Extreme 'Riches' (Southeast Asia: Hmong Christians) #PersecutedChurch

A Hmong Christian testified: "They stabbed one believer through the mouth with a long knife and poured boiling water down the throat of another who was caught with a Bible. An entire family had been drowned." Just because they are Christians and owning the Bibles? What comfortable Christians like us can learn from the Hmong tribe believers? #ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #PrayForThePersecutedChurch

The story is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Extreme Devotion Apps. To learn more about the Hmong Christians Short History, go to https://youtu.be/G3ERhd_gMXk 

To watch other stories from this series, CLICK HERE https://bit.ly/LegasiPersecutedChurch 

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

 

Jesus does It Again! Yesterday's Miracle Not Necessarily Guarantee Today's Faith (Mark 8:1-10)

“During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.’ His disciples answered, ‘But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?’ ‘How many loaves do you have?’ Jesus asked. ‘Seven,’ they replied… They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them… About four thousand were present…”
(Mark 8:1-9, NIV).

I believe that this miracle is different from the feeding of the five thousand as described in Mark 6:33-45. Here are some difference: First, the miracles occurred in two different settings. The place here is seem like at the mountain; on the other hand, the 5,000 were fed near Bethsaida. Secondly, both miracles differ in the following details: number of men, number of loaves, and number of baskets. Thirdly, Hugh Anderson commented: “The twelve baskets in Mark 6:43 (Greek: kophinos) were Jewish provision baskets. The seven baskets in Mark 8:8 (Greek: spyris) were the type used by Gentile merchants, and were large enough to hold a man (Acts 9:35). The difference in baskets may indicate a difference in the composition of the crowds. The five thousand may have been mainly Jewish, and the four thousand mainly Gentile.” Fourthly, there is also an interesting contrast between the two crowds in terms of attitude: the five thousand complained about hunger, but the four thousand sat without any complaint in order to listen to Jesus. I like the crowd in Mark 8 more.

So, if the two miracles are different, then why the disciples still doubted Jesus’ ability to multiply and provide food for them? “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?” Well, yesterday’s miracle not necessarily guarantee today’s faith. Jesus was very patience with His disciples. How many times has God provided for us in the past, and we still have trouble trusting and doubt him for whatever we going through in the present? I’ve going through this situation myself. I remember how God has asked me to take a giant step of faith in quitting my job as assistant manager at GSC Times Square many years ago and move to student ministry. God has asked me to do some crazy stuff before and He never (I mean never!) failed me even once. He is faithful. He is patient. He can do – will do – miracles in my life and yours over and over again if only we have faith and continue to believe in Him. My point is: God has always proved faithful in the past, and so I know He will be faithful in this present one as well.

Notice what Jesus said here, “I have compassion for these people.” Why Jesus does miracles? Not because of money, or to show off power (maybe He is), or to gain more followers. He did it because of His compassion for the crowd. The word “compassion” indicates a feeling strong enough to prompt not only deep emotion (“Oh, I feel sorry for them”) but positive action (“What can I do to help them?”). Jesus’ miracles were a demonstration of who He was – the Son of God – but fundamentally, they were an expression of His love-action. The crowd was following Jesus for three days, hungry and weak, and never once complaint about it, so Jesus feeds them and satisfies their need before He “sent them away” (8:9) home. Jesus’ reactions make me think: there are still millions of people in our world who are hungry; what should our response as Christians be? What can I do to provide people’s needs around me?

Trust God for His providence today;

and be compassionate for others of their need too.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Showed that Real Love is Costly: What Kind of Love Do You Have? (1 John 3:16-18)

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion – how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions”

(1 John 3:16-17, NLT).

Love is something that is sung about, talked about, and argued about. There may be disagreement about what love really is. Different people, different cultures, and different beliefs have different and various definitions for love. But the Apostle John reminds us that Jesus Himself showed us (not just said) what “love” is really all about. Jesus gave up His life so that we could have life. “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.” He gave the supreme sacrifice to show us that love is often quite costly, and He did it willingly and voluntarily. Jesus said, “I’m a good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for his sheep” (John 10:11); “I sacrifice my life for the sheep” (10:15); “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded” (10:17-18).

In the same way, Jesus wants us to be prepared to make our love that costly if it is necessary. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Love doesn’t mean that we give to others what is left over or unwanted. It may mean at times that we give the very best we have. To love is to look after the other person’s good and not just our own. The Amplified Bible defines love (the Greek word agape) as not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.

To be realistic, few, if any, of us will ever be called upon to sacrifice our lives for others – unless it should be in a situation such as war. I salute and respect my brothers and sisters in Christ in the Middle East, China, India, and places where Christians are persecuted. They really give up their lives for Christ and others. But as for us in Malaysia and the rest of the world, John reminds us that love is also shown in lesser acts than laying down our lives. “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need” we need to show compassion. We can show our love for God by caring about those around us who have needs. One of the reasons we are given material things and money is to learn to share them with others, with those in need. The Apostle James writes, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, ‘Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” (James 2:15-16). Or as John asked, “How can God’s love be in that person?”

Notice that first John uses the plural form and refers to our “brothers and sisters” – a more general term referring to people, anyone. But then John uses the singular word “brother or sister.” Why? I think it seems to mean that we may find it easy to love people in general, but not so easy to love in a personal or individual way. So, when we see a brother or sister in need, let us show loving compassion. We may not be able to help everyone who is in need but we can show compassion to the immediate needs around us. This is what makes our faith so dynamic, even revolutionary! We grow in our faith and love as we get beyond just talking about the needs of others or about the importance of love. “Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” How much better it is to be real – to show with our actions that we indeed do love other people. Jesus never once said directly, “I love you,” but no doubt as we look and observe His life, we know that He really loves us. This is love.

In a world that has so much “bad news” about murders, robberies, riots, and hatred, we can be a dynamic force to show the “Good News” that our God is indeed a God of love.  And we grow as God’s children as we learn to share this love with other people. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Loves People But Why They Hated Him and the Christians so Much? (1 John 3:11-13)

It's not nail, but love that causes Him to died on the cross for us. Now, He is Alive! 

“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you”

(1 John 3:11-13, NLT).

The Apostle John begins to summarize all of his teachings again with one key thought: “We should love one another.” I like the Amplified Bible translates this: “We should [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another” [The Greek word for “love” here is agape, it is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another]. Actually, it was Jesus Himself who first made this key teaching when He was on earth. He taught that our attitude should be one of service rather than of superiority. In other words, we should be humble and not just do it out of a sense of obligation or because we think we know more or are better than anyone else. “Just as I have loved you,” said Jesus, “so you too are to love one another” (John 13:34; 15:12).

After making this strong statement, John then warns us “not be like Cain,” who was the oldest son of Adam and Eve (read Genesis 4:1-16). We read that both Cain and his brother, Abel, brought offerings to God, as they were required to do. But evidently only Abel was sincere and showed faith. Abel was “a righteous man” (Hebrews 11:4) and “doing what was righteous.” Cain, however, “had been doing what was evil.” Cain’s worship was unacceptable to God because of the anger, envy, and hatred which he begin to build up within himself toward his brother. Finally, Cain lost control of his temper and he murdered his own blood brother, Abel. To complicated the situation even further, Cain not only become the first murderer, but he also lied to God and pretended as if he did not know what had happened (Genesis 4:9). In a sense, Cain is the supreme example of hatred. Your worship will not be heard and accepted by God if you harbour hatred toward others, especially your brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore, “love one another.”

Linked to what John had said about “love one another,” he reminds us that we, however, should not be surprised if some people in the world hate us for no reason, even as we are trying to do what is right and good. “So don’t be surprised… if the world hates you.” Why do you think they get angry? Well, I think, to persons who are evil or not in a right relationship with God, someone else who is doing what is right is a walking reminder of his or her own shortcomings. They are offended. Even we do not mean it this way, others may thought or feel that we are judging them or acting superior, when in fact, they have reacted with resentment, hatred and jealousy to what is right and holy. Darkness hates light. “Don’t be surprised.”

Jesus received the same kind of reaction when He lived on earth. As He showed love to the most marginalized people – such as the sick, the poor and the needy – the religious leaders could hardly contain their anger. Was Jesus doing something evil? Was Jesus taking the advantage of other people? Was Jesus leading a rebellion? No, Jesus was doing good and righteous. They got so mad that they wanted to kill Jesus. So, if this happened to Jesus, we shouldn’t be surprised if people in the world do not always admire what we are trying to do or respond with gratitude for our efforts. Because the world is ruled by the devil, there is much hatred and envy, jealousy and resentment. And because of this, we should not get discouraged when people don’t respond as we hope they would. “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.” Jesus then concluded: “I chose you to come out of the world, so it hate you” (John 15:18-19).

A reminder: We need to be careful about our motives for showing love. If the reason we care is to feel accepted by others or to gain popularity or to get applause from people, we may be frequently disappointed, because people don’t always appreciate these efforts (Maybe those self-centred actions might get people interested and gain more followers). But if we care because we want to show our love for God by caring for others, then the response of the other person doesn’t really make much difference. We can love no matter what happens. “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:14). Do it! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus sees Individuals in the Crowd (He Knows You)

He talked personally to a lame man

“Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he begin teaching them many things”

(Mark 6:31-34, NLT).

The passage above describes Jesus, after an exhausting day, going off with the disciples across the lake. Beginning near Capernaum, Jesus and the Twelve sailed “to the far side” of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:1), to a remote area near Bethsaida on the north. Figuring out where Jesus and his party were headed and seeing their boat, the crowd followed them along the shore, hiking the distance on land.

When Jesus saw the huge crowd, he could have herded the disciples back into the boat and sailed away again, or he could have dismissed the people. After all, they were pestering him, crowding out his time alone with disciples (You must understand that Jesus himself as a human being was also need to rest. Imagine how tired he was). Instead, Jesus “had compassion on them” and spent most of the day teaching them and healing their sick.

Jesus saw the “huge crowd” certainly, but he also saw individuals and knew their needs. Jesus is awesome! No one was lost in the crowd. And when Jesus saw these people, he knew each one’s deepest needs and felt with them and for them. He had compassion. Jesus ministered with and to ordinary men and women, just as assorted as people today. Some in the crowd were simply curious about this new teacher; some were needy, desperate for a miracle; many had gnawing questions about Jesus’ identity and supposed power. Despite the self-centred motives of most of the crowd, Jesus took them seriously and met their needs.

Think about this: Jesus sees you in the crowd. He knows you by name. He hurts with you and wants to be with you, to heal your wounded spirit. Don’t let anything keep you from Jesus. He doesn’t expect you to get your act together before approaching him. He made you; he knows you; he knows your strengths, potential, and weaknesses. He just want you to come, to allow him to work in you and through you. When you do come, Jesus meets you where you are. Jesus is awesome and he is seeing you as individual because – He cares.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Commissions the Twelve: Announce (Costly Message) and Give Freely (No Cost)

“Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: ‘Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel – God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!’”
(Matthew 10:1-8, NLT).

Many people followed and listened to Jesus, but the twelve listed above composed the inner circle and received authority and the most intense training. They had authority over the forces of evil, as well as the ability to speak the word to have God’s power to cast out evil spirits. They also had power “to heal every kind of disease and illness.” First verse above says they are “disciples” but verses after that call them “apostles,”* meaning “sent ones” or “the Messenger.” The fact that Jesus limited their ministry “to the people of Israel” doesn’t mean he opposed evangelizing Gentiles and Samaritans. In fact, Jesus himself had already ministered to both groups (for example, Matthew 8:28-34). But the message was to go to “the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). Another factor may be that the disciples weren’t ready to branch out beyond their own people. Eventually Jesus would commission them to go to “all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).

Jesus gave the apostles two tasks: They were to “announce” and to “give.” As Jesus’ representatives, they were to spread his message, announcing that “the Kingdom of Heaven is near,” letting everyone know that the Messiah, Jesus had come. Jesus also told them to “give as freely” as they had received, healing the sick, raising the dead, curing those with leprosy, and casting out demons. These four-fold miracles were exactly the ones Jesus had done and would demonstrate that the disciples had Jesus’ power.

As you can see, Jesus had quite a diverse collection of disciples, especially the Twelve – fishermen, tax collector, zealot (freedom fighter), and so on. Yet, he entrusted his message and mission to them. Through this small band, the word would go forth, the Kingdom of Heaven would be introduced, and the world would be changed. Imagine what those men must have thought as Jesus gave his final instructions, especially considering their specific tasks. This was a significant and intimidating assignment, but Jesus had confidence in the apostles as he sent them out.

Think about this: Jesus told the apostles to announce a specific message of hope and salvation. He also told them to act with mercy. And the principle guiding their actions should be “Give as freely as you have received.” The disciples had received salvation (fully revealed in the Cross of Christ) and the Kingdom without cost; they were to give their lives under the same principle. Because God has showered us with his blessings, we can give generously to others of our time, love and possessions. Maybe each of us should ask ourselves this question: What can I do to give more “freely” of what I have received from God?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

*What is an apostle? www.gotquestions.org responded: “This specific type of apostle is not present in the church today. The qualifications of this type of apostle were: 1) to have been an witness of the resurrected Christ (1 Corinthians 9:1); 2) to have been explicitly chosen by the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:15); and 3) to have the ability to perform signs and wonders (Acts 2:43; 2 Corinthians 12:12). The role of the twelve apostles, laying the foundation of the church, would also argue for their uniqueness. Two thousand years later, we are not still working on the foundation” (Read more at: http://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-an-apostle.html). 

Jesus is Continually Healing the Helpless

“Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. The crowd was amazed and asked, ‘Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?’” (Matthew 12:22-23, NLT).

Healing is one of Jesus’ most prominent acts of ministry. He healed those with physical needs: lameness, blindness, and so on. He healed some who were troubled by a demonic presence, as in today’s passage. And Jesus helped those who needed spiritual healing: forgiveness of sin, cleansing of the soul, restoration of wholeness. Mark 2:1-12 shows Jesus healing people physically to demonstrate that he could also heal people spiritually.

No one talks much about demons today. (Maybe in the East Malaysia we’re quite familiar with these kind of talks. I think the West in the cities probably a bit difficult to imagine). Talks of demons is interpreted as primitive ignorance combined with a barely hidden fear that such an obvious display of evil would be terrifying. Some people chalk up all reported demonic activity to a simplistic view of reality that explains all natural phenomena in spiritual terms. But insisting that everything can be explained naturalistically eventually strips life of any meaning beyond chemical reactions. The Bible takes a more realistic approach by describing life experiences in real terms. The human writers (of the Bible) understood demons to be as much of the natural (fallen) order as any one of many items that can’t be seen (gases, love, light) but are still real.

In today’s passage, we glimpse an encounter between Jesus and demonic powers that had incapacitated a man’s sight and speech. This man with normal eyes and vocal cords couldn’t use them because a demon prevented him. Jesus’ impulsion of the demon freed this man to engage the world. Imagine for a moment the helplessness of blindness and muteness. This man “was brought to Jesus”; he didn’t find his own way. His whole experience is a teaching case for us of the incapacitating effects of sin and the wonderful ways God heals us.

Think about this: Jesus’ desire to heal others clearly demonstrated his compassion. His healing helped bring isolated people back into community. He urges us to show compassion toward others by praying for healing or bringing a healing word to those who are hurting. Do these and let people consider Jesus who is living in you by asking, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” For only Jesus can save, but we can make people ready to welcome Jesus in their life by preparing “the way… make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” (Mark 1:2-3) through healing – physically and spiritually – the helpless. Pray.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus showed the Critics what God's Law is for

“On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, ‘Come and stand in front of everyone.’ So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, ‘I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?’”
(Luke 6:6-9, NLT).

The religious leaders were continuing to scrutinize Jesus ministry (just read the previous chapters). Here they were in the synagogue, not to worship, but to watch Jesus closely. And they wondered how he would deal with the man with the “deformed right hand.” Their interpretation of keeping the Sabbath prohibited healing except in life-threatening situations; thus, if Jesus were to heal the man, instead of rejoicing in the relief of human suffering, they could accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath.

Jesus could have avoided conflict by healing the man on another day. If he had waited, however, he would have been submitting to the Pharisees and showing that their made-up rules were equal to God’s law. But the commandment about the Sabbath was never meant to oppress people.

Jesus met needs, regardless of the day or time. Healing the man revealed Jesus’ authority over the Sabbath and showed that in the new Kingdom (God’s kingdom), every day is holy; salvation and healing can come to anyone on any day. The Sabbath, while given to God’s people as a day of rest and worship, was also a day for people to be merciful and kind to those in need. And that is exactly what Jesus intended to show the Pharisees when he asked the man to step forward.

Think about this: Jesus clearly framed the issue with his questions to the Pharisees: “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” Honouring God’s laws should be positive and life-giving, not negative and oppressive. Yet many Christians seem to be joyless rule-keepers, afraid of God’s judgment and punishment. When we focus on the commandments instead of the Commandment-Giver and on the letter of the law instead of its spirit, we lose sight of the law’s ultimate purpose – to glorify God. The emphasis should be off us and on Him.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Reference: Life Application Study Bible Devotional: Daily Wisdom from the Life of Jesus (Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2011)

Jesus, Lord over the Sabbath (People's Needs are More Important than Technicalities)

“One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples broke off heads of grain, rubbed off the husks in their hands, and ate the grain. But some Pharisees said, ‘Why are you breaking the law by harvesting grain on Sabbath?’ Jesus replied, ‘Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests can eat. He also gave some to his companions.’ And Jesus added, ‘The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.’”
(Luke 6:1-5, NLT)

In answering these critics, Jesus pointed them to the Scriptures they professed to know so well. By comparing himself and his disciples to David and his men, Jesus was saying, in effect, ‘If you condemn me, you must also condemn David.’ Jesus was not discarding the law and advocating disobedience. Instead, he pointed to a higher law and emphasized discernment and compassion, something the self-righteous Pharisees did not comprehend. People’s needs are more important than technicalities.   

In calling himself Lord over the Sabbath, Jesus claimed the authority to overrule the Pharisees’ traditions and regulations because he had created the Sabbath. Jesus, therefore, could interpret the meaning of the Sabbath and all the laws pertaining to it. Through their confusing system of Sabbath laws, the religious leaders had made themselves lords of the Sabbath and thus lords over the people. In claiming to be Lord over the Sabbath, Jesus was stating his divinity and confronting the position of the religious leaders.

Jesus believed in the Sabbath and lived it. But he knew Sabbath observance must point to the Sabbath Maker and not focus on technical, hairsplitting definitions of ‘work’ and ‘rest.’ By remaking the Sabbath into a day of refreshment, worship, and healing, he was prying open the tightfisted control the Pharisees held on the people.

Think about this: Some people may think that because believers are no longer “under law,” we can live any way we please (referring Jesus’ comments in this passage as proof). But this story doesn’t make that point. God’s moral laws – the Ten Commandments (including the one about the Sabbath) – still apply. Jesus was highlighting the fact that even well-intentioned, religious people can add rules and restrictions to God’s laws and totally miss their meaning. Those added-on, human-made regulations are not inspired and inviolable. God wants us to study and apply His Word, but we must not project our personal applications onto others. Remember, Jesus must be Lord over everything in our lives, including the Sabbath.

What needs to change in your routine or lifestyle to honor God on the Sabbath?

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus is Able to Perform Deep Healing (or A Search for Faithful Friends)

“Soon the house where [Jesus] was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus” (Mark 2:2-4, NLT).

It helps to know a little about house architecture in the Middle East. Ralph Gower in his book The New Manners & Customs of Bible Times (2005), writes, “Initially homes were made with sun-dried mud bricks, but technology advanced until it was possible to fire the bricks in a kiln, and until rough stone and rubble houses were being built… the (flat) roof was constructed by laying brushwood across rough sycamore beams and binding them together by using mud.” Thus, face with a wall-to-wall crowd in the house and limited access to the doorways, the friends (“four men”) devised a desperate plan. They would go up on the roof, figure out where Jesus was standing below, “dug a hole through the roof,” and lower their friend in front of the Lord.

Imagine the scene indoors [Pause]. Those listening to Jesus began to notice sound overhead, and then pieces of the ceiling started to rain down. Moments later, an opening appeared and a stretcher was lowered. The crowd, driven back by the debris, had cleared a landing area.

“Seeing their [the four men] faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, ‘What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!’” (Mark 2:5-7). Looking down at the man clearly (obviously!) in need of one kind of healing, Jesus chose instead to offer him first a deeper healing – the forgiveness of sins. Some religious experts accused him of blasphemy, since if he claimed to be able to forgive sins he claimed to be God. Of course, that is exactly who Jesus is. (Read Mark 2:8-12. Here Jesus added significance to his statement of forgiveness. He knew talk was cheap unless he could back it up with action – which he did by freeing the man to skip home joyfully, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” The paralyzed man was healed!).

Think about this: What caused Jesus to heal the paralyzed man? The faith of the four men (Mark 2:5). Jesus honoured the faith of those friends. Remember, the paralysis of sin is the most deliberating human disease, and people all around us are walking by with the symptoms every day. Many people are spiritually “paralyze,” so the world need more friends like this man – friends that have faith in Jesus. Friends that bring others to Jesus. Moreover, friends that believe in Jesus. How much trouble are you willing to undertake to get your friends to Jesus? Know this: Jesus is all the more ready to forgive our sins and he can perform deep healing in us. Maybe you can be a faithful friend to your friend. And bring him or her to Jesus.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Jesus Wants to Make You Whole, Come to Him

“In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’ Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly the leprosy disappeared” (Luke 5:12-13, NLT).

Jesus healed many people, but some of those cases stood out to the disciples like this one. An “advance case of leprosy” usually results in grotesque injury and disfigurement. A leper suffers from loss of feeling. Nerve endings that lie just below the surface of the skin all over the body gradually become dead. A leper cannot feel a pebble in his shoe or sense that he has grasped a hot object that is burning her hand. The pain that triggers an instant jerk from us is absent in leprosy.

A leper’s life was marked by other pain. In Jesus’ day, lepers were required to maintain a personal quarantine, keeping their distance from others and loudly announcing that they were “Unclean! Unclean! Unclean!” according the Old Testament, to anyone who might come near. This man had advanced leprosy, meaning people will never get near him, ever. It’s quite possible this man had gone years without personal contact with another human being. His humble request to Jesus might sound tentative to us, but it combines a balance of respect (“if you are willing”) with a profound recognition of Jesus’ abilities.

Jesus responded without a word. He moved toward the man and touched him. Jesus touched the leper! Jesus could just heal the man without touching him but he have more in mind. He want to restore not just the man’ body but also his dignity and personhood. He treated him as clean before he actually healed him. His words “I am willing” must have simply confirmed for this man what was already happening in his mind and body. Wholeness is much more than physical health. In fact, wholeness is more important than the condition of our bodies. Even under the best circumstances, our bodies age and wear out; only God can provide wholeness of heart, mind, and soul. Fortunately, God is willing. Jesus is willing.

Think about this: We are not yet whole. Sometimes we require adjustments; at other times only radical transformation will bring about God’s purposes in us. Every glimpse of our incompleteness can be an invitation to join the leper at Jesus’ feet to humbly ask for healing and cleansing. You might not be physically leper but we all need to be whole. Friend, bring your personal brokenness to Jesus, the Healer – today – with confidence that he is willing to make you whole. Jesus still says, “I am willing.” Come to Him.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.