Thank You, Father, for a profitable day! With the blessing of a snow day, I was able to finish up the PowerPoint for Sunday, worked on my sermon some and finished up some online testing for school staff. Thank You for Your direction and watchful eye. May I do what is pleasing to You. Amen.
Luke 7:1-10 (<<click to read the passage)
Our world is so divided! And our country is, as well… It is certainly disheartening. But as King Solomon wrote almost 1,000 years before Jesus’ birth in Ecclesiastes 1:9 (AMP),
That which has been is that which will be [again],
And that which has been done is that which will be done again.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
So, it is nothing new. Only when Jesus Himself ushers in the new heaven and the new earth will there be true harmony, peace, and love (Revelation 21:1-7).
My Life Application Study Bible calls attention to the fact that “this passage marks a turning point in Luke’s account of Jesus’ ministry.” Looking back over the first six chapters of his Gospel we see that Jesus interacted solely with the Jewish people. But who are the primary characters in this interaction from Jesus’ life? …some respected Jewish elders, a centurion (a Roman military officer commanding a hundred men), and a highly valued slave. What is their only commonality? The fact that they were human beings created by a loving God – not one more thing. Their lineage, their upbringing, their status in society, their religious backgrounds…all very different.
Yet here they are, every single one of them, living out their lives in an epic story…which all circled around the Creator Himself!
Jesus ably sidestepped every single obstacle, right to the dying man’s need. And, at least at this point in time, no one barred His way. His will was made know in spectacular fashion!
So, back to our world. How do Jesus’ actions impact our actions? Are we stymied by the barriers that are literally around every corner – lineage, upbringing, status, religion? Now that is a challenge!
But should it be? My Study Bible goes on to say,
“Jesus was no respecter of artificial divisions, and we should follow his example. Reach out to those whom Jesus came to save.”
Can we embrace that challenge instead? In Jesus there are no divisions; we are the originators of them all. We erect the walls that divide us.
The Apostle Paul hit the nail on the head in Ephesians 2:14 (AMP),
For He Himself is our peace and our bond of unity. He who made both groups — [Jews and Gentiles]—into one body and broke down the barrier, the dividing wall [of spiritual antagonism between us]…
Lord Jesus, may we bring this to fruition in our lives this day! Amen!
Feb 27th, 2020, Thurs, 7:30 pm
