Gerizim. It was holy ground because of Jesus. If it wasn’t for who Jesus was and his scars… her scars would have been in vain. It’s through his suffering, death and resurrection that her sins were forgiven and her scars were healed.

 

Ironically, if it wasn’t for her scars, she may have never met Jesus. Her scars lead her to faith in Jesus as the expected “Messiah, called Christ”.

 

 

Like the woman at the well, we also have scars that we want to hide. But through those scars, we too can come to meet Jesus who promises us forgiveness and healing.

 

Click on the link below to listen to the song “Scars” by I Am They.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It1XzDf-pFo

 

 

 

 

Extra! Extra!

The Life of Jesus Series

How Jesus interacted with others.

John 3:1-21

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203%3A1-21&version=NIV;ESV

  

"In the early days of newspapers, when something big happened, the publisher would not only publish the normal daily paper, but would also publish an “Extra”.

 

 

 

The newspapers were sold on the street, often by newsboys, who had a stack of papers and would sell them to walkers-by. When an Extra came out, they would chant "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" to call attention to the fact that something big has happened, and an Extra paper has been published".      From reddit.com

 

That’s basically what’s happening in this interchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus emphatically states three times; “Truly, truly I tell you”; which in ancient times meant, “Extra! Extra! I have something really important to say to you!” It was a way of interrupting Nicodemus’ life and getting his attention.

 

³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (born from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God.”       ESV

 

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.           ESV

 

¹¹ Truly, truly, I say to you… ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.      ESV

 

Jesus is straight out telling Nicodemus that he is the Son of Man; that he is the way to not only see the kingdom of God, but to enter it. Jesus stepped into the life of Nicodemus, and changed him forever. In the same way, Jesus can step into your life and into mine changing us forever.

 

Emmanuel means God with us. Two thousand years ago God stepped into the world we live in through the person of Jesus Christ. Not only did he step into it, but he interrupted the natural order of things. It was more than an Extra edition of the paper. It was an “Extra! Extra!” of life-changing proportions.

 

Your life has been interrupted. Will you listen to the head lines?

 

 

 

Do You Measure Up?

The Life of Jesus Series

How Jesus interacted with others.

Mark 10:17-31

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010%3A17-31&version=NIV;NLT

 

We all try to measure up to the expectations of somebody or something or even ourselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For instance, I’ve always looked up to my older brother. For one thing, he’s 6 feet 6 inches tall. He also has a PhD in chemistry. In addition, he has an amazing vocabulary and a tremendous capacity for retention. I don’t measure up to any of these.

 

The rich young ruler was focused on the goal of measuring up. On the outside, he appeared to be a sincere seeker. He ran up to Jesus and knelt down before him. He confessed that he had kept the laws since he was a boy. He knew how to look good; how to have the appearance of righteousness. But he also knew that he wasn’t righteous. Then, Jesus broke his heart.

 

²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.       NIV

 

What about the disciples? Were they any better than the rich young ruler?

 

Jesus said, ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”… ²⁸ Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”             NIV

 

Ah yes. Leave it to Peter to say what all the rest of the disciples were thinking. “Hey what about us? We’re better than that young guy you just turned away Jesus! We gave up everything to follow you.”

 

The disciples felt entitled. The rich young ruler felt entitled. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we feel entitled. In this context, feeling entitled is an attempt to earn eternal life; to measure up to God’s perfection. But we can’t!

 

¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone… ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”      NIV

 

We can’t measure up to the goodness of God. We can’t reach that goal of being righteous on our own. We can’t inherit eternal life by outward obedience.

 

Thankfully, through God’s grace, He meets us where we’re at and loves us enough to tell us the truth. Then, it’s up to us to follow Him and accept the gift that only He can give.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expectations

The Life of Jesus Series:

How Jesus interacted with others.

Mark 10:35-37; Mark 10:46-52

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010%3A35-38%2CMark%2010%3A46-52&version=NIV;NLT

  

Expectations; we all have them. You expect certain things from your spouse, your children, your parents, your boss, your employees; even the guy driving down the highway next to you.

 

Individuals with a Type A personality have expectations that drive them to accomplish goals. Followers have expectations of their leader; and beggars have expectations of those with resources.

 

In verses 46-52, Bartimaeus called Jesus the “Son of David”. That title carried with it many expectations as witnessed by these prophesies.

 

⁵ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
    and do what is just and right in the land.
⁶ In his days Judah will be saved
    and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.         Jeremiah 23:5-6 NIV

 

²³ I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. ²⁴ I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.  Ezekiel 34:23-24 NIV

 

According to Mark 10:35-37, it would seem that James and John had expectations of Jesus to receive positions of prestige and power. No doubt they believed that the Son of David would bring Israel back to political prominence. Whereas, Bartimaeus expected healing in his life.

 

We’re no different from them in that we have our own expectations of Jesus. What are yours? At home; at work; at church; in your thought life? What do you expect from Jesus?

 

But the most important question is the one that Jesus asked both James and John as well as Bartimaeus: What do you want me to do for you?”  Across the centuries, he asks you the same question. How will you answer it?

 

 

 

 

 

Good versus Evil

The Life of Jesus Series:

How Jesus interacted with others.

Mark 5:1-20

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%205%3A1-20&version=NIV;NLT

 

My grandson’s favorite supervillain is Thanos, a fictional Marvel Comic character who most recently appeared in Avengers: Endgame.

 

 

 

 

 

Like Thanos, the demon possessed man in Mark 5 had super natural strength. He was a scary guy.

 

³ This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. ⁴ Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵ Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. NLT

 

The demon possessed man saw Jesus from a distance. After Jesus crossed the lake, the man ran to meet him as the boat landed. Then the story gets really bizarre as Jesus has a full blown conversation with the demons, and sends them into a herd of pigs who then plunge into the lake and drown; all 2000 of them.

 

In the Greek, demon possessed is translated as unclean. The NIV translates it as an impure spirit. You could legitimately say that we all have an unclean, or impure, spirit within us because of our sinful nature. There doesn’t have to be a demon for that to be true.

 

This story would make a great Avenger’s movie. Thanos versus Adam Warlock; good versus evil; with good winning out. Here, good and evil were battling over the man with an unclean spirit.

 

During the battle, he asked a profound question, and at the same time, made a profound statement. “What do you want with me, Jesus? Son of the Most High God.” We could ask the same question… and make the same statement. If we did, maybe good would defeat evil more often.