Nothing for the Journey

Luke 9:1-17

When Jesus sends out the twelves apostles and gives them authority to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal, he he gives them very specific instructions on what provisions they are allowed to take for their journey. Basically, Jesus sends them out and tells them they are not allowed to take anything: no bag, no food, no clothes, no money. "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there." (Luke 9:3-4) Why would Jesus do this? Why would he not want to make sure they had all the supplies they needed for their journey? The answer to this question I believe is fundamental to the nature of faith and evangelism.

What Jesus understood, and the disciples needed to learn, was that the journey of faith is deeply relational. We learn about God from others; we learn to love as God loves from others. Central to the nature of relationships is dependence and trust. If the disciples go around preaching the good news and healing people and provide for their own needs (food, clothes, shelter) then they are really proclaiming the good news AT people. But, if they share the good news and heal and rely upon the hospitality and care of others it forms a relationship that is mutual, a ministry WITH others. We are designed by God to be in relationship with one another, not to be independent. Further, the church cannot do "evangelism" by simply showing up and telling people the truth. It must be a truth that is discovered in relationships of love and mutual respect.

Upon returning from their initial good news journey, the disciples return to Jesus excited about all they had done. After withdrawing for a time, a crowd found them and Jesus proclaimed the the Kingdom of God and provided healing. Afterward, the disciples tell Jesus to send the people away so they can go get food for themselves, but Jesus tells them to provide food for them: "you give them something to eat." (Luke 9:13) The people had taken nothing with them for the journey and had become hungry. The disciples instincts to send them away so they could provide for themselves was directly opposite of Jesus' instructions to them when they went on their journey. Apparently the lesson on relationships from their journey had not quite taken hold. The disciples missed the connection between sharing the word of God and developing loving relationships with people. It is not enough to share the truth about God with others, we care called to enter into the lives of others and seek to meet each others needs in mutual ways.

Persistent Faith

Luke 8:40-56

Persistence is often a quality that leaders and successful people possess. We all experience failure, disappointment, and we each endure suffering. The question is not if these things will happen in life, but rather what will we do when they happen. Persistence requires endurance and hope; endurance to withstand long-term discomfort and pain and hope to always believe something more is possible.

We see persistent faith in both Jairus and the woman in their interaction with Jesus. Jairus is a leader in the local synagogue and, unlike other religious leaders who refuse to believe Jesus, he deeply believes that Jesus can heal his dying daughter. He begs Jesus, falling on his feet, to heal his daughter. He was persistent and willing to do whatever it took to save his daughter. On the way to see her, the crowd pressed in on Jesus and a woman, who had been bleeding for 12 years, touched his clothes and was immediately healed. She not only believed Jesus could heal her, but that by simply touching him she would be healed. She also believed, after twelve years of suffering, that she could be healed. She had spent everything she had trying to get better. Doubtless she had agonized over her condition and considered giving up. And yet she persisted and believed she could be healed. Jesus blesses her and praises her: "daughter your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luke 8:48) When they finally arrive at Jairus' house this daughter has already died. But now it is Jesus who persists. He tells the parents that she is not dead but only sleeping. He commands her to get up: "child, get up" (8:54) and she is revived. Jesus is moved by the persistent faith of Jairus on behalf of his daughter and the woman, that he refuses to give up. He heals the child, bringing her back from the dead, and restores her to her family.

The life of faith is not an easy path. Our faith does not exempt us from suffering or hardship. Faith does however provide the ultimate hope that God will redeem and restore all things and that our pain and suffering will not be the last word. Deep and real hope gives us the strength to endure, the persistence to carry on, and the belief that God is making all things new.

Fear or Trust?

Luke 8:22-39

What are you afraid of?

After I saw the movie Jaws as a young boy I was terrified of sharks. I used to have dreams where I was swimming and was attacked by a man-eating shark. The thought of going swimming in the ocean was daunting for me and when I have been near the ocean, I have mostly avoided the water. Now as an adult, I know that the chance of ever being attacked by a shark are very slim (especially in Lake Superior!) but this fear has never fully left me. Fear has a way of paralyzing us.  Whether our fears are rational or not, fear grips us in a way that keeps us from thinking clearly, and when it takes a deeper hold can prevent us from functioning.

So...What are you afraid of? What do you really fear? For it is in our fear that Satan attacks us. It is what we fear the most that becomes the testing ground for our trust in God. If you fear losing your children, Satan will create crippling anxiety about their safety. If you fear a life lived alone, then Satan will convince you that you are unlovable. If you fear a life of meaninglessness, Satan will cause you to doubt your place in the world. Fear is normal and human, but it need not have the last word.  The spiritual antidote to fear is trust; a deep and abiding trust in the Lord. A trust that knows God's loves and knows that whatever happens God will be with us.

The stories of Jesus calming the storm and healing the demon possessed man both feature fear. The disciples are afraid of a wild storm and the Gerasene people fear a wild man. This fear keeps them from trusting and keeps them from truly seeing what God was up to in Jesus. As the disciples were crossing to the other side of the sea of Galilee, a great windstorm rose up and began to sink the boat. The disciples were understandably terrified. They woke Jesus, who then rebuked the storm and rebuked the disciples saying: "where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25) The disciples then question who Jesus really is because of his ability to calm the storm. At this point the disciples had seen Jesus perform miracle after miracle and yet fear still overcame their faith
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When they arrive on shore they immediately meet the demon possessed wild man.  Naked, unchained, and extremely dangerous, this man was surely feared by all. He was also severely tormented and in need of healing. Jesus calms the storm raging in his body and restores the man to full health. The response of the townspeople was to ask Jesus to leave. "Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear." (Luke 8:37) The people had witnessed a great miracle and the man who was feared by all was now restored and in his right mind. Their response could have been to invite Jesus to stay and teach them and heal them. Instead their fears of Jesus' power terrified them. They didn't know who Jesus was but they knew they could not control him. 

The desire to control is intricately linked to a lack of trust. When we know and trust God, we know that even it tough times God is with us.  Our faith teaches us that out of death, despair, and suffering come new life and hope. We are resurrection people who believe that through God all things are possible. Fear undercuts this trust; fear questions these beliefs; fear produces doubt and anxiety.  When we are afraid we often cling to the illusion of control and miss the opportunity to grow in our trust of the Lord. The truth is we cannot control our world, we do not get to live in a world without fear. But we do have a choice. Will we send Jesus away and choose the comfort of the fear we know. Or will we trust Jesus to conquer our fears and lead us into a future we do not control and cannot predict. This is a choice we each must make throughout our lives. I will choose, by the grace of God, to swim with the sharks and trust in God's presence and protection. 

The Parable of the Sower

Luke 8:1-21

Jesus traveled extensively throughout his ministry and as he went from town to town, huge crowds gathered to hear him speak, receive healing, or see a miracle take place.  Jesus was immensely popular and had begun to make the Jewish religious leaders nervous. Yet despite the big crowds and popularity, very few had made a real decision to follow and believe.

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,²as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,³and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. Luke 8:1-3

From all the thousands who heard and saw Jesus, and the hundreds who were directly blessed by him, only the twelve disciples and some women were committed.  The rest were no where to be found.  Is following Jesus so difficult that very few can actually do it?  Or are we so locked into our own worlds that we lack the faith and courage to follow? 

Jesus provides his insight into the nature of discipleship as he offers the parable of the sower. The seed of Jesus work and message was shared with many people. Some of course reject it outright but many others initially receive it but cannot sustain their commitment. They have good intentions but produce nothing. It is only the good soil who are able to produce any fruit and they produce an abundance. The few who truly become followers of Jesus make a world of difference and change lives. 

This dynamic continues to be true in my experience of the church.  As fewer and fewer people claim any religious affiliation it would seem that the future of the church is bleak. But it has always been the case that there have been many even within the church who are not following Jesus. Some come to church to appease the family, some come to be seen, some come because they were raised in the church and know no other way. But it only takes a few disciples who are committed to following Jesus to make a difference, it only takes one small seed grown on good soil to grow exponentially.  If the church can foster an atmosphere where real disciples of Jesus are formed and supported, then despite all the church decline and irrelevance, God's work will continue to be seen.  We cannot be discouraged when so few seem to take discipleship seriously--this is nothing new. What we must do is trust that God is working in peoples lives and remember that it is God who grows the harvest.

Forgiveness and an Alabaster Jar

Luke 7:36-50

One of the common attacks levied against Jesus by the Pharisees is that he spent his time eating with sinners. Table fellowship and social interaction with those who were sinners was frowned upon and physical contact with sinners was considered unlawful. Thus when Jesus is dining at a Pharisees house and a sinful woman joins them and washes his feet with her tears and alabaster ointment, the Pharisee's response is to judge Jesus. While the Pharisee might be technically right about Jewish law, he misses the deeper power of forgiveness. Jesus responds, as he often does when attacked, with a parable:

A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?

Luke 7:41-42

Jesus uses the parable to make the case that those who receive more forgiveness will be more devoted to God because they are more grateful. Conversely, those who believe they do not need forgiveness and mercy from God will not be devoted to God. Jesus forgives the sinful woman who the Pharisees deem as unworthy. They were ready to write her off, but because of the forgiveness she receives, the sinful woman has been transformed into a devoted follower of God. Jesus then said to the Pharisees: "I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." (Luke 7:47)

When believe we do not need God in our life we are much more likely to treat others harshly.  When we have not understood the true meaning of grace and forgiveness in a personal way, we cannot understand how much God really loves us. But when we have sinned and fallen short, when we have hurt others, lied, cheated, envied, lusted, oppressed others and not stood up for those being oppressed, we realize how powerful the forgiveness of God really is. Jesus did not come for the healthy he came for the sick, he came that those who were lost would find their way and their worth in him, that those who were broken could receive healing and wholeness. The sinful woman understood this and she lived her life forever transformed, forever grateful, and forever appreciating the love she was given.

Do you understand God's love or is it only an abstract idea?

The Consequences of No

Luke 7:18-35

A few years ago Jim Carrey was in a comedy called Yes Man where his character had a spell cast on him which forced him to answer "yes" to everything that was asked of him. It is a truly funny movie, but also one which has a deeper point. When we live our lives in perpetual "no" mode we get stuck in a kind of negativity that has deep consequences for our life.  On the other hand, saying yes to life can open us up to new possibilities and positivity.  This holds true for our faith life as well. When we are ruled by skepticism and doubt and require conclusive proof before believing, we close ourselves off from seeing all that God is doing in our lives and in the world. But when we see the world through eyes of faith and make conscious efforts to see God in the world, we begin to notice God working in all sorts of ways.

When John's disciples are sent to Jesus they inquire: "are you the one who is to come or are we to wait for another?" (Luke 7:19) they are making a real effort to discern what God is up. Jesus answers them by pointing to all that he has done to demonstrate that he is indeed the messiah:

 

Go and tell John what you have seen and heard, the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. Luke 7:22

 

Jesus' response places the burden of deciding who he is on the individual. Faith is something we each must decide for ourselves. No one else can believe for you and no two people have the same journey. We all must decide. For those who were open to what Jesus was doing it became increasingly clear that he was the one they had been waiting for.

 

Jesus' life and ministry offer ample evidence of who he is really is but many missed what God was doing.  They were blinded by their hardness of heart and responded negatively to both John and Jesus.  The Pharisees and other religious leaders refused to be baptized by John and rejected Jesus' teachings.  Instead they responded with the power of no and instead of finding reasons to believe they found reasons to attack.  Jesus unmasks their negative and unbelieving hearts by saying:

 

For John the Baptist has come eating not bread and no wine, and you say 'he has a demon'; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children. Luke 7:33-35

 

The Pharisees were so closed off to what God was doing that nothing could convince them that their beliefs were mistaken. Before they met Jesus they decided he was wrong, before they heard him speak or saw him heal people they believed he was a fake.  This negativity led them to miss the very thing they were hoping and waiting for.  Faith is often less a matter of being convinced and more about our openness to God.  The power of no allows people to remain in control, while the power of yes requires real trust that God will be with us in our journey into an unknown future.

 

Is it easier for you to say yes or no?  Do you often need to be convinced in order to believe? What are the consequences of no in your life? What would happen if you said yes more?



Outside In

Luke 7:1-17

Jesus was fully human and experienced all that human life has to offer: joy, pain, pleasure, heartache, sore feet, hunger, love, anger, compassion, frustration, and everything else we can imagine. It is helpful to remember the humanity of Jesus as we also consider his cosmic significance and all the his death and resurrection mean for the redemption of the world. It is the humanity of Jesus, how he interacted with real people, that touches me deeply.  When we see Jesus moved with compassion for the widow of Nain or deeply impressed with the centurion's faith it is striking. While we can certainly be impressed by the miraculous healings we see in these two episodes, we can learn a lot about our savior by understanding who moved him with compassion. What we see is that Jesus showed love to people without regard to who they were, or who the world said they were. He loved people like God loves.

It is important to remember the context of Jesus life as he interacts with people. The Roman Empire occupied the Jewish people and almost the entire known world in Jesus' day. Roman soldiers kept the people from uprising though intimidation and force in often brutal an inhumane ways. The Romans were the enemies of the people and the deepest hope of the Jewish people was that a messiah would come to vanquish the foreign invaders and restore the kingdom of David. This is why it would have be shocking for the disciples to see Jesus heal the centurion's servant and his declaration of how impressive the soldier's faith was. "Not even in Israel have I found such faith." (Luke 7:9)  Jesus does not refuse to heal the servant, he does not balk at the idea of helping the centurion and in doing so reveals the heart of God.  Those who would be excluded are included.  The ones who are enemies to humanity are children of God.  The love and compassion of Jesus knows no boundaries.

The second story also shows the deep compassion Jesus has for people. Jesus meets the widow of Nain during the funeral procession of her only son. Jesus understood that she was not only emotionally devastated at her loss, but that her economic future was bleak.  She would have to rely upon the charity of others to survive.  "When Jesus saw her he had compassion for her and said to her 'do not weep." (Luke 7:13) He then touched the coffin and told the young man to rise.  Jesus literally brings the son back from the dead and restores the relationship for his mother.  By touching the coffin, Jesus violated the purity laws of the Old Testament (cf. Numbers 19:11) and was making himself unclean.  This too would have been shocking for people to see, but Jesus' deep compassion knows no social bounds.  Jesus, with his boundless love, gives himself away for us.  He lays down his purity, his pride, his body, his life, for us and for all humanity.

For those who wish to be followers of Jesus, we need to understand the love of Jesus for ourselves and for all people. We need to know not only that Jesus loves all people, but how Jesus loves. As we grow in our faith we are to love others like Jesus loves us; without holding back and without boundaries.

Love Your Enemies

Luke 6:27-49

Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Plain are some of the most important and most difficult. Jesus calls us to a life which reverses our natural instincts of only loving those who love us, but to love all people even those who have hurt us.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Luke 6:32-35

Following the way of Jesus means we have to love our enemies, we need to love those who have hurt us, abused us, oppressed us, and made our lives difficult. This is not easy, it is not natural and apart from the grace of God it cannot be done. But the only way to defeat evil is with good. The only solution to hatred is love. The only answer for our pain is forgiveness. Following the way of Jesus brings transformation to our lives and to our relationships. The ways of the world only continue the cycles of hostility and anger. God wants love to rule our hearts and our lives and it starts with us.

Mountain Faith and Valley Living

Luke 6:12-26

There have been a handful of mountaintop moments in my faith journey. These are the moments that defy time and space; moments when I encountered God in such a way that I was forever changed. These moments are surreal and transcendent and they are moments which are fleeting. As much as we might like to stay on the mountaintop, life moves on and we find ourselves back in the valley sooner or later. They key to faithful living is not seeking to replicate our mountaintop spritual highs where we meet God, but seeking ways to live in the mundane valleys of life; the places where we meet God's people.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find people ascending mountains and encountering God. From Moses to Jesus, the mountain is a holy place of transformation. In Matthew's gospel account Jesus' most well known speech takes place with him speaking on a mountain (cf. Matthew 5-7). But in the gospel of Luke this same speech is given from the plain, on level ground. After being on the top of the mountain for a time of prayer and commissioning the 12 apostles, Jesus returns to level ground to offer his most important teachings.

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. Luke 6:17

The symobolic transition from the mountain to the plain cannot be overemphasized. We meet God on the mountain, but do God's work in the valley.  Jesus brings himself down from the mountain to offer physical healing and powerful words of hope to the poor, the hungry, the mourning, and the persecuted. Jesus cannot meet the needs of the hurting world from the mountaintop, but must meet God's people on level ground. The same is true for us. We need mountaintop moments to build and solidify our faith, but we are called down to offer love to God's people. It is in the everyday ways of serving and loving others that we can be a blessing to those who need to experience God's love.  We are called to live out our faith on the plain.

The Letter v. The Spirit of the Law

Luke 6:1-11

The ways of Jesus were a direct threat to teachings and authority of the Pharisees and other religious leaders. The disciples did not follow all of the Jewish laws from the Old Testament and at times Jesus seems to specifically break the laws in order to make a point. The sabbath was central to self-understanding of the Jewish community and there were specific rules of what could not be done in order to honor God's day of rest. But the sabbath was made to liberate humanity from the incessant demands of laboring for Pharaoh or other oppressors. The sabbath was not designed to be another rule to follow but to open up a way of faithful living.

When Jesus and the disciples pick grain on the sabbath they are technically violating the letter of the law which prohibits work on that day. Jesus makes the point that these rules were designed to give people a day off, not to keep hungry people from being able to eat. Then, when Jesus heals the man with the withered hand on the sabbath he is technically breaking the sabbath laws. Jesus knew the Pharisees were watching but he wanted to make a larger point:

 "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?"

Luke 6:9

When the sabbath laws were first enacted they were seen as a liberating gift for the people of God. Sabbath allows busy people to rest and rejuvenate, to reconnect to God and to trust in God's provisions for life. Over time however, sabbath laws, like all rules and regulations, move from being a means to an end, to an end in themselves. Following the sabbath laws, and militantly making sure everyone else does too, becomes the goal, rather than taking time for regular rest. The letter of the law trumps the spirit of the law. Jesus pushes back against this kind of thinking and challenges us all to think deeply about the spirit of the law not just the letter.

Jesus wants our hearts, not simply that we do what we are told. There are times when following the established rules no longer produces the intended effect or actually prohibits being faithful. Ultimately, the goal of faithful living is to love God and love neighbor. Sometimes following the rules helps us do neither.

New Wineskins

Luke 5:27-39

As Jesus continued to preach from town to town and gained more followers he found himself continually in conflict with other religious leaders. The Pharisees were those who strictly upheld the law of the Old Testament and called into question why Jesus was eating with sinners and why they were not fasting and observing other rituals. Jesus essentially answers that he is doing something new and it cannot be put together with the old ways but must stand on its own.

No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says 'the old is good.' Luke 5:37-39

Jesus is arguing that that can be no integration or blending between the old ways and his teachings. The new wine must be put into new wineskins: the new teachings demand new ways of living. The image that the old wineskins would burst if they held the new wine is also striking. The new ways of Jesus are so powerful that the old behaviors demanded by the old ways will not stand; hence no more fasting, eating and drinking with sinners, etc.

The ways of Jesus were scandalous for the Pharisees and a direct challenge to their authority. They could not allow Jesus' teachings and new ways to be seen as legitimate and maintain their own authority. It is from here that the Pharisees and other religious leaders begin to look for ways to destroy Jesus.

Do you prefer the old or new wine? Do you find yourself most comfortable sticking with what you know or are you open to new possibilities God might be calling you to? Since it has been 2,000 years, are Jesus' new ways now old or are the ways of Jesus continually emerging?

This scripture is rich and full of possible meanings and applications. One possible application would be to argue against a blended form of worship--either be traditional or contemporary, but not both.
Another perhaps more challenging application would seem to caution against trying to change an existing congregation, but instead perhaps starting new churches is better.
What do you see?

Bold Faith

Luke 5:12-26

As Jesus continued to preach and teach in various villages and cities the crowds got bigger and more demanding. Jesus would after all heal people, perform miracles, and teach with authority, so it was no surprise that people flocked to him. People had never seen anything like Jesus before and some were beginning to wonder if he was indeed the promised messiah.  Because of the number of people requesting his help, Jesus could help some people and but everyone. The choices he made of who to heal were not haphazard but revealed a pattern. Jesus most often chose to heal people who had bold faith.

When the leper saw Jesus, he fell down before him and said: "if you want to you can cleanse me." (5:12) The man believed Jesus could heal him, was bold in asking, and he was healed.  In our same passage four men bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. Because so many people were lined up to receive Jesus' help they could not get through the front door. Instead they climbed onto the roof, tore the roof open, and lowered their friend to Jesus. The scriptures say: "Impressed by their bold belief, he said 'friend, I forgive your sins." (5:20)  It was the boldness of their faith that impressed Jesus enough to heal their friend.

For us then, the question to consider is whether we have the kind of bold faith seen in these stories. Do you believe Jesus can heal you? Do you believe that a life of following Jesus will transform you? These scriptures suggest that there is a direct connection between faith and healing. When our hearts are full of faith we are more likely to experience healing. Conversely, when our hearts are full of doubt we cannot experience healing and transformation.

When we are struggling physically, emotionally, or spiritually we need to take our concerns to God with boldness and trust that God can heal us.  This story also suggests that we can have bold faith on behalf of others. It was the faith of the friends that inspired Jesus to heal the paralyzed man. Sometimes we ourselves lose our faith or trust and we need others to be strong for us. When others pray for us it is a gift and when we can pray for others with boldness it can make all the difference.

Followers of Jesus

Luke 5:1-11

Luke's version of the calling of the first disciples is a bit different than some of the other gospels, and the the difference in this case is particularly insightful. Rather than Jesus simply issuing an invitation, Luke portrays a conversation that takes place between Simon/Peter and Jesus.  This conversation is quite revealing about the nature of discipleship and who Jesus calls to be his followers.

As Peter is cleaning out his nets after an unproductive day of fishing he is told by Jesus to go back out: "put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." (5:4)  Now remember, Peter was an experienced fisherman who knew how to catch fish and had just finished a long night of fishing. He was probably tired and frustrated. Then Jesus, who he does not know, shows up and tells him to go back out?  With an initial protest, Peter goes back out and catches so many fish he can not haul them all in. Once Peter realizes the miracle that has just taken place and the power of Jesus he immediately fell to Jesus' knees saying: "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." (5:7) Peter believes that he is unworthy of even being near Jesus, but Jesus tells him that from now on he will be catching people not fish.

This call story illustrates a common misunderstanding about the criteria to be a follower of Jesus. Peter believes that because he is a sinner he is unworthy. But we are all sinners and all unworthy. If Jesus only called perfect people, no one could be his follower! But Jesus calls you and me and all people to follow him. What is required and what Peter did demonstrate is trust. Peter trusted Jesus and went back out into the sea. He trusted when he had plenty of reasons to doubt or dismiss Jesus. Righteousness is a behavioral condition and trust is a heart condition. Jesus wants our hearts and forgives our lack of rigtheousness.  To be a follower of Jesus requires our trust and our willingness to follow him even when there are plenty of reasons to doubt.

It is normal to feel unworthy to follow Jesus--we all are. What is most important is not how we feel about our worth before God, but how God's amazing love and grace is given to us and how that makes all the difference. Believe. Trust. Follow.

The Power of Jesus' Words

Luke 4:31-44

After Jesus returns home and is run out of town, he continues his travels to the many towns and villages sharing the good news and healing people. When he comes to Capernaum the people are astounded by the power and authority of his teachings. One translation (the Message) says it this way: "they were surprised and impressed--his teaching was so forthright, so confident, so authoritative, not the quibbling and quoting they were used to." (Luke 4:32) Jesus then goes on to speak words of healing over those who were either sick or possessed by demons. Jesus could speak with authority because he knew his words came from the Father. He trusted and believed in the power of God to heal and the power of God to transform lives through his powerful Word. People were surprised because they were used to quibbling.

So, do you confidently trust the authority of God to bring healing and transformation or do you quibble?

Jesus Returns Home

Luke 4:14-30
This past weekend I returned to my hometown for a family funeral. As I paid my respects with other friends and family, I experienced what is for me a recurring hometown phenomenon: "oh, you are all grown up!" or "that's Dr. Sandin's son."  Now I realize they all mean well and I am not particularly insulted by anything they have said, but every time I return home and see people it always like I am still a boy and have never left.  To come home after establishing yourself as professional, a leader, a parent, an adult it can be frustrating to feel that in their eyes perhaps nothing has changed. I think this is how Jesus felt when he returned home to Nazareth.
When Jesus returns home he goes to the synagogue and stands to read. He is handed the prophet Isaiah and he chooses to read a passage about the coming messiah.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19

After reading this hopeful and powerful text about how the coming messiah will liberate the oppressed he does something remarkable; he tells them that he is the one who will do this.  Jesus says: "today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (v.21) He is revealing his true identity to those who know him best, to those who have watched him grow up, and most likely the people Jesus feels the most for.  Their reaction?

All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:22

 

Rather than respond to the content of what he said, which was remarkable and powerful, they thought he spoke well which surprised since he was the son of a carpenter.  At this point Jesus realized that he would not be accepted in his hometown and compares them to faithless generations from the past and is summarily run out of town.
The transformation that Jesus goes through from the power of Spirit is such that he is no longer the same person who grew up in Nazareth as Joseph's son.  His self-understanding and identity now rest in God's plan for his life.  He is frustrated to be taken so lightly. So it is with each of us when God has been working in our lives.  When God is at work in your life you become transformed and become the person you were created to be. I am no longer the same person who grew up in Ashland.  God has been working on me and changing my heart. It is much easier to be received in a new place that an old place because once people have an opinion or understanding of you it is difficult for them to see you differently. 
In the end, I suppose we need to offer one another grace in such situations. For just as they might think of you as having not changed we are probably thinking they haven't changed either. We should however remain open-minded and hopeful when we meet old friends that God has been working in their lives.  It ultimately matters less what others think of us and much more about what God thinks of us and how we see ourselves.  If we depend on the recognition and affirmation of others for our self-esteem we will always feel frustrated and misunderstood.  But if we truly find our identity as child of God then we know that no matter what anyone might think of us we can rest secure in who we truly are.

The Temptation of Jesus

Luke 4:1-13

The story of Jesus' temptation is an important story for us to connect with often because it both demonstrates his humanity and models for us a way to work through the difficulty of being faithful to God amidst many earthly temptations.  The practice of giving something up for Lent has its root in this story, but if we do not move beyond this superficial level, this practice loses much of its power.
Jesus' tempation by Satan was real and difficult; by the power of the Holy Spirit and reliance upon scripture he was able to endure the test.  As always we can learn a great deal from his example.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4:1-2

 

It is important to note that the Holy Spirit both led Jesus into temptation and filled him with the power to resist it.  This is certainly a paradox of the faith and one which many people experience.  The closer we get to being faithful to God the more Satan wants to distract and lead us away from God.  Put another way, Satan does not need to tempt those who are unfaithful; he already has them.  Only those who are following God need to be lured away.

 

Another key feature of the Devil's tempation of Jesus is how close they are to God's plan. The devil tempts Jesus with food because he is hungry (turning a stone into bread). Later in the gospel we will read the story of Jesus turning five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed 5,000. The second temptation is for earthly power and glory. The devil promises Jesus what he will later inherit from God. The third temptation is for Jesus to throw himself off the temple and have God save his life, thus demonstrating his ability to defeat death.  This too will be part of God's plan for Jesus.  Satan's temptations are not off the wall crazy ideas, but are distortions of God's plan.  For Jesus, who has access to divine power at his disposal, it is a matter of timing.  He must do these things in God's timing, not the timing of the world.

 

Jesus resists temptation in a way that is a model for us to follow. After each temptation, Jesus quotes scripture to counter the devil (who also knows scripture).  What is notable about this practice, besides the obvious (it helps to know God's word!) is where he quotes from.  Jesus quotes Deuteronmy 8:3, 6:13, 6:16.  They are all from one book of scripture and only from two chapters.  We do not need to know the whole bible to be strong in the Word, we simply need to know some of it and rely upon God and we can resist Satan. This is powerful and liberating.

 

A final and most subtle dimension of Jesus' temptation has do with Satan trying to get Jesus to doubt his identity.  Satan begins his temptation with "If you are the Son of God..." which calls into question Jesus' self-understanding.  The IF question tries to cast doubt about the reality of who he is.  Self-doubt is the playground of Satan and if the devil can get us to question ourselves then it is much easier to lead us away from God.  Jesus knows who he is and he also knows God in an intimate and powerful way. He is able to resist temptation by relying on the Spirit, trusting God, and using scripture as a guide.  This is a model for us as we deal with temptation as well.

 

At the end of the passage it says: "When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time." (Luke 4:13) The devil is not done tempting Jesus but will come back when once again he is physically weak and spiritually susceptible.  We can withstand the temptations of Satan but on this side of heaven we are not immune to them. It is part of being human and part of being faithful. The good news for us is when we rely upon God and know our true identity as children of God, we can and will withstand all temptations and trials.



Lenten Journey with the Gospel of Luke

I will begin to work through the life and ministry of Jesus by blogging each day in Lent. My reflections will systematically work through the gospel of Luke (beginning in chapter 4). With each entry I will include the scripture for the next day so can read on your own as well as follow my reflections. For tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, I will foucs on Luke 4:1-13.
As always, I invite your comments! I pray your journey in these days will be blessed!
-Pastor Ben
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