Doing what’s right?

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Luke 4:42-44 (ESV)

There is a plan. Jesus knew the plan and was to keep the plan regardless of the people’s desire.

It is possible that Satan uses the response of the people to hinder the plan of God. It is possible to be seeing a great response, as Jesus was, and to think that because the response is spectacular, it must be God’s will that we continue.

God’s will has to do with God and His will, not necessarily the response of the people. Those who walk with Him and minister to the people must be in tune with God’s plan, and not allow it to be messed with by human manipulation.

Jesus was doing what was right. The crowd was doing what they thought was logical. Sometimes the two do not mix.

No Doubt

And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ."  Luke 4:38-41 (ESV)

There is not a disease that God cannot heal. There is not a problem that He cannot solve. However, that does not mean He chooses to heal all diseases and solve all problems.

God works to demonstrate Himself and His faithfulness to us, and sometimes He uses sickness or other tough experiences to accomplish His purposes. We may never understand His ways, but we should never doubt His power and purposes.

Acknowledging Truth

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. Luke 4:31-35 (ESV)

Satan and the demonic world know who Jesus is and know they must acknowledge Him and do so. They not only must acknowledge Him, they must obey Him. When you know the ultimate truth, really know it, you cannot ignore it. Satanic forces know God, they know their eventual demise, and they are committed to destroying as much that God loves as they can.

However, like every human, in the presence of God, they will acknowledge Him as God.

Those who want to live and end well realize the importance of acknowledging truth. The sooner the better. The more tenacious the better. For now, the choice is mine.

In the end...

When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away. Luke 4:28-30 (ESV) Can you imagine being filled with wrath towards Jesus? What did He do to spur this response? All He did was speak the truth. Does truth always cause people to get angry? If it challenges your lifestyle, if you have eloquently spoken about the lies you believe as truth, or if your pride is wounded, you might react with anger. Yet the wise realize that truth stands alone, apart from our feelings or ideas, and can even go against the majority opinion. The truth is what we evaluate our lives upon, not the other factors. It is a good idea to start each day acknowledging that God is God and I am Dave. It is good to acknowledge that there is truth, and that my life needs to be evaluated by that, not by my peers. In the end, I stand alone before God with Christ as my only advocate. If I stand with no regrets, it will be because I sought the truth and lived according to it. For now, the choice is mine.

Unwelcome Warnings

And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”  Luke 4:24-27 (ESV)

No prophet is welcome in his hometown. This was true of Jesus and is probably true of those who speak the truth today.

Prophets spoke for God, warned the people of evil, and spoke definitively about the future. If you are warning people, then the people need warning, and people do not like warnings, especially when given by a local who grew up with them, the same way as them.

They could think that this prophet grew up and became too good for them, and he was judging them. In reality, the truth was judging them, and they just put a face with it. Their hatred for the truth is then translated into hatred for the one who gave the message.

This is the way it is. I cannot change culture, but I can change my attitude towards those in positions of authority, and must, or I chance being irrelevant.

FREEDOM

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  Luke 4:16-21 (ESV) When you proclaim the truth, are you arrogant or just truthful? Jesus had a tough assignment here. He is God and needed to proclaim that fact. It is not an enviable position. Yet, when we hesitate to speak the truth in love because it is hard, we fall into Satan’s trap. Truth is often hard in that it cannot be manipulated and lies can be arranged so that whatever we do is justified and even noble. I need to always remember that it is truth that sets me free--pure, unadulterated truth. May God alone help me sort it out and allow me to live in the freedom of His truths.

What Do You Know?

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Luke 4:3-8 (ESV)

Satan talked to Jesus as if He needed to prove He was God’s Son. He knew He was God’s Son. It would be as if someone came to me and asked me to prove I am the son of Richard E. Wager. I am, and those who know me and my family know who I am.

Satan often uses the ridiculous in a way that sounds reasonable to entrap. He is a liar, a manipulator, and the definition of evil. He knew the window of opportunity had to do with Jesus being hungry. He used that with which he was given to work.

He will use that which with I give him to work. What is it with which I have given him to work? Do I have the will and the courage to get rid of it in order to minimize his grip?

A good defense

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry."  Luke 4:1-2 (ESV)

Jesus was led to take on Satan. Jesus prepared properly for this battle, and, in essence, there was no need for it since Jesus was/is God, and Satan is not, and there was no way for Jesus to lose.

Then why are we told of this futile exercise? Was it so we could see that Jesus was tempted just as we are tempted and that living the perfect life that He lived was actually meaningful? Was it to show us how perfection prepares for a Satanic encounter so that we, too, might be prepared for similar attacks? Was it to emphasize or give insight to the continuous battle we face so we do not become weary? Was this a moment similar to Job when all the heavenly host sat on the edge of their seats to observe a real heavyweight fight?

Satan is good at what he does. God, however, cannot be moved. Regardless of the reasoning, we see how to battle the evil one correctly, and we would be wise to note how Jesus prepared for and delivered his defensive blows.

A good defense is always critical to a champion, and Jesus gave Satan no ground from which to launch his attack. In this case, as in life, this always makes the offensive attack much more productive.

Arriving

And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”  Luke 3:10-14 (ESV) There is a right way to live. We are to be generous, honest in our business dealings, and use our power for the good of others, not to use others for ourselves. Those who align their lives with the plans and purposes of God are not legalists; they are wise. When we do right, we do so with various motivations. It could be to please God, or align with the perfect plan and purposes of God, or because we are afraid of being punished if we do wrong, or, perhaps, because our fellow man guilted us or coerced us into it. It is always right to obey God. What I need to work towards is obeying Him because I love Him and His people. When I get there, I have finally arrived

What is it I ponder?

And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.Luke 2:47-52 (ESV) Here we find Mary pondering again. I wonder how often she ended up pausing and thinking. She knew Jesus was God. She knew that she was entrusted with the care of the King of Kings, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. She knew there was a plan, a purpose, and even that every word Jesus uttered could be written down and thought about for eternity. There was much to “ponder” about. What is it that we “ponder” about and why? About what should we be “pondering”? What is it that would cause us to change what we think about? For now, the choice is still minew

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”  Luke 2:25-32 (ESV) Here it was: a man who lived looking for Jesus, a promise kept, a life fulfilled. As much as things have changed in our world, the more they have remained the same. Today I can choose to look for Jesus and wait upon Him until I see Him, and He has promised that if I truly seek Him, I will find Him. When I find Him, I will rejoice in the promise kept and have a fulfilled life. This is something I can do over and over again. Regardless of the circumstances of life, my life can be one of hope, significance, and security. These things depend upon my choices, not my luck

Purposeful Pondering

And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.  Luke 2:18-20 (ESV) Mary had much to ponder. Being rejected from the inn. The birth of her first son who, in reality, created her and the very wood that from which His birth manger was made. An angelic host singing to shepherds. The stare of Joseph and the animals, the stare of wonder, amazement and confusion. Pondering is what we do when we need to sort out the confusing signals of the day. Pondering is a practice we must employ in our personal lives if we are to make any sense of God’s hand in our lives and in the universe. Pondering is something we will be forced to do, or is a daily habit that instills stability and purpose into our daily routines. While Joseph, the shepherds, and the animals are main characters in this chapter, the star points to Jesus and Mary, and while Jesus cries, Mary ponders. We need to be intentional ponderers if we are to be used in a purposeful, significant manner by God, for the casual observer will only participate in the surface excitement, while the pondered can enjoy the depth of the unfolded plans. For now, the choice is mine

Many Missed Out

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”  Luke 2:13-15 (ESV) Pent up joy. Sudden, unexpected, crazy joy expressed by a heavenly host to a receptive audience. It was an incredible moment. Often God demonstrates His faithfulness to those who are positioned to see His faithfulness. Those who were skeptical, angry, and religious missed the moment. Those who were simple, faithful, and enjoying the night sky were enamored by the angelic display. Think of what those who missed out on seeing the angels missed out on and why? Think of what it is that is causing you to possibly miss out on what God is doing and why. Perhaps there is time to correct your problem. Perhaps it too late.

The Evil Within

Those who protest for equality are not seeking balance; they are seeking superiority. If all boats rise the same when the tide goes up, many boat owners will not be satisfied. 

This is proven as you look at the continual hatred and violence strewn towards those who use their position and power to gain a position. Yet, the angry people are angry about not being privileged and hope to hold a privileged position over those who currently have that position. Nobody wants to be the same; they want to measure themselves against others and know that their life is better than others. As soon as those who are not “privileged” become “privileged,” they become the very people that they have been protesting. 

The privilege and the “non-privileged” all see their causes through their own eyes or circumstances. In the Bible, in Proverbs 26:12, it says, “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

We seem to always be wise in our own eyes and live in the context of our understanding. Our anger and hatred make sense to us and is reasonable under our circumstances. Our self-inflicted misery is something we have earned, and nobody is going to take it away.

Continually comparing our lives to others places us in a prison of misery and destroys any chance of a joyful and meaningful life. 

Those who live in such a manner have normalized using people rather than loving people. The privileged can easily use people to maintain their privileged position. Those who protest against the privileged use people to gain the position they desire and then continue to use them to maintain their position. 

The privileged and those who desire to be the privileged often use people rather than love people. Those seeking to be privileged use their ability to stoke up a crowd and think nothing of sacrificing otherwise innocent youths who get swept into the passion of the movement. Those who desire to maintain their privilege use their money, power and influence to keep a comfortable distance between themselves and that “working class.”

The point is that we are all the same. The protester and the privileged seem to have the same motives and use what they have to promote or protect their cause. In that way, it seems we are already equal. 

The Scriptures teach us that we were made to love God and each other. Those in God’s family are taught that they are part of the “body” of Christ. The body illustration is perfect in that it is composed of many parts. The parts are not equal in that they do not do the same function, but they are all essential and work together to make the whole functional. Perhaps that is the way it is meant to be. 

One of those?

And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:3-7 (ESV) Mary and Joseph were in a town with their relatives. Mary was in labor, about to give birth to her first child and nobody would give up their room for her. This sounds absurd. You would think that someone in Joseph’s family would be kind to Mary and Joseph. His family was either the most calloused, self-centered people on the planet, or they thought that Mary was unclean or evil because she was not yet married to Joseph. Perhaps word was out that Mary was “one of those” girls and that she was actually blaming God for her pregnancy. Perhaps the look people gave her was one of disgust rather than concern.  The partially-informed often make rash decisions in life’s most important matters. This is not healthy and should be a lesson for all

Those who know, rejoice!

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”  Luke 1:39-45 (ESV) There is a simple rule that has often been applied though the ministries in which I have been involved and it is this: “Those who know, rejoice, and those who do not know, criticize.” Elizabeth, her baby, and Mary knew what God was doing and they rejoiced. Those who were looking in from the outside could not figure out how Mary could be a pregnant virgin, and criticized. Joseph eventually knew and rejoiced. The angels knew, the shepherds knew, and they rejoiced. I need to spend my time knowing, not criticizing

God Has A Plan

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus."  Luke 1:26-31 (ESV) Imagine the fear, confusion, anxiety, and excitement Mary was experiencing. One cannot help but wonder if the method God was using with Mary was a roadmap as to how He works in all people’s lives. God had a plan and this plan involved impossible circumstances that only those who were really in touch with Him would understand and accept. Those who were looking at the situation from the outside would easily dismiss the eventual outcome Today, many ministries seem obsessed with making sure what they do makes sense to those who may not be in close proximity to the King and therefore cannot understand His plan. I need to be excited about God’s plan, if I know His plan, even if those around me cannot understand