miracles and spirits

Good morning friends,
Oddly, having seen plenty of miracles, the religious leaders ask Jesus for a sign. He tells them they will only see the sign of Jonah (the resurrection). Like in the reading last Sunday, he criticizes the generation for failing to repent and compares them unfavorably with Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba. He also compares the generation to a person who is freed from demon possession but then becomes possessed again. Overall, the message is one of repentance. Jesus calls each of us to repentance; the question is whether we will hear and respond to that call or not. What are you waiting for? God welcomes us all home.

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 12: 38-50

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth. 41The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here! 42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here!


43“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation.”


46While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. 47Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

healing

Good morning all,

We've known that the Holy Spirit is working through the apostles, today we see that power in action in a healing miracle. Jesus often healed people and we see that the apostles keep up that ministry. The somewhat odd phrase, "looked intently" at him is used often in Acts along with a miracle. Maybe it's to signal a deep spiritual discernment that enables healing; maybe it's a careful sizing up of the situation to figure out how to respond. The story is told in broad strokes, efficiently, and yet there are words to spare for the joyful action of a man who has never walked before suddenly healed. He doesn't just walk he leaps and praises God. As we read we get a clear picture in our mind's eye of this man skipping for joy because of what God has done for him. Hold on for a wild ride; this miracle is just the beginning.

May you not only walk, but leap and dance for joy,
Sam

Acts 3:1-10

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o”clock in the afternoon. 2And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

6But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” 7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.