4/26/13

From Gary... Are you looking too closely?


This picture made me think of this past Sunday's episode of "The Good Wife".  I remember that they had someone on the witness stand and were taking apart everything they said, trying to find some fault by perverting what they meant to say.  Perfectly normal for lawyers.  Not so normal for average people.  For the Pharisees and Herodians... well, judge for yourself...

Matthew, Chapter 22

 15  Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.  16 They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.  17 Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 

  18  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?   19  Show me the tax money.” 
They brought to him a denarius. 

  20  He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?” 

  21  They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 

Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

  22  When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away. 


Beware of people like this! People who use language as a weapon.  People whose heart is as black as coal and whose conscience is seared beyond any hope of being useful.  Be a person of integrity and straightforwardness, whose honesty is evident by both speech and action.  Need an example?  Humm, I wonder where we could find one?  Hint: look up!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... The certain Someone


The certain Someone

Life can wear us down. I know a number of people personally for whom life at present is just an extended holiday. I don’t begrudge them that—it’s the work of God and I’m not about to tell him he shouldn’t so bless them. I know many more whose lives, while not all pleasure, are satisfying. They have enough pleasure in their lives and enough of whatever it takes to meet the challenges that come their way whether they are economic, emotional, social or other. But I know a great number and I know about hosts of others for whom life is one long slog to make ends meet or to continue to carry the heavy-duty burdens they’re faced with every day without fail. Their situation is worse than Job’s was. His trouble came toward the end of a long, richly blessed life and it lasted only a short while before rich blessing returned. In the case of the people I’m thinking about it has been one tough grind from day one and troubles of one kind or another have since dogged them without respite. These people would gladly swap places with Job in a heartbeat.
Among them there are tens of thousands who have no faith in God and can’t look toward him. I don’t intend that as a criticism (though I think it sad beyond words) and I only mention it to say that what follows won’t be very helpful to them—if at all. To those who have faith in God and who endure the kind of life I’ve just described I’d want to say that there’s a way of looking at your life that might make it easier (not easy!) to live out. For a very few of you some unfamiliar truth might even transform your lives completely because you might be able to hear this. Some won’t be able to hear it.
We tend to think that unbroken suffering or pressure or heartache is a token that God doesn’t care for us as much as for others. Now and then you might even wonder if he cares at all, but most of the time you dismiss that thought and are willing to live with the confusion and pain. But it’s hard to see God blessing others and leaving you (relatively) unblessed without thinking that he cares more for them than you. What makes it worse, we also tend to think that blessing and righteousness should go together so that if we’re unblessed we’re tempted to think it’s because we’re not good. That can generate numerous emotional responses. We can become bitter because we see richly blessed people who are (as far as we can tell) certainly no better than we are and maybe not as good. This in turn can generate some bitterness toward God at the subconscious level even while consciously we won’t critique him for it. But, then again, if we’re very sensitive we rebuke ourselves for thinking, "I’m as good as any of them." All those conflicting feelings and thoughts only add misery to the situation.
At the more basic level—with all that inner dialogue set aside—you are just weary. A ray of light, a better day, a check in the post, some respect from the children, a show of genuine affection from the wife/husband, a migraine-free month or a companion to obliterate the awful loneliness—that would make all the difference. So rather than a Bible study or a little lecture you’d settle for a change in your circumstances. "Let’s take care of my crushing debts and then we can have a study about the whys and wherefores of the troubles in human life." That response to talk makes sense—Matthew 25 would suggest that.
But trust in God does make a difference. It enables you to see what isn't visible (see Hebrews 11:1,27) and in the light of his promise that he would always be with you, you can "see" Christ when no one else can (Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5). You know he's there.
Only an idiot thinks he or she has all the answers to the complexities of the human condition. Only an idiot will say that all suffering has a single face and that one explanation fits all the circumstances. And even if a specific truth is seen to be true, the pain is real and the days are unchanging. "Arrrgh, not morning again already. How I wish I could sleep for a millennium." Or the phone rings, it’s the police again and it’s about Bob, again. While you’re listening you notice someone sitting on your stairs watching you. Or Rachel is back again, the two children are with her again, her face is badly bruised again. And you notice that someone else is with her (who is that?). Or the hospital waiting room is getting smaller and smaller—suffocating you—and as you glance around, the doctors and nurses look less and less concerned about your very real concerns. Does any of this matter to anyone? Does anyone really care? Is there any point to any of this? And then you see a young man sitting across from you. He’s been there since you arrived (when was it? half of forever ago?). Your eyes meet and hold each other, he nods as though he knows and without being told, without asking, you know he’s Jesus Christ. And somehow things have changed.

©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... Touches Of The Savior



                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                    Touches Of The Savior (5:21-43)


INTRODUCTION

1. Mark dedicates much attention to the miracles of Jesus, showing His
   power over...
   a. Demons - Mk 1:23-28,34; 5:1-20
   b. Sickness - Mk 1:29-31,34,40-45; 2:1-12; 3:1-6
   c. Nature - Mk 4:35-41

2. Our present lesson involves two miracles, showing Jesus power over...
   a. Disease, in healing the woman suffering from an issue of blood
   b. Death, in raising the daughter of Jairus

[We are first introduced to Jairus, a ruler of a synagogue, who begs
Jesus to heal his dying daughter (Mk 5:21-24).  But on the way, there
was...]

I. THE TOUCH OF A WOMAN

   A. THE WOMAN TOUCHED JESUS...
      1. She had suffered greatly - Mk 5:25-26
         a. The discharge of blood for 12 years
         b. The mistreatments of many physicians
         c. The loss of all that she had
      2. She had heard about Jesus and came to touch His garment - Mk 5:27-29
         a. She believed simply touching His clothes would heal her
         b. When she did, the fountain of blood dried and up and she was
            healed
      3. Jesus sensed the miracle, and reassured the woman - Mk 5:30-34
         a. Jesus asked who touched Him, and fearfully the woman came
            forward
         b. Jesus reassured her that her faith made her well and she was
            healed
      -- Because she was willing to touch Jesus, she was healed!

   B. ARE WE WILLING TO TOUCH JESUS...?
      1. In our previous study we saw those who were afraid of Jesus
         - Mk 5:15-17
         a. Are we more like the denizens of the Gadarenes?
         b. Or are we willing to approach Jesus?
      2. We cannot touch Jesus literally, but today we can:
         a. Put Jesus on in baptism - cf. Ga 3:27
         b. Be united with Him in His death and resurrection via baptism
            - cf. Ro 6:3-4
         c. Have our sins washed away by His blood - Ac 22:16; Re 1:5
      -- If we are willing to touch Jesus, we can be saved!

[If we have enough faith to reach out and touch Jesus by obeying His
word, we can be blessed by that touch!  While Jesus was still speaking
to the woman, troubling news concerning Jairus' daughter came that would
lead to...]

II. THE TOUCH OF A CHILD

   A. JESUS TOUCHED THE CHILD...
      1. On the way to the house - Mk 5:35-37
         a. Jairus was told his daughter is dead
         b. Jesus reassured Jairus, calling upon him to believe
         c. Jesus permitted only Peter, James, and John to accompany Him
      2. At the house of Jairus - Mk 5:38-40
         a. There was tumult with people weeping and wailing
         b. Jesus rebuked the wailing, affirming that the child is not
            dead but sleeps
         c. They ridiculed Jesus, and He sent them out of the house
         d. The parents, Jesus, and His three disciples entered the room
            where the child lay
      3. Jesus raised the child - Mk 5:41-43
         a. He took her by the hand (i.e., touched her)
         b. He said to her, "Talitha, cumi" ("Little girl, I say to you
            arise")
         c. Immediately the girl (12 years old) arose and walked
         d. The parents and disciples were overcome with great amazement
         e. Jesus commanded them to tell no one, but give food to the
            girl to eat - cf. Mk 1:44-45
      4. Was Jairus' daughter really dead?  Hendriksen offers the
         following thoughts:
         a. Lk 8:53 declares that the people knew that she was dead.
         b. Lk 8:55 states that at the command of Jesus "her spirit
            returned." It is clear, therefore, that there had been a
            separation between spirit and body.
         c. Jn 11:11 we have something similar. Jesus tells his
            disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep." But in Jn 11:14             he affirms, "Lazarus died."
         d. In both instances the meaning is that death will not have
            the final say. Not death but life is going to triumph in the
            end. Also, just as natural sleep is followed by awakening,
            so this child is going to become awake, that is, is going to
            live again.
      -- With a touch (and the command to arise), Jesus raised the child
         from the dead!

   B. ARE WE WILLING TO LET JESUS TOUCH US...?
      1. Again not literally, but today we can:
         a. Become a new creation in Christ - 2Co 5:17
         b. Enjoy the blessing of His presence in our lives - Jn 14:23
         c. Enjoy every spiritual blessing there is to be found in
            Christ - Ep 1:3
      2. Yes, by the "touch" of Jesus, we can experience:
         a. A spiritual resurrection now, via baptism - Col 2:12-13
         b. A bodily resurrection to eternal life in the future - 
            Jn 5:28-29; 11:25
      -- If we are willing to let Jesus "touch" us, we can be raised
         anew now and in the future!

CONCLUSION

1. Just imagine the great joy produced by the "Touches Of The Savior"...
   a. The joy of the woman who touched Jesus
   b. The joy of the parents whose child was touched by Jesus

2. There can be great joy today for us today...
   a. If we are willing to "touch" Jesus by obeying Him
   b. If we are willing to let Jesus "touch" us through the blessings He
      offers

Notice that both the woman and Jairus made efforts to approach Jesus.
So we must come to Jesus in faithful obedience if we are to experience
the "Touches Of The Savior"... - Mt 11:28-30; 28:18-20


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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