Luke 7:1-10 ~ Jesus went with them †

 

Luke 7:1-10

Vintage photographs from the 1800s are interesting.

Rarely did the population in little Israel towns change from the

Birth of Christ, to the 1900s.

This is a Vintage Photo of Capernaum from the 1800s,

a colorized black and white photo.

Capernaum was created by the Roman Empire,

to be a fishing, farming village to feed the influx

of the population.

When Rome invaded in 70 AD, 

Capernaum was not destroyed.

And didn't see destruction until the 13th Century AD.

Also, fulfilling the prophecies Jesus gave different little towns

in the Gospels.

After He had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 

Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to Him elders of the Jews, asking Him to come and heal his servant. 

4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 

6 And Jesus went with them. 

When He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

When Jesus heard these things, 
He marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, 

“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 

10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.


Doubt.
God doesn't enjoy it. And no one began faith journeys, without doubts.
Life is in progress.

We all have our doubts, daily. And overcome in Jesus Christ.

John 6:29

The work of mankind

is to believe the One He has sent.

The Goal is to Finish in Faith.
Our destination is Jesus Christ.
The One who loves you most. Our Hero. The Savior we need. Jesus.
Naked we were born into the world, naked we will leave.

Doubt is an incredibly uncomfortable circumstance for the believer. 






Setting the scene for the Disciples.

The reality of Scripture is about situations of real life. These Disciples of Jesus were in awe of Him as they saw impossible things occur. Then they were completely afraid and ran out on these experiences because they were human and overwhelmed. Their lives were at stake and the work of Jesus looked as if it had failed. And suddenly, they were shown Jesus was alive.

After a life-threatening situation - denial causes the brain to reel back. People will try to act as if they can cope with the disaster as if it was a normal circumstance. Jesus was Alive!!! And did they believe this - sorta - maybe. And two of the Gospels explain that even in the wake of Salvation - people were not perfect and were in doubt.

Now I ask you, is that a fable type story or does this encompass the reality of Violent Death and Government upheaval?

The Scriptures are painting a very real picture of real events. Not platitudes and fable.

Mark 8:23-25

23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

The event of the life of Jesus you just read is recorded by similar stories in the Talmud recordings of the Sanhedrin Council. The actual Sanhedrin Council records the baffling and upsetting miracles surrounding Jesus of Nazareth. Housed in a museum in Scotland. 

What you just read, in Mark 8, is a 2,000-year-old account of recovery from brain surgery. A brain injury recovery.  A Miracle! With logic! Uncovered in this generation. Millenniums after the event, we can see Jesus left us this mystery --- for it to be revealed. Blessed are the eyes that didn't see this miracle and yet believe. My brother, John, found this out from working as an attorney and dealing with cases involving severe and traumatic injury.  He called me from an airport and said, it was incredible and the most real portion of the miracles of Jesus to him.

Jesus is alive and working today.
Fact. And Good News. 

Really think about Mark 8. 
I discussed this in the nineteen seventies with my great-aunt Eloise. I asked here why the trees looked like walking trees. She said because that is the way Jesus decided to work the miracle. It's His Decision and Power.  THIS IS A MIRACLE, EXPLAINED TO OUR GENERATION. 


Reading Hebrews 11, the real people of the real Word of God have had doubts. We all do. And then when we have faith, we wonder how our prayers are in process. The work of mankind it is to Believe the One He has Sent. 

 Jesus always works with sinners, He loves you as you are. 

God knows the Journey we are on. Written in His Book. Psalm 139.

The disciples had time to process, time to adapt, saw the Holy Spirit of God didn't abandon them. Went forth to do such miraculous things in the name of Jesus that the world has never, ever, ever changed this way before. 

We have a spiral of fear with doubt. Will God love me? Is this pointless? God doesn't work on a magic formula. God's Plan is Good and He equips us, He promises, with every good thing to do His Will. The narrow path... this is where life gets meaningful.  God helps sinners, saints, faithful and loves the whole world. If you are talking to God and being very honest, He honestly calls that seeking and He is going to answer. You need to focus on the "Hey, was that answered prayer or was that just om."  That unseen assurance - is God.  Our destination is Jesus. 


If you break down the Victory into steps - it's Life.

The Victory is usually ... Unseen.

Noah had doubts and got drunk.

Abraham had doubts and became a very unhappy fixer.

Well, say this just couldn't happen if the Holy Spirit lives in you - is wrong. John the Baptist wanted to know if Jesus is God. Prophets have the Holy Spirit. So John the Baptist was telling us about life in God.

A relationship. Up and down. Journey forward, real topics. Real life.


This is about having doubts being strengthened and being allowed by God to have the process.
We can have the Tree of Knowledge. We can know all the Bible. We can be the good seed. The struggling seed.

And Knowing that what covers all this knowledge is - LOVE.

Problems known to God - He chose to speak about:
Being pressed to drink.
Being pressed like Noah to be sexually inappropriate.
Being Perez and having your grandson be your son...
Being the Elijah of the New Testament. Just a bit of fire from Heaven. 

WE are Not God.

This is the story of process and journey.
Abide in Jesus. He will abide in you. WE NEED THIS.

This is about having
Forgiveness - John the Baptist preached this. So did Paul and Peter. Labeling SIN as SIN. Seeking Restitution with God.

Knowing the Peace of God on the afternoons John the Baptist saw the crowds come to learn about God. Inside themselves.

This is Jesus telling the Woman on the Hill in Samaria that God will Dwell within us.

This is about John, Peter, Paul and John Mark wanting to be in Relationship with God.

And in Turmoil - finding a way to healing recovery and joy again.
Fear in Divorce
Fear in Economic Trouble
Loss of Child in Death
Changes of Season in Life
A Fruitful Life Looking for Meaning
Always Being Able to Say I'm Learning from God
Seeing God Unfold His Plan, coming to terms with Joy

Saying JESUS - is where we will Trust.
In doubt, in emotion, in joy, in prayer
THE LORD'S PRAYER

We do not have to solve anything totally today. Because God will be for us. We just have to try a little bit. And Try again. And communicate. God had to sweep up after all these amazing people He loves - He probably is going to not drop us on our head and leave us there.

Don't take your whole life, 

make it into a pineapple,

and then devour that in one bite.

Lean a little bit on God.

Matthew 11:28

Then Jesus said, 

"Come to me, all of you who are weary 

and carry heavy burdens, 

and I will give you rest."

Day in, Day out, Seasons Come.
The Church is still Going Forth.
Solutions are God's Specialty.
HE says that He is the destination.
Father God loves you.

Abba, Father, 

Where is our Joy? The adventure of what You have brought us through.

 You have been steadfast. 

How many things have we overcome? Many. 

You are Strong, Lord. 

Make us strong again in Your Might. 

Let us hold up our Problems to You. 

You are our armor, strength and shield. 

The Armor of God cannot be removed. You are our fortress.

In the fortress of God, we will see the mercies of God renew. 

If we don't count the blessings - they fly by unappreciated. 

What is in the Fortress of God - joy and peace in our belief. 

The Power of the Holy Spirit - is hope. 

Compassion and Mercy are the fruit from believers. 

The destination is salvation.

Jesus is compassionate and merciful.

 Our advocate. 

You will call us to defend our hopes with gentleness and respect 

but our defense in You is sure. 

God will call me to do what He strengthens me to do. 

 I trust in Jesus,

our Strong Deliverer.

Amen.

 

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †