August 17

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Jesus heals the man who was born blind

John 9:1-5

As he was walking along, he saw a man blind from birth.

“Master,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?”

“Neither,” Jesus answered. “But to demonstrate the power of God. All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, for there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end. But while I am still here in the world, I give it my light.

In chapter 9, we see four different reactions to Jesus. The neighbors revealed surprise and skepticism; the Pharisees showed disbelief and prejudice; the parents believed but kept quiet for fear of excommunication; and the healed man showed a consistent, growing faith.

Suffering

A common belief in Jewish culture was that calamity or suffering was the result of some great sin. But Christ used this man’s suffering to teach about faith and to glorify God. We live in a fallen world where good behavior is not always rewarded and bad behavior not always punished. Therefore, innocent people sometimes suffer. If God took suffering away whenever we asked, we would follow him for comfort and convenience, not out of love and devotion. Regardless of the reasons for our suffering, Jesus has the power to help us deal with it. When you suffer from a disease, tragedy, or disability, try not to ask Why did this happen to me? or What did I do wrong? Instead, ask God to give you strength for the trial and a clearer perspective on what is happening. 

August 16

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Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God

Luke 13:18-21

Now he began teaching them again about the Kingdom of God: “What is the Kingdom like?” he asked. “How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed planted in a garden; soon it grows into a tall bush and the birds live among its branches.

“It is like yeast kneaded into dough, which works unseen until it has risen high and light.”

The mustard plant grows to be quite large; in fact, one of the largest plants in Palestine. And yet its seeds are the tiniest. Jesus’ audience easily understood his illustration.

Let It Grow

The general expectation among Jesus’ hearers was that the Messiah would come as a great king and leader, freeing the nation from Rome and restoring Israel’s former glory. But Jesus said his Kingdom was beginning quietly. Like the tiny mustard seed that grows into an enormous tree, or the spoonful of yeast that makes the bread dough double in size, the Kingdom of God would eventually push outward until the whole world was changed. You are a part of that Kingdom because people have continued to spread the gospel since the days of Christ. What are you doing to continue the growth of the Kingdom?

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Jesus Heals

Luke 13:10-17

One Sabbath as he was teaching in a synagogue, he saw a seriously handicapped woman who had been bent double for eighteen years and was unable to straighten herself.

Calling her over to him Jesus said, “Woman, you are healed of your sickness!” He touched her, and instantly she could stand straight. How she praised and thanked God!

But the local Jewish leader in charge of the synagogue was very angry about it because Jesus had healed her on the Sabbath day. “There are six days of the week to work,” he shouted to the crowd. “Those are the days to come for healing, not on the Sabbath!”

But the Lord replied, “You hypocrite! You work on the Sabbath! Don’t you untie your cattle from their stalls on the Sabbath and lead them out for water? And is it wrong for me, just because it is the Sabbath day, to free this Jewish woman from the bondage in which Satan has held her for eighteen years?”

This shamed his enemies. And all the people rejoiced at the wonderful things he did.

In our fallen world, disease and disability are common. Their causes are many and often multiple—inadequate nutrition, contact with a source of infection, lowered defenses, and even direct attack by Satan. Whatever the immediate cause of our illness, we can trace its original source to Satan, the author of all the evil in our world. The good news is that Jesus is more powerful than any devil or disease.

Why was healing considered work? The religious leaders saw healing as part of a doctor’s profession, and practicing one’s profession on the Sabbath was prohibited. The synagogue ruler could not see beyond the law to Jesus’ compassion in healing this handicapped woman. Jesus shamed him and the other leaders by pointing out their hypocrisy. The Pharisees hid behind their own set of laws to avoid love’s obligations. We too can use the letter of the Law to rationalize away our obligation to care for others (for example, by tithing regularly and then refusing to help a needy neighbor). But people’s needs are more important than rules and regulations. Take time to help others, even if doing so might compromise your public image. 

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 Repent

Luke 13:1-5

About this time he was informed that Pilate had butchered some Jews from Galilee as they were sacrificing at the Temple in Jerusalem.

“Do you think they were worse sinners than other men from Galilee?” he asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And don’t you realize that you also will perish unless you leave your evil ways and turn to God?

“And what about the eighteen men who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? Not at all! And you, too, will perish unless you repent.”

Whether a person is killed in a tragic accident or miraculously survives is not a measure of righteousness. Everyone has to die; that’s part of being human. But people don’t need to stay dead. Jesus promises that those who believe in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Tough Questions

Pilate may have killed the Galileans because he thought they were rebelling against Rome; those killed by the Tower of Siloam may have been working for the Romans on an aqueduct there. The Pharisees, who were opposed to using force to deal with Rome, would have said that the Galileans deserved to die for rebelling. The Zealots, a group of anti-Roman terrorists, would have said the aqueduct workers deserved to die for cooperating. Jesus said that neither the Galileans nor the workers should be blamed for their calamity. And instead of blaming others, everyone should look to his or her own day of judgment. Death may come at any time. Being a believer doesn’t shield you from death, or even from tragic death. Are you ready to die?

Do you know for sure that you’ll be with the Savior? 

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Jesus warns about the future crisis

Luke 12:54-59

Then he turned to the crowd and said, “When you see clouds beginning to form in the west, you say, ‘Here comes a shower.’ And you are right.

“When the south wind blows you say, ‘Today will be a scorcher.’ And it is. Hypocrites! You interpret the sky well enough, but you refuse to notice the warnings all around you about the crisis ahead. Why do you refuse to see for yourselves what is right?

“If you meet your accuser on the way to court, try to settle the matter before it reaches the judge, lest he sentence you to jail; for if that happens, you won’t be free again until the last penny is paid in full.”

For most of recorded history, the world’s principal occupation was farming. The farmer depended directly on the weather for his livelihood. He needed just the right amounts of sun and rain—not too much, not too little—to make his living, and he grew skilled at interpreting natural signs.

Kingdom Signs

Jesus was announcing an earthshaking event—the coming of God’s Kingdom. Like a rainstorm or a sunny day, there were signs that the Kingdom would soon arrive. But Jesus’ hearers, though skilled at interpreting weather signs, were intentionally ignoring the signs of the times. Jesus’ question could be asked of many today, “Why do you refuse to see for yourselves what is right?” Have you taken Jesus at his word? See for yourself the truth of his words. 

Jesus states he is eternal

John 8:48-59

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“You Samaritan! Foreigner! Devil!” the Jewish leaders snarled. “Didn’t we say all along you were possessed by a demon?”

“No,” Jesus said, “I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father—and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to make myself great, God wants this for me and judges those who reject me. With all the earnestness I have I tell you this—no one who obeys me shall ever die!”

The leaders of the Jews said, “Now we know you are possessed by a demon. Even Abraham and the mightiest prophets died, and yet you say that obeying you will keep a man from dying! So you are greater than our father Abraham, who died? And greater than the prophets, who died? Who do you think you are?” Then Jesus told them this: “If I am merely boasting about myself, it doesn’t count. But it is my Father—and you claim him as your God—who is saying these glorious things about me. But you do not even know him. I do. If I said otherwise, I would be as great a liar as you! But it is true—I know him and fully obey him. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He knew I was coming and was glad.”

The Jewish leaders: “You aren’t even fifty years old—sure, you’ve seen Abraham!”

Jesus: “The absolute truth is that I was in existence before Abraham was ever born!”

At that point, the Jewish leaders picked up stones to kill him. But Jesus was hidden from them, and walked past them and left the Temple.

In accordance with the law in Leviticus 24:16, the religious leaders were ready to stone Jesus for claiming to be God. They well understood what Jesus was claiming, and because they didn’t believe him, they charged him with blasphemy.

The True Son of God

This is one of the most powerful statements uttered by Jesus. When he said that he existed before Abraham was born, he undeniably proclaimed his divinity. Not only did Jesus say that he existed before Abraham; he also applied God’s holy name (I Am in Exodus 3:14) to himself. This claim demands a response. It cannot be ignored. The Jewish leaders tried to stone Jesus for blasphemy because he claimed equality with God. But Jesus is God. How have you responded to Jesus, the Son of God?

Whom Can You Trust?

As for me, I look to the Lord for his help. (Micah 7:7)

Whom can you trust completely? Is there anyone in your world on whom you can depend on without reservation? Many of us have a wife or husband who comes to mind. I trust my wife implicitly, without reservation. But what if I turned my back on her and left? What if I forsook our marriage vows and moved on? As loving and forgiving as she is, I’m sure I could push her too far and fall out of her good graces. Of course, I don’t intend to ever let that happen, but the possibility for pain and disappointment exists in every human relationship.

Maybe you come from an unbelieving family, and your siblings don’t understand your faith. Can you trust them with your heart? Can you turn to them in a crisis? Is there anyone on earth without the capacity to let you down under the right set of circumstances? According to Micah, the answer is no.

“Don’t trust anyone—not your best friend or even your wife! For the son despises his father. The daughter defies her mother. The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household” (Micah 7:5-6). Micah understood that people are people, no matter how close you are to them. We are flawed and often unforgiving. Our love may be genuine and true and deep, but it is not entirely without condition. Turn your back on your friend, and it won’t be long before he’ll turn his back on you.

But God is not that way. “As for me, I look to the Lord for his help,” says Micah. “I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me” (Micah 7:7). People have turned their backs on God time and again, yet he has never given up on us. We have let him down over and over and over, and each time he retaliates with forgiveness. We spit in the face of his Son, and he embraces us with his love and redemption.

If you think you can fall out of God’s graces, think again. If you think you can push him so far that he’ll never accept you back, you’re wrong. If you believe his love has an ounce of condition attached to it, just look at the story of humanity.

So let me ask again. Whom can you trust completely? Only God. 

Today’s Reading 

Micah 7:5-7

Reflection 

How can you and I trust God for the things we need? Have you accepted his unconditional forgiveness and love? If not, go to him today.

Quote 

“If you have placed your trust in Christ alone for salvation by grace through faith, you are a true tribulation saint.” (The Mark, 337)