Saturday, February 17, 2024
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Listen to the trumpet of Jesus
Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners.”
As Pastor Matt said Sunday (sermon starts at minute 29:30), you know someone’s strength by the enemies they defeat. Jesus stood up to the Pharisees, but he also stood up to the wind and the waves. Demons were in awe of him. He defied death.
Who are the strong ones in the world? Poseidon? Zeus? They who control the wind and the waves? Jesus calmed them with a word, simple single syllables whispered nearly out of sleep into a killer storm.
Sit! Stay!
And the waves rested, the wind died down. And the disciples were terrified.
Jesus needed no incantation. In other words he did not call up power from somewhere beyond himself.  Jesus was the source of power, and he did not call on another. Paul said, “In him all things hold together.” A few words, and all will be well. All manner of things shall be well.
In Matthew 8 Jesus visits a cemetery, where a demonized man terrorizes any who dared come near. Jesus came near. The man fell back. The demons begged Jesus (begged him!) to leave them alone, to send them into the pigs. Please do not send us away!
Go!
And they went, flinging themselves off a cliff. The man full of demons became quiet, dressed himself, and sat down. And the people, seeing what had happened to him, were afraid.
Later in Mark 5 the grim reaper’s scythe mowed down Jairus’ daughter. Jesus said, “No. She is only sleeping.” And he took her by the hand and spoke. Just a word.
Rise!
And she stood up and began to walk around. Death shall have no dominion. Not today you don’t, O Death!
What manner of man is this?
Pastor Matt spoke too of Jesus’ encounter with his neighbors. They took him for granted, the son of a carpenter-man, known already to all as just another good old boy. They (we) laughed in the face of him “in whom all things hold together.”They took “offense” at him. Jesus could do no miracles in that place. And he “was amazed at their lack of faith.”
Matt often says, “What we think about Jesus is the most important thing about who we are.” Because anyone with any power must first borrow it from Jesus.
More of Colossians 1 …
The Son is the image of the invisible God, firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Surrendering to the powerful love of Jesus makes all the rest clear. I’ve found my way. At last I can let God be God, and be his child the way I was made to be, resting in his arms.
Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, Levi got up and followed him.
Listen! There’s the trumpet of Jesus!
(Isaiah 58, Psalm 86, Ezekiel 33, Luke 5)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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