Author: Scott Chafee

Scott serves on staff at King’s Grant Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.

A Sudden Change of Focus

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Paul was a man with a mission, even before he became a believer in Christ. I find it interesting that when God changes a life He keeps the original DNA and refocuses our purpose. Since God wired us in a certain way, if you were a great leader of others in your old life, God can use that quality to make you a great leader with a renewed purpose in your new life. If you were generous in your old life, God can use that strength for His kingdom in your new life. God used Paul’s natural giftedness and retooled him for kingdom purposes. Let’s look at what Paul did after coming to Christ.

After his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road, Paul is told to go to see a man named Ananias (Acts 9:10, 17, 18). Paul’s eyes were opened, literally and figuratively. In Galatians 1:14-18, he mentions that he did not go up to Jerusalem or consult with any of the apostles, but went down to Arabia after his conversion. He needed to get to know the One who seemed to know him so well. Unlike us, Paul’s need was not discipleship from other believers and to know the Scriptures, he needed to get to know the author of the Scriptures. He runs off to the Arabia, likely to the mountain of God, Sinai, where God met with Moses and gave the Law to His people. All he had ever known in Scripture needed to be interpreted in light of Christ.

The result was that Paul grew more and more powerful and the Jews were astonished with his teaching, proving that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah (Acts 9:22).

  1. The word “powerful” is the same word used to describe Samson in Hebrews 11:34. I remember reading from an ancient history called, The Acts of Paul and Thecla, 1:7 “At length they saw a man coming (namely Paul), of a low stature, bald (or shaved) on the head, crooked thighs, handsome legs, hollow-eyed; had a crooked nose; full of grace; for sometimes he appeared as a man, sometimes he had the countenance of an angel.” A balding, bowlegged man with a boxer’s nose was not much to look at, but he had the power of God within him.
  2. Paul also spent time proving to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. The word “proved” means to come together, or bring together, or knit together. He literally knit together the old and the new; that Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament and the fulfillment of the promise is found only in Jesus. The whole of Scripture speaks of Christ, not just various parts of it. Luke 24:27 tell us that Jesus explained to the two on the Emmaus Road what was said in all the Scripture concerning himself. I like that, ALL the Scripture, not just a few isolated passages. Unlike the Greeks, the Jews knew Scripture. They just had not recognized the One they were waiting for.

What was the result of Paul’s ministry?

  1. At first, the Jews sought to kill him (Acts 9:23, 24) even the Greek speaking Jews (Acts 9:29).
  2. When he came to Jerusalem all the disciples were afraid of him (Acts 9:26). They were understandably cautious of Paul, knowing his past. Perhaps they were being punked and it was all a trick. But there was one guy, a man named Barnabas (the son of encouragement) who took Paul and brought him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). I can imagine the grumbling that must have taken place when Barnabas brought this despicable person into the room. I like this guy because he was willing to give people a chance even when no one else would.

Application: There is nothing greater than the men of God willing to become vulnerable in obedience to Christ. What can we learn today?

  1. How about standing up for the truth when those around you fall?
  2. Are you willing to become vulnerable enough to develop relationships with those considered to be on the outside?
  3. Can you spend time getting to know God in such a way that your confidence in the truth soars to a new level?
  4. Are you willing to take a risk, becoming like Barnabas to encourage other people, even if it will cost you something?
  5. None of us may be very impressive to the world, but are you willing to allow God to use you for His kingdom in ways that you could never have imagined? This is not just for pastors and missionary types, God can use each of us right where we are. There are people around each of us that only we can impact.

Get to know the author of Scripture and not just a head full of biblical knowledge. Allow God to change your focus and be used for kingdom work in ways you never thought possible. It takes only a step in the right direction and you begin the journey of a lifetime.

A Sudden Change in Plans

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Continuing this series in the life of Paul, after the stoning of Stephen, Paul began new threats against the followers of Christ (Acts 9:1-2) so he might jail them of kill them. This is the chapter where Jesus gets to Paul and reaches him with the life-changing message of the gospel.

If you’re like me, you probably have asked at some point in your Christian life, “Why in the world did you choose to save me?” Each of us knows our personal failures and vulnerabilities and have concluded that we are not really worth the price of our salvation. Then we look at Paul and decide that at least we are not like him! He was so anti-Christ (Acts 26:11). Paul was obsessed with destroying the church. The word really means “to act like a maniac” (the Greek term is mainomai).

Paul was a hot-headed rabbi determined to make a name for himself. One day on the road to the city of Damascus, Jesus Christ intervened in his life (Acts 9:3-4). This encounter left him blind and dependent on those around him (Acts 9:8). In a way, Paul is the perfect example of a guy who was totally sincere in his beliefs yet totally wrong. He thought he knew it all but actually knew nothing. In a world of black and white religious dogma, Paul comes face to face with shades of gray. Sincerity means nothing if it is misdirected.

Sometimes we feel that we should get our lives straightened out before we can come to Christ, but a great verse is Romans 5:8, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. No matter how dark or deep, we can begin a journey of faith in Christ. No one is perfect, but we all must press on toward the goal (Philippians 3:12). The phrase “take hold” means to seize with eagerness, like God snatched Paul by the hair. Paul never forget the depth of his sinfulness, out of which Jesus saved his soul (1 Timothy 1:15).

There is no room for pride and nothing can bring us back to reality and humble us like remembering how God saved us from ourselves. No one can teach forgiveness like the forgiven. Paul believed in his cause and it led him down a destructive path. That day on the Damascus Road, Paul not only was snatched from the devil but God snatched Paul from himself; from his misguided zeal and his obsessive behavior.

There is little doubt that Christ can save anybody. No one is too wicked or far from God (Isaiah 59:1). A gray question may be why God chose to save us, but a black and white answer is that “I once was lost but now I’m found.”

Criticizing God’s Leaders

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Not that it’s happening in our church, but I thought I’d stroll through the Bible to find out what happens when people choose to criticize God’s leaders. Consider the consequences for these men and women:

  1. Miriam: she mocked Moses because he had a Cushite wife and was struck with leprosy (Numbers 12:1-2, 10)
  2. Korah and followers: He led the people of Israel to rebel against Moses’ leadership and was swallowed up by the earth (Numbers 16:1-2, 31-32, 33, 34)
  3. Michal: she despised David because he danced before the Lord and remained childless her whole life (2 Samuel 6:16, 20, 23)
  4. Shimei: he cursed and threw stones at David and was executed at Solomon’s order (2 Samuel 16:6-8, 9-10, 1 Kings 2:41-42, 44, 46)
  5. Some Youth: they mocked Elisha and laughed at his baldness and got killed by bears (2 Kings 2:23-24)
  6. Sanballat and Tobiah: they spread rumors and lies to stop the building of Jerusalem’s walls and got frightened and humiliated (Nehemiah 2:19, 4:1, 6:2, 5, 12, 13, 14).
  7. Hananiah: he contradicted Jeremiah’s prophecies with false predictions and died two months later (Jeremiah 28:15-17).
  8. Bar-Jesus, a sorcerer: he lied about Paul in an attempt to turn the proconsul against him and was struck with blindness (Acts 13:6-12).

Covenants in the Bible

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Covenant is a pact, treaty, alliance, or agreement between two parties of equal or of unequal authority. The covenant or testament is a central, unifying theme in Scripture, God’s covenants with individuals and the nation Israel finding final fulfillment in the new covenant in Christ Jesus. God’s covenants can be understood by humans because they are modeled on human covenants or treaties.

The Bible speaks of seven different covenants, five of which God made with the nation of Israel. Five are unconditional in nature, which means regardless of Israel’s obedience or disobedience, God will fulfill these covenants with the nation of Israel. One of the covenants is conditional, meaning this covenant will bring either blessing or cursing depending on Israel’s obedience or disobedience.

The Adamic Covenant comes in two parts: the Edenic Covenant (innocence – Genesis 1:26-30; 2:16-17) and the Adamic Covenant (grace – Genesis 3:16-19). The Edenic Covenant outlined man’s responsibility toward creation and God’s one rule regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Adamic Covenant included the curses pronounced against mankind for the sin of Adam and Eve, and includes God’s provision for that sin (Genesis 3:15).

  1. God’s Promise – Satan and mankind will be enemies.
  2. God’s Sign – Pain of childbirth, toil in work (Genesis 3:16, 17).

The Noahic Covenant was an unconditional covenant between God and Noah and mankind. After the Flood, God promised that He would never again destroy all life on earth with water. He gave the rainbow as the sign of that covenant and a reminder that God can and will judge sin (2 Peter 2:5).

  1. God’s Promise – God would never again destroy the earth with a flood.
  2. God’s Sign – Rainbow (Genesis 9:12-13).

Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3, 6-7; 13:14-17; 15:12-21; 17:1-14; 22:15-18). In this covenant, God promised that He would make Abraham’s name great (Genesis 12:2), that Abraham would have numerous descendants (Genesis 13:16), and that he would be the father of a multitude of nations (Genesis 17:4-5). God also made promises regarding the nation of Israel. Geographical boundaries of the Abrahamic Covenant are laid out in Genesis 12:7; 13:14-15; 15:18-21. In the Abrahamic Covenant, all the families of the world will be blessed through the line of Abraham (Genesis 12:3; 22:18). This means the Messiah, who would come from the line of Abraham.

  1. God’s Promise – Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation if they obeyed God, and He would be their God forever.
  2. God’s Sign – Smoking fire pot and blazing torch (Genesis 15:17-18).

Palestinian Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:1-10). The Palestinian Covenant amplifies the land aspect which was detailed in the Abrahamic Covenant. In this covenant, God, because of the people’s disobedience, would cause them to be scattered around the world (Deuteronomy 30:3-4), and He would eventually restore the nation together (Deuteronomy 30:5). When the nation is restored, then they will obey Him perfectly (Deuteronomy 30:8), and God will cause them to prosper (Deuteronomy 30:9). See also Deuteronomy 28, 29. Because of this covenant, the right of the Jews to live in the land is conditional upon their behavior. This partly conditional covenant has several parts:

  1. Dispersion of the Jews was to be a consequence of disobedience.
  2. Future repentance will be accomplished by God.
  3. God will regather his scattered people and restore them to the land.
  4. The people of Israel will be brought to the Lord as a nation.
  5. The enemies and oppressors of Israel will be punished.
  6. Future national prosperity and preeminence is guaranteed.

Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 11). The Mosaic Covenant was a conditional covenant that either brought God’s blessing for obedience or God’s cursing for disobedience. The ten commandments (found in Exodus 20) is part of the covenant. The history books of the Old Testament (Joshua-Esther) show how Israel succeeded at obeying the law or how Israel failed at keeping the law. Deuteronomy 11:26-28 details the blessing/cursing theme.

  1. God’s Promise – Israel would be God’s special people, a holy nation. But they would have to keep their part of the covenant – obedience.
  2. God’s Sign – The Exodus, and gathering for worship at Sinai (Exodus 3:12).

Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-16). The Davidic Covenant expands the seed detail which was part of the Abrahamic Covenant. The promises to David in this passage are significant because God promised that David’s physical line of descent would last forever and that his kingdom would never pass away permanently (2 Samuel 7:16). This kingdom would have a ruling individual exercising authority over it (2 Samuel 7:16). The Davidic throne has not been in place at all times, but there will be a time when someone from the line of David will again sit on the throne and rule as king. This future king is Jesus (Luke 1:32-33).

  1. God’s Promise – Salvation would come through David’s line through the birth of the Messiah.
  2. God’s Sign – David’s line continued and the Messiah was born a descendant of David (2 Samuel 7:12).

New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The New Covenant is one made with the nation of Israel and speaks about the blessings which are detailed in the Abrahamic Covenant. In the New Covenant, God promises to forgive sin and there will be a universal knowledge of the Lord (Jeremiah 31:34). It even appears that the nation of Israel will have a special relationship with God (Jeremiah 31:33).

  1. God’s Promise – Forgiveness and salvation are available through faith in Christ.
  2. God’s Sign – Christ’s resurrection.

How does the church of Jesus Christ relate to the covenants? Some people believe that the church fulfills the covenants and God will never deal with Israel again. This is called replacement theology and has little scriptural evidence. Others believe that the church initially or partially will fulfill these covenants. Many believe that the church shares in the covenants in some way, while others believe that the covenants are for Israel and for Israel alone.

What About Church Discipline?

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The church, at times, must exercise discipline toward members who have sinned. Granted it is not done much, but why do you suppose? Could it be that people take the words of Jesus (about not judging, or getting the plank out of your own eye first) to keep us silent on correcting a fellow believer? Perhaps we don’t do it because we are very aware of our own sinfulness and failures to talk to someone else about their sin. But according to the Bible, church discipline must be handled carefully, straightforwardly, and lovingly.

The situations we find:

  1. Unintentional error and/or private sin.
  2. Public sin and/or those done flagrantly and arrogantly.

The steps we follow: (Matthew 18:15-17)

  1. Go to the brother or sister, show the fault to him or her in private.
  2. If he/she does not listen, go with one or two witnesses.
  3. If he/she refuses to listen, take the matter before the church.

The strategy we foster:

  1. Remove the one in error from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:2-13).
    1. The sin of others should bring on mourning and shame (1 Corinthians 5:2).
    2. The offender should be removed from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:2).
    3. The church calls a meeting (1 Corinthians 5:4).
    4. The unrepentant person is to be thrown to Satan (1 Corinthians 5:5).
    5. What? Why? A little bit of yeast affects the whole lump of dough (1 Corinthians 5:6, 7).
    6. Don’t pal around with people who indulge in sexual sin (1 Corinthians 5:9, 11).
    7. It is the responsibility of the church to judge believers who are sinning (1 Corinthians 5:12).
  2. The church gives united disapproval, but forgiveness and comfort are in order if he/she chooses to repent (2 Corinthians 2:5-8).
    1. Oppose the offender, but after the discipline, you must,
    2. Forgive and comfort him lest he get discouraged (2 Corinthians 2:7).
    3. Then affirm your love for him (2 Corinthians 2:8).
  3. Do not associate with the disobedient person; and if you must, speak to him/her as one who needs a warning (2 Thessalonians 3:14,15).
  4. After two warnings, reject the person from the fellowship (Titus 3:10).

Tough stuff, but how much is the marriage or the family of another man worth? When you see the dead end lifestyle and the failures in a professing believer, how can we not intervene, warn or sound the alarm? It’s not an issue of our superiority over the failing person, or that we have it all together, but it is an act of love and kindness to confront a man with his destructive habits or marital infidelity. Reach out a hand when you see a man about to step onto a slippery slope that brings tragedy and regret.

A Checklist for Encouragers

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The command to “encourage” others is found throughout the Bible. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11-23, Paul gives many specific examples of how we can encourage others. The end of each line is a suggestion you might consider doing to encourage someone else this week.

Build each other up: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (Point out to someone a quality you appreciate in him or her)

Respect leaders: 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (Look for ways to cooperate with others and influence them to greater achievement)

Hold leaders in highest regard: 1 Thessalonians 5:13 (Hold back your next critical comment about those in positions of responsibility. Say “thank you” to your leaders for their efforts; pray for them regularly)

Live in peace: 1 Thessalonians 5:13 (Seek ways to get along with others)

Warn those who are lazy: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Challenge someone to join you in a project)

Encourage the timid: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Encourage those who are timid by reminding them of God’s promises; help them see themselves from God’s perspective)

Help the weak: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Support those who are weak by loving them and praying for them)

Be patient: 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Think of a situation that tries your patience and plan ahead of time how you can stay calm)

Resist revenge: 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (Instead of planning to get even with those who mistreat you, do good to them)

Be joyful: 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (Remember that even in the midst of turmoil, God is in charge)

Pray continually: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (God is always with you – talk to him)

Give thanks: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (Make a list of all the gifts God has given you, giving thanks to God for each one)

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire: 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (Cooperate with the Spirit the next time he prompts you to participate in kingdom work)

Do not treat prophecies with contempt: 1 Thessalonians 5:20 (Receive God’s Word from those who teach it or speak His Word)

Avoid every evil: 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (Avoid situations where you will be drawn into temptation; plan your way of escape)

Count on God’s help: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (Realize that the Christian life is to be lived not in our own strength but through God’s power)

Be Freed from Your Suffering

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This lesson is about love being expressed through healing.

At the Heart of it all Today: Jesus uses his divine power to heal the demon-possessed and the physically ill, extending his ministry to Gentiles and other outsiders.

Memory Verse: Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. — Mark 5:34

Key Term (Unclean): The Bible refers to demons as unclean spirits, Leprosy and other illnesses made them unclean. Yet Jesus did the unthinkable and touched unclean people.

Jesus is remembered as one of the greatest teachers who ever lived, and proof of the durability of his teachings is that we are studying them and seeking to live by them after all these centuries. Miracles were always occasions for more teachings, and some of his most remembered sayings were spoken in the context of these miracles.

My Name is Legion (Mark 5:1-20):

  1. Along the shore of the Sea of Galilee were areas with limestone caves, many of them used as tombs. People believed that evil spirits resided in isolated places, especially where there were tombs. Those who study demonology have observed that possessed people often have greater strength. No one had been able to subdue or bind this man, yet when he sees Jesus from a distance he immediately fears him. He calls Jesus “Son of the Most High God, a title given by the angel in Luke 1:32.
  2. The man is a Gentile and Gentiles generally used “Most High God” to refer to the Jewish God. Here, the demon is trying to show some of its own power by showing that it knows who Jesus is. It appears that evil spirits possess insight that humans do not have. These demons realize they are dealing with the Son of God, not some charlatan.
  3. To know someone’s name is to have some power over him. The demon answers, “Legion,” which may explain the man’s bizarre behavior, running around naked, cutting himself with stones and frightening others. “My name is Legion” may show the split personality often shown by the possessed, who were in some sense themselves but also under control of demonic forces. Legion also conveyed the idea of something armed and dangerous; Jesus is not confronting one demon, but several.
  4. But another interpretation is possible; Jesus only refers to one evil spirit (Mark 5:8). The demon may in fact have revealed that his name was ligyona, the Aramaic word for soldier. His actual reply to Jesus might have been something like, “My name is Soldier, and there are many of us,” meaning several servants of Satan.
  5. In Luke’s version of this story, the demons begged Jesus repeatedly “not to enter the Abyss” (Luke 8:31).
    1. “The Abyss” could refer to the place of the dead or the final destination of Satan and the demons. They know they will end up there eventually, but in the meantime they ask for some other fate, even if it is being sent into a herd of pigs. These demons may fear they will be the “first wave” of demons that get sent into the abyss.
    2. This also may be behind what the demon-possessed man says to Jesus in Matthew’s version of the story: “‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted, ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time (Matthew 8:29).
  6. The question of how moral it was for Jesus to “send” the demons into the poor pigs is moot, since he only allowed the demons to do as they wished. The real purpose of sending the demons into the pigs was to give the sick man a definite sign that the demons were no longer inside him.
  7. One human being was worth more than a herd of swine. To the people in the story, the crime was the economic loss, not the feelings of the pigs. This is another case of misplaced priorities. They would have preferred that the demoniac stay as he had been, so long as their livestock were not bothered. This does not show these Greeks in a very favorable light. Jesus was extending his ministry to the Gentiles, which was commendable, and this demoniac was the first Gentile convert.
  8. The locals begged Jesus to leave their region. Perhaps they feared Jesus would use his power to do even more frightening things. It is interesting to contrast the behavior of these Gentiles with the faith of the Gentile centurion in Luke 7:1-10. Some Gentiles responded positively to Jesus, others did not.
  9. The man is now “clothed and in his right mind.” The Greek word used means “in his senses.” The reaction of the locals to seeing this is fear. They had apparently grown accustomed to his bizarre behavior, but when they see him changed they are fearful.
  10. The man wants to be with Jesus, but he tells him to go and tell his friends of the power and mercy of God. The man becomes the first missionary throughout the Gentile region of the Decapolis.
  11. Jesus tells the man to return to his home and tell people what “the Lord” has done for him. Jesus is not just some wandering healer but the Lord, something these pagans understood even if Jesus’ own people did not.
  12. Jesus was in a situation that, by Jewish standards, was horribly unclean. They were among Gentiles, there were pigs and tombs nearby, and they encountered a raving, naked man possessed by unclean spirits. No respectable Pharisee or scribe would have set foot in such a place, or have anything to do with this guy. Jesus was willing to get down and dirty with people. He was truly Immanuel, “God with us,” and not just God with us in a tidy residential neighborhood, but in the unclean world where people suffer greatly and long for compassion.

Who Touched Me? (Mark 5:24-34):

  1. Since medicine in ancient times was mostly a matter of guesswork and luck, people had varying opinions of doctors—they saw them all as quacks and charlatans, or as being sent from the gods.
  2. Here is a situation that would make almost any reader uncomfortable: a woman with an embarrassing and long-term ailment wishes to be healed, but the healer is surrounded by a crowd. Her flow of blood was even more embarrassing among the Jews because it made her ritually unclean, according to Leviticus 15:25. For twelve years this “untouchable” woman was living among the Jews.
  3. Mark says the woman touched Jesus’ robe (Mark 5:28-29). Matthew and Luke refer to the hem, fringe or tassels of the cloak. The tassel was one of the most recognizable signs that a man was a Jew. They were mandated in Numbers 15:38-39: “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.”
  4. How did Jesus realize that “power had gone out of him?” Not sure, but in some sense healing required power and effort on Jesus’ part. We can’t comprehend that it “took something out of him” and the disciples did not grasp it either, as seen by their response when he asked “Who touched me?” This was one of countless cases of the disciples not understanding Jesus, and it never occurred to them that Jesus’ miracles somehow drained him.
  5. The woman is “trembling with fear” when she comes forward, perhaps expecting a reprimand. Instead, Jesus refers affectionately to her as daughter.
  6. Jesus would be unclean just by touching her but He doesn’t mention it. He understands the nature of this woman’s problem and does not seek to embarrass her in front of a crowd.
  7. Mark reminds us that Jesus was surrounded by a crowd. He seems to have sensed not the touch, but the unseen faith of the woman. The woman herself sensed that she was free of her twelve-year-long bleeding.

Touching a Leper (Mark 1:40-44):

  1. The term “leprosy” referred to a broad category of skin ailments, not just actual leprosy. Some situations could have been like psoriasis or ringworm—minor for us, though harder to cure in ancient times. It is clear that the lepers Jesus healed had the more severe forms, not just minor skin diseases. The cleansing rituals in Leviticus 14:2-3 (actually verses 1-32) must mean minor skin ailments, since true leprosy was never cured.
  2. People with actual leprosy—called Hansen disease—typically lost fingers and toes over time, then eventually an entire hand or foot. This kind of leprosy, which began with a loss of sensation in parts of the body, took a long time to progress with the person literally dying by inches.
  3. Pitiful as lepers were, we do not see much evidence of compassion for them. The way the disease disfigured their faces and bodies made them repugnant to others. Some of the rabbis obsessed with keeping their distance from anything unclean, but Jesus was “filled with compassion.”
  4. Mark’s telling of this incident is startling since a leper was not supposed to walk up and speak to anyone. He was supposed to shout out “Unclean, unclean!” (Leviticus 13:45) so people would know to keep their distance. This leper was bold by approaching Jesus with his request. Jesus gave him confidence that He could accomplish what no one else could. The fact that he knelt shows he sensed an authority in Jesus, perhaps even sensed his divinity.
  5. Jesus touched the leper—No sin or affliction puts us beyond the touch of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and Luke report this miracle very early in their Gospels, a sign that Jesus had the power to heal the most horrible physical affliction of all.
  6. After the healing, Jesus tells the man to go show himself to the priests, as Leviticus 13:3, 9 demanded. Once the man was pronounced cured, he would make an offering to God (Leviticus 14). The leper did not do as Jesus told him: “Instead he went out and began to talk, freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer from everywhere” (Mark 1:45)
  7. Part of Jesus’ ministry was to try to change their wrong conception of  Messiah. This is why he asks the people whom he helps to tell no one. In contrast to the many false Messiahs that sprang up over the centuries, Jesus does not call himself Messiah publicly—nor did he encourage anyone else to call him by the title.

Such Great Faith (Luke 7:1-10):

  1. Most Gentiles detested and mocked the Jews, but some admired the faith and morality of the Jews.The Jews distinguished between Gentiles who were “God-fearers” (those who attended synagogue services and showed some interest in the Jewish way of life) and the more committed “proselytes” (who were circumcised and baptized, plus offered sacrifices). The person had to undress and be baptized, by full immersion, in the presence of three Jewish witnesses. At this point he would have been considered spiritually clean and in God’s eyes equal to the Jews. The centurion in this story, would have been a God-fearer since a proselyte would have been able to have a Jew under his roof. Technically, a God-fearer was still unclean in Jewish eyes.
  2. Aside from being a Gentile, the centurion was in the service of Rome, reason enough for many Jews to despise him, but many of the Jews of Capernaum were very fond of this particular Gentile. Certainly his contribution to the building of a synagogue impressed them. Roman soldiers were often stationed far from home, and some of them mixed well with the locals, marrying and developing friendships.
  3. This centurion had no doubt that Jesus could heal the servant. He knew that according to Jewish practice, a devout Jew like Jesus could not enter his house. The fact that he saw himself as not “fit” to receive Jesus in fact made him precisely fit. Feeling his own unworthiness made him worthy.
  4. In Matthew’s version of this story Jesus says to the centurion, “I will come and heal him” which was eye brow raising to the Jews. Jesus had already proved (by touching a leper) that the distinction between clean and unclean meant nothing to him.
  5. In the Roman armies, a century was a military unit of a hundred men, with sixty centuries making up a legion. A centurion commanded a century.

Eating the Children’s Crumbs (Mark 7:24-30):

  1. It is no accident that Mark and Matthew place this story immediately after the controversy with the Pharisees about what is “clean” and “unclean.” Jesus leaves Galilee with its Pharisees and their foolish regulations and enters Gentile territory, the region of Tyre and Sidon, called Phoenicia. For a short time, Jesus is distancing himself and the disciples from the critics and the crowds.
  2. Matthew mentions her ethnic origin perhaps to remind the readers that this woman was a descendant of the people whom the Jews thought of as the worst sort of pagans. It is ironic that the woman addresses Jesus as “Son of David,” a title for the Jewish Messiah, while just before this the Pharisees were rejecting him and his teachings. Jesus makes it clear here and elsewhere that his mission is to save the people of Israel, yet at various points He encounters Gentiles who have more faith than the Jews. As with the centurion whose servant he healed, Jesus here does not turn down the heartfelt request of a Gentile.
  3. Was Jesus aware that He himself had Canaanite blood? In Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, one of the ancestors listed is Rahab, the harlot of Jericho at the time of Canaan’s conquest by the Israelites (Joshua 2). Matthew included Rahab in the genealogy, and included another Gentile, the Moabite woman Ruth. Matthew doesn’t miss a chance to spotlight Gentiles who put their faith in God.
  4. Jesus says to the woman, “First let the children eat all they want.” “First” is important because he is not telling the woman that only the children (the Jews) will be fed, only that the children come first. Since she is a mother asking for the healing of her own child, she understands priorities.
  5. Jews did often refer to Gentiles as dogs; and a dog was a familiar term of contempt for a shameless woman. But the word used by Jesus in this story means “little dogs” or “house dogs,” something at least more appealing than the street mongrels, which were despised.
  6. In these days before silverware, eating was with the hands, and people often wiped their fingers on scraps of bread and tossed them to the house dogs. The Jews were throwing away the spiritual food Jesus offered them.
  7. The woman was willing to admit herself to be a “dog,” one who would eat table scraps. Granting her request could only have heightened her joy when he told her the child was healed. As in the case of some other healings, the child is made well without Jesus having to be personally present.
  8. The chief moral aspect of the woman is that she lifts herself up by humbling herself. Admitting herself to be a “dog” who will be content with the crumbs that fall from the table, her faith makes her worthy of sitting at the table. Her behavior illustrates one of Jesus’ own sayings: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). The woman wanted a miracle not for herself but for her child.
  9. This is one of numerous times that Jesus responded to the plea of a distraught parent. Jesus had not entered Gentile territory to preach or minister to the Gentiles, but He could not avoid doing good. Even among the descendants of the despised Canaanites, Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 49:22: “1 will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples.”

Forgiveness, Faith, and Fear

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When we get to the life of Paul in the book of Acts, the first reference to him was at the execution of a Christ follower named Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1):

They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died. Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. — Acts 7:58-8:1

Perhaps Saul the Pharisee needed to oversee this event because he remembered the whole situation with Lazarus. In that story Lazarus died (John 11:14) and Jesus decides to go back to Judea where only a few days earlier the “people” tried to kill Jesus (John 11:7-8). The resurrection of Lazarus was a powerful testimony to Jesus and His mission and many people came to faith in Him (John 11:45, 48, 53, 57, 12:9, 17). To top off this celebration of people coming to faith in Jesus, the religious leaders decided to go ahead and kill Lazarus, too (John 12:10). I find that ironic, but Saul may have had this batched execution in mind when he came to witness the elimination of Stephen.

The Bible says that Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, faith, grace and God’s power (Acts 6:3, 5, 8). This tells me he was more than just a believer in Christ but had surrendered his whole life to Him. This is not just for those who eventually become pastors and missionaries, but for all of us.

During the stoning, Stephen showed such meekness, which is defined as power under control. He had such confidence in his message and did not fear the people who sought to do him harm. He stood before the religious leaders, who were shocked to see that he had the face of an angel (Acts 6:15). Moses may have had this same look when he came down from meeting with God on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:29). King Solomon wisely confirms that wisdom brightens a man’s face (Ecclesiastes 8:1). Whatever they thought, they did not expect to hear a history lesson of their ancestors being a stubborn people who killed God’s prophets and were disobedient to God’s laws (Acts 7:51, 52, 53). That was the last straw; they were ticked at him (Acts 7:54).

As frightening as this situation must have been, Stephen demonstrates the attitude of Jesus himself and asks that God not hold this sin against them (Acts 7:60). Forgiveness is a hard thing to do; the message and Bible study this past Sunday was called, strong families forgive. It is only through forgiveness that we can free ourselves of bitterness that will permeate all parts of our lives, not to mention that forgiveness is a powerful witness of Christ in our lives.

We tend to equate victory in our lives with survival, but the apostles had a different understanding… that they would be counted worthy to suffer or die for Christ (Acts 5:41). I like this picture given in Acts 7:56; did you catch it? The heavens open and Stephen sees Jesus standing in the place of honor. That which was happening on earth was so significant that it brought the Son of God to His feet. While Stephen was standing up for Christ, Jesus stood up for him. Stephen may have been covered in his own blood, but he was also covered by the blood of Christ. Stephen got a standing ovation from the only One who mattered.

Saul was a witness of all this and he was no innocent bystander. The Bible says that he gave approval for all this (Acts 8:1). The word used means “to take pleasure with” and the grammatical tense is continuous or repeated action; so basically he was cheering. At the same time, Jesus is standing in heaven noticing every act in this play on earth. One man was covered in blood; the other is covered by prayer shawls. One could not save himself from men; the other could not save himself from sin.

So, consider examining yourself to see whether you are on board with the mission of Christ or if you are actually an obstacle in God’s path. Are you striving to be found faithful by God, or will you allow the world to conform you into its image? I hope that one day, maybe every day, Jesus would stand to His feet and take notice of how we are involved in the Mission of God. How about you? What can you do for the kingdom of God?

The Gift of Teaching

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God has given each believer at least one spiritual gift to build up the body of Christ and to minister in our hurting world. If your gift is prophecy, go ahead and proclaim God’s view of right and wrong. If it is service, desire to meet others’ needs. In the motivational list in Romans 12:4-5, 6-7, 8-9, I personally score high in encouragement, service and teaching. As I lead teachers at King’s Grant, I hope inspire them to take a serious look at what God has called them to do. Here’s what Paul had to say to Titus:

As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. — Titus 2:1-6

There is a lot of teaching going on in this passage, and I have discovered that the gift of teaching has a few characteristics:

Teaching is Organized: Whether in conversation or in a more formal setting, we will seek to communicate information clearly so the listener can follow. God has wired teachers to analyze material and present it logically.

Teaching is Thorough: We want others to understand not simply the conclusion but the steps leading up to it. We also desire to help them think matters through. It’s not just teaching what we must do, but why we must do it.

Teaching is Accurate: Our priority is to know the truth, so teachers ask questions in an attempt to discover the accuracy of what we learn. We will also inquire about the trustworthiness of our source of information.

Teaching is Studious: We get joy from studying and researching the Bible and are strongly motivated to share what we learn. Truth is presented not simply to share knowledge but with the goal that God will transform the hearer’s life.

Teaching is Bible-oriented: With this gift comes a strong desire to know what the Lord has to say. While we may recognize the value of others’ experiences, reading about them is not our main concern, nor are teachers especially motivated by personal illustrations. I like biblical examples.

All of the spiritual gifts can be used in the workplace, in our communities, and in our homes. Allow the Spirit to direct your teaching ability for God’s glory and the benefit of others.

I Have Set for You an Example

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This is lesson four in my class on the words of Jesus. To see the others, click the “notes” tab above and choose the lesson you want to see.

At the Heart of it All Today: Parables, other teaching and the foot washing episode emphasize the role of servanthood in the life of a disciple. Jesus promises eternal rewards to those demonstrating self-denying love for others.

Key Term: Servant; Jesus cast himself in this role and he demands we do the same. In a world were status is everything, Jesus turns the world’s value system upside down.

Key Verse: Matthew 10:39, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

A Hundredfold Investment: (Matthew 19:27-30)

  1. The rich young ruler just walked away and Peter responds to Jesus’ statement about rich men entering the kingdom of heaven. There is an obvious contrast since the disciples have given up much to follow Jesus.
  2. Peter was not really accurate by saying they gave up “all” to follow Jesus; he still owned a house (Mark 1:29) and a boat (Mark 3:9, 4:1), but he is correct that they have given up on a comfortable life with security.
  3. One’s true family – while it is great loss to leave one’s family, new friends are made along the path of a disciple, ones that share the same values and goals. There is fellowship (koinonia) that at the root means to share a common life.
  4. Receiving back a hundredfold – not really a material investment but a spiritual one. From a material investment, faith is a poor risk, but from an eternal perspective, all things are possible with this ultimate long-term investment.
  5. The term palingenesia is translated “new creation,” “new order of things,” “renewal” or “regeneration.” It is only used here in the gospels. Paul used it in Titus 3:5 to refer to the individual believer’s spiritual renewal. So, in the new world, things will be radically different. Those who gave up all in this life will see a radical difference in the next.
  6. Judging the twelve tribes of Israel – this is quite a shocking statement for the twelve. They will have positions of authority in God’s kingdom, much like the rich young ruler had in this life. No one would have guessed these men where “ruling” material, but Jesus sees potential in people.

The “No Seniority” Story: (Matthew 20:1-16)

  1. The Old Testament often describes Israel as a vineyard (Matthew 21:33-46, Psalm 80:8, 14, Isaiah 5:1-2, Jeremiah 12:10, John 15:1). Jesus is not nationalistic, but focuses on individuals who make up this new kingdom.
  2. The land owner is God – calling people to work in the vineyard. The workers from the start of the day expected a day’s wage.
  3. The eleventh hour – literally “at the last minute; before sunset.” The men were not lazy guys wasting the day; they just had not been hired yet. They wanted a job and the owner was generous with payroll. Those who worked all day were grumbling at his generosity; literally it means, “Is your eye evil because I am good?” Maybe the beginning of the phrase, “give him the evil eye.”
  4. The target audience – often the Jews since they did not believe the Gentiles were welcome in the kingdom. The grumblers may be similar to the older brother in the Prodigal Son. Jesus is likely warning the disciples they are not privileged characters in the kingdom just because they were called first (Matthew 19:27). Those who follow Jesus should not be so concerned with place, position or rewards. Do we serve God for what we get out of it, or do we serve him because he deserves it and it is the right thing to do?

Not One of Us: (Mark 9:38-40)

  1. This passage comes immediately after Jesus telling the disciples that striving to be the greatest was wrong, and that service to others was what mattered. John, a part of the inner circle, declaring that this other man was “not one of us” may be an indication that they had an inflated opinion of themselves. After a failed exorcism in Mark 9:14-29, they complain that this power was showing up in someone else; in one not officially a part of the group.
  2. Tolerance may be the lesson; not like today where beliefs don’t matter, but be willing to accept others who have the same goal. John wanted to narrow the circle while Jesus says it is ok to widen it.
  3. This is quite similar to Matthew 12:30 (he who is not with me is against me) but Jesus’ meaning is different. One cannot remain neutral toward him; each person must decide to follow or oppose Jesus. In Mark, (whoever is not against us is for us) refers to the disciples being accepting of others who do good work for Christ.

Sisters with a Difference: (Luke 10:38-42)

  1. This story follows the Good Samaritan, who also put love into action. Perhaps the point in pairing these two stories is that while doing good deeds is commendable, we are not saved by doing good works.
  2. Martha wanted everything just so, and Jesus gently scolds her. She had too many irons in the fire, and probably was not enjoying Jesus’ visit too much. The “one thing” probably meant “one dish” for a meal, but with a deeper meaning. Martha’s desire to serve was commendable but she could have served one dish to spend more time with the Master.
  3. Mary at Jesus’ feet – contrast to the rabbis looking down on the intelligence of women. Women had a vital role in the early church.

Duty Above All: (Luke 17:7-10)

  1. The is a story of a farmer with a worker who serves I the field and in the house, too. At the end of the work day, he cannot just sit down and have dinner, there is inside work to be done, he is still on duty and cannot expect to be thanked for doing his duty. A human master can make demands, and so can God.
  2. This can be directed at people who take pride in their accomplishments for the Lord. When Christ-followers lead a godly life or do good works, they are not going above and beyond the call of duty, but rather this is what is expected on earth and we should not expect praise.
  3. This is in the face of the Pharisees, who had a system of rewards and merit, which Jesus discounts. There is no call to boast in our service of God. We are his servants, not his peers.
  4. Main theme is God’s grace – when a disciple has done all he can for the kingdom, he has no right to expect salvation, but only accept it as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:27, 11:35).

The Lowest Form of Service: (John 13:4-8, 13-16)

  1. A clear and straightforward story but also not understood by the disciples at the time. In those days there were no facilities to take full baths every day, so they did what I call, “a bird bath.” Attention was given to the exposed parts, which was the task of a slave; a humiliating work for the lowest of slaves. Here, doing this act was one of love and devotion.
  2. This undignified act was setting the disciples up for an even more humiliating and undignified event, the crucifixion.
  3. Wash feet or have no part of me – “part” is literally “inheritance” or “heritage” which may indicate Peter would not share in the joys of heaven. Peter reacts to the foot-washing in the same way he objected to the prediction of Jesus’ suffering. Jesus knew that suffering and humiliation are the roads to glory.
  4. Roles are reversed in this scene. To accept this is to embrace a new order where humility is honored over vanity and pride. The twelve had been arguing about who had precedence. Jesus emphasized that greatness consisted of servitude.
  5. Key point often overlooked – Jesus does this act of service and love for people who would in the matter of hours desert him and run away; being a devoted servant to those who will prove to be disloyal. Also, Judas was present; can it be that this was an act of forgiveness, and him telling them to “do likewise” was a reference to the disciples forgiving Judas because it is what he had to do to fulfill prophecy?

A New Commandment: (John 13:34-35)

  1. Jesus may be gone soon, but the love he has shown them will live on. They already had a few commandments like loving their neighbor as themselves (Leviticus 19:18), now they are to love others as Jesus loves them. This love will be distinctive of a Christ follower.
  2. This command must have made a deep impact on John, since he writes about it in his gospel and returns to the theme in his letters (1 John 3:11, 16, 4:19, 2 John 1:5).

Disowning the Master: (Matthew 10:32-33)

  1. There is a picture of a believer being dragged into court to testify of his devotion to Jesus, but the image is wider to any word or deed where one denies their faith. He is addressing lukewarm believers, those who are half-hearted. Pharisees love the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43). Paul was not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16) and encourages Timothy to not disown Christ (2 Timothy 2:12).
  2. Disowning Jesus is not so words of denial, but of missed opportunities, not speaking up when the situation calls for it. Actions may deny him as well, hypocrisy is an appropriate term. We would not be studying the Bible of following Jesus if it was not for those in the first century who stood up of their faith.

Forgetting Everything but God: (Matthew 10:38-39)

  1. The ultimate paradox: to possess life we must give it up. Some men would commit sin to keep on living (situation ethics). This phrase of Jesus might be a reference to Leviticus 18:5, “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.” Like, God wants you to live, so sinning in order to keep on living is not wrong. Losing earthly life was not the worse thing that could happen.
  2. Too many jewelry crosses around the necks of those who don’t stand for Christ (Madonna, anyone?). In New Testament times, people did not need gold crosses, they saw real ones every day. It was a barbarous form of execution used on slaves and rebels. So, the believer might not only die a martyr’s death, but die with the lowest form of execution possible.
  3. Today we are to deny self, use self-discipline, and live for Christ more than ourselves (Galatians 2:20).

A Cup of Cold Water: (Matthew 10:40-42)

  1. Jesus words of the cross are balanced with a promise of reward. He is speaking to the disciples, the ambassadors for the faith, similar to 2 Corinthians 5:20 (see Ephesians 6:19).
  2. This water symbolized hospitality. While the world would harass, harm and kill people of faith, there are those who will stand up and offer kindness. Each act of compassion makes a difference. God will not forget your work of helping his people (Hebrews 6:10) and whatever you do for the least of these, you do it for Christ (Matthew 25:40).