Luke 4:16-29 ~ He arose

Jesus the Lord had bad days. If we can't look to HIM and recover, who you gonna call?

Luke 4:16-29

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,


18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,


19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?” 2

3 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”


28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.

Jesus wanted to walk on water after his cousin John the Baptist died. Why wouldn't He want to run to the house of Peter when the times were so troubled for being the Son of God who made the lame walk and the deaf hear and the blind see.



38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house.

Simon Peter's house and Synagogue before the current buildings in 1968

Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.


42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place.

And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.









Yesterday I got a phone call from someone I value. A minister. And he wanted to know a few of the details of my mom's 16 day hospital trip and our reactions to her being in Physical Rehabilitation. And we discussed the way hospitals operate today. And advocacy of care.

At the end of the phone call, which was joyous, he said you and Edward are going to be worn out.
And make sure you understand that. I said , oh we had about 3 days of just sitting.

However, this is true. We are facing my mom (who is really quite happy to have lived and likes being in rehabilitation in another city) being elderly now. I had hoped this was going to be something easy.

Edward has a terminal diagnosis of FLTD a frontal and temporal lobe disorder of the brain and this was hard on him. He cried when Hospice came to talk to us about my mom. (She Lived!) And so yesterday, Edward was yelling at me at Starbucks over lunch with a friend and then yelling at me and throwing a Tomatillo at the Grocery Store over a Recipe. I think I am tired.

One day life is great and the next day, same life, you wonder about keeping the family home, health care, future lives and relationships.

If you are offended I pictured Jesus running from being thrown from the cliff - please do not be. I love Jesus had emotions. Like Peter, life could be very hard. It's just that Jesus sometimes spoke tartly and walked on water to think about the death of John the Baptist and what Jesus could do. Why shouldn't Jesus run rejoicing in living another day?

The part about Jesus that I find So Appealing is, Jesus calling the Paralytic "My son". The Loving and Wise All Knowing GOD. The Christmas story is so much more than a frightened teenager and a baby. This is GOD picking a very romantic story of loyalty for His Son.

 Jesus is ... Having s BAD DAY. And in spite of all the difficulties, all the trauma - JESUS WOULD PICK TO LIVE LIFE.



Now, recently, I have not experienced people in my town wanting to throw me off the cliffs. Capernaum -  they Really Do Have Cliffs. And Jesus decides, that HE is going to continue on with - not a nap, not a glass of wine, not a good cry - Jesus is going to continue on to see to the needs of those around Him.

I like that about Jesus. JESUS IS NOT GOING TO QUIT DOING GOOD THINGS. JESUS PICKS TO KEEP BEING GODLY.

And Jesus is not going to waste time whining about how mean Capernaum is. So what is Capernaum known for? For the many good works that Jesus did here.

And I like something else about Jesus. He didn't sit in dried up Nazareth saying, "Well this is where I was put." Jesus looks all over and HE chose to see the Beauty of God. Capernaum is amazing. Jesus never said Capernaum was going to disappear like the two towns that actually did. Jesus said Capernaum was going to be treasured. Jesus being God, Was Right. Capernaum survived three devastations of Judea and went on for 1300 years leaving us the ability to see the town that Jesus lived and loved and forgave and healed.


Jesus gives us the idea - some days are rougher than others. And we can do like Jesus did. Keep going knowing Life and Love and JOY are bigger than we are. So get in there.

Jesus is my hero. I want to be like Jesus.

Now on a Living Parable note, I am going to include a family story about my Grandmother Anita. I am seeing this continue in my mother in her joy in being alive. I joked wryly with an long time friend that mother was happy because she finally had her mansion (Physical Rehab) and her servants, but really my mother is thrilled to be Alive and getting stronger. 

My brother jokingly told her for her 83rd Birthday that she might be a pain of the nether region, but she had a spine that has overcome all kinds of adversity and he was mighty proud of her. She was not so pleased to be called that kind of pain, but the sincerity of the truth of the compliment won over and she smiled very broadly. Mother is nicer. Living will do that to you, when dying is pushed back.

So, the original story was about Grandmother Anita. She had a stroke at age 90 and was able to recite, mid stroke, her medications. She was sent to a nursing home afterwards because her strong spine got very, very bossy. I still feel badly about that today. But Grandmother's nursing home room could be heard down the hall. Any time you went in to the place she had 5 or 6 health care workers in there and they were frequently heard to say, "You got that right."

Well one day, my Mother and the nurses and I were hauled in there to see why Grandmother was refusing to take any medication. Other than Allergy meds. And this time she had 15 heath care workers and us. And Grandmother's 89 lb body sat up straighter and she said, "If you come to my room, who do you see here?" I answered and said there are always 5 or 6 people here talking to you. Grandmother Anita pointed at me and reached over and got her cane and pointed that at me and said, "That's right. Do you agree? You all are always in here, talking to me." They didn't want to agree, supervisors were there. I said they agree. She said, "That's Right. You all give out all the medication and all those people can't say anything. I'm keeping my mind and that's that."

She was so determined all the people had to smile and a few giggled. The Supervisor started to say that all the meds were for her benefit. Grandmother Anita said, "Let the meds benefit others. I find my Strength in the Lord."

The result was, the nursing home decided to put the meds on the food tray as usual, but Mother said Anita got to decide and she seemed fine to them both. Grandmother was born in 1898 and lived to 1992. Four more years. She went out still going to the outside porch to see her Lord change the sky from day to evening. Grandmother loved her front porch at home and spent a lot of her days looking to see what God was growing.

She shared that trait with Jesus. God Bless her.



Father God,

Good Christian Men Rejoice. With Heart and Soul and Voice. Jesus Christ was Born Today. Jesus Christ was Born Today.

We thank You, God, that as Your Son left this life, He left a record in John 14, 15, 16 saying Jesus Loved Life. Jesus was Glad to be here.

You tell us Life is in Your Words. Let our lives be abiding in Your Words. With salt and light and Joy.

This Love for the ones we love. For our communities, Churches, Government and the People You see all over the world looking to Jesus the Savoir. Help us bring more Heaven to earth. In Jesus, we have our Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

John 14 ~ Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

John 14

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”


8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.


12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.



15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.


25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.

Rise, let us go from here.

WOW

Jesus ends this Word of God telling us to rise up over difficulty.

He begins and repeats that We need to not be troubled, do not be afraid.

How did Jesus want us to do that when in Mark 10 the Word of God tells us the disciples lived in awe of Jesus and fear. So much so that they did not listen to His Words. Like do not be hard hearted and immediately the disciples chased children away from Jesus.

Rise up?

Believe, believe, believe, believe, believe. 5 Times Jesus says to do this. And then receive. Rounding the chapter up is know.

How are we to Believe? The Way, the Truth, the Life. The Authority of Father God in the Word of God. 3 Times Jesus says: Keep His Commandments, Keep His Commandments, Keep His Commandments. Abide in the Word and Jesus will dwell with us and Give us, today, The Holy Spirit to Help us.

The first Chapter of the Word of God is to have Light. God sees His Creation as good. Be salt and light. Flavorful, announce hope, faith and love. When we are able to abide in His Words, we can see the Good. God sees the world, the world, not just Church, God sees the World as worthy of His Love and of His Son.

Does Jesus see the World as easy? Of course not, He is telling us He is going to Die to change the world.

Jesus is telling us in spite of troubles ~ "Rise up".

Genesis 1: 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

 


If God believes this, we find what makes the day sufficient and good. We find strength knowing our prayers are heard. God delights in His Creation - you. Where you truly dwell is your eternal soul. Making this hearth, eternal and welcoming to God. Abba is Love.



Abba, our Father, Ancient of Days, Lord of Lords, King of Kings,

1 John 4:8 Because God is love.

Neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God gives His Child. The Goal is Eternal Life with God. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What will God bring us for Living in His Word and Commandments? We know in His Word, Jesus gives to us. Gives Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law where we truly are unable to reach. Where we are mortal and frail and flawed. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Father God, in Great Expectation - in the Name of Jesus - I lift up those that I love to You.  When we call with Love, You Love First and Best and Enjoy our Prayers. And I will see in this life - I will taste and see - The Goodness of God. We will laugh in times to come of the goodness You prepare us to walk in.

One mere touch of the Favor of God transforms us. 

We are praying for the Epi pen increasing in price 500% since 2009. We are praying for our life spans decreasing in the USA and costs rising. We pray the large stores open up trade for affordability. Just as they did for the Zika need for mosquito repellent. Thank God for trade, Retail,  being interested in the standard of living. Bless Walmart for leading the way in looking for solutions.

Bless our Grocery Stores for being good employers. Also Bless the Grocery stores for helping the unfortunate.  Help us to see the Good in our lives. I see our local Randall's puts out food for the surrounding elderly and apartments to enjoy at very great prices. God Bless the Family of George Mitchell who turned so many of our apartments into communities that assist the elderly and those with physical limitations. Placing them within walking distance.

We will expect the Light of Christ to shine. We will celebrate the Light. We will see more of Heaven done on earth. We call on Jesus for this.  We will Love.

Praying for us all to have good health. 

Blessing our communities with health and hope and joy. Our Churches with Jesus and His Word.  Our Churches to raise up men to lead their sons and families, with such verve and flair that our media again honors men in families. Men who will exemplify the compassion of Timothy, Mark, Luke, Silvanus. Bless the persistence of Pastors. And praying families. Our Nation to Shine with Your Brightness. Calling Upon the Highest Name. Jesus the Lord.

What did Jesus tell us? Be persistent in prayer with Hope. He will answer us. Thank God. In Jesus - Continue to hold up Louisiana with prayer. My mother in Physical Rehabilitation and her hearing. My ear infection to clear up. And my family to continue in health and hope. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †

Mark 10 ~ the disciples asked Him again

Mark 10

And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

2 And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”


13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.


17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 

19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 

And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” 

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 

28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 

29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”


32 And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him, 33 saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”


35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 

36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 

38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” 

And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 

42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Father Brian White gave a good Sermon on Marriage at HopePointe Anglican Church, Sunday August 21st.  http://www.hopepointe.org/sermons






The disciples were a representation of man today. Of you and of me.

What does God want of me? Not hardness of heart!

To Trust God with verve and joy. Like Children.




The Title of this 10th Chapter of Mark is - Ask Jesus Again Until You Understand Him.

Verse 9, what God wants, is the equivalent of:

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

God is always way ahead of us. Jesus tells us, God does not expect us to be perfect. And He understands we are not all good. God expects us to be mortals who spend a lot of time wondering issues and what God thinks.

God has noticed not all things in life are fair. Life is temporary. God tells us this is within His Power to make Eternity far better and more Just. God makes all things possible. Gravity. Planets and Solar Systems. His Word upholds Life. Why not the condition of His Kingdom? Seems very probable.

Peter states the obvious a lot. God cherishes Peter.


The disciples tell us they felt in awe and afraid of Jesus a lot. They put up with Jesus because He... makes the blind see, the deaf hear and they want personal glory. This is the story of James and John. James and John boldly state they want to use Jesus for personal eternal glory. Jesus tells them that they need to make sure not to be impudent, authoritative, rude, superior, filled with self power, and jockey for an overlord position. Every day. Seems Jesus likes polite people who are not so worried about power.

Jesus does indeed seem to upset the every day apple cart.

The Disciples hear Jesus preach not to be hard hearted. Immediately they push Children out of the way. This is a very good reason why John's Gospel tells us that Jesus did so many things in His time that the books of the world could not hold all of the amazing things around Jesus. If the Disciples could rebuke Children from enjoying Jesus. We probably need to review, see, understand, grasp what Jesus says on so many levels. Re-read, renew. Use all our understanding to see what small thing is here that will actually pull our heart to the Real and Living God Who Honors His Son, Jesus.

This is the Chapter that says, "Keep on Asking Jesus."

This tells us that even when the disciples were afraid and bewildered and selfish, they felt Jesus was so loving
they could come to Jesus. Boldly and with confidence to tell Jesus who they really were and what their lives
actually really did. And Jesus would still keep them.



The Blessing of Numbers 6 tells us what we want from God, from Abba, and He intersects with us.



22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

24
The Lord bless you and keep you;
25
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”



Father God,

Your Word communicates Your Heart to us. We learn You want to bless us.

Because Father God you will keep us. Eternally.

You, our Abba Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. We hope that you will find such joy in us, that Your Face radiates Joy.

We want your gracious favor.

And in Your favor, Your Face lifts in a Smile to us. And we know peace. The goodness of real peace.

We want the Name of Jesus and His free gift of Salvation. And because eternity begins today, we are blessed in faith, hope and Love.

In Jesus. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †