Tag: God

Red Letter Year: 1/28

Mark 6:45-56

45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

53 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore 54 and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once, 55 and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Comments

The story of the woman who fought through the crowd, touched the hem of Jesus’robe and was healed has gotten around fast. People on the other side of the lake have taken up this same successful strategy. The disciples, meanwhile, are still having a hard time understanding. They have already seen Jesus calm an angry storm, feed thousands with very little food, raise a girl from the dead, and heal many, many people. But they still react with great fear and amazement. But that doesn’t stop Jesus from coming to their aid, filling them with courage and peace, and fixing their predicament. That they were in the middle of a lake didn’t stop Jesus either.

In the same way, nothing will stand in the way of Jesus coming to your rescue. Paul said it like this in Romans 8:38-39: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Think of that statement and picture Jesus walking over whatever is troubling you, walking to get to you. Coming to your rescue. He does that. Because he loves you.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Red Letter Year: 1/23

Mark 6:1-13

6 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people. 7 And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. 8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.

10 “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. 

Jesus teaching in the synagogue and being rejected.

 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.

Comments

I want to be careful here because a lot of bad teaching has gone out regarding the relationship between faith and healing. This passage clearly indicates that such a relationship exists, but we have to read it carefully to get the relationship right. Faith is so important for healing that it even limited what Jesus was able to do (yes, I said that exactly how I wanted to there) in this instance. But it was not the faith or lack thereof of the people who were in need, it was the lack of faith of all the people who were saying, no, he’s just a carpenter. (Aside: you’re not alone, you see, when people tell you the same sort of thing, you can’t do what God has gifted you to do because you’re just a _______. Don’t ever, ever listen to that nonsense.) After they leave the he’s-just-a-carpenter crowd, the healings recommence as before and now even the disciples are casting out demons. This leads me to two points:

  1. Don’t ever let someone tell you God won’t/hasn’t/can’t heal you because you don’t believe. Don’t let them tell you that your lack of healing proves your lack of faith. That is not true. Jesus raises people from the dead. Not much faith happening in a dead person, is there?
  2. Don’t expect to see much in the way of healings or deliverance if you are hanging out with people who don’t believe such stuff happens. Faith does matter. Their collective lack of faith does inhibit what God is able to do in the confines of that community (yes, I meant what I said again). I’m not a big fan of church shopping, but I highly recommend you find a community of faith that believes, seeks, and practices letting the power of God flow for healing, for deliverance, for the sort of life change that Jesus has been bringing since way back when. He still heals. Believe it.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.