Good morning brothers and sisters,
When Jesus expels a demon from a man the religious leaders accuse him of using Satan's power to do it. Jesus replies that Satan can't cast out demons because that would mean his kingdom was divided. Instead, like an invader tying up a strong man to rob his house, Jesus binds Satan and frees those in chains by the power of God. He also warns the leaders and the crowd that what comes out of our mouths is a sign of what is in our hearts. That's a haunting reminder that what we say to others matters.
Blessings on your ministry today,
Sam
Matthew 12:22-37
22Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. 23All the crowds were amazed and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out the demons.” 25He knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27If I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
29Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. 30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31Therefore I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. 36I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; 37for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Showing posts with label spirits and healing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spirits and healing. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Thursday, May 20, 2010
ministry in Capernaum
Good morning friends,
After a nearly fatal reception in Nazareth, Jesus is off to another town in Galilee called Capernaum. He'll make this sort of his home base for the first part of his ministry. This episode in Capernaum gives us a glimpse of a few things that will be hallmarks of Jesus' ministry. The first is that there's something clearly special about Jesus' teaching and ministry. Here people remark that he teaches with authority and with effect, even on demons. God's power shines through in Jesus and everyone can tell that there is something special about him. The other side of that is that Jesus heals on the Sabbath, which consistently bothers the religious leaders. Jesus gives different reasons for this during his ministry, but the overall message seems to be that keeping God's Sabbath includes bringing healing and wholeness to God's people.
We also see that the unclean spirit Jesus casts out knows who Jesus is but Jesus does not want that secret to be told. Jesus does signs and miracles that show he is God's anointed one, but at the same time he wants to keep that fact a secret. We'll see all these elements again as the story of Jesus continues. This story of Jesus invites us to follow and to discover who Jesus is for us.
God bless,
Sam
Luke 4:31-37
31He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath. 32They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority. 33In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34“Let us alone! 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.”
35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm. 36They were all amazed and kept saying to one another, “What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and out they come!” 37And a report about him began to reach every place in the region.
After a nearly fatal reception in Nazareth, Jesus is off to another town in Galilee called Capernaum. He'll make this sort of his home base for the first part of his ministry. This episode in Capernaum gives us a glimpse of a few things that will be hallmarks of Jesus' ministry. The first is that there's something clearly special about Jesus' teaching and ministry. Here people remark that he teaches with authority and with effect, even on demons. God's power shines through in Jesus and everyone can tell that there is something special about him. The other side of that is that Jesus heals on the Sabbath, which consistently bothers the religious leaders. Jesus gives different reasons for this during his ministry, but the overall message seems to be that keeping God's Sabbath includes bringing healing and wholeness to God's people.
We also see that the unclean spirit Jesus casts out knows who Jesus is but Jesus does not want that secret to be told. Jesus does signs and miracles that show he is God's anointed one, but at the same time he wants to keep that fact a secret. We'll see all these elements again as the story of Jesus continues. This story of Jesus invites us to follow and to discover who Jesus is for us.
God bless,
Sam
Luke 4:31-37
31He went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath. 32They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority. 33In the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34“Let us alone! 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.”
35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm. 36They were all amazed and kept saying to one another, “What kind of utterance is this? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and out they come!” 37And a report about him began to reach every place in the region.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
travel and proclamation
Good morning sisters and brothers,
Today's travels bring Paul and his companions to Philippi, where they spend some time preaching the good news. You may notice that the narrator's voice has changed. Most of Acts is written in third person, talking about how "they" did this or that to spread the message. Today's passage is all in first person plural: "We remained in the city for some days." The switch happened suddenly in the passage from yesterday, but there's nothing in the story to tell us why. We know Paul was traveling with Silas and Timothy, but neither one of them was thought to have anything to do with the writing of Acts. Instead Acts was written by Luke, who has up 'til now told everything from a distance. Some believe that Luke must have also joined the group at this point, but he doesn't say so clearly. There are several sections of Acts that are told this way, but each time the voice changes abruptly and then changes back to third person just as quickly.
More importantly we see how Paul and his companions worked in Philippi. They went to a place of prayer to share their message, probably because they might expect to be well received there. In this case their message takes root with a woman named Lydia who invites the travelers to stay with her family while they are in Philippi. We see that it is God's work to open her heart to hear the word eagerly, and we pray now and each time we come to scripture that God would open our hearts to hear the word eagerly.
weekend blessings,
Sam
Acts 16:11-18
11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.
16One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” 18She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
Today's travels bring Paul and his companions to Philippi, where they spend some time preaching the good news. You may notice that the narrator's voice has changed. Most of Acts is written in third person, talking about how "they" did this or that to spread the message. Today's passage is all in first person plural: "We remained in the city for some days." The switch happened suddenly in the passage from yesterday, but there's nothing in the story to tell us why. We know Paul was traveling with Silas and Timothy, but neither one of them was thought to have anything to do with the writing of Acts. Instead Acts was written by Luke, who has up 'til now told everything from a distance. Some believe that Luke must have also joined the group at this point, but he doesn't say so clearly. There are several sections of Acts that are told this way, but each time the voice changes abruptly and then changes back to third person just as quickly.
More importantly we see how Paul and his companions worked in Philippi. They went to a place of prayer to share their message, probably because they might expect to be well received there. In this case their message takes root with a woman named Lydia who invites the travelers to stay with her family while they are in Philippi. We see that it is God's work to open her heart to hear the word eagerly, and we pray now and each time we come to scripture that God would open our hearts to hear the word eagerly.
weekend blessings,
Sam
Acts 16:11-18
11We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.
16One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” 18She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
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