Chapter 9 is such an interesting chapter to me. First you have Jesus sending out His disciples where they preach the Good News and heal people but just a week or so later. (We don't have an exact timeline here but we know it was longer than a week. v 28) A man brings his demon possessed son to the disciples and they can't help. Of course, the disciples aren't all that different than I am. How often have I seen God do tremendous things to later doubt Him on something so similar. What does that say about the human nature? That we tend to forget too quickly the power of God.
There's some other really good stuff in this chapter, but I love reading what you guys share.
http://www.wga.hu/art/l/lanfranc/miracle.jpg
I was really struck today by the disciples' reaction to the Samaritan village. Can you imagine how angry they must have been to want to call down fire upon them? We get no details, but I wonder what happened when they went into the village. It must have been bad--the disciples are as human as the rest of us, but rarely violent! Yet we see again Jesus' loving, forgiving nature. He would have known exactly what they suffered, but still He points out that He came to offer salvation, not destruction.
ReplyDeleteI was drawn to the same part Roseanna was...
ReplyDelete"52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up[j]?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.[k] 56 So they went on to another village."
The way I read this, they actually skipped that village and went elsewhere. There is the following footnote that I found interesting:
"Some manuscripts add an expanded conclusion to verse 55 and an additional sentence in verse 56: And he said, “You don’t realize what your hearts are like. 56 For the Son of Man has not come to destroy people’s lives, but to save them.”"
I really like this expanded conclusion. It is such a difference from the destruction in the Old Testament. We see here a loving God rather than a vengeful one.
Luke 9
ReplyDelete1,2 Jesus called the twelve apostles together and gave them power and authority over every demon and power and authority to cure diseases.
40,42b I begged your disciples to force the spirit out of him, but they couldn’t do it. Jesus ordered the evil spirit to leave. He cured the boy and gave him back to his father.
Mark 9:28,29 When Jesus went into a house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we force the spirit out of the boy?” He told them, “This kind of spirit can be forced out only by prayer.”
49,50 John replied, “Master, we saw someone forcing demons out of a person by using the power and authority of your name. We tried to stop him because he was not one of us.” Jesus said to him, “Don’t stop him! Whoever isn’t against you is for you.”
*power and authority In The Name of Jesus*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xch_oSHlrds&feature=related
No Other Name But The Name Of Jesus lyrics
No other name but the Name of Jesus
No other name but the Name of the Lord
No other name but the Name of Jesus
Is worthy of glory, and worthy of honor
And worthy of power and all praise
His Name is exalted, far above the earth
His Name is high above the heavens
His Name is exalted, far above the earth
Give glory and honor and praise unto His Name
The Lord said He’ll answer, all of our prayers
When we cry out in His Name
His Name is power, awesome to behold
Give glory and honor and praise unto His Name