From Gary... CRAZY

"CRAZY"

I imagine that many people today have never heard of Patsy Cline.  She was a country western singer from the 1950's and died in a plane crash in 1963.  Some of you might remember the biographical 1985 movie "Sweet Dreams" starring Jessica Lange and Ed Harris.  I always loved Patsy's deep, resonate, passionate voice.  Listening to her always evoked emotion; she sang with all her  heart.  As I listened to the above link, I asked myself: Why would anyone think themselves "Crazy" for what they do?  I guess you could substitute the word "pointless", but somehow is just has no punch to it. Anyway, have you ever found yourself in a situation where those around you thought you were "crazy" for doing what you are doing?  Here is an example from the old testament...

Job, Chapter 2

1 Again, on the day when the God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.  2 Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” 

Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” 

  3  Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.” 

  4  Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.  5 But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.” 

  6  Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.” 

  7  So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head.  8 He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes.  9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.” 

  10  But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” 

In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips. 

Now, I know the word "crazy" isn't in the text, but it could be.  Job's wife obviously thought he was nuts for maintaining his integrity in the face of his horrible affliction.  Likewise, Job thought his spouse was foolish for her statement.  Crazy?  I don't think so!!!  But some today will think you CRAZY for believing in God; especially if you fall upon hard times.  Job eventually realized that compared to God, HIS righteousness was nothing and he needed to repent (change his mind and life) from his self-righteous attitude.  Humility goes a long way with God- repentance goes even farther.  Consistent obedience from the heart to the will of God as found in the Scriptures will do the most!!!  Really knowing and being known by Jesus WILL DO IT ALL!!!!  Don't be CRAZY, BE A CHRISTIAN!!!  Only A CRAZY PERSON WOULD TURN DOWN THE FREE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Why So Stern?

Why So Stern?

There was a man called Uzzah. He was one in a procession headed up by king David as he brought Israel's Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. The oxen that carried the Ark stumbled and it looked as though it was going to fall and Uzzah put his hand out to save it and God struck him dead. The story's told in 2 Samuel 6:1-11.

On the surface it looks like God is too eager to take life. We might have thought that Uzzah's move to keep the Ark from toppling should have been rewarded rather than the man being killed. We're left with the impression that God is touchy and thinks more of furniture that he does of people. Why is he so stern?

I think that if we think noble things of God we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. There's more in the incident than meets the eye. I won't go into all the details but David has political agendas and he wants to confirm himself as Israel's king by hurrying the Ark to Jerusalem, which would become a rallying point for all the tribes. Maybe you'll note that David wanted to know, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?" To him rather than to Jerusalem (6:9). Uzzah's death is more a message to David than it is punishment for Uzzah and David is afraid of the Lord who will not be used as a prop for David's throne (see 2 Samuel 6:9-10).

The Ark of the Covenant was where God appeared enthroned above the cherubim and proclaimed the truth that God was King and sovereign over Israel. In violation of the King's express instructions that the Ark was to be covered and carried by the poles expressly made for them (see Exodus 25:10-22; 37:5; Numbers 4:15,17-19). The whole procession was out of order from start to finish and everyone who was part of it was engaged in a violation of sacred ritual. They were all worthy of death.

So we can look at this crass violation of God's instruction and think it was harsh beyond defending because he slew Uzzah. But maybe we should think that he was tolerant beyond measure by not slaying all of them. The final insult was for someone to put a hand on the Ark itself. Maybe if we understood more we'd be more inclined to speak of his mercy in this section than about his severity (which is real). Combining the violation of express instructions with the political expediency that was going on makes the incident more than a fussy God killing a man for a trifling error.

Bear in mind that there was more than sacred ritual involved here. Ordinances are not for nothing! Ordinance point beyond themselves to profoundly important truths and for people to despise them is to despise the truths they have been connected to. I'm not suggesting that people are made for ordinances. I am saying that no one has the right to despise them or to simply choose to ignore them.

I think this incident should open our eyes so that we'll look carefully at many other startling acts of God that on the surface appear to be overkill. I'm think of occasions like the deaths of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10 or Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. I suppose we'll always think of God as severe in the extreme when he judges decisively but beyond our fear and wondering we're sure that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ can be trusted.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Feeding The Four Thousand

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                   Feeding The Four Thousand (8:1-10)

INTRODUCTION

1. During His earthly ministry, Jesus focused attention on the house of
   Israel...
   a. As He commanded when giving the Limited Commission - Mt 10:5-6
   b. As He explained to the Syro-Phoenician woman - Mt 15:24

2. Even so, there were occasions when Gentiles benefited from His
   physical presence...
   a. The Syro-Phoenician woman's daughter healed - Mk 7:24-30
   b. Healings in the area of Decapolis, including the deaf mute - 

      Mt 15:29-31; Mk 7:31-37
   c. Feeding of the four thousand - Mk 8:1-10

[It is the feeding of the four thousand that we now direct our
attention, first by taking a closer look at...]

I. THE NARRATIVE

   A. THE SETTING...
      1. "In those days" - Mk 8:1
         a. Connecting this miracle with those we've just studied - 

            Mk 7:31-37; Mt 15:29-31
         b. Placing it in the area of Decapolis, SE of the Sea of
            Galilee - Mk 7:31
         c. A prominently Gentile region, where Jesus had healed a
            demoniac - Mk 5:1-13
         d. Who had broadcast what Jesus did for him throughout
            Decapolis - Mk 5:18-20
      2. Other particulars - Mk 8:1-3
         a. A great multitude, who had been with Jesus three days
         b. In a wilderness region, without food, far from their homes

   B. THE MIRACLE...
      1. Prompted by Jesus' compassion - Mk 8:2-3
      2. Unforeseen by Jesus' disciples - Mk 8:4
      3. Using only seven loaves and a few small fish - Mk 8:5-7
      4. Occurring after Jesus gave thanks for the bread, and blessed
         the fish - Mk 8:6-7
      5. With seven large baskets of leftover fragments - Mk 8:8
      6. Feeding 4000 men, besides women and children - Mk 8:9; cf. Mt 15:38

[After feeding the multitude, Jesus sent them away and got on a boat
with His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee over to Dalmanutha (on
the west coast).  With the narrative fresh on our minds, here are...]

II. SOME OBSERVATIONS

   A. TWO MIRACLES COMPARED...
               The 5000                           The 4000
      1. In Galilee                       1. In Decapolis
      2. Jews - cf. Jn 6:14-15            2. Gentiles (Decapolis)
                                             - Mk 7:31; 8:1
      3. With Jesus one day - Mk 6:35     3. With Jesus three days - Mk 8:2
      4. Near villages - Mk 6:36          4. In wilderness - Mk 8:3-4
      5. Five loaves, two fish - Mk 5:41  5. Seven loaves, few small
                                             fish - Mk 8:5,7
      6. 5000 men, plus women and         6. 4000 men, plus women and
         children - Mt 14:21                 children - Mt 15:38
      7. Surplus = 12 hand baskets        7. Surplus = 7 large baskets *
         - Mk 6:43                           - Mk 8:8
      -- * The large baskets were like hampers, large enough to hide in
         - cf. Ac 9:25

   B. THE SATISFYING POWER OF JESUS...
      1. We see a picture of need - "nothing to eat"
      2. We see a revelation of love - "I have compassion on the
         multitude"
      3. We see a consideration of grace - "if I send them away hungry
         to their own houses, they will faint on the way"
      4. We see a question of helplessness - "How can one satisfy these
         people with bread here in the   wilderness?"
      5. We see a command requiring trust - "He commanded the multitude
         to sit down on the ground"
      6. We see a manifestation of power - "those who had eaten were
         about four thousand"
      7. We see a superabundance of supply - "they took up seven largef
         baskets of leftover fragments"
      -- From Handfuls On Purpose, Smith & Lee

   C. NOT UNLIKE THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST...
      1. There is need - Ro 3:23
      2. There is love - Ro 5:8
      3. There is grace - Ro 6:23
      4. There is helplessness - Ro 3:9
      5. There is a command requiring trust - Ro 6:3; cf. Mk 16:16; 

                                              Ac 2:38; 22:16
      6. There is manifestation of power - Ro 6:4-7; 8:1-2,11-13
      7. There is superabundance of supply - Ro 8:31-39; cf. Ep 3:20-21
      -- He who fed thousands with bread then feeds millions with the
         bread of life today!

CONCLUSION

1. The feeding of the four thousand was a miracle which...
   a. Was quite different than feeding the five thousand
   b. Foreshadowed the grace to be offered all men, both Jew and Gentile

2. May it serve to remind us concerning Jesus...
   a. He knows our every need
   b. He is touched by our infirmities
   c. He is able to abundantly supply our need

As Paul wrote to his beloved brethren in the churches at Philippi and
Ephesus...

   "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in
   glory by Christ Jesus." - Php 4:19

   "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all
   that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
   to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations,
   forever and ever. Amen."  - Ep 3:20-21

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011