Apicontent

“The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare what God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town what Jesus had done for him.” —Luke 8:38–39

How much has Jesus done for you? Has He set you free from bondage? Has He set your feet upon a rock, giving you a firm place to stand? Has He let you rest your head “between His shoulders”? Has He bestowed upon you His love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self-control in ever increasing measures? Then by all means, let others know!

Our demoniac turned disciple begged to go with Jesus. The word translated “begged” is from the Greek word deomai meaning to want, need; it is necessary, it must be, making a request as an inferior of a superior (The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible New Testament Lexical Aids). He greatly desired to go with Jesus in much the same way as others in the Bible whom Jesus had released from bondage. It is important for us to remember that all believers have been set free—some of us just do not seem to have that awareness or appreciation.

If this man was not allowed to continue on with Jesus, then he was certainly going to tell others about his experience. I am reminded of the encounter of the Samaritan woman at the well with Jesus. After their conversation she became quite the evangelist! John tells us:

“Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the report of the woman who testified, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they began asking him to stay with them. He stayed there two days, and because of his word many more believed.” —John 4:39–41

Personal testimony of the message of Jesus is still God’s primary method for spreading the glorious news of salvation. There is no greater witness for our Lord than a changed life and one that is willing to share that change with others. Every believer has a story to tell and every story points to Christ. Our stories are most passionately told by ourselves, and who can refute what has happened to us personally? Again, I am reminded of Scripture that addresses this matter. A man, blind from birth, was healed by Jesus and then questioned by the Pharisees:

“Then they summoned the man who used to be blind a second time and said to him, ‘Promise before God to tell the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.’ He replied, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing—that although I was blind, now I can see.’ … They heaped insults on him, saying, ‘You are his disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man comes from!’ The man replied, ‘This is a remarkable thing, that you don’t know where he comes from, and yet he caused me to see! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is devout and does his will, God listens to him. Never before has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’” —John 9:24–25, 28–33

This man’s witness was clear and he refused to deny what he knew for certain. We need to speak out about what we know for certain. As a friend of mine wrote to encourage me, “We must keep sharing our faith. God is the only answer to this sinful, sad, sick world.”

Become More

God has placed each one of us in this specific time and place to be a beacon of light in this dark world. We are to shine like stars. We are to be salt that has not lost its saltiness; the preservative that permeates this decaying world.

Let others know!

Further Reflections

“Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind, by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose. Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.” —Philippians 2:1–4

“Then Jesus came up and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” —Matthew 28:18–20

“Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and the demonic spirits begged Jesus to let them go into them. He gave them permission. So the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned. When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and spread the news in the town and countryside. So the people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus. They found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed. Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and left.” —Luke 8:32–37

The crowds were seized with fear. Instead of rejoicing over the triumph of evil, these people chose to remain paralyzed by their fear to the point of expelling from their premises their only hope for salvation. Fear.

The Oxford Dictionary defines this word as “unpleasant emotion; a state of alarm; a dread or fearful respect; anxiety for the safety of; danger or likelihood of something not welcomed; uneasy expectation; and apprehensive about.” Fear can paralyze us. However, fear is the opposite emotion of what we have in Jesus: confidence and courage. Paul tells us:

“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.” —Philippians 4:6

For each one of us, we have a choice between trusting in Christ in the midst of our circumstances and worrying over them. This does not mean that we sit around doing nothing as we wait for God to act. Confidence and courage result when we engage in the things Jesus calls us to. Paul tells us:

“Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.” —Colossians 3:23–24

I love this quote from Frederick Buechner because it gives credence to our passage for today as to why the crowds were so fearful:

“‘Thy will be done’ is what we’re saying … We are asking God to be God. We are asking God to do not only what we want but what God wants. We are asking to make manifest the holiness that is now mostly hidden, to set free in all its terrible splendor the devastating power that is now mostly under restraint … ‘Thy kingdom come …. on earth’ is what we are saying. And if that were suddenly to happen, what then? What would stand and what would fall? …. To speak these words is to invite the tiger out of the cage … You need to be bold in another way to speak the other half. Give us. Forgive us. Don’t test us. Deliver us. If it takes guts to face the omnipotence that is God’s, it takes perhaps no less to face the impotence that is ours. We can do nothing without God. Without God we are nothing. It is only the words ‘Our Father’ which make the prayer bearable. If God is indeed something like a father, then as something like children maybe we can risk approaching.”

I believe that one of the reasons we experience so much fear in our society today is because we have lost the fear of God. This fear is the only fear commanded in Scripture: we are to fear God and God alone. We make a big mistake when we put God on our level. Think about it for a moment, what would it actually be like to be in the presence of God? We need have no fear of life if we have the fear of God.

We must remember that God is approachable only through Christ’s work on the cross. Without that, we are all as dead men! I am reminded of Hebrews 12 describing Moses’ reaction to God’s holiness on Mount Sinai:

“For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more. For they could not bear what was commanded: ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.’ In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I shudder with fear.’” —Hebrews 12:18–21

As believers in Jesus we have access to God in all of His splendor and power and awesomeness and holiness. We can approach His throne only on the merits of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sins. The blood He shed took away our sins and has allowed us to be ushered back into the holy presence of the great “I AM.”

Become More

We experience Jesus’ power to dispel our fear because of God’s greatness. Trust in God’s plan for you and His power to accomplish that plan. He is watching over you!

Further Reflections

“But I trust in you, O LORD! I declare, ‘You are my God.’ You determine my destiny! Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.” —Psalm 31:14–15

“Fearing the LORD is the beginning of discernment, but fools have despised wisdom and moral instruction.” —Proverbs 1:7

“As Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man from the town met him who was possessed by demons. For a long time this man had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and shouted with a loud voice, ‘Leave me alone, Jesus, Son of the Most High God! I beg you, do not torment me!’ For Jesus had started commanding the evil spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so he would be bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard. But he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.) Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion,’ because many demons had entered him. And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and the demonic spirits begged Jesus to let them go into them. He gave them permission. So the demons came out of him.” —Luke 8:27–31

This passage of scripture certainly gives assent to demonic possession being one of the worst forms of human suffering known to mankind. Naked, homeless, living amongst the dead, chained, and driven to solitary places, this poor man’s spirit was in dire pain and distress. Blackest darkness certainly prevailed until Jesus appeared bringing light onto the scene.

Throughout the Bible, demons have always recognized Jesus and His power over them. I am reminded specifically of the first chapter of Job. The scene is heaven:

“Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD—and Satan also arrived among them. The LORD said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ And Satan answered the LORD, ‘From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.’ The LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.’ Then Satan answered the LORD, ‘Is it for nothing that Job fears God? Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land. But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!’
“So the LORD said to Satan, ‘All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!’ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” —Job 1:6–12

God is always ultimately in control. Satan, the accuser, cannot buffet the child of God apart from God’s divine permission. God’s purposes are never thwarted (Job 42:1). Yet, for a time, Satan has dominion over the earth and its people. For believers, Satan’s power and authority have been disarmed by Jesus by the cross. Scripture tells us:

“And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions. He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” —Colossians 2:13–15

Indeed, Satan has no control over the life of a believer. However, while Satan’s power has been disarmed through Jesus, he certainly continues to shoot plenty of his fiery darts at us, seeking our ruin. If he cannot keep us from being saved, his strategy is to keep us from being used. Peter gives us this command:

“Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in your faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are enduring the same kinds of suffering.” —1 Peter 5:8–9

When Jesus asks this demon possessed man his name, He is asking for more than just what the man is called. In those days people’s names were reflective of their character, their reputation. Interestingly, the name “Legion” referred to a division of three to six thousand men in the ancient Roman army. This name indicated that the demons were a large organized body, a vast host, a multitude in number. A pathetic sight for certain. This man was hopeless and helpless to change anything about his dire condition. We have no idea what it means to be possessed by such monsters, but I am certain we have all experienced circumstances when we have felt totally powerless.

Jesus desires to remedy our situations too—whatever they may be. Oftentimes it is in these instances that we are reminded of our total dependency upon Him. All the while He is gently whispering in our ears:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.” —Matthew 11:28–30

Become More

“Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence.” —Jude 1:24

Today, embrace the power you have in Jesus to overcome your desperate situations. He is with you!

Further References

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” —John 10:10

“Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” —Ephesians 6:10–11

“After getting into a boat he crossed to the other side and came to his own town. Just then some people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.’ Then some of the experts in the law said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming!’ When Jesus perceived their thoughts he said, ‘Why do you respond with evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Stand up and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—then he said to the paralytic—‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.’ So he stood up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were afraid and honored God who had given such authority to men.” —Matthew 9:1–8

The power and compassion of the Lord Jesus is demonstrated in this passage as He again proves himself to be the skillful and faithful physician of both body and soul. Jesus has sufficient remedies for all maladies affecting and afflicting mankind. Remember what the prophet Isaiah said?

“He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.” —Isaiah 53:3–4

Mark tells us in his gospel that four men with humble faith brought a paralytic to the Master for healing. Lying on a mat, carried by caring companions, this paralyzed man was both helpless and hopeless. Fortunately for him, his friends carried him to the God of the helpless and hopeless. The crowds had become so great that the paralytic’s buddies ingeniously made a plan of digging through the roof above Jesus and lowering their paralyzed friend—while still on this mat—straight down through the opening before the feet of the Healer. I think it interesting that these friends did not ask Jesus to come to them—which would have been far easier. Rather, they humbly and boldly brought their friend to the Master. A strong faith does not regard obstacles in pressing after Jesus. We discover again, the Lord ever honors true faith:

“Now after some days, when he returned to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home. So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them. Some people came bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” —Mark 2:1–5

Instead of being in awe over having been eyewitnesses to the miraculous fingermarks of God, some of the teachers of the law complained that Jesus was a blasphemer because no one could forgive sins but God. It is here that we see the grace of God met with hell’s enmity. Never mind the miracle they had just experienced. Jesus just did not fit into their neat mold of religiosity. He made them uncomfortable … and He made them angry. I am reminded of King David’s prayer for his son Solomon regarding God’s full knowledge of our thoughts and the motives of our hearts:

“And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the LORD examines all minds and understands every motive of one’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.” —1 Chronicles 28:9

There are no obstacles to the work of Jesus! He cares not about circumstances or reactions to His work. Jesus loves each one of us and will accomplish all that He has planned.

Become More

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.” —Hebrews 11:1

“Certainly the LORD watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.” —2 Chronicles 16:9

What obstacles are you facing today? Bring them to Jesus!

Further Reflections

“Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.” —George Mueller

“Show the world that thy God is worth ten thousand worlds to thee … Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as He built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in thy weakness, and magnify His might in the midst of thy distress. The grandeur of the arch of heaven would be spoiled if the sky were supported by a single visible column, and your faith would lose its glory if it rested on anything discernible by the carnal eye.” —Charles H. Spurgeon

“As Jesus was on his way, the crowds pressed around him. Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years but could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak, and at once the bleeding stopped. Then Jesus asked, ‘Who was it who touched me?’ When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing against you!’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out from me.’ When the woman saw that she could not escape notice, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed. Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.’” —Luke 8:43–48

Crowds follow healers. Need has been rampant since Eve took her first bite of the forbidden fruit. The thing is, our Healer has a 100 percent success rate. You can only imagine the throngs crushing in on Him. Jesus was on His way to yet another healing when this sweet infirmed woman comes up behind Him just to touch the edge of His cloak. No one had had the ability or power to heal her. For twelve long years she had been subject to an issue of blood, making her ceremonially unclean and anything she touched ceremonially unclean (see Leviticus 15:25–30). This was a huge burden! Think about that for a minute. For twelve years no one had desired to touch her. No hugs, no pats on the hands, no kisses on the forehead, no normal human interaction. Weary from battle, she pushes forward to grab the edge of Jesus’ cloak thinking, “If I can just touch Him!”

Immediately (don’t you love that word—it is so Jesus), the bleeding stops. Many Scriptures are flooding my mind right now on how quickly Jesus comes to our aid. While physical healing is not always what we need from Him, His presence, comfort, grace, and peace are always provided as we walk through our valleys. One such verse comes from the book of Psalms:

“The LORD is just in all his actions, and exhibits love in all he does. The LORD is near all who cry out to him, all who cry out to him sincerely. He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers; he hears their cry for help and delivers them. The LORDprotects all those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked.” —Psalm 145:17–20

Jesus is in the business of making us whole. His longing is for us to reach His intended purposes and goals for our lives so that we may be complete, perfect, proficient, full-grown, and mature—not lacking anything. He desires for us to bring glory to God through our lives by equipping us with the power of the Holy Spirit. He may accomplish this through physical healing, or through death, through changing our circumstances, or through giving us the grace to persevere in them.

One purpose of our valleys is to grow us up in Him. Remember that it is Jesus who is the perfecter of our faith. He does not want us to grow weary and lose heart. In Jim Cymbala’s book, Break Through Prayer, he tells the story of a near death heroin addict and Jesus’ subsequent rescue. This is a modern-day story of a rescue by our Lord:

“Then, in the midst of all my pain, something or someone whispered words I had heard before: The day you call on the Lord, He will set you free. All the other voices tried to drown it out, but they couldn’t! I don’t know if it was an angel or the Holy Spirit, but the words came through clearly: ‘The day you call on the Lord, He will set you free.’ In absolute desperation I screamed from my bed, ‘Jesus, help me! O God, help me with everything! You’re my only hope, so please help, Jesus!’ I didn’t understand anything about prayer, so I even used ‘personal references’ as I cried out: ‘Jesus, Wanda said that when I called on your name, you would deliver me. So help me now, O God.’

“At that moment Almighty God swept over me and around me. I knew He was real because all the voices in my head suddenly stopped their hellish screaming and the ball of fear that had been weighing on me lifted. I knew everything had changed even though nothing outwardly had—I was still lying in my vomit in a hospital bed in the Bronx. But I was a million miles from where I had been before I said that prayer. The day I called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, He did set me free!”

Become More

Take a few moments to praise Jesus for His healing touch. Thank God for people who are faithful to witness for our Lord to those who are hurting.

Further Reflections

“I, the LORD, do these things. I, the LORD, form the plan to bring them about. I am known as the LORD. I say to you, ‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.’” —Jeremiah 33:2–3

“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” —James 1:2–4

“Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” —Romans 10:11–13

“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at the tax booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, followed him, leaving everything behind.” —Luke 5:27–28

Jesus’ encounter with Levi occurs soon after Jesus healed a paralytic. Everyone was in awe. Overwhelmed by what they had just witnessed, the crowds were at a fevered pitch. Jesus, on the other hand, looks forward and sets His sights on His next miracle. This miracle will culminate in the confirmation of His authority to cleanse and forgive sins as He selects an unlikely candidate to be His disciple. Jesus was always about His Father’s business—never leaning on His own reputation or his past encounters and interactions.

“We must perform the deeds of the one who sent me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” —John 9:4–5

“So he told them, ’My Father is working until now, and I too am working.’” —John 5:17

Scripture tells us that Jesus “saw” a tax collector. This is an interesting word in the Greek—theaomai—meaning “to wonder; to behold, view attentively; to contemplate.” It is regard for something marked by a sense of wonderment; a contemplative and ponderous gaze which carefully and deliberately observes an object in order to perceive it correctly and in detail. It involves more than merely seeing, it is noticing, recognizing, and taking note of something with reflection and acute interest.

Tax collectors were not held in very high regard within the Jewish community, to say the least. Often times they were alienated from the religious community. They gathered money from their brothers, the Jews, to give to the Romans, who were, of course, Gentiles. They were seen as those who betrayed their nation for material gain, often collecting more than necessary to go into their own pockets. In the book of Luke we are told:

“Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He told them, ‘Collect no more than you are required to.’” —Luke 3:12–13

Seeing Matthew (Levi), Jesus beckons him to come, “Follow me,” he says. This call was different from the occasional and temporary following of Jesus by the crowds. The individual calling to follow Jesus involves abiding fellowship with Him, not only for the sake of learning as a student from his teacher, but also for the sake of the salvation known or looked for, which presented itself in this fellowship.

The first step involved in following Jesus is a trusting in Him. This trust results in following His leading, and living life according to His example. Jesus stressed self-denial and fellowship with himself in the cross. Following Jesus denotes a fellowship of faith as well as a fellowship of life, sharing in His sufferings not only inwardly, but outwardly if necessary (The Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible–Lexical Aids).

Responding to Jesus’ call, Levi gets up, leaves everything, and follows Him. This sounds so short and sweet, but it was no small matter. This was repentance lived out. Levi does a complete 180, leaving behind his old ways and trusting in the One who makes all things new.

Become More

“He is made supreme when we are so satisfied in Him that we can ‘let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also’ and suffer for the sake of love. His beauty shines most brightly when treasured above health and wealth and life itself.” —John Piper

Further Reflections

“So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away—look, what is new has come!” —2 Corinthians 5:17

“Follow me.” —Jesus (Luke 5:27)

“Now people were even bringing their babies to him for him to touch. But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. But Jesus called for the children, saying, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.’” —Luke 18:15–17

I love the receptivity of Jesus—none are too young to be brought to the lap of our Savior! When I read this passage, I am reminded of the words of Moses:

“Of Benjamin he said: ‘The beloved of the LORD will live safely by him; he protects him all the time, and the Lord places him on his chest.’” —Deuteronomy 33:12

One gracious touch from Jesus will make us joyful and whole as He graciously opens His arms and bids us to come and rest between His shoulders. I am reminded of the apostles after Jesus’ death. Filled with the Holy Spirit, people were clamoring to be even in their shadows …how much more so the lap of our Lord Jesus! When we seek the Master, we find security and comfort.

“Now many miraculous signs and wonders came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By common consent they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high honor. More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, crowds of both men and women. Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets, and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. They were all being healed.” —Acts 5:12–16

It is no strange thing to meet with discouragement and hindrance. However, when we seek the Master, we find security and comfort. In our verses for today, the disciples were rebuking those who were bringing their babies to Jesus. Interestingly, many of those Jesus interacted with were shunned by the disciples. He wanted his disciples to understand that the little children were as welcome as anybody. How precious of Him to be so encouraging to those bringing these young ones. I think his behavior serves as a mandate for us as parents to disciple and bring up our children in the way of the Lord.

In Proverbs we read:

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” —Proverbs 22:6

“Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” —Proverbs 16:3

The word “train” used in Proverbs 22 is the Hebrew word hanak meaning “to teach, dedicate, consecrate, and inaugurate” (Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible Old Testament Lexical Aids). It is used only five times in the Old Testament. The four other times refer to dedicating something to God. The point is very clear; we are to be dedicating our children to the Lord. I do not mean just in a church dedication service, but in a day-by-day dedication to training them in the way of the Lord. We do such a great job in training them in all sorts of extracurricular activities yet often drop the ball regarding their training in way of the Lord. We are to commit the raising of our children to the Lord so that our plans will succeed.

The word “succeed” in Proverbs 16 means “to be firm, be established, be steadfast, be faithful, be sure, be reliable, be fixed, be certain; to be ready, be prepared; to be determined; signifies the deep satisfaction and sense of well-being which comes from the certainty that one’s heart steadfastly trusts in the Lord, who directs man’s paths” (Hebrew Greek Key Word Study Bible Old Testament Lexical Aids). I certainly want that said of my children and grandchildren! This is something that is in line with God’s will and that we should certainly put forth our efforts both in prayer and in work to attain. It will not just happen—raising children in the way of the Lord requires a disciplined process, an intentional plan of teaching God’s way through living. Our life experiences are great classrooms for passing on God’s truth through our application of it. One gracious touch from Jesus will make us joyful and whole.

Jesus tells us that each one of us must receive the kingdom of God as a little child if we desire entrance into it. What does that look like? It is faith that totally trusts in God and His love for us, even though we may see only dimly the movement of His hand. It is approaching God with humility and sincerity; with expectation and excitement.

Become More

Each one of us must come to Jesus as a child, realizing that we are not sufficient in and of ourselves, but are totally dependent upon the One who loves us and gave himself up for us.

Further Reflections

“God’s kingdom is not gained by human achievement or merit; it must be received as God’s gift through simple trust by those who acknowledge their inability to gain it any other way.” —Bible Knowledge Commentary

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. But John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?’ So Jesus replied to him, ‘Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John yielded to him. After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight.’” —Matthew 3:13–17

The time had arrived for the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and as our example he does it with humility. He begins by being baptized. John the Baptist—being filled with the Spirit—protests, knowing that the Messiah is the flawless One and Only. John knows there is no need for Jesus’ repentance. He has nothing to repent from. Yet Jesus abases himself as an act of association with all of the sinful people whom He came to save, setting an example of humility. Surely He knew that he deserved highest honors.

Jesus’ actions and John’s protest are much like a time later in His ministry when He wraps a towel around himself and washes His disciple’s feet, this time to the protest of Peter:

“Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself. He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself. Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet!’ Jesus replied, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!’” —John 13:3–9

Jesus’ gracious lowering of himself in these two situations is so surprising, so deep, and so mysterious, it takes both John the Baptist and Peter totally off guard. At the time of Jesus’ baptism, John’s ministry was at its height. He had obtained a great name and was respected, yet he remained humble in the presence of the Master. It is always important for us to remember that if God chooses to use us and others begin to take note and applaud—it is Jesus in us that they are applauding, not us. We often take ourselves much too seriously, improperly elevating ourselves. It is easier to be humble when we remember that we are saved by grace alone, that we are dearly loved and belong to God, that we have life only to please Him. Jesus surely did not give much weight to man’s opinion. He was fully aware of what was in a man.

As Jesus begins his earthly ministry, we see the presence of the Trinity in a special display of glory. Heaven applauded and affirmed the work that was about to begin and to which Jesus enters into with firm resolution. Sin had shut up heaven and Christ’s work would now open it to all who would believe. The Holy Spirit had been present in the beginning of Creation and now we see here His presence at the beginning of this new world which Jesus has come to offer. Isaiah had prophesized:

“A shoot will grow out of Jesse’s root stock, a bud will sprout from his roots. The LORD’s Spirit will rest on him—a Spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom, a Spirit that provides the ability to execute plans, a Spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the LORD.” —Isaiah 11:1–2

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” —Colossians 1:13–14

God speaks His Words of confirmation and pleasure of His Son. Jesus reconciling the world to God is a joyful message indeed. The Spirit manifested itself in the likeness of a dove, but God the Father is manifested by a voice. How endearing and comforting that must have been to our Lord’s ears. God appeared to Jesus by reiterating His relationship, “This is my one dear Son”, and by affirming His mission, “in him I take great delight.”

Become More

“The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the Helper, the Guide, the very presence of God living in you. The great promise of God in prayer is this: We ask God for the gift—He gives us the Giver. We ask God for the supply and He gives us the Source. We ask God for the money and He doesn’t give us cash; instead, so to speak, He gives us the bank … He delights in giving us himself. The resources of heaven are ready and waiting for the people of God who desire to make much of him in this world.” —David Platt

Go out in to the world today with the humility and purpose of Jesus Christ.

Further Reflections

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” —Colossians 1:13–14

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” —1 Peter 5:6

“It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.” —John Witherspoon