December 11, 2022
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Reading along with us in our Advent readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 11 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Popularity
Read Sections 3.5 through 3.8 (pages 34-36)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
Imagine the following Jesus had as He moved from place to place performing all these miraculous things. They did not have cell phone videos or even news reports and yet people heard and came out in multitudes to see Him, hear Him, and so desperate to get near Him they would put their paralyzed friend down through a roof to get to Him!
I love when Jesus says “it is the sick that need a doctor” God wants us to save the lost, the broken, the people who need Jesus. We need to be prepared to get outside our comfort zone and share Christ with those who need Him most. We must follow Christ’s example and bring the gospel to those who need Him!
Days 10 & 11 reading completed.
Leprosy was highly contagious but Jesus reached out and touched this man. Are we willing to reach out to uncomfortable places. Vs 16. All that’s going on many following and in need. Jesus withdraws and goes to a quiet place to pray. Often!! With all that we chase daily. Time to pray?? Vs 17. The faith of this man’s friends is what makes him well. Our faith affects others!
When we read in section 3.4 that what the leprous man said “made Jesus angry”, we were thinking, why would Jesus be angry? Some other translations said, “indignant.” I declare the KJV for the win! “And Jesus, MOVED WITH COMPASSION, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” Mark 1:41. Steve looked up the word and it is described as moved in the bowels. This is so rich to think of Jesus emotionally moved with love and compassion.
I really liked in 3.7 where it translates if Jesus ‘says your sins are forgiven’ there is no proof of His authority to do that, but if he says ‘take up your mat and walk’ there is proof…and then He does it! That must have been really amazing! Can you imagine being in that crowd and Jesus just says to a lame guy “take up your mat and walk” and then he does!
“Immediately the paralyzed man stood up. He picked up his mat and walked out of the room. Everyone could see him. They were amazed and praised God. They said, “This is the most amazing thing we have ever seen!””
Jesus was the great healer when he was on the earth, and he still is. He is the One we should go to when we are sick and in need of healing and restoration. He heals people of every kind of sickness, there is nothing he can’t do for people of faith. And Jesus loved to see people exhibit acts of faith! He proved that he could forgive sins by healing the paralyzed man. He made a statement to the teachers of the law who thought to themselves that he did not have the authority to do so.
Day 11
3.5 – 3.8
It always strikes me when the Gospels summarize the miracles Jesus did when every incident would be worthy of mention and completely out of the ordinary. And yet for Jesus, healing became so ordinary that the healings can be grouped into categories. What overwhelms and confuses man does not overwhelm or confuse God. And then there are accounts that call for more details. Jesus helping the leper shows HIs willingness to engage with those who made others uncomfortable and He had compassion even when people didn’t engage with Him in the way that He would have preferred. What rejection this man must have suffered to question whether Jesus wanted to heal him. And how Jesus and others must have been struck by the crippled man’s friends getting him to Jesus. Now Jesus states that his sins are forgiven, because many would have said that sin caused his crippled state. He also says it to engage the Pharisees in the reality of who He is and that He does have the ability to forgive sin in the same way He can make a lame person walk. And what another sign of the tremendous mercy and grace of God is the calling of Matthew. It’s one thing to minister to a tax collector, quite another to go to His house, and then another to have one be one of your closest followers. It was clear Jesus was not concerned about public opinion but chose those that would be most impacted by Him and would then impact others for Him.