II Timothy 1:9
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time.
Tonight at VRC, we will continue on in our study in Luke Chapter 5.
In this particular passage, we have five different groups of people who have different experiences and situations to deal with. The one constant in the entire chapter is that each of the five groups has a run in with Jesus, and He becomes the answer that each one is searching for.
First group was Simon and his cohorts....the fishermen.
Jesus gets in Simon's boat and asks him to push out from shore so He can teach the multitude nearby. Simon does so, but then when the teaching is over, Jesus tells Simon to go out to the deep water, let down the nets for a catch. Simon tells Jesus....."Look, we've already been out all night fishing and we have nothing to show for it." Does this sound familiar? I've tried to manage my life over and over and over again, and each time I try to take control, I end up with a mess. Anyway, cutting the end...Jesus is a man of His word. Simon and company obey and wind up with more fish than they can shake a stick at. Moral of story...."Obey!" Not matter what it sounds like or looks like, if it's Jesus telling you to do something..........Do it!
Second group / individual is a man with leprosy.
He may have been a really good person....
He may have been a family man with a wife and children...
He might even have belonged to the Kiwanis, and been president of the Lions club...
But he was defined and labeled by his condition, which was one of leprosy.
Isn't that like having a history of addiction? Every good thing you may have accomplished prior to using has been done away with and you carry around that label of addict/alcoholic.
Funny part about this story is that the man with leprosy did not doubt Jesus' ability to heal him of his condition....
He just didn't know if Jesus was willing.
In other words, the man did not think himself important enough for Jesus to waste His time and His healing on such a person.
Well did this fellow get this one wrong or what?
Jesus was willing...
Jesus did...........
Man was healed......
The other part of the equation is that in spite of what the man thought or felt, he still got up and went to where Jesus was, and asked to be healed.
Sometimes we've got to get up and make a move toward Jesus is we want healing.
I think maybe it might be tied to the whole "having faith" thing.
Faith that Jesus is who He claims to be....
Faith that Jesus will do what He has promised He would do.....
Which brings us to tonight...
We'll be taking a look at a group of folks who were very close minded.
Close minded to the point that they couldn't see the truth, even when it is standing in front of them.
Maybe that is what the whole "Romans 12:2-having your mind renewed" thing is all about.
Maybe that is why we read in Proverbs 3 that we should trust the Lord with our whole hearts and not our collective noggin's. Not that we check our brains in at the door when we're saved, but we realize that we are following a higher leading and instruction than we could ever hope to squeeze out of our own heads.
Anywho...
If you're free and don't have any commitments, come on out and join us....
Love to see you.....
Until the next time....
God on you...
mbb
No comments:
Post a Comment