You Got Your Priesthood Back

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 18, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France competitive bike race seven consecutive years, from 1998 to 2005.  Due to the grueling nature of this race, speculations arose that he may have used performance-enhancing drugs.  Armstrong denied the allegations for years.  An investigation, however, concluded that he had been doping throughout his biking career.  Finally, in 2013, Armstrong admitted to the drug use.  His awards were stripped from him and he was punished with a lifetime ban of involvement in professional sports.

Everything can be lost in a moment by our own sinful choices.  Even future generations can be impacted.  The nation of Israel experienced consequences from their sins.  Children from eleven out of the twelve tribes of Israel were impacted by their forefathers’ idolatry for over a thousand years.

The nation of Israel had been miraculously rescued from Egypt by the hand of God.  The Lord brought them to Mount Sinai in order to meet with them, to establish a covenant with them.

Exodus 19:5-6

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

If the nation would obey God, all of them would be a kingdom of priests.  The priesthood was for everyone.  What a privilege granted to them!  However, the honor was soon to be stripped away from the nation.  They chose to worship a golden idol shaped like a calf, instead of the Lord.

Exodus 19:19

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

The covenant between the people and God was broken.  Their idolatry, their sin, their breaking of the rules led to drastic consequences.

Exodus 32:25-28

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”  The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 

Only one tribe of Israel responded to Moses call of being “for the Lord”.  The Levites came to Moses and were given the gruesome task of killing idol worshippers.  They chose to do what was right in a wrong situation.  Because of their choice, they received a blessing.

Exodus 32:29

Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

The rest of the tribes had the priesthood stripped from them.  Only the Levites and their descendants were able to keep the position of their priesthood.

Numbers 3:5-7, 11-13

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle…The Lord also said to Moses, “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine. 

The Levites replaced the firstborn of every tribe.  What was meant for every tribe was given to the Levites instead.  The other tribes had this honor stripped from them and their children.

However, a miraculous turn around takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  He became the lasting High Priest on our behalf.

Hebrews 6:20a

where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever…

Jesus from the tribe of Judah, not Levi, is now the High Priest.  What Judah lost with the golden calf was regained by Jesus at the cross.  Jesus, the First Born son, implements the regaining of the priesthood for all believers.  It is not reserved for a few but the office of priesthood is open to all.

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

We received the priesthood back!  We are now the priests of God.  Think of the honor the Lord has given you through Jesus.  You are not “just saved”; you are chosen to be in the royal priesthood.  This is beyond just being a serving priest but being bestowed with royal lineage as well!  We have been set apart to be holy.  Together, believers from all over the world, through all of history make up a new nation of people that are the special possession of God Himself!  That is a reason to give a shout of praise!  This honor of priesthood is for the privilege of serving Jesus, the one who suffered to grant us this sacred office.

Revelation 1:5-6

…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

I do not know what you thought when you looked at the mirror this morning, but it should be “I am a royal priest of God”.  We will be celebrating the One who gave us this honor not only on earth but heaven as well. One future song is recorded in the book of Revelation honoring what Jesus has done and what Jesus will do.

Revelation 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Everyone is called to the priesthood.  This is not for a special few.  Your past does not disqualify you.  Your age is not a factor.  Your excuses have no place.  You are the royal priest of the Lord, serving under the High Priest of Jesus.  It is time to step up into the fullness of your holy calling.

Jesus, Our Ark of the Covenant

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 11, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

He was chosen.  He worked with wood and had other skills in creating items.  He was one man in a nation of millions of people.  He was called to the work.  No other person in history accomplished the task that he alone could do.  It was a sacred job.  He was commissioned by God to create the place of mercy.  His name was Bezalel.

Exodus 31:1-5

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.

The nation of Israel had been rescued from Egypt.  In the wilderness, the Lord instructed Moses to build a tabernacle, a place of worship.  Bezalel was to lead this sacred task of constructing the house of worship for the Lord.  There were numerous holy items that were made.

Exodus 31:6b-9

…make everything I have commanded you:  the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand…

The most holy object of them all would be the ark of the covenant.  This box was the meeting place between God and the people.  It would be housed in the section of the Tabernacle called the “Holy of Holies” or “The Most Holy Place”.  Once a year, the High Priest was allowed to go behind the curtain and sprinkle blood on the ark.  It was the time of forgiveness of sins for the people.  It was Bezalel who would have the great honor of making the holy box.

Exodus 37:1

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

Bezalel had to take a rough tree, smooth it down, and fashion it into the shape of a box.  The box was then covered with precious metal.

Exodus 37:2

 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 

The Lord gave specific instructions about the lid of the ark.  It would be adorned with angelic creatures looking downward at the top of the box.

Exodus 37:6-9

He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover.  The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

The ark was not empty but contained objects from the wilderness journey.

Hebrews 9:4

This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Bezalel completed his beautiful ark without the full understanding of how it would picture one of his relatives who would be born over fifteen hundred years later.  Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah.  Jesus, also from the tribe of Judah, fulfilled the purpose of the ark.  The ark was the meeting place between God and His people.

Exodus 25:22

There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

However, the ark could only be approached with the blood sacrifice, and only once a year by the High Priest.  The Lord wanted to meet with all of His people.  The ark was the picture of what was to come.

Let us ponder the fulfillment of the ark from the inside out.  First, inside the ark was the jar of manna.  This was the miraculous bread that came from heaven for the daily provision of the people, to sustain them in the wilderness until they reached the Promised Land.  Jesus declared Himself the true Manna from heaven.

John 6:32-35

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 

Another object in the ark of the covenant was the ten commandments.  This was the requirements for the people.  However, everyone failed.  Each one sinned until Jesus.  He lived perfectly.  Thus, He fulfilled all of the law.

Matthew 5:17-18

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

The last object in the ark was Aaron’s staff.  There had been a dispute where Israelite leaders believed they deserved the high priesthood just as much as the descendants of Aaron.  The Lord spoke to Moses on how to handle the dispute.

Numbers 17:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you.  The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout…

The following morning, the Lord miraculously showed His chosen tribe for the priesthood.

Numbers 17:8

The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

This staff shows that only God’s chosen priest can serve before the Lord.  Jesus, our High Priest, is chosen to approach God.

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

The High Priest, the one who is the Mediator between God and man, is Jesus.  He approached heaven, not with the blood of an animal, but with His own blood.  His precious blood was shed on a wooden cross.  What was the ark fashioned out of?  It was made of wood.  Wood of the ark pictured the wood of the cross where the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of mankind was made.  He took on the sin of the world.  He was able to die for us because He was perfect, He was God in a human body.  The wooden ark was covered with gold, representing the deity of Jesus.  The God-man died for us, making atonement for our sins.

The word “ark” in Hebrew means “ark, or chest, or coffin.”  The very name of the ark gives a picture of the final placement of a dead body, a coffin.  After Jesus died on the cross, He was laid in a tomb.  Also, recall the ark of the covenant had a lid with two cherubim looking downward at an empty space between them.  Now picture the tomb of Jesus as it was discovered by the women on the third day.

Luke 24:2-4

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 

I think that those two angels had sat at each end of the body of Jesus, watching over his body until He rose from the dead.  Then they enjoyed staring at the empty place and telling the people who came:

Luke 24:5b-7

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 

Jesus is the fulfillment of all the symbolism of the ark of the covenant.  A distant relative, from the tribe of Judah, made a precious box that was a telling a story of what Jesus would do on behalf of His people.  Bezalel created the ark, but he would never see it again.  For the box was placed behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies.  Only the High Priest could access this room and only one time a year.  This changed, though, when our High Priest, Jesus, who was also our sacrifice, died on the cross.

Matthew 27:50-51a

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The curtain which shielded the ark of the covenant from all the people, all the priest, and even the High Priest except one day a year, was miraculously torn!  Access to God through Jesus, became available to anyone who would believe.  That ark pictured Jesus and gave a picture of what He would do for us.  We can now freely approach the mercy seat of God.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We can approach God boldly today because of Jesus.  In the past, the nation of Israel did not have complete access to the Lord.  That is why Bezalel toiled in his labor.  He completed the ark so that the nation of Israel could access the room of God through the High Priest once a year.  Jesus completed His work so that every person could enter in the Holy place of the Lord at any time, for any reason.  We have access to the true Ark of the Covenant, Jesus, at this very moment.  May we all take the time to enter into His holy Presence today.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 12)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 21, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Prisoner’s Paradise

I am afraid to write this chapter.  I do not want to miss a single word in describing this powerful scene of condemnation and of salvation.  This is an account of three men as well as all of mankind.  Who am I to write a chapter on the death of our Lord?  Yet, write it I must for He compels me.  Please, look past my humble attempts of explaining this passage.  Instead, let the Holy Spirit fully bring an impact on the death of the Lamb.

I have never been able to handle blood and gore.  I refuse to watch action films because I cannot bear the violence.  But the scene I do anything to avoid is seeing the crucifixion scene of Christ.  I will close eyes, often even cover my ears.  It is just too much for me to handle.  I cry at the thought of it, seeing the death scene had made me weep to the point of shaking and feeling physically sick.  I have almost fainted.  That was just the few minute depictions of this historical event, held near the end of movies documenting the life of Jesus.  But when I heard the movie The Passion had been released, I did everything I could to avoid seeing commercials of the film.  Yet, I knew God was calling me to view this motion picture.  I admit to you, I resisted.  Almost everyone I knew had already seen it.  A group of friends finally convinced me to go, even though most of them had already viewed the movie.  I watched a majority of it.  When I did close my eyes, I did not close my ears.  But my heart hurt the whole time.  The one thought that continued through my mind was, “Jesus, You love me this much?”  It was a question, for I still struggle with believing the love God has for one such as me.

Do some of you question His love?  His mercy?  His grace?  Do you feel like you need to do more for His acceptance, to earn His favor?  Do you question your salvation?  Would God even save me?  Then, come with me to a place where death reigned, where questions went unanswered, where confusion was rampant, where hope was lost.  That is until Jesus spoke.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him along with the criminals –one on His right, the other on His left…One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:  “Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.”  (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43)

What do you want to be remembered for?  What will be your legacy? These nameless men, only known for crimes, were only mentioned for Who they died with.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 

 Three men are forced to go up the hill.  Three men knew what awaited them.  Three men carrying their crosses.  Three men facing capital punishment.  Three men scorned by Roman soldiers and despised by Jewish countrymen.  Three men finally came to the place of death.

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him along with the criminals –one on His right, the other on His left…

Three men were put on the crosses that day.  This form of torture perfected by the Romans is the most painful form of slow death that has ever existed.  Crucifixions took place on major roads leading into cities.  This was a gruesome reminder of what would happen to anyone who disobeyed the reigning tyrants.  Jesus was in the center.  The two nameless convicts were at His sides.  Crowds stood at their feet.  Some were screaming up at Jesus, mocking Him.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him.  They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”  (Luke 23:35)

The Jews were not the only group having fun at the expense of the dying Jesus.  The Romans, also, joined the cruel act.

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him.  They offered Him wine and vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  (Luke 23:36-37)

 Then the strangest mockery of all occurred.  A fellow convict, one of the three men dying, someone suffering the same fate of Jesus, joined the scorning session.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:  “Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!”

Facing death, suffering excruciating pain, hardly able to gasp in air, why would you waste breath on insulting someone suffering your same fate?  On deathbeds, you hear of speaking words of love to family and friends, sometimes of confessions of wrongdoings committed during the lifetime, of a desire to pray.  But making fun of another person?  It seems outlandish.

In truth, this convict represents many people.  All of us are under the sentence of death.  We may not know when, where, or how our capital punishment will take place, but we all know it is coming.  No one will escape it.  We all will face it.  Yet, there are some who choose to shake their fist at God during their entire lifetime, even to the point of death.  Their insults take different forms:  He does not exist; He is just a Good Force; He is part of many ways; He is removed and unconcerned; He is just a dream.  Mockery, scorning, refusing to accept the Truth.  Determined to live out our opinions and often joining in on the crowd’s viewpoints, no matter how wrong they may be.

But not everyone joins the crowd.  Some see their death sentence and realize they deserve it.  They do not insult God for they know He did not put them there.  No, it was their own choices.  But now they realize they are wrong.  And the Lord alone is right.  When you realize this, you cannot be silent.

But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Two men, both criminals, under the same sentence draw such drastically different conclusions.  One views the crowd and joins them.  The other views the Christ and joins Him.  I believe this convict watched how Jesus reacted.  He heard His words of love earlier when

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a)

This criminal looked at the facts of his life and summed it up with

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. 

He studied Jesus and realized

But this man has done nothing wrong.

I do not know how much this convict knew about Christ.  Had he heard about Him before he was in prison?  Had he observed the Lord before being nailed to a cross beside Him?  We do not know.  All we do know is that He knew the Name above every name and called out to Him.

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

This criminal was saying, “I know You are the Messiah.  You have a kingdom in heaven and You reign over it.  I realize I am a sinner.  I do not belong there.  Look at me.  You know what I am.  But please just remember me.  That is more mercy than I even deserve.

A hardened convict, humbled.  His heart was finally broken not when he received his punishment for the crime, but when he saw an innocent man face death with Life.  It was more than he could hope for when that Life was extended to him.

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” 

Life for the dying.  Hope for the hopeless.  Future for the end.  Today will not be ended with excruciating pain.  Even though you are suffering now, this day will end with you in paradise.  You are with Me now in death but you will be with Me again in life.  This is the truth I am telling to you and to anyone else who will listen.  Paradise is waiting for those who will receive it!

For you.  For me.  The choice is ours.  Two men were equidistant from the cross of Christ.  Both deserved to be there.  They were guilty.  But one decided in his last moments on earth to reach out for eternity.  Another held on to the temporal even in his dying moments.  Jesus listened to them both.  One hurled insults.  The Lord never responded.  He knew the convict would be judged.  The other one cried out for mercy.  Jesus immediately answered with the promise of paradise.  Neither deserved grace.  But the one who asked for it received it.

The same is true today.  We just receive paradise by believing in the One who rules over it.  We realize that we do not deserve it, far from it.  We have seen the consequences of our poor choices.  We feel the weight of our death penalty.  But we can choose to ask for mercy.  Jesus will give it.  You do not have to earn it.  Realize the convict was never able to do anything good for God.  He was on a cross when He confessed Jesus as Lord.  The criminal died not too long after that.  He never preached a sermon, helped the homeless, gave money to the church, said a kind word to family or friends.  Yet, he would be in paradise.  Do you regret your life?  Do you look at your past and realize that there is nothing good?  Do you think that you do not deserve to go to heaven?  You are right.  If it was based on our own merits, none of us have a chance.  But it has nothing to do with you.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

No one can boast.  Not a pastor.  Not a missionary.  Not a giver.  Not a criminal hanging on a cross.  Each of us is saved by grace, not merit.  It is a gift, not a wage.  Nothing we deserve, yet everything God wants to lavish on us.  Stop striving.  Accept his gift.  Jesus loves to pardon the prisoners and release them into paradise.  That is the wonderful truth!

One by One

One by one these one on one encounters mean nothing if one more change does not transpire.  Are you different?  Do you love the Lord all the more because of what you have learned from the letter of Luke?  Have you drawn closer to Him?  Are you in awe of His grace?  Has His mercy floored you?  If not, than this is just been a book you can check off your list.  Please feel free to throw away for my words are worthless.  Who cares what this crazy person thinks?  But I hope that the verses from Luke have inspired you to discover more of the Word yourself.  Let the Spirit guide you into gleaning new insights from the passages.

Some of you have heard the same Bible stories over and over again.  You try not to yawn when the minister is preaching.  You go ahead and prepare your own three-point sermon:  lunch, nap, and then golf.  But you are missing out.  Read the words for yourself.  Hear what God is speaking to you.  He may take you in a wholly (or should I say holy) different direction than the minister is preaching and teach you something new, amazing, refreshing.  Take time to listen.

There are others of you who have never known that you could read the Bible daily for yourself.  It was not until I was in college that I understood what a Bible study was.  I believed only preachers were called to read the Word of God on a daily basis.  I thought the rest of us only had to take it in on Sundays when a preacher would spoon-feed us.  Not true!  The enemy loves this lie.  He knows that the most powerful force at your fingertips is the Word of God.  For the Word keeps us on the path of God, the one thing the enemy hates.  Through the Word we can discern the will of God, which is the last thing the enemy wants us to know.  Speaking the Word can defeat the enemy; he hates to lose a battle since he has already lost the war.  (You can shout Amen to that!)

Begin today.  Open the Bible.  Pray.  Ask God to teach you something.  Read a chapter.  Listen to the Spirit speak.  Write down what He tells you.  Ask for help to be more like Christ.  Obey whatever He shares with you.  The Bible was given just for you.  This present has eternal power!  But you must open this letter in order to receive it.  You can learn your own life lessons from the Word.

Time with God needs to interrupt your day every day.  Just like the encounters we studied in Luke, you have the opportunity to approach Jesus with your cares, concerns, needs, joys, sins, and triumphs.  Speak to Him and allow the Lord to speak to you.  You are not going to inconvenience Him.   He is waiting for you.

From the stories in Luke, we have witnessed how each person was eternally changed by meeting with the Savior.  Maybe a new chapter will be written in heaven.  It is about another one-on-one encounter.  But this time, it is about Jesus meeting with you.  What an exciting story that will be!  Give Him glory.  Go ahead, right now, shout “Glory.  Praise the Lord.  Halleluiah…..”  You keep going.  He deserves it.  This is the beginning of your one-on-one.  Enjoy His Presence!

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 11)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 14, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Blind Beggar

When I was a young child, I would pretend to be blind.  I had seen a movie where one of my favorite actresses, Audrey Hepburn, played the part of a blind woman.  I was amazed at how real she acted out her drama role.  I always wanted to be more like Audrey, so I would practice.  One day I was getting into the back seat of our car when my mom said, “Shannon, stop pretending you are blind.”  I had never told anyone that I had been practicing the performance of a blind person. With my mom recognizing what I was doing, I figured I must have been doing a good job at impersonating a blind person.  Mothers, they never understand their artistic children.  (Mom, I am just kidding.  Please still make me cookies!)

But to play the part of a blind person, compared to living in the darkness is like comparing the strength of a marshmallow to a mountain.  For even as a kid, I understood that blind people have an amazing strength to survive, to thrive, and to impact others’ lives.  I remember two men who lived down the street from me.  These brothers were both born blind.  I would watch them walk through the neighborhood with their canes.  They worked, enjoyed many friends, and were nice to a shy girl like me.  I was amazed at how I never heard them complain.  Their smiles seemed more genuine than other adults who lived in my neighborhood.  But as kind as they were, I must admit, I was somewhat frightened of their blindness.  I did not understand why some people were born that way while others like me were not.  It made me uncomfortable, to the point of being overly cautious with anything I might say.  I would even avoid them.  But not my mom.  She spoke and interacted with them just like any other neighbor.  Not only that, she would give them direct eye contact.  It did not matter that they could not see if she was giving them attention or not, she would be fully engaged in the conversation.

Another Person 2,000 years ago was fully engaged in a conversation with the blind.  His discussion ended with a miracle!

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”  He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him.  When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.  When all the people saw it, they also praised God.  (Luke 18: 35-43)

This is more excitement than any Audrey Hepburn movie could provide.  Let’s set this amazing scene.  A large crowd is walking with Jesus into the city of Jericho.  A man is sitting by the roadside begging.  Due to his blindness, this would have been the only “profession” he would be able to do.  He probably sat in this same place day after day, hoping for pity of those who went on by.

I wonder how many we saw even today who are spiritually blind, sitting beside the roadside, hoping for a few bucks for a meal.  We have become so hardened to this sight, walking by as if the people were not there, pretending we cannot see them.  Not looking into their desperate faces.  Judging the reasons of why we think they are there and why they stay in that situation.  Giving our opinions of how they could drastically turn their lives around.  We blame them without knowing their stories.  We accuse them as if we are the judges.  Sometimes we make fun of them, mocking their pain.  And I wonder are we the spiritually blind who just happen to have enough to be able to walk by the spiritual blind that do not have anything?  Jesus, open our eyes to see the needs of the people around us.  Show us the ones to meet.  We cannot help everyone, but we can help the ones You call us to.  We desire to obey.

A beggar’s days blend together.  Each day being so much like the next.  He probably heard the same sounds, groups of people traveling in and out of the city.  Donkeys, sheep, birds added their share of noise.  But this day, this blind man was amazed when he heard a commotion going on.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”  (Luke 18:18:35-37)

He heard the crowd.  It piqued his curiosity.  So he just called out to anyone who would answer, “What is going on?”  The answer he received was about to change his life.  When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he could not be silent!

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  (Luke 18:38)

Imagine a blind man on the side of a large crowd yelling.  He is screaming at the top of his lungs.  It is like a Superbowl yell at a family reunion.  Can you just see all the people with widened eyes looking at him?  They all thought he was acting inappropriately and they, of course, had something to say about that.

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet…  (Luke 18:39a)

Those who are going in front of everyone, guiding the way, the leaders of this mob, did not like this blind guy taking attention from “their deal”.  They were trying to bring Jesus into the city of Jericho in style and this hillbilly is ruining their image.  It would be like picking up the President of the airport in a Pinto.  This is embarrassing.  This man is ruining our parade.  The weather is perfect.  The crowd is great.  We thought we would look great on the 6:00 p.m. news.  And now this blind beggar is getting all the attention.  Be quiet!

…but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  (Luke 18:39b)

I believe this man had the kind of yell that could make glass shatter.  Thankfully, glass windows had not been invented yet or many people may have gotten injured that day.  For here he is, in the middle of a large, boisterous, noisy crowd and yet his yell his heard above the ruckus.  But how he yelled is not as impressive as what he yelled.  “Son of David”, that is a title reserved for the Messiah alone.  The Jews knew that their Savior would be of the lineage of David.  This blind man was preaching a sermon in one sentence.  Would it not be nice if ministers today could do this from time to time?  But that truly would be a miracle.  But back to the blind man.  In that short sentence, he was saying, “Jesus, I believe that you are the Messiah, sent from God, to redeem your people.  I know you have a plan for the entire nation and that it is glorious.  But would you please do something amazing in my individual life.  I know that it would be only out of your mercy, for I do not deserve anything from You.  But I ask, my Savior, that You show kindness to even someone like me.”

This man had a greater understanding of Who Jesus was than some of them who had followed His ministry for three years.  How did he know all this about Christ?  He used what he had available, his ears.  He had listened to what others had said about Jesus.  When he had asked what was going on and they told him that Jesus was passing by, he did not have to ask, “Who is Jesus of Nazareth?”  He already knew.  He had heard about him.  Maybe people had told him stories as they walked into the city about the miracles Jesus had performed.  Or possibly he had friends of family who had listened to Jesus speak.  We do not know how he knew about Jesus; we just know that he did.  He not only knew about him, he responded to him.  He used something else he had, his voice to yell above the crowd.

Some of you may feel that you cannot come to Christ for you do not have it “all together”.  You think God will only accept you if you are good, or called to be a pastor, or are extremely talented.  Maybe you even tell yourself, I will come to Christ when my life is different.  I know a man who will not come to church until he has stopped drinking for an extended period of time.  I told him that God does not call you to change, but for you to come, so that He can make a change in you.  But he told me, one day I will have it together.  That was over four years ago.  He still has not set foot in church.  This blind man did not have anything together.  He was handicapped, strike one.  Blindness was considered by the so-called religious to be a curse of God, strike two.  He was a beggar on the streets, strike three.  By all standards physically, religiously, and socially this man was out of the game.  But just like the kid who cannot play ball but still wants to be in the game, he yells, “Coach put me in!  I’m ready to play.  I’ve learned a lot on the sidelines of the Jericho road.  Just give me a chance.”  The Coach heard.

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him.  (Luke 18:40a) 

Just like a good coach.  Everyone obeys his orders.  But I like the first two words the best:  “Jesus stopped…” Hundreds of others are surrounding Him and He stops for one man, one outcast.  Do you feel like you have struck out in life?  Does it all seem hopeless?  You think that how it is now, is how it will always be.  Let me say something, “Jesus stopped” and He will do it again.  He is ready to intervene.  He is not just paying attention to all those around Him whom seem to have it all together.  His ears were attuned to the one who would acknowledge the need for Him.  He is willing to do the same today.  Just call out to him.  Draw near to him.  The blind man had to come to Jesus first before he could hear the question of God.

When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  (Luke 18:41)

Does this seem a little odd to you?  Can you imagine going to the greatest eye surgeon in the world and he has to ask you where your eyes are?  Would that make you nervous?  Why does Jesus ask the man what he wants Him to do?  Is it not obvious that a blind man wants to see? Why the question?  Because he had already received his first request.  Remember, he had asked, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”  Done.  Jesus had done that.  It is evident by the fact that He stopped and had the man brought to him.  This is a sign of mercy.  God Himself allowing us to approach Him.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16)

Miracle one accomplished.  It was time for miracle two.

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied. (Luke 18:41b)

Simple.  To the point.  This is my desire.  I am coming to You for You are the only One who can meet this need.  You are the Lord.  I acknowledge You for Who You are.  You created me like this.  I am not blaming anything of my past on You.  I am just asking for a new future because of You.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.  When all the people saw it, they also praised God.  (Luke 18:42-43)

Receive your sight…Receive.  It was a gift.  It had followed the greatest gift of all.  Mercy.  The man at that time did not know how much that gift would cost Jesus.  But for now, he would praise Him with the same voice he had used to cry out to Him.  The same legs that had carried him to the roadside of Jericho were now walking behind the pathway of Jesus.  The ears that had heard of Jesus of Nazareth were now listening to the Man Himself.  This time he was not a bystander in the crowd, asking strangers what was going on.  Now, he was a part of the group in such a way that they were glorifying God by the miracle Jesus had done in his life.  For he was not only boisterous about his need, he was outlandishly joyful in sharing his miracle.  Others may have lost their spiritual blindness of God because he would not stay silent.

Money Matters

I love the Charles Dickens’ tale, The Christmas Carol.  Bear with me as I recount the grisly yet then glorious tale.  Ebenezer Scrooge is a wealthy man who is merciless to all people.  He is the wealthiest man in the district, yet so miserly, always wanting more.  The thought of Christmas makes him angry, seeing it as a day that he was being pick-pocketed by employees who would get full pay without working.  That night, Christmas Eve, Scrooge returns home.  The spirit of his former, now deceased, business partner, Jacob Marley that informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him, awakens him. These three beings, the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present, the ghost of Christmas future, show him how cruel, twisted, and meaningless life has become and will be due to the pursuit of money.  He was despised by many and had no true friends.  When he awoke on Christmas morning, he decides that his life would be different.  He realized that loving people, not money, was the key to eternal living.  Scrooge radically changed his ways and found the joy that had eluded him all his years.

While The Christmas Carol was only a fictional book, the character Scrooge seems all too real.  He is a timeless character, representing every age.  For the love of money, willing to obtain it at any cost, is not a recent phenomenon.  In fact, a Scrooge was infamous in the town of Jericho.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today.”  So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’”.  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  (Luke 19:1-10)

For those of you who now have the song “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he…” going through your head, I am sorry.  For those of you who did not have that song in your head until I began writing the lyrics, I am doubly sorry.  But either way, I want to warn you.  We have been hearing this story since preschool.  This was one of the few ones allowed since we just couldn’t bring up that David and Bathsheba incident in grade school.  Imagine if that story was a song!  But the story of Zacchaeus is told time and time again as we move our way up the ranks of Sunday School.  I do not want the familiarity of this story to take away from the radical nature of it.  This is an amazing story of grace, of transformation, of Scrooge opening the window on Christmas day and realizing he could begin anew.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.   (Luke 19:1-2)

Let’s stop right here.  Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  What is wrong with that?  I mean, we all dislike the IRS but that does not mean they are criminals.  At least in theory.  But in that day and age, tax collectors were despised.  These Jewish men had sold out to the Roman government.  Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary puts it this way:

As a class, the tax collectors were despised by their fellow Jews.  The were classified generally as “sinners” (Matt.9:10-11;Mark 2:15), probably because they were allowed to gather more than the government required and then to pocket the excess amount. John the Baptist addressed this when he urged tax collectors to gather no more money than they should (Luke 3:12-13).  But even further, the tax collectors were hated because their fellow countrymen viewed them as mercenaries who worked for a foreign oppressor of the Jewish people.

Tax collectors were the group that your mama warned you about hanging around.  They were rejected from civil society.  Men like Zacchaeus would often not be allowed in the temple or synagogues and people on the streets would avoid them.  They were hated by their Jewish countrymen yet not accepted by the reigning Romans who they worked for.  They were displaced from every aspect of life.

The outcast finds himself again not being a part of the group when he realizes that a throng of people was walking into the city with Jesus.

He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.  (Luke 19:3)

 I am of average height.  I always wanted to be tall.  But often people are looking down when they talk to me.  I hate that.  Anyway, that is my own issue.  I am working through it.  But I do have one advantage due to my stature.  Often in crowds, tall people, even strangers, feel sorry for me and let me stand in front of them.  Or if standing in front of them really will not make a difference, they keep me posted on what is going on, since I cannot see.  I must wonder if the reason Zacchaeus could not see Jesus was not as much due to the fact that there was so many people that he could not move through the crowd but more so that nobody was willing to give even an inch to the hated tax collector.  No one would tell him what was going on.  Everyone was making it known that he was not accepted, he would not be helped, and he needed to leave.  In their attempt to “be religious” by seeing Jesus, they missed out on everything Jesus stood for.

At one of my former jobs, I worked with a lesbian.  It took a long time for her to admit it to me, even though I had suspected for a while.  She was afraid to tell me because she knew I was a Christian.  She thought that in my attempt to “be religious”, I would hate and condemn her, push her out of the crowd.  When she finally had the courage to share the truth to me, I reaffirmed my friendship with her.  I told her that I believed that her lifestyle was wrong.  I also reminded her that I would continue to share God’s love and truth with her as I did before she confessed.  I would not change towards her.  I would continue to pray for her.  And she would still have to listen to my crazy stories that I torture all people with.

What breaks my heart is that somehow people feel like the church is about condemnation.  We are the group that does not allow outsiders in.  How did this ever come about?  Let me remind you, you are a sinner.  I am a sinner.  Just because our sins are different from the neighbor next door does not make me better or worse.  Christ alone was sinless.  For some amazing reason, He decided to pour out His mercy on the likes of you and me.  Let me tell you that we are wretches.  But He decided to give us his garment of righteousness.  It has nothing to do with anything you or I have done.  Nothing.  We are lower than the slime off a snail.  In fact, we would have to reach up to obtain that.  Being so low in our sinful state, how can we possibly look down on anyone else?  God did not reach down into the pit to draw us out so we can yell down to everyone else left behind and tell them they deserve to be there, or ignore their plight which was once ours.  No, we are to reach down through the power of the Spirit and offer a hand to bring others out.  That hand that reaches up will be grimy with sin, some sins you may not have even known existed.  Do not retract your hand.  Do not use the hand that is supposed to help them out and turn it into a finger pointing and condemning.  If you are doing this to any person or group, confess it now.  Ask the Lord to give you His love for the modern day tax collectors.  For they need to see Jesus in you.  Zacchaeus was so desperate, he ran.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  (Luke 19:4)

Aren’t you glad that he did not just run away?  He could have said it was too hard and just left.  The tax collector could have thought that if this is how the religious crowd is, Jesus must be like this, too, rejecting us sinners.  Or maybe Zacchaeus thought, if I come to Jesus, I do not want to turn into these kinds of religious people, so I will just come to God in my own way.  But Zacchaeus did not do any of this.  He ran ahead of the crowd.  He went past where they were.  He knew they were headed his way so he climbed a tree, so they could not displace him from the crowd again.  It would be embarrassing, a grown man climbing trees.  Others may point and laugh.  He did not care.  All he knew was that Jesus was coming his way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today.”   (Luke 19:5)

You have heard “X marks the spot” on pirate maps.  I feel like Jesus was on a divine hunt for the treasure of a soul.  A big tree, holding a man was the sign that God was getting ready to show mercy.  In a short while, another tree holding the Son of Man would be a sign to the world that God was ready to show mercy.  But for now, it was time to extend a hand down in the pit holding Zacchaeus and demand for him to come out.  Jesus does not have to beg and plead, for He knew God’s will must be carried out in this man’s life today.  And I love the fact that He called Zacchaeus by name.  There had been no formal introductions.  We have no indication that the wee little man had been around Jesus, which is why he wanted to see what he looked like.  The fact that Jesus called him by name is significant.  For the Shepherd had come for his lost sheep.

…the sheep listen to His voice.  He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:3b)

And the wee little sheep Zacchaeus hurriedly answered the call.

 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.  (Luke 19:6)

Need I remind you that a crowd is surrounding Jesus?  A huge multitude is hanging on His every word.  I wonder when they saw Jesus stop and look up at Zacchaeus, they thought He was going to condemn this evil sinner.  Did they look at one another and smile saying, “Finally, that tax collector will get what he deserves?  Who does he think he is coming to a religious gathering?”  But their smiles quickly faded when Jesus demanded that of all the houses in Jericho, he would dine at the dreaded sinner’s house.  He bypassed the religious leaders, the devoted Jews, the good people, the political leaders, everyone and went to the most hated man’s house in town.  Unbelievable!  They had some words to say about that.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’”.  (Luke 19:7)

Amazing how quickly a crowd can turn.  This group was just singing the praise of Jesus after He had healed the blind beggar.  As long as He was doing what they liked, they were all for Him.  But as soon as He challenges their comfort zone, their social order, their hierarchy on who is on top and who is on bottom, which is when their song quickly change tunes.

Men claiming to be the Messiah do not go to eat with sinners.  Being around the unclean makes you unclean.  What kind of religious man is this?

Jesus was not religious at all.  Religion had become a matter of rules, regulations, routine, but no longer relationship.  Jesus was in the adopting business.  He saw an orphan that needed a Father, needed brothers and sisters, needed love and mercy.  He saw a child in crisis.

Often we hear stories of people who have been in traumatic situations.  You never hear them say, “I was so scared that I would never see my big screen T.V. ever again.  I just wept at the thought that I might not be able to tell my car how much I love her.”  We realize after everything material is gone, that it never mattered in the first place.  Family, friends, that is what our lives are truly defined by.  That alone is what our hearts crave and need.

 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”  (Luke 19:8)

 Notice the first two words, “But Zacchaeus…” this is in comparison to the crowd that muttered about the restaurant Jesus chose for the evening.  The religious group condemned, while the sinner changed.  The religious group grumbled, while the sinner gave.  The religious group judged others, the sinner judged only himself.  Because of this, only one man’s household heard these words of Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  (Luke 19:9)

That very day salvation came to the house, the Name of that salvation is Jesus.  Not only did he reinstate a lost Zacchaeus spiritually but emotionally as well.  Look at the tenderness as the Lord called him “a son of Abraham”.  For years this man had been treated as a traitor to the Jews, no longer worthy of being a part of their people.  Yet, God never disinherited Zacchaeus.  Jesus is letting him know that he is accepted, he belongs, he is one of God’s own, and he is forever adopted as a child of God.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.  (Luke 19:10)

Do you feel lost, rejected, scorned?  Do you see yourself as an outsider, not belonging anywhere?  There is hope.  Look up.  Do you see it?  There is a tree on a hillside called Calvary.  It was there where the Son of Man lost His life.  He, too, was rejected and scorned because the religious leaders considered Him an outsider that did not belong in their group.  He knew that we belonged there on that tree.  Our sins deserved that punishment.  But you see, God is one who calls people by name and requests that they come down from the tree for He is willing to take their place.  And not only did He take our place, but He desires to come and fellowship with us, to come to our house, to come right where we are.  Zacchaeus did not have time to ready his house, make everything look all right, ensure that everyone was dressed appropriately, and that no one made the mistake of saying the wrong thing.  No, he just allowed Jesus to meet him how he was.  But you can never stay the same when you are around Jesus.  You, too, will be crying out, “If there is anyone I have wronged, in Your Name, I will do my best to restore the relationship.  For now that I am in right relationship with You, Lord, I want to be in right relationship with everyone else.  For you are my Father, I belong, and these are my brothers and sisters that I desire to show your love to each one.”  Son or Daughter of Abraham, listen.  Jesus is calling your name.  Obey whatever He says.  He will bring salvation to your home.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 10)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 7, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Smiling Samaritan

Let me tell you about one of the worst Thanksgiving holidays I ever had.  First of all, I drove 15 straight hours to Texas at night after working a full day.  The girl who went with me, who was supposed to help drive, decided on the trip that she was just too tired.  I was irritated.  I finally arrived at my destination, extremely worn out, for at this point I had not slept for over 32 hours.  When I reached the guy’s house that I was going to spend part of the holiday with, I found out that he had told his family we would spend the holidays with them.  That means I would have to get in the car with him, while he drove another 3 hours.  But before we left, I needed to iron my outfit.  He had one of those ironing boards that went over the door.  In my deliriously tired state, I bumped it while I was stretching my shirt over the board, knocked the iron over.  The side of the iron landed squarely in the middle of my left hand.  I still beared the scar almost a decade later.  Needless to say, I was in pain.  I screamed.  The pain did not go away for weeks.  Every time I moved my hand, I winced.  So, with a bandaged hand, no sleep, we headed out on our 3-hour drive.  During the weekend, I found out this guy was dating another girl and had lied to her about my visit.  That sets up for a marvelous holiday.  So, my long drive home was filled with thoughts that are not the kind to write about.  I guess you could say that thanksgiving was not on my mind.

I can look back now and laugh.  Sometimes it’s even fun to share my story when people notice the small scar on my hand.  Some of you can share stories of how things did not turn out the way you planned.  You might look back and laugh.  Or, the more painful stories may still bring the sting of tears to your eyes.  But how did you respond?  Did you complain?  Did you blame?  There were some men in the Bible who had every reason to be bitter.  Their stories were hard.  I was angry about an iron that burned one part of my hand.  These men had their whole bodies wracked with the disease of leprosy.  Let’s look at their story.

Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.  They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him-and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where is the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  He knew His days on earth were growing short.  He was traveling the distance to die.  Think of the burden He was carrying.  Jesus knows what it is like to face a dark future.  Some of you may feel that way.  You see circumstances looming before you.  What do you do?  Look at the amazing thing Jesus did.  He continued to meet the needs of those around Him.

Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.  They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

Coming in on His final days, He still was concerned about others.  He showed them love, care, healing.  He did not, however, meet every problem of the people.  He did not go out of His way to find people to heal.  But when the needs of the people came to Him, He responded.  This is a great example for us during difficult times.  During overwhelming times, if an obvious opportunity presents itself to minister to someone else, take it.  God made it apparent to you for a reason.  Do not worry about going out of your way trying to make a difference everyone’s lives.  That would only enable you to avoid dealing with your own issues.  But I think sometimes, God brings others to us, so by helping them, our hearts are encouraged.

For Jesus, what could be more obvious than ten men yelling at Him?  That had to feel like a Superbowl party.  I have never understood the need to yell at the television during football games.  My dad could sit and watch a game by himself and you could hear him yelling at referees, players, and coaches throughout the house.  For all those who yell at the screen, may I remind you, they cannot hear you!  If you want the slim possibility that they may hear your “marvelous” advice that you alone can give, since after all their training they can not figure it out, buy a ticket to the game!

Sorry, that was a crazy tangent.  But imagine, like at a football party, everyone yelling at you.  Jesus hears their chant; He could not have missed it even if He had tried!  What were they screaming?

They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

Have pity on us.  Pity is probably something they had not received in a long time.  There was no pity given to those with leprosy.  They were cast out from society.  Lepers were considered physically unclean so were unable to be around others.  This is similar the woman we studied earlier who had been bleeding for twelve years.  Not only were they isolated socially, they were not allowed to take part in worship.  Unable to enter the temple, they felt far from God, for He was the one who had made the law to place lepers outside the city.  Look with me at Numbers 5:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease…Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp where I dwell among them.”  The Israelites did this; they sent them outside the camp.  They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses. 

Outside the camp.  Isolated.  Alone.  Cast out.  By the law of God?  How can this be?  Easy.  God is a doctor.  He knew that the skin disease of leprosy is contagious.  To protect the people who were not infected, those with the disease had to be isolated to keep it from becoming an epidemic.  But in that primitive medicinal culture, it was easier to issue the command without having discussing things like skin cells.  For they would ask, “What is a cell?”  But I do want to point out the heart of God.  He sends them outside the camp, but they are never considered outside his provision or care.  They, too, received the manna, the quail, and the water.  He protected them from invaders.  He still led their way in the wilderness.  They were outside the camp but they were never outside His heart.

Do you feel like an outsider?  Do you always feel like you are watching others fit in while you seem to never be able to connect?  Does everyone else seem to have it all together while you look around and cannot even begin to collect the mess?  Do others seem to always be in front, having things go their way, while you go from struggle to struggle?  My dear brother or sister, He knows.  He cares.  His eyes are still on you.  He can see you.  Just because you are on the outside with everyone else, does not mean you are beyond His reach.  But sometimes, you just need to ask for help

They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were cleansed.

They stood at a distance.  They respected the cultural norms of the day.  They did not invade His boundaries.  But look at what Jesus did.  He came close.  He would not have been able to see their leprosy from far away.  But it states that, “When He saw them”, so God came close to them.  He did not stay at a distance.  Don’t you just love that about God?  Isn’t that what Jesus did at Bethlehem?  God wanted to be close to us.  So, He came in the flesh as a baby born to Mary in a stable, Immanuel, God with us.  Look at all He went through just to be near to you and me.  Shout, “Halleluiah”!  Come on, I know you want to!

Immanuel, the God who came close responded to the men in regards to the law, the one that they obeyed by staying outside the camp.  The rule they respected by standing at a distance from Jesus.  The law they understood.  So, Jesus responds to them in accordance to what they were familiar with but He adds a new twist.   He told them to go to the priests.  But let’s look at what we find in Leviticus 14:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “These are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest:  The priest is to go outside the camp and examine him.”

The priest was to come outside the camp to examine the lepers to see if they were healed.  Why would Jesus skip this step and send them to go to the priest?  He did not skip a step.  For He is the High Priest, and He had examined them outside the camp, they were clean.  He already had pronounced it.

When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were cleansed.

On their way, they realized they were healed.  They had to take steps of faith first before their skin was restored.  This was not an immediate restoration.  Jesus had them walk a ways before they could see the miracle.  This is unlike his other miracles where they could see the results right away.  Why did He do that?  Maybe to show what was in their heart.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him-and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

Only one had in his heart thanksgiving.  Only one knew the reason for his wholeness.  Only one made the journey back.

I cried the other day for I realized my heart is like the nine instead of the one.  What made it so apparent?  I heard of a lady who has the heart of this thankful Samaritan.  She has a rare form of cancer.  The prognosis is not good.  They are doing experimental treatments.  This lady is a young mom, with two young children.  She realizes that she may not see them grow up, be married, have children.  But she said that she is thankful for the time she has.  And she trusts the will of God.  I heard about this amazing Christian woman not long after I complained to a friend about some hardships at work.  I wanted the problems solved and gone.  Yes, I am like the nine.  I want to be like the one.

What did the one do?

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him-and he was a Samaritan.

He walked back alone.  His friends went on.  The same loud voice that cried out for Jesus to have pity on him, was now wildly praising God.  He wanted everyone to hear what the Lord had done for him.  Imagine the looks he got on the road.  Some may have thought he had lost his mind.  Here was a grown man shouting praises to God as he walked.  Then, when he saw Jesus, he threw himself at His feet.  It was almost like a baseball slide!  He just could not wait to say thank you to Jesus.

Is that convicting or what?  How often does God do something absolutely amazing for us and we forget to say “thanks”.  Or we mumble a quick “thank you, Lord.”  Or we remember months later, and say, “I don’t think I ever showed you any gratitude.”  This man let everyone know what God had done and he was not satisfied until he came to the feet of Jesus to say thank you.  It was not enough for him to celebrate with his nine buddies that they were healed.  No, he went straight to the Source.

He went alone in more ways than one, for he was a Samaritan.  The Jews hated Samaritans.  They were considered half-breeds.  Jews would walk miles out of their way just so they would not pass through the region of Samaria.  This city was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel when it defected from the southern part of Judah and Benjamin.  The city fell to Assyria in 721 B.C.  Many of the citizens were deported to other place such as Babylonia and Assyria.  The deported Israelites were replaced with foreign colonists, who intermarried with the Israelites.  So there were considered by the Jews to be a “mixed race”.  Through the generations, the Samaritans mixed their worship of the God of Israel with pagan gods.  (Isn’t it amazing what you learn when you read the Bible dictionary?)  So, needless to say the Jews felt superior to the Samaritans, and treated them as lower class.

If anyone in that group that day had a reason to not come back, it would have been the Samaritan.  But he did come back.  For he was not looking at the past, he was looking at the future.  He realized that because of Jesus he now has hope.  That is what thanksgiving is about.  It is showing gratitude for what God has done because it has given us hope for the future.

God has done so much for us.  Have you ever heard the song “Count your blessings”?  That is my mom’s favorite hymn.  Sometimes, when I am being my negative self, she starts singing that song.  That really annoys me.  I know she is right yet I have a strange feeling to stifle her.  For sadly, I get so used to complaining that thanksgiving seems foreign to me.  Maybe that is how the nine were.  That is why only the foreigner was thankful.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

No one else but one was found to give praise to God.  Ten received the favor of God.  But God only received favor from one.  When God’s eyes sweep the earth how many thankful, praising hearts does He find?  I am sure He sees many complainers.  His eye also watches those who are crying out for help.  But how many times does he lay eyes on those who are praising, thanking Him?  Forgive me, Lord.  You are convicting me as I am writing this.  I am so sorry that I do not throw myself at your feet to thank You for all the marvelous things You have done for me.  You have been faithful; I have been faithless.  Change me, Lord.  Remove the leprosy of complaining and give me the garment of praise!  For I desire to hear your words of favor.

Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

Your faith has made you well?  I thought he was already healed.  He was healed physically.  But by coming back to Jesus, he received true wholeness.  His soul found what he was looking for.  He was at the feet of Jesus.  He was kneeling down.  He had recognized that Jesus was greater than himself.  At the feet of God, his heart was made well.  He could rise and go as a new person.  His skin was cleansed, but so was his heart.  The other nine had pretty skin, the lotion industry may have them do commercials, but the one had a beautiful heart.  Others may compliment the skin.  But Jesus commended his heart.  In an age of facials, masks, plastic surgery and extreme makeovers, what looks better on you:  the skin or the heart?  If you don’t know for sure, wait until God answers your prayer.  Is your first reaction to go show off to others, or are you throwing yourself down at the feet of your Lord?

Rich Ruler

Finally, a title I did not have to come up with myself.  This one was printed in the heading above the verses for me.  That is good, because I did not know what to do with this section.  It is such a distressing story.  Everything in me wanted to skip it, to go on to ones with happy endings.  I like the Jesus encounters where the people’s lives are changed for the better just because of Him.  But I felt like we needed to look at the other side.  Each one of us has experienced this disappointment of having shared the truth of Christ with people but they have turned away, rejecting Jesus.  We have watched as they have chosen the world over heaven.  This chapter is for those of us who have experienced this heartbreak.  I want you to know Jesus understands how it feels.  This chapter, too, is for those who are still undecided, searching, wandering about this Jesus fellow.  You, too, have a choice to make.  He won’t force any decision on you.  He is a gentleman.  It is apparent in these verses.

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good-except God alone.  You know the commandments; ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.  Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 18:18-26).

My heart hurts whenever I read these verses.  This rich ruler was so close to the Ruler of heaven and earth and yet he missed him.  His worldly riches blinded him to the reality of eternal life.  He chose the here and now.  It is easier to do that.  All of us struggle with it.  But sometimes, when we are all alone and everything is quiet, we begin to question, what about when life is over?

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  (Luke 18:18)

He had obviously pondered this question in his mind.  He thought about the future.  He realized that at some point his life would be over and he wanted to make sure that he ended up in heaven.  But what is amazing to me is that he even thought to ask the question for he was a Jew, part of the people of God.  In the ruler’s education, he would have had to read about Moses who had led the people out of Egypt.  It was Moses who had received the commandments and shared them with the people.  These showed what God required of them.  When they disobeyed the laws, there were detailed instructions that discussed how to sacrifice an animal to cover their sins.  This would allow the relationship with God to be restored.  So to believe God, follow His commands, observe the sacrifices; that were the traditional way of life for a Jew.  Everyone knew that this led to eternal life.  But somewhere deep inside this man, he realized there was more.  Something was missing out of the equation.  He knew.  He obeyed.  Yet, there had to be a different way.  He was right.  The Way was standing right in front of him.  And the Truth was going to be unleashed.

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.” “Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good-except God alone.”  (Luke 18: 18-19)

Wait a moment.  Jesus is God.  Why did He say that?  He was going to the heart of the ruler.  This rich man only saw Jesus as a good teacher, not as God.  The young man just thought he was getting advice from a smart guy.  Jesus never claimed to be a smart guy.  He called Himself equal with God.  You could not choose His title for Him.  You either believed Him or not.  This man was trying to play both sides.

We see the same thing today.  People call Jesus a “good man” or a “great prophet”.  They applaud His teachings and commend His life of love.  But they refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord.  God Himself in the flesh.  They would rather play both sides.  Yes, He was a good man so I agree with the Christians on that part.  But He is not the only way to heaven, so I agree with the world on that part.  You cannot have it both ways.  You have to choose a side.  For Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.  No one comes to the Father except by Me.”  That’s it.  Case closed.  You must either say He was Lord, or you say He was a liar, or He was a lunatic.  But you cannot call Him a just a good teacher.

Jesus was saying in effect, “Buddy, God alone is good.  Are you going to acknowledge me as the Lord or are you going to enjoy both sides.  You have to choose.  And I am getting ready to make it hard for you to try to teeter totter on the fence.”

“Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good-except God alone.  You know the commandments; ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”  (Luke 18:19-20)

Here is a trivia question.  How many commandments are there?  The answer is ten.  So, why did Jesus only mention five of them?  Did He forget how many He wrote down on the mount Sinai with Moses?  Of course not!  Which ones did He not mention?

You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself an idol…You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God…Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.  (Exodus 20:1-17)

By omitting these, he was actually going to the man’s heart.  For Jesus knew the man felt like he had kept five of the commandments, which is good.  But it takes all ten to hit perfection, and only One did that, and He is the One answering the questions.  But the man is confident in the five he had kept.

“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.  (Luke 18:21)

 Why did the man not question Jesus here, instead of bragging on Himself?  He could have said, there are not only five commandments but ten.  He could have named the other ones.  As a Jewish man, he would have had them memorized.  But to speak the other five would mean having to face himself, looking squarely at what he was not doing right.  The rich ruler was willing to evaluate the areas of his life which were right, but was yet unwilling to assess what he was doing wrong.  Jesus had given him a chance to admit, to confess.  The young man did not take the opportunity.  He was too busy preserving his image.

We live in a culture where image is everything.  It seems to be even worse in the church.  We will not admit that we do not have it all together.  We act more spiritual than what we are.  We fake joy when we feel like falling apart.  We pretend our families are perfect even when the marriage is on the verge of breaking up.  It is time to face the truth, to evaluate where we really are.  Is there an area of sin in my life?  Then, I need to confess it and quit hiding it.  Only then can I follow Christ.  Until then, I am just avoiding a true relationship with Christ.  Thankfully, though, even when I am unwilling to face my sin, Christ continues to point out the stronghold in my life, so I may change.  Often, His approach becomes more direct.

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  (Luke 18:22)

The truth is out.  The sin is revealed.  Jesus hit the area of sin hard.  The reasons those five commands were deleted was because the man loved material things.  The first four commandments deal with your relationship with God, the last six deal with your relationship with others.  His love of this world caused his relationship with God to be completely out of whack.  By caring about the things of this world, he coveted what others had and did whatever he could to obtain more.  God was not the center of his life.  Riches were his all in all.  People were seen in comparison, either he had more than them or felt content or he had less and coveted.  That is why he felt empty.  That is why he came to Jesus desperately seeking what would give him eternal life.  He knew something was missing.  He asked the right question.  He went to the right Person.  He listened to the answer.  But he would not accept it.

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.  (Luke 18:23)

This was a good man.  He kept most of the commandment, that is more than many can brag about.  He was an Israelite, part of the people of God.  The ruler was wealthy, a sign of blessings from God.  Yet, he would not be entering the kingdom of God.  He made a choice.  He forsook the eternal to enjoy the temporal.  What a tragedy.  By his sadness, we know that the ruler recognized his loss yet still refused to let go of his riches.

Some of you may be doing the same thing.  You are living for the here and now, not realizing that our lives are like a fleeting mist.  You are devoted to a world that will not last.  Please today make a different choice.  He is right there, so close.  He wants you to come and follow Him.  He knows it is a tough decision.  He is not minimizing your struggle.

Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 18:24-25)

 Jesus is looking at you.  He knows what is keeping you from Him, from fully serving Him.  Some of you have chosen heaven for eternity but are enjoying the world to its fullest now.  Christ has so much more to offer.  Will you let go of what is holding onto you?  The wealth, the image, the prestige, the possessions cannot compare with what Jesus can give you.  When the ruler chose the world, he left sad and depressed.  But when the disciples chose Christ, they are full of joy, peace.  Which will you choose?  Take some time in prayer.  Ask the Lord to show you if there is anything in your heart that you desire over Him.  Confess it as an idol.  Ask Him to let whatever or whomever it is go.  Then, decide to follow Him with your whole heart, soul, and mind.  You will never regret it.  In heaven, you will even be rewarded for it.  If only the ruler realized the riches in heaven far surpassed anything he could imagine!  For the greatest Treasure of all stood before Him, the pearl of great price.  He is before you today, right now.  Jesus is asking you to follow Him.  Do you know what happens when you follow someone?  That means you get to be with Him.  Jesus is asking you to join Him, to be with Him, to be a part of what He is doing, to be His friend.  Smile friend, and go and follow Him.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 9)

by Shannon Tillman | Jul 31, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Straightened Stature

I have back problems.  I need to go to a chiropractor but my insurance doesn’t cover it.  It is frustrating to have a remedy so close yet so far away.  I drive by the doctor and look forward to the day when I can go in and get the help I need.  The healing is available; the means to obtain it is not.

So, why share that?  Is it to make you feel sorry for me?  Well, no, but if you do, I appreciate it.  I just want us to realize that sometimes help is available yet we cannot get to it.  Other times, we can have all the help there is, and it still cannot make a difference.  All of us can name people, maybe even ourselves, of ailment:  physical, emotional, spiritual, that just never seemed to disappear.  No one could help.  We lost hope.  Some of our ailments cannot be hidden.  It is evident to everyone who can see us.  Right now I am thinking of a woman I know who lost all her hair in chemotherapy.  You see her pain.  You guess what she must be going through.  But there is nothing you can do.  Helpless to help.  Wishing for her best and yet cannot make any promises.  Prayer continues, yet no answer in sight.  So was the plight of one woman in the temple.  Praise God she was in the temple.  Despite her hardship, she had not lost faith.  Dear one, if you too are struggling today, let this woman be your example.  She pressed on and believed, even when she thought things could never change.  But that was before she heard His voice.

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years.  She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.  When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”  Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, ‘There are six days for work.  So come and be healed on those days, not the Sabbath.” The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites!  Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?  Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” When He said this, all His opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things He was doing.  (Luke 13:10-17)

By the way, notice where Jesus was teaching.  He was in a part of the synagogue where women were allowed.  He was not separated with only the men.  No, He came to share His message with both men and women.  This is our radical Savior here, breaking down misconceptions that women are but dirt.  For you see, at this time in history, women were considered possessions of men.  That was it.  Commodities.  But not with Jesus.  He saw them as ones created in His image, of equal importance of men.  Both loved eternally.  Both in need of a Savior.  To both He extended His hand of friendship.  Is that not the way of the Garden of Eden?  God walked with both the man and the woman in the cool of the garden.  Here He is, speaking the same message of love that Adam and Eve both heard thousands of years before.

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years.  She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.  (Luke 13:10-11)

Eighteen years.  That’s the time from birth to graduation from high school.  Imagine all that transpires during that period of time.  Some of you reading this may not have even been alive that long.  Most of you are too old to lie and say that you are eighteen.  (Actually, we never lie about the age eighteen.  No, it’s the eternal twenty-nine that we hold onto.  By the way, I’m twenty-nine.  If you ask me next year, I’ll tell you that I’m twenty-nine so don’t ask!)

For eighteen long and painful years this woman had been suffering.  Beyond the physical pain, she suffered embarrassment.  How often did people stare?  Children may have said cruel things.  People may have walked by and then stood up straighter hoping to never end up like her.  Or possibly they treated her with extreme consideration, thinking she was incapable of doing anything.  Kind of like what I did to this lady today at the grocery store.  A woman was in a motorized cart.  I turned the corner and almost ran into her.  Then I went into the panic of which way to go, right or left, to get out of her way.  So, I didn’t move.  I know I looked like a deer in the headlights.  Finally, I picked going to the left (of course, at the same time she picked going to her right.  This means we were now on the same side of the aisle for those of you who couldn’t visualize it.)  I began apologizing profusely.  She answered, “It’s alright”.  I wish you could have heard her tone of voice.  It spoke volumes.  I knew what she was really saying, “Just because I am physically impaired, and you do not have to treat me like a fragile object.  If I had been standing, you would have just passed by on your merry way.  Why treat me any different?”  I quickly got out of the store.  I knew I had joined the list of Joni Eareckson Tada’s group that she discusses in her autobiography Joni.  Joni was paralyzed from the shoulders down in a diving accident when she was a teenager.  She writes about how people would give her extra room on the sidewalk, more than enough, trying to look considerate, but just really not wanting to be near her.  I wonder how often this woman had been treated the same way.

There are many who are “bent over” and unable to recover on their own.  Some are physically wounded, suffering from illnesses, or born disabled.  Right now my mind is on a few youth in our church that is a part of the special needs ministry.  Some have downs’ syndrome, others cerebral palsy, still more with autism.  They make some people uncomfortable, disliking their loud interruptions during church.  Maybe they cause us to ask the questions, “why them or why not me?”  Could it be they force us to ask “Why God?”  Some questions are easier not to face.  Remember, Job never questioned God until his body was wracked with disease.  None of us like to realize how fragile we truly are.  But some know.  Some live with it daily.  Some have dealt with it for eighteen years.

On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years.  She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.  (Luke 13:10-11)

There was nothing that she could do to help herself.  Nothing.  She could not straighten up.  It’s not as if she hadn’t tried.  But she was helpless.  Beyond this just being a terrible physical problem, it was a spiritual one as well.  A spirit had crippled her.  Now, some of you want to discuss this.  So, I challenge you to the debate.  Are all physical ailment caused by spirits?  No.  Was that simple enough for you or what?  We have physical ailments in this world due to the fall of Adam and Eve.  Yes, they got to skip around that amazing Garden of Eden without even a sniffle from allergies.  But all that changed when they sinned.  Physical illness, pain, suffering, and ultimately death entered the world.  (I still curse them every time I get the flu!  Why did they eat the fruit?  Why?)  If this was not bad enough, the prince of this world has some more mean tricks up his sleeve.  He and his evil, wicked band can torment humans physically.  Now, remember, this can only happen under the sovereignty of God.  Satan was only allowed to inflict disease on Job after he received permission.  (If you would like to study more on this, I highly recommend Phillip Yancey’s book. Where is God When It Hurts.)

So, the enemy was tormenting this woman.  Obviously, the cause of her ailment was well known so that the writer mentioned it.  People could not only point out her physical pain, but they could possibly gossip as to why she had it.  I wonder if anyone assumed the following:  “She must have been bad to have a spirit attack her.”  How often have we made this judgment call?  Why do we bring others down when they are already hurting?

But Jesus did not share why this woman was bound for so long, even though He was the only One who would have known.  He did not cast judgment.  He did not attempt to explain it.  Let’s look at what He did.

When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”  Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.  (Luke 13:12-13)

When Jesus saw her need, He healed her.  That’s it.  Plain and simple.  He did not analyze, critique, gossip, or complain.  He just set her free.  Don’t you just love that about Jesus?

I want to be more like Jesus, but sadly enough I’m more like the ‘friends’ of Job.  The poor guy lost his children, his property, and his health all in one day.  Some of his friends came by to be with him during his time of loss.  But they were not what you would call “encouragers”.  I would say more like “tear you down, chew you up, spit you out, and then stomp on you” kind of people.  They kept asking Job what he did wrong to deserve this pain.  Job continued to declare his innocence, but they just scoffed at him.  They wanted to hear the gory details of why Job deserved to be punished.  Don’t we do the same?  Isn’t that why we like a good gossip session?  (By the way, “good gossip” is an oxy moron.  There ain’t nothin’ good about gossip!)  But we enjoy the details of why someone failed, or what went wrong, or how they suffered due to something they did.  Maybe it makes us feel better to have the cause and effect relationship.  Cause:  Sin, Effect:  Punishment.  It is simple, clear-cut.  Our finite minds can grasp it.  But when tragedy strikes outside our clear-cut rules, we grow uncomfortable.  We try to make sense of our world.  But we miss God when we try to “reduce” Him into our opinions, patterns, and equations.

When Jesus saw her, He called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”  Then He put His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.  (Luke 13:12-13)

Everyone else had assumed the woman would always be tormented, bound.  They had assigned her the label “hopeless”.  She probably also believed things would always be the same.  But then she heard a Voice calling her forward.  She was just one of the crowd listening to the Great Teacher.  But then He signaled her out.  Can you imagine her feelings?  She did not know what Jesus was going to do.  Was He going to tell everyone she deserved to be this way, or was He going to tell everyone how it happened, was he going to use her as a physical example of spiritual warfare?  She had no idea what was about to happen.  But she took a step of faith.  She was willing.  She offered all she could.  Her hunched back probably made her feel self-conscious as the people were staring back and forth at her and Jesus wondering what would happen next.  Then, He spoke.  Words of power!  Then, He touched her.  Realize during this time men did not come into contact with women.  In fact, they did everything to avoid women in public.  Some men would cross to the other side of the street to avoid a woman, much less talk to her in public, much less to lay his hands on her.  Jesus was breaking some major cultural taboos here!  Realize eyebrows are being raised.

But suddenly, she stands up straight.  Everyone is amazed.  Shock, surprise, and wonder sweep the crowd.  But the first to speak, the first to break the silence is the woman, by praising God!  This faithful woman knew to Whom to give the glory!  She immediately breaks into praise.  Feel her joy.  Listen to her praise.  Dear brothers and sisters, do you do the same?  Do you know when He is at work?  Do you recognize His voice?  Do you feel His touch?  And when You see His power, is your first reaction one of praise?  I hope so!  Don’t analyze.  Don’t minimize it.  Don’t talk to others first.  Speak praise!  Don’t worry who is around.  This woman was in the middle of the crowd and she began to praise God, leading others to worship.  She wanted everyone to know the goodness of her Lord!  Don’t miss an opportunity to proclaim His Name in public.  He is the reason for every good thing in your life.  Let others know the marvelous God you serve!

Others need to hear your praise.  Because that may be the last thing on their heart.  While this woman was praising God, the religious leader had other things to say.

Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work.  So come and be healed on those days, not the Sabbath.”  (Luke 13:14)

The synagogue ruler, the one who is supposed to lead others to God, quickly shuts the woman and her praise down.  By the way, all you religious folks out there, do you do the same thing?  Actually, I need to add myself.  Do we do the same thing?  How often do we focus on the negative, or we rationalize a miracle, or discount someone’s joy, or try to bring others down to the lifeless way we feel?  Do you realize that the world views Christianity as boring?  Jesus is not the one Who gave us that label.  He was radical, inspiring, people were drawn to Him.  Why is it now that we equate “spirituality” with no emotion?  We think the more frown lines, the holier one is.  This is not of God.  He has called us to praise, to be people of joy, to celebrate His work in the world.  We are called to give God glory when He does something amazing.  By the way, He does amazing things everyday.  If you are reading this book right now, that is amazing.  That means that your eyes are sending signals to your brain, which is interpreting the random lines on the page as letters, than words, than sentences, than concepts.  You are doing this in milliseconds of time.  Amazing!  (Of course, if some of these paragraphs do not make sense to you, don’t’ blame your brain, blame the author.  I confuse myself half the time.)  God is amazing.  Celebrate Him.  Praise Him out loud in front of others.  Allow others to do the same.  Do not stop them.  Not like this synagogue ruler who by the way was a coward.  Read this again:

Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work.  So come and be healed on those days, not the Sabbath.”  (Luke 13:14)

Look who he speaks to, not to Jesus but the people.  He was not bold enough to engage Jesus into a one-on-one debate on the reasons for not healing on the Sabbath.  Instead, he speaks to the group that he is used to controlling, the people.  He knew he could not control Jesus.  So, he attempts to control the people from coming to be healed.  Coward.

But Jesus never sits on the sidelines.  Since no one was brave enough to debate Him, He willingly begins the confrontation.

The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites!  Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?  Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”  (Luke 13:15-16)

Hee Haw.  (That’s donkey language for go get ‘em Jesus!)  What a rebuke.  It was not just for one person either.  Jesus knew all the hearts.  He realized that the one synagogue ruler stated the opinion of a group, which is why he uses the plural “hypocrites”.  Look at this hypocrisy.  Look at their hearts.  They were more concerned about their animals, than the people.  They cared more about their possessions than the hurting.  It was all about them.  In their self-centeredness, they no longer saw the needs of others; they only saw their opinions of the law.  These opinions would rather leave a woman crippled than rejoice with her in freedom.

I saw this in action before.  I knew a minister who was angry that a fellow staff person disagreed with some of his interpretations of Scripture.  (I am not talking about essential doctrine.  Those are never up for debate.)  In his anger, he went about slandering the other man and turned many against him.  This minister was so concerned about his opinion of the law, that he bypassed the command to love others and ended up hurting the other man’s reputation.  The minister did this, in his opinion, “in the Name of the Lord” but I guess no one ever told Him that one of the Lord’s Names is Love.  In his attempt to be more “right”, more “spiritual”, he missed out on the very heart of Jesus.

There were two groups that day.  One missed it, the other got it.   It was due to the object of their focus.

When He said this, all His opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things He was doing.   (Luke 13:17)

Opponents were humiliated, the people were delighted.  You can only be humiliated if you are focused on yourself.  Remember, the Proverb “pride comes before the fall.”   The other group was delighted.  They saw what He could do and were amazed by it, not intimidated.  Their gaze was on Jesus.  Where is your focus today?  Are you looking at yourself, and missing the display of God’s might around you?  Are you missing his miracles or downplaying His work?  Stop it!  Delight in Him.  Look around and see what He is doing.  If you are having a hard time seeing His mighty hand, take a look back.  Remember when you were bound in your sin.  It had crippled you for so many years.  You had lost hope.  You thought you would always be the same.  But then you heard His voice.  He was calling you to step forward to Calvary.  There, he set you free.  Praise Him out loud in front of all the people!

Silent Sabbath

Have you ever felt like you were being set up?  I am not talking about a blind date.  That is more like being tortured.  No, I mean as if someone is trying to trap you into something.  For example, my sister will ask me, “Do you want some chocolate ice cream?”  I say, “yes”.  Then, she says, “me, too.  Will you get me some?”  A trap.  I fell right into it.  I was suspicious of the smile, but I just thought the mere idea of chocolate ice cream made her happy.  I was wrong.  She had a plan and I walked right into it. Vicious, vicious girl.

The trap set for me led to me gaining five pounds.  But, at least, my life was not on the line.  Well, unless it kept happening.  Ice cream is not the best healthy life style.  Of course, I am still waiting for the high carb diet.

Jesus would know how to deal with my sister.  For He Himself was set up, but under a more drastic consequences than eating a whole bin of chocolate ice cream.  But Jesus walked willingly into the trap set up for He knew it was there.  Yet, He did not fall into the ambush.  Instead, He allowed someone ensnared by illness to be set free.

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.  There in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy.  Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”  But they remained silent.  So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. (Luke 14:1-4)

Notice the day this all takes place.  It is the Sabbath.  As we saw in our last chapter, the religious leaders did not like Jesus healing on their holy day.  They considered it “work” and you were not allowed to labor on the Sabbath.  Think about this crazy theology.  On their religious day, the Pharisees and experts in the law had set a trap for Jesus.  They got mad that He helps people on the Sabbath, but they have no problem with having connived a twisted plan to ensnare Christ.  Sin is so crazy.  It does not even make common sense!

The beginning of their twisted plan fell into place, for Jesus comes to eat at the Pharisee’s house.  By the way, how obvious can you get?  The religious leaders have already openly condemned Jesus and now they invite Him to a prominent Pharisee’s house.  Could they have not at least tried to be subtle?  Not only that, the Scripture states, “He was being carefully watched”.  That means everyone knew that all eyes were on Him.  There was no mistaking something weird was going on.  Can you imagine walking to someone’s house and having all of these people just staring at you?  You don’t have to be James Bond to figure out that there is trouble ahead.  Then, if it doesn’t already feel like a comedy spy show, as He goes in the house, there in front of Him just “happens” to be a man suffering from dropsy.  What a surprise!  I wander if that is why everyone is staring at me?  Could it be they are trying to decide if I’ll heal on the Sabbath or not?  Wow, this mystery was really hard to figure out.  So, Jesus goes straight to the heart of the trap:

Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?  (Luke 14:3b)

Straight to the point.  Cut through all the pretend formalities.  The One they had tried to trick just turned around and trapped all of them with this question.  So, what did these educated men do?

But they remained silent.  (Luke 14:4a).

They did not say a word.  But I am sure these “expert” spies were still staring at Him.  Watching His next move.  Will He heal?  They had already seen Him do this before.  Why would this be different?  I wonder if they thought they could intimidate Him because they were standing all around, or because He was a guest in the Pharisee’s home.  That works on some of us.  Who ever acts different around a work crowd compared to the church crowd?  Maybe you are not so bold to stand up for what you believe.  Maybe you dress or talk differently.  Or maybe you act more spiritual to fit in with the “spiritual” crowd.  Sometimes, we rise or fall to other’s opinions of right and wrong.  Yet, the only opinion that will matter is the Lord’s.  He never seems to fit in with the crowd.  Often, in a group, people got mad at Him.  But He always did what He felt led to do, even when others were watching His every move.  What did He do next for the whole crowd to see?

So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.  (Luke 14:4b)

He took hold of the man.  He grabbed him.  This was a dramatic move.  I see Him almost tackling the guy.  He did not want anyone to miss this.  He was going to heal.  Completely heal, for we do not fully know what this man suffered from.  My text note states:

“Dropsy.  An accumulation of fluid that would indicate illness affecting other parts of the body.”

So, the physical sign of dropsy indicated that much more was going on in the body than what was already apparent.  Kind of like the situation.  More was going on than just wandering if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath.  They were slowly setting up a case against Him that would eventually lead to His death.  More was at stake than was already apparent.  Jesus knew the risk.  Yet, He chose to heal.  His healing was complete.

Has Jesus taken hold of you?  Has He grabbed you and healed you?  Maybe your healing is more than the apparent physical need.  Often, that seems to be the only subject we present to God in prayer.  Every week in our church staff meeting, we get the prayer requests from the membership.  They are always for physical needs.  There is nothing wrong with that.  But what about the emotional and relational needs?  What about the request to conquer sin or temptation?  Jesus is ready to come and heal all parts of your life.  Let Him grip your arms as He pulls you into a hug.  One that says you are healed.  One that will allow you to face life in a new way.

So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.  (Luke 14:4b)

Sent Him away to a new way of life.  No longer would anyone look at him and see the signs of illness.  He was healed!  But not only that, Jesus sent Him away from the group of religious leaders who were using him.  What do you mean, you ask?  I will tell you.  How did that man with dropsy just happen to be there?  Not only there, but also right in front of Jesus?  He was placed there.  This was not a coincidence.  These men had planned it.  They were using this ill man for their own agenda.  Sadly, this still happens today.  “Religious” people prey on the ill, promising them healing for money, saying if they only had more faith.  That is a lie.  Yes, Jesus can heal.  There is no doubt about that.  And we should pray and ask for it.  But remember, Jesus prayed for God’s will even when it meant suffering and death.  Was Jesus out of God’s will?  Certainly not!  He submitted to the Father.  What about Paul?  He suffered with a thorn in the flesh.  Three times he prayed for its removal.  But the Lord, in His sovereign plan, did not take it away.  God can heal while we are on earth, or He can choose to do the ultimate healing in heaven.  Either way, He is in control.  I love that about Him.  He takes charge of the situation.

So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away.  (Luke 14:4b)

The religious leaders were hoping to trap Him.  Instead Jesus took over.  He healed the man and then sent Him away.  He helped the helpless.  And then He protected him from being further used and abused.  Jesus loves doing that.  Is not that the whole story of the Bible?  A vicious trap was set in the Garden of Eden.  Unfortunately, Adam and Eve fell right into Satan’s hands.  So, he thought he had won.  Foolish little devil.  For unknown to the evil one, another trap had been laid, before the beginning of time.  Jesus was ready to capture back the hearts that had been lost.  How?  He would willingly take their place in the trap.  He removed the bondage from them and set it on Himself.  It killed Him.  But it gives life to you and me.

That day in the Pharisee house, Jesus gave back life to one man.  But He wanted more.

Then He asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out? (Luke 14:5)

 Jesus wanted to open their hearts to love.  They would be willing to save a son, even an animal, yet they were unwilling to allow Jesus heal people.  He was saying, “Look at your so-called logic, it does not make sense.  Allow Me to open your minds to truth.”

Can you hear the heartbeat of Christ?  These religious leaders had used a sick man to try to entrap Jesus.  This was a low trick.  Yet, Jesus is reaching out to them, willing to offer healing to their callous hearts.  I wish they had accepted.  But we see from the text where they started with no words to speak to Jesus,

But they remained silent. (Luke 14:4)                                                                                                                                   

continued until the end of the passage …

And they had nothing to say. (Luke 14:6)

 No words.  No change.  The group remained the same; the silent majority lost out on the healing of Christ.  But one man allowed Jesus to grab a hold of Him.  And he was never the same.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 8)

by Shannon Tillman | Jul 24, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Restored Relationship

A movie that I love to watch is “Mr. Holland’s Opus.”  It is the story of a man who inspires to be a famous conductor has to take a teaching job at a high school in order to support his family.  His wife and he have one child, a son.  It is discovered that the son was 90% deaf.  During the epic time period of the 1960’s, doctors advised the parents to raise him as a hearing child.  During one of the dramatic scenes, the son, at age 5 or 6, begins crying as he pulls items out of the kitchen cupboards.  The father yells, “Give him what he wants.”  The mother replies, “I don’t know what he wants.  I can’t even talk to my own son!”  Then, she gathers the young boy in her arms as they both sit crumpled on the kitchen floor weeping for they both loved and yet felt so alone from each other.  (By the way, the film is good and it does have happy parts.  Don’t judge the whole thing because I bring up one really depressing scene.)

Can you imagine seeing the child you love hurt and you do not know how to tell them you care?  Or see your child in pain and there is nothing you can do to help?  Even worse, can you imagine knowing that your child is demon-possessed and that the demon enjoyed causing your child to be in pain?  That is how the father of one child felt.

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.  A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at me son for he is my only child.  A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth.  It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.  I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you?  Bring your son here.” Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion.  But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father.  And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.  (Luke 9:37-43)

As usual, a large crowd came upon Jesus.  In this large crowd a voice cries out asking for help.  His request was not for himself, but for his son, his only child.  As heart wrenching as his request is, there is some underlying messages we can clearly see.  First, he calls Jesus, “Teacher.”  It’s like he is saying, “Look you say a lot of neat stuff.  I think you are smart.  I can learn a lot.  But are you truly more than that or are you just talk?  Can you do anything besides preach?  Guess what, people ask the same thing today.  Well, God, your Bible says some neat things.  I agree about love and peace but are You truly living and active today?  Are You around or are You far off, removed from creation, just watching us?  You sound good, but can You impact me today, where I am, in the middle of this mess?  Are You talk or are you really powerful enough to act?

So, the man is questioning whether or not this Teacher can do anything or if He’s just full of knowledge.  He also wonders if this is Man is kind.  Where do I get that?  Look at how he asks for help:

“Teacher, I BEG you to look at my son, for he is my only child.  A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth.  It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him.”  (Luke 9:38b-39)

This father feels like he has to beg for help.  He is not sure if Jesus will intervene just out of the goodness of His heart.  He lets Jesus know that it is his only child.  Then, he goes into the detail of what happens to his child.  Do you ever do this?  Do you feel like you have to give God all the reasons as to why He needs to help?  Is it because you have forgotten that this is your Loving Heavenly Father who cares more about the situation than you possibly ever could?  Think of the irony.  The father is asking the Creator of the Universe, the One who loved his child before the boy was born, and yet is treating Him as someone who needs to have sympathy evoked in Him before He will help!

And if this slap in the face was not enough, the father swung his final blow:

“I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”  (Luke 9:40)

 What?  Why go to the disciples?  Deep down, this man really considered everyone on the same level.  Jesus had no special ability over His disciples.  This father truly had no concept of Who Jesus is.  He just thought the group had “special powers”.  In his game plan, he would take the boy to someone, in fact to anyone who might be there so that the boy would be healed.  The father didn’t understand that he was talking to God, not just a group of thirteen men.

But guess who was pretty excited about being part of the elite group?  The disciples were feeling pretty good.  When the dad brought him the boy, they didn’t think they needed to bother Jesus with this one.  “We’ll take care of this one ourselves.  What?  A demon.  Oh, no problem.  We see this kind of case all the time.  Why, I remember the one in Jericho, he was a meany.  Not that any are nice.  But we can do this.  What Thomas, you doubt we can?  Well, we’ll prove you wrong!”

Why the arrogance?  Why the determination to do this?  Could it be stemming from insecurity?  There were only nine disciples around when the father of the demon-possessed boy showed up.  Where was the other three?  Where was Jesus?

Jesus…took Peter, John, and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.  As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning…(Luke 9:28-29)

I wonder if the other disciples were feeling left out since only Peter, John and James were selected to go up the mountain with Jesus.  Did they feel like they were not part of the “in crowd”?  Did they feel the need to show-off to feel important?  Was their pride hurt?  Were they trying to build themselves up?  Did they not realize it always is worse when God has to teach us a lesson in front of an entire crowd?

In writing that, a particularly embarrassing moment comes to mind.  That is amazing because I have so many!  But I remember one time traveling on a plane to Dallas.  I was seated next to a handsome man.  We talked the whole time.  I felt attractive, witty, charming, wonderful, etc.  We talked about some spiritual matters and he, too, was a Christian.  However, listening to his conversation his life was heading in a fast track toward destructive behaviors.  Usually, the counselor in me comes out and I discuss, process, and help others.  Not this time, I side-stepped blatant statement so as not to offend so I could continue being treated as amazingly as I think I should (I’m just joking.)  Anyway, we debarked the plane.  My friend met me at the baggage claim and together we waited for my luggage.  The place was crowded so I was smashed in between people.  I finally saw my suitcase.  When it came by, I grabbed it.  But the person on my right side began leaning on me so hard that I could not get the leverage to pick the bag up, my arm was pinned.  What would be the wise thing to do?  Let go of the bag.  However, my hand caught on something on the bag so the bag began pulling me.  I began leaning back on the guy leaning on me, hoping to regain balance.  But he took a step backwards.  I lost balance, the bag pulled me, a line of people parted as they all watched me trip and crash on the floor with my hand still caught on the bag.  It got worse.  As I am trying to get off the ground, I realize every person has his or her eyes on me.  How do you gracefully get up after that?  You don’t.  The few seconds of silence erupted into laughter that lasted 10 minutes.  Who’s the first face I see, the guy who sat by me!  (By the way, I sent my friend to get my bag, for by this point it had gone around twice and I refused to touch it!)  Yes, pride does come before the fall (and in my case it was literal!  I still fear picking up my luggage!)

Now that I have shared my pain, I want you to think about how foolish the disciples must have felt.  They are helpless.   This is in a crowd of people.  Some were watching.  I wonder if they were laughed it.  Interesting enough, they were not the ones who said, “Well, guy this is too big for us to handle.  Let’s go to Jesus.”  No, their pride kept them from asking for help.  At least the father let go of his pride.  He just wanted to save his son.  So, he went to his last resort and asked Jesus for help.  He was soon to learn from Jesus that the last resort should have been the first.

“O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you?  Bring your son here.”  (Luke 9:41)

Jesus always cuts to the heart of the matter.  He knew the father did not believe that He could help.  He knew that the father did not understand the difference between the Teacher and the disciples.  He knew that the father did not understand His loving kindness.  He knew there were others in the crowds who also needed to hear His message.  Maybe there are more today.  Those who think Jesus was a nice theory, or a good man, or a prophet, or a teacher.  Jesus is the Lord, able to heal, to release, to save.  For those of you who doubt, listen to His call:

“Bring your son here.”  (Luke 9:41b)

For you parents, please hear the words so eloquently penned by Charles Spurgeon in his devotional Morning by Morning:

The disappointed father turned from the disciples to their Master.  His son was in the worst possible condition, and all means had failed.  But the possessed child was soon delivered from the evil spirit when the parent in faith obeyed the Lord Jesus’ word, “Bring the boy to me.” Children are a precious gift from God, but a great deal of anxiety comes with them.  They may be a great joy or a great bitterness to their parents.  They may be filled with God’s Spirit or possessed by an evil spirit.  In all cases, the Word of God gives us one receipt for curing their ills, “Bring the boy to Me.”  We need more agonizing prayer on their behalf while they’re still babes!  Sin is there; so let our prayers attack it.  Our cries for our children should precede those cries that result from their entrance into a world of sin.  When they’re young, we will see sad signs of that dumb and deaf spirit that will neither pray properly nor hear God’s voice in the soul-but Jesus still commands, “Bring the boy to Me.”  When they’re grown up they may wallow in sin and rage with hatred against God.  Yet when our hearts are breaking we should remember the great Physician’s words, “Bring the boy to Me.”  We must not stop praying until they stop breathing.  No case is hopeless with Christ.  Whatever our need may be, let I carry us like a strong current to the ocean of diving love.  Christ can soon remove our sorrow, so let’s hurry to Him-He waits for us. 

So, whatever the problem, whatever the pain, will you bring it to Jesus today?  Don’t go to others.  Don’t hide it in your heart.  Just take it straight to Him.  He is able to do more than you can imagine.  Nothing is too powerful for Him.  No matter how grim it might seem.

Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion.  But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father.  And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.  (Luke 9:42-43a)

What a gift that father received that day.  He got back his son, his only son.  The boy was completely restored to him, never to be separated by the evil again.  I wonder if Jesus thought of His Father, who very soon would be separated from His Son, His only Son.  Hell itself would be unleashed on this Boy as He took on the sins of this cruel, dark world.  But this Father could not stop the pain, nor make the torture end.  Not because He was unable, no because He was unwilling.  For He knew that the pain could set the people free from the evil that was destroying them, making them convulse with sin.  In fact I think this message was close to Jesus heart for read what He said next:

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, He said to His disciples, “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you:  The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”  (Luke 9:43b-44)

And so He was.  He was betrayed, crucified, left for dead, beyond hope.  Or so the disciples thought.  But just as one son was restored to his father, another Son was also restored to His heavenly Father as three days later He arose from the dead!  Praise God!  One day, the greatness of God will be shown as this physical prison finally releases us and we are able to enter a full face-to-face meeting with the Father we so dearly love!

Movin’ Martha

 Cooking is a foreign language to me.  I cannot interpret recipes.  There have been many times when I looked at the picture in the book and then looked at what came out of the oven and have wondered, “How could something possibly go that wrong?”  My sisters both could be gourmet chefs.  They love taking a recipe and adding their own special twist.  I am the one they ask to do the dishes.  They figure that is safer for everyone.  One time I made a casserole and you would have thought I had climbed Mt. Everest with they way everyone carried on.  Needless to say, I do not invite friends over.  We will go out to eat together.  It keeps us from having to go to the hospital with food poisoning.

Martha, on the other hand, was the hostess with the most-ess.  The food was extravagant, the plate settings were beautiful, the flowers were perfectly placed, name cards were on the table, and even the dog was well behaved.  All the other people in town wanted to have parties like Martha.  (Of course, unless you are like me.  I would not want to have a party like Martha; I would want to be invited to Martha’s party so I could eat all of her good cooking.  In fact, I am hungry right now.)

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  (Luke 10:38-42)

 Martha always gets a bad rap in this incident, but they forget her initial generosity.  She had willingly opened up her home for Jesus and any body He decided to bring with Him.

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  (Luke 10:38)

 I never know how to picture this scene.  Were the disciples there?  Often you see flannel boards with a roomful of disciples sitting around the feet of Jesus with Mary in front.  Martha is standing in the background with some kitchen utensil in her hand.  She is scolding Jesus for not making Mary help.  But when you read the passage it says,

Martha opened her home to Him.  (Luke 10:38)

So, maybe it was just Martha, Mary, and Jesus in the home.  I cannot be for sure.  She was probably hoping that Jesus would not bring his rag-tag team of disciples with him.  Thomas would doubt she could cook well.  And Peter would be making embarrassing off the wall comments.  And she would have to watch Judas to make sure he didn’t steal anything.  But whether for a huge or small group, Martha was hard at work in the kitchen.  She is determined to create an amazing meal; after all, she invited the Guest into her home!

While Martha is scurrying about like a mouse caught in a maze that is able to smell cheese, Mary is lounging and listening.

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  (Luke 10:39)

Whenever I picture Mary in my mind, she seems to have the innocence of a child.  A child would not pay attention to social customs of the day.  For in that time period, a woman would not be considered worthy to be taught.  Yet, Mary, so intent to learn, sits down at the feet of the Teacher to listen and learn.

Have you taken time to do that today?  Have you sat down at the feet of Jesus and soaked in His Word?  Do not miss Him.  In fact, if you have not had a Bible study, put down this book and go do it right now.  Each day make Him your priority.  He has so much He wants to share with you.  But you cannot hear His voice as you rush through the day.  Sit, listen, and learn in love.  Don’t miss Him because you are too busy.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  (Luke 10:40a)

 The preparations were necessary.  It was not as if Martha was doing something wrong.  She was doing something right.  The work had to be done.  But it was her attitude that could have been different.  For instead of enjoying her serving, she just keeps eyeing Mary and getting more and more irritated.  Her focus went from serving in order to free others to be taught, to wanting Mary to serve beside her whether she liked it or not.

She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”  (Luke 10:40b)

If someone has a problem with me, I like him or her to come and talk to me.  I hate when people go behind my back and says something.  But the worst is when someone puts you down in front of you.  Just this week in staff meeting, a staff member made a comment that made me look terrible in front of two new staff people.  The funny thing was that his statement proved that he was the one with the problem.  But I just looked at him wondering, “Why is he trying to make me look bad?  And I wonder what everyone thinks of me now?”

If making Mary look bad in front of everyone was not bad enough, she also began accusing Jesus of having no feelings!

“Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?”  (Luke 10:40a) 

 If that wasn’t enough, she then decides to boss the Lord around!

Tell her to help me!”  (Luke 10:40b)

Whoa Martha.  She is out of control.  She is not only mad at Mary, she is now irritated with Jesus.  She is making outlandish statements that could not possibly be true.  Then she begins to lord over the Lord.  How did she go from opening her home to the Lord to yelling at Him?  It is when she went from cooking to stewing.  At first her focus was on the food, but the more she looked at Mary, her focus was on whom was not helping her with the food.  She began to simmer, then brewing, and then boiling!  She was mad.

When we focus on others we can get so angry.  God is constantly reviewing this lesson with me.  I am a black and white kind of person.  Things are right or wrong and I believe people need to know my opinion on it.  When I see people doing things that I disagree with, I get so mad.  This is the worst when I have to work on a project with someone who is lazy and will not get the work done and I have to carry the slack.

I have a friend who is an obsessive cleaner.  She makes me laugh when she tells me about pulling out Q-tips to really clean the stove.   (I never have to concern myself with cleaning the stove.  Since I never cook, it means my oven is always clean.  There are benefits to eating out all the time.  Less cleaning.  I recommend it to everyone.)  Sometimes the fact that her husband does not volunteer to help clean upsets her.  Yet, when he tries, she will come in behind it so it is done “right”.   He loses either way.  But the funny thing is, she loves to clean.  Usually, it is done with joy.  (Yes, she is one of those sick kinds of people who like house chores.  Yuck!)  It is just that some days, she looks at what she is doing and what he is not and then she gets mad.    That is what Martha did.  Her focus was no longer on what she could do for the Lord but on what Mary was not doing for her.  I bet her mind started going off.  “Look at Mary just sitting there.  Doesn’t she realize I need help?  I am not her slave, you know.  She could get up and give me a hand.  She is trying to show off.  Surely, someone will say something to her, to tell her to come in the kitchen.  Maybe if I sigh really loud, they will realize how pitiful I am.  (SIGH!)  No one moved.  I know they heard me.  I will drop something.  (Pan crashes to floor.)  Well, they looked this way but Jesus keeps right on teaching.  I cannot believe that of all people Jesus is not sending Mary to me.   He teaches about service.  How does He expect for me to serve all alone.  Am I the only one who wants to do the right thing here?  That’s it.  I have had enough.”

She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me! “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  (Luke 10:40b-42a)

Jesus had gone from teaching to whoever was at His feet, to teaching a woman who desperately needed to learn.  This was not a lesson about cooking, but one about living.  Martha was worried and upset about many things.  Not necessarily just about that one evening, but it seems to imply that she lives a lifestyle of worry.  Jesus, in His tenderness, uses this as a moment to confront the pervading sin in her life.  Worry was stealing her joy, her service, her ability to choose a better away.

My grandmother is a chronic worrier.  Before she leaves her house to go to the store, she has to check every room.  She ensures that the lights are all turned off.  She looks at every faucet to check if there is water running.  She looks through her purse to see if she has enough snack food.  My grandmother locks and then relocks doors to guarantee they are locked.  Then, every time we leave the house she always asks my grandfather, “Did you shut the garage door?”  He always answers, “No!” and then laughs.  By the time we leave their house, I am stressed!

I think Martha was like this.  She checked and double checked and worried and stressed.  She made those around her crazy!  No wonder Mary was “hiding” at the feet of Jesus!  So, the Lord confronted her sin.  And then He commended Mary.

“Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  (Luke 10:42b)

 Can you imagine being complimented by the Lord?  I love it.  I bet Mary loved Him all the more after that, for He just proved Himself to be her Defender.  It is not easy to choose the better.  People do not understand.  They think you are a crazy fanatic.  “Why go to church all the time?  Why do you read your Bible and pray?  Why do you listen to Christian music?  Why…?”  But realize that Jesus is saying, “Well done.  You are doing what is right.  I will not let anyone else steal your joy.  I am your Defender.  I am all you need.”

For years, a friend of mine has been my Martha.  She could not understand why I did what I did.  She was against my job in the ministry, telling me I was wasting my life.  She would interrupt my prayer and Bible study times, calling them foolish.  Her response to my tithing to the church was, “You have got to be kidding.”  She was constantly trying to steal me away.  But now, my Martha is turning into a Mary.  She asks for us to do devotions together.  She watches sermons with me.  She even reminds me to pray before meals.  (I get so excited to eat real food when she is around that I devour it like a picture off of National Geographic when a lion eats an antelope!)  The Lord defended me by rebuking her in tender love.  And she has stepped out of the critical kitchen and is now sitting beside me at the feet of Jesus.

Where are you today?  Does worry consume you?  Are you critical of others?  Has life become about doing and not being?  The Lord is speaking to you today.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. (Luke 10:41-42a)

Only one thing is needed.  And it is not getting the chores done.  Stop!  Sit at the feet of Jesus.  Listen and learn.  And then hear Him brag on you to others.  This is the best time.  Don’t miss it because you are determined to be busy.  Make time for it, for He is life!

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 7)

by Shannon Tillman | Jul 17, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Hopeful Hem

Sewing is not one of my talents.  I consider it a dangerous sport.  Somehow, whenever it is me versus the needle, the needle always wins.  I always walk away with blood dripping from my finger.  Sewing machines frighten me.  I know all it wants is my blood.  The machine wants me to sacrifice my finger to satisfy its appetite.  (OK, I went a little far with that.  Sorry.)

My mom and grandmother, on the other hand (one that is not bleeding-sorry bad pun) love to sew.  They can make anything.  I am always amazed how they will take an ugly brown pattern and use it to create a work of art.  I did not inherit their talent.  In fact, I actually dated a guy in 7^th grade, so he would sew a pair of shorts for me so I could pass home ec class.  (I was desperate O.K.!  Don’t follow my wicked example.  I just feared having to bleed more!)

So, what in the world does this have to do with Scripture?  I can relate to desperate people.  So can you.  I can relate to not being “good enough”.  So can you.  I can relate to being willing to do anything just to be able to be “normal”.  So can you.  I can relate to being in pain and wanting to just give up.  So can you.  We have stories.  Some are trite, like my sewing experiences.  Some are heart wrenching, like having friends die, or having family disown you, or watching your dreams shatter, or a million other things we have to face.  Have you come to the end of your hope?  Can I beg you to hold on?  I mean that literally.  For one went before us, she held on and found the hem of hope.

As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him.  And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years but no one could heal her.  She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched Me?”  Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against You.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet.  In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed.  Then He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace.” (Luke 8:42b-48)

Don’t you see yourself in this Scripture?  I know that I do.  She is so timid in her faith.  She is not willing to go and directly ask for His help.  She doesn’t have the nerve to speak, to face Him.  Instead, she shrinks back.  Here she is in a crowd of people yet she feels utterly alone.

I bet she had felt that way for quite some time.  For you see, with the medical condition she had, she was considered ceremonially unclean.  If anyone came in contact with her, that person would also be considered ceremonially unclean.  Being unclean kept you from being able to enter the temple.  Needless to say, people stayed away from the “unclean”.  They did not want to be “infected”.  The religious leaders had strict regulations that were to keep those who were “unclean” away from other people.  It caused complete isolation.  You were excluded from your place of worship, the temple, the symbol of the seat of God.  Not only was God far away, so were other people for they were not allowed to be around you.  Can you imagine being shunned, being an outcast for 12 years?  That’s like repeating junior high four times.  What could be worse than that?  How would you be affected emotionally?  Would you be mad, depressed, confused?  Would your pain lead you to question God who seemed so far, so distant, so high above that you weren’t even allowed to go and worship Him?  What hope would you have when it seemed that God Himself had rejected you?

When I was in high school, I remember reading an article about a school shooting in a different city.  In recent news, we have heard this tragic story far too often.  But at that time, it was unheard of. This young teenager had opened fire at his school and then killed himself.  In the aftermath of this terrible event, a note written by the gunman was found.  He said how tired he was of being an outcast, of having others always make fun of him.  They called him names, and they poked fun at his grades and at his weight problem.  In the middle of the article was a picture of this young kid.  He looked so normal.

I remember the next day.  I went to school a different person.  I looked at faces.  I wondered how many kids at my school felt like an outcast in a crowd, how many of them were tired of being shunned.  I wondered how many I had excluded instead of loving them.  In my “good girl” religiosity, was I too unapproachable?  Instead of reaching out with a helping hand, did I just look down at others and then walk away? Was I too busy talking about how “bad” they were or I should I say “unclean” instead of seeing them as a child of God?  Was I too religious to love?  How many were right beside me and yet they felt all alone?

They could relate to this woman.  You see, she was surrounded by a huge group of religious people and yet she was all by herself.  No one reached out to her in love.  For twelve years she had suffered.  Finally, in one desperate attempt, she stretched out to touch the hem of a garment, hoping for the physical and emotional healing she so desperately desired.

She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.  (Luke 8:44)

Immediately-what an exciting word!  She knew she had been healed.  Imagine suffering for so terribly long and then in one instant, the pain is completely gone!  The joy she must have felt.  Can’t you just see her big smile, her wide eyes?  She must have wanted to dance, to celebrate.

But the happy moment was short-lived.  Suddenly, events took an unexpected turn.

“Who touched Me?,” Jesus asked.  (Luke 8:45a)

Just imagine the terror she was feeling.  Remember, she was ceremonially unclean; she was not allowed to be in the crowd.  She had been caught.  Yes, she was healed but by Levitical law she had to wait seven days before she could be considered ceremonially clean.  Now, all of those people in the crowd who may have touched her would be considered unclean; they would have to bathe and they would be considered unclean for the rest of the day.  This is a big deal.  This is not like after a camping trip when you need to shower to feel better.  Nobody would be allowed into the temple.  This is a huge spiritual issue. And here she is in the middle of a large crowd.  People would not like the thought of someone making them unclean.  Who knows what they were capable of if they got angry?  Right in the middle of this mess is Jesus.  He was asking for her to reveal her identity.  Now, I don’t know about you but if this were me, I’d be sneaking back into the crowd.  I’d be like, “Hey, I’m healed, I’m gone.”

But in the middle of this tense scene, is comedy relief.  People are funny.  I’m so glad the Bible captures how human we all are.

“Who touched Me?”  Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”  (Luke 8:45)

Everyone IN THE CROWD is saying “not me.  I didn’t touch You.”  They are in a crowd.  Who knows who touched whom?  I can just see them pointing at others, blaming them.  Then right after everyone has denied it, Peter is the only one honest enough to say, “Uh, everyone could have touched You,” as if Jesus doesn’t know what He is talking about.  Good ol’ Peter.  So to clarify to Peter as well as to the rest of the crowd, Jesus further explains what has happened.

But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.”  (Luke 8:46)

I hope this verse is as much of a comfort to you as it is to me.  Think about the fact that the actual power inside of Jesus flowed to this woman.  Some of you are thinking, “that sounds like a weird sci-fi thing.”  Before you shut me out, take time to consider just how awesome this is.  The power of Jesus flows into us to meet our deepest need.  That is such a consoling thought to me when I am hurting.  For I know there have been times that no one besides Jesus could do anything to help me.  She knows how I feel.  Maybe you do, too.  No one could heal her.  No one.  She had sought help.  She had gone to the experts.  She had listened to their advice and followed it.  Yet, nothing changed.  Her condition stayed the same.  Each resource was drained.  There was nothing else they could do.

My grandfather had a major problem with his hip.  For the longest time, the doctors could not figure out what was causing his pain.  They changed their diagnosis and treatment a hundred times yet nothing helped.  They even put him in physical therapy for a while until to the pain in his hip became even worse and he started having intense back problems.  What did the medical experts say?  “Well, maybe we should stop the physical therapy.”  You think?

All of us have experienced pain, whether physical or emotional, and we have heard the opinions of others.  But that didn’t solve it.  We stayed in the same predicament.  Nothing changed.  But there is hope.  We have access to the actual power of Jesus.  The power that created the universe can come into our lives and heal us, help us, transform us.  That is amazing!

The woman had received His power, had received healing, but now she had to take a further step.  She had been asked to reveal her identity.  Once again, I want to remind you that I would have been about half way home.  Well, in theory.  Actually, I would have been stuck just like she was for she was in a large crowd.  All of the people were looking around to find out who had touched Jesus.

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet.  In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed.  (Luke 8:47)

Doesn’t that break your heart?  This poor woman was trembling, afraid.  She had just received healing and instead of feeling she could proclaim this with joy, she was afraid of what the crowd’s reaction would be.

Do you know how many people feel this way in the church?  We are afraid to tell others what God has done in our live because then they will know what God truly has freed us from.  We like to hide it because we don’t want to be judged.

Dennis Jernigan is a well-known Christian praise and worship leader.  He openly admits to his homosexual activity in the past and how God freed him from this stronghold in his life.  Now, Dennis is married and has a number of children.  I remember I was listening to one of his CDs for the first time.  He had his testimony in the middle of it.  My eyes grew big and I thought, “he really shouldn’t put that on his CD for it may make some uncomfortable and turn them away and they would miss out on his wonderful music.”  God quickly rebuked me for this man was willing to testify what God had done for him, how he had been healed, freed.  He was glorifying God and openly proclaiming that Truth could set others free.  Dennis refused to hide behind a superficial religiosity.  No, he wanted to proclaim the power of God.

Isn’t that what the church is supposed to be doing?  We should want to tell the world that we have been saved from our sins.  To do that, we need to be honest that we are sinners!  We have found the source of healing but in order to share it with others, we must admit that we, too, at one time were sick.  So, let down the pride.

Can you imagine if you went to a 12-step program for help and found out that nobody there would admit to a problem?  Instead they say they are there for the coffee.  We would say that they are in serious denial.  But yet as a church we do the same thing.  We act as if we are perfect and that there is no sin problem in our sanctuary.  We have got to let down our guard and start proclaiming the truth that Christ has come to save sinners and I am the worst of them!  Amen!  OK, I’m off my soapbox now.

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet.  In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed.  Then He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace.”  (Luke8:47-48)

This statement of Christ is so beautiful.  For Jesus, in His tender, mercy knew that she needed more than just physical healing.  His words bring the emotional and spiritual healing this woman so desperately needed.

He calls her “Daughter”.  How long had it been since she had heard such a sweet term of endearment?  Did you know that this is the only time this word is recorded as being used by Jesus?  How special, just for her, just for the woman who had been considered unclean for twelve years.  She was not only physically healed, not only would she be ceremonially clean in seven days and able to rejoin society, she was now a true daughter of the living God.  Man may have rejected her, but she was always close to God’s heart.  She was not forgotten or rejected by Him.  What a tender reminder of God’s love for us no matter the world’s opinion of who we are.  Jesus wanted to let this woman know that she truly belongs to the family of God that right can never be taken from her, for she is the daughter of the King.

Then, after such a tender address, Jesus commends her in front of the crowd.  He said, “Your faith has healed you.”  Jesus brags on her in front of all the people.  He did not say, “I healed you” which would be the truth.  Instead, he allowed her the victory for she had suffered defeat for so long.

Isn’t this just typical of a parent?  They give credit to the child.  Maybe it’s making cookies.  The child, in the attempt to help, makes a huge mess.  The parent actually makes the cookies.  But who gets the credit?  The parent tells everyone, “My child made these cookies.”  Everyone “oohs” and “aahs”, usually knowing that the parent was more involved than what they are taking credit for.  But the child doesn’t realize this.  The child stands so proud, so excited, relishing in a job well done.

Here, the Heavenly Father, her Parent, gave credit to His precious daughter, “your faith has healed you.”  How tender and kind He is to us.  For anyone who has made a huge mess with your life, will you just look to God?  He is not yelling or condemning.  He just is looking at you with love and is speaking to his angels about how proud He is of you just because you are His.  That’s a Father.

His beautiful speech does not end there.  After tenderly addressing her and then bragging on her, Jesus says, “Go in peace.”

Isn’t that music to your ears?  We can go in peace for Christ ordained it.  Her trials did not end for she was still in this evil, fallen world.  But this time, no matter what she faced, she could go with the peace of Jesus Himself, for He told her that she could.

This woman’s illness brought her years of torment but in an instant, through the touch of Christ, her life changed.  Forever changed.  She had to sneak into the crowd, but she departed with her head held high with a path cleared for her when Jesus said, “Go in peace.”  She came in believing that she was only worthy to possibly touch the hem of His garment, she left with a face to face meeting with the Living God.  She came feeling worthless; she heard the Almighty God brag about her.  She came feeling alone, she left as a Daughter.  She came ill, she left well.  She came broken, she left whole.

One encounter with Christ can radically change any life.  I do not know where you are.  Some of you may need to take the initial step of faith and grab onto Jesus.  Others of you may be struggling and you long to hear your Savior’s voice.  Some of you may be walking in peace but not sharing the way with others.  It is time for all of us to feel His power.

May I touch the hem of Your garment

I know I’ll never be the same

For Your power heals

The sick, the blind, the lame

May I touch the hem of Your garment

To feel Your holy power

My life will be instantly changed

From this very hour

I must let go of the world

For only then will my hands be free

To touch the hem of the robe

Of His Royal Majesty

Dear Daughter

Have you ever been too late?  You waited so long to fix a problem that by the time you sought help, everything was out of control.  I know I am the worst about asking for help.  I like to do things in my way and in my time.  I hate when people give me advice, esp. when I have not asked for it.  Ironically enough, a mother who loves to give advice raised me.  The weeping and gnashing of teeth began early in my life.  The worst was when she was right.

I remember one time when I was little and I decided to make a sand castle on the beach.  My mom gave me some pointers as she helped me make it.  Well, of course, even at the tender age of six, I had decided to make the castle my way.  Needless to say, her side looked much better than my side.  So, I, um, kicked her castle so it collapsed into a sand pile.  I felt much better.  Discipline did not even faze me.  I enjoyed seeing her castle of dreams in the dust.  In fact, I’m kind of enjoying writing about it.  Sorry, mom!

But there have been other castles of dreams that have shattered in my life when I did not heed warnings:  poor health, broken relationships, financial trouble, and so much regret.  Maybe you can relate.  Have you had a broken, smashed dream? Maybe it wasn’t for you.  Maybe it was for your child.  You had imagined them being president and now you just hope they make it through another day.

Mark Schultz wrote a song called, “He’s My Son”.  It is based on a father in the church where Mark is the youth minister.  The father told Mark how he would plead to God about his son who was diagnosed with cancer when only a young teenager.  Is there anyone who can relate to these lyrics?

I’m down on my knees again tonight

I’m hoping this prayer will turn out right

See there is a boy that needs your help

I’ve done all that I can do myself

His mother is tired

I’m sure you can understand

Each night as he sleeps

She goes in to hold his hand

And she tries not to cry

As the tears fill her eyes

Can You hear me?

Am I getting through tonight?

Can You see him?

Can you make him feel all right?

If You can hear me

Let me take his place somehow

See, he’s not just anyone

He’s my son

Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep

I dream of the boy He’d like to be

I try to be strong and see him through

But God who he needs right now is You

Let him grow old

Live life without this fear

What would I be

Living without him here

He’s so tired and he’s scared

Let him know that You’re there

Can You hear me?

Am I getting through tonight?

Can You see him?

Can you make him feel all right?

If You can hear me

Let me take his place somehow

See, he’s not just anyone

He’s my son

Can You hear me?

Can’t You see him?

Please don’t leave him

He’s my son

There is one in the Bible whose heart could cry this song.  But his pain would not be for a son but for a daughter, his twelve-year-old little girl.

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed Him, for they were all expecting Him.  Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying… While Jesus was speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.  “Your daughter is dead,” he said.  “Don’t bother the teacher any more.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother.  Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her.  “Stop wailing,” Jesus said.  “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!”  Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.  Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.  Her parents were astonished, but He ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.”  (Luke 8:40-42, 49-56)

I love this first sentence.  The crowd welcomed Him.  They were excited to see Him.  They were waiting, expecting Him.  They looked forward to being around Him.  They wanted to hear His words.  So, they pressed in against Him.  It was a welcome back party!  What a picture of how the church should be!  We should be getting together, getting ready, looking forward to celebrating the return of Jesus!

It is here at this exciting moment, that a man comes and dampers the mood.  He didn’t mean to extinguish the fun; he just had a need and had to come straight to Jesus.

Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with Him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.  (Luke 8:41-42)

Look at who Jairus is, a ruler of the synagogue.  He was one of the groups who opposed Jesus.  How many words had he spoken or heard against Jesus?  How many of his friends were angered by Jesus?  How many did he know that were humiliated by Jesus’ wisdom and they desired to get revenge?  How many times had he heard of disapproval of Jesus, even questioning whether His healing power was from-heaven or hell?  Did Jairus agree with them?  Did he nod his head in approval?  Maybe.  But that was before his daughter was on the verge of death.

It seems that she may have been sick for at least a little while, but it had taken a turn for the worse.  They realized that she did not have much time left.  I wonder if Jairus had to debate his very self about seeking the help of the One whom his peers disliked?  How desperate had the situation become before he finally ran to his last hope?  He came to Jesus, fell at His feet, and begged for Him to come to his daughter.  This is a cry of a man who no longer cared about what his group of friends thought.

Let’s stop here and go back in time.  Go with me before the world was even formed.  God was planning His creation.  He is smiling as He thinks of Jairus.  He loved him before he was born.  God wanted to make sure that Jairus became one of His children.  So in His sovereignty, God gave Jairus a sick child, one who would be on the verge of death at the tender age of twelve.  For the Lord knew that this would be the only reason Jairus would come to the feet of Jesus.  What an amazing God we have.  He greatly desires our salvation.   He will go to any length to save us.  Isn’t that apparent?  For Jairus was at the feet of the Creator who had come down to His created.  Here He was to minister to the man Jairus who He knew about before time began.  (Is that mind-boggling or what?)

And so Jesus went with Him.  It was on his journey to the house of Jairus that the woman touched the hem of Jesus garment.  While Jesus was still speaking to her and commending her faith, a message came to Jairus.

While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.  “Your daughter is dead,” he said.  “Don’t bother the teacher any more.”  (Luke 8:49)

 Can you imagine the thoughts of Jairus?  “Why didn’t I come to Jesus sooner?  It is my fault.  Oh, my precious daughter, the joy of my life.”  As his grief overwhelmed him, he heard a voice.

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”  (Luke 8:50)

Focus on these two words, “Hearing this”.  Jesus heard the news.  He was not too busy with the crowd, or the woman who had been healed, or anything else to not be immediately available for Jairus.  “Hearing this…” Jairus did not even have to tell Him about it.  Jairus did not have to receive the bad news alone.

What bad news have you received?  Did you feel alone?  Did you think no one cared?  Do you believe that no one would stand beside you during the difficult times?  Did you think your problems were ignored?  Let me encourage you today.  Jesus heard the news with you.  He is standing right with you.  Nothing else is more important to Him then being there for you, supporting you, carrying you through these hard times.  You are not alone.

Jairus had Someone standing beside him.  In a time of shock and confusion, he heard the words, “Don’t be afraid, and just believe.”  Do not fear.  Look at me.  Don’t give into your emotions.  Focus on Me.  I can do more than you can imagine.  “She will be healed.”  Yes, you have heard it’s the end, there is no hope.  You can choose to listen to the world or to Me.  The world says, “let go, and give up, too bad.”  I’m telling you that a miracle is on the horizon.  Don’t give up.  I’ll continue to walk beside you.  Then, Jairus, you will see how I have decided to see this situation end.

And Jairus decided to listen to Jesus.  They continued to the house.

When He arrived at the house of Jairus, He did not let anyone go in with Him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother.  Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her.  “Stop wailing,” Jesus said.  “She is not dead but asleep.”  They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead.  (Luke 8:51-52)

They laughed at Him.  Of course, we realize the foolishness of this.  We say that we would never laugh at Jesus.  For we know that He can raise the dead, heal the sick, move the stars.  He is all-powerful!

But can I suggest to you that we laugh often even if it is done quietly.  Has God asked us to do something and we say, “Lord, I could never do that.”  And then we give Him numerous excuses as to why.  Or maybe God has commanded your church to go in a new direction, possibly not in the style of your tradition, or how “we’ve always done it.”  We claim that it’s impossible.  (By the way, some of our churches are truly dead and we need to be raised to life!)  I have heard that many years ago, a staff person at the church that I serve at was “let go” (that is a nice way a church fires people) because he was too “radical”.  This same man is now serving at one of the largest churches in the nation and reaching thousands of people through his ministry.  Obviously, the church was not comfortable reaching out to anyone beside themselves.  God asked them to extend a hand of love to the community and they laughed (quietly, of course) and said that we needed to focus on feeding “our own” people.  We are like the wailing crowd that laughed at Jesus.  Yes, we cry over the spiritually dead, but we are not willing to place hope in the One who could save them.  It’s much easier to laugh.

Jesus was not swayed by their mockery.  Instead, He took with Him those who could witness His power.

But He took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!”  Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.  (Luke 8:54-55a)

Whose child was it?  Jairus’.  Yes.  His wife’s.  Yes.  But Who else?  Jesus calls her “My child”.  He cared about her and loved her with a Father’s love.

Do you have a child who is hurting?  Remember Jesus loves your child, too.  Do you have a child who has strayed away?  Remember Jesus hurts for your child, too.  His heart aches, rejoices, beams with pride just like yours.

Single parents-can I give you a special word?  Jesus is right there with you.  Never feel like you have to raise your child alone.  Jesus is standing by you, look at your beloved young one, while both of you say, “My child.”  He cares about their hopes, their wants, their needs.

Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.  Her parents were astonished, but He ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.  (Luke 55b-56)

The parents were in shock.  So, Jesus lovingly took over the situation and asked them to give their little girl something to eat.  Feed her.  Break bread with her.  Fellowship with her.  Just enjoy her.  By the way, keep this between us.  It will be our divine secret.  Others will know about it later.  It will be recorded for eternity.  They will know about your walk Jairus.  You left your house a ruler of the synagogue, an enemy of Mine.  But you have returned a child of the Savior, a child of Mine.