Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 6)

by Shannon Tillman | Jul 10, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Broken Bottles

Breaking things seems to come naturally to me.  Not that it is done on purpose, of course.  I think I am one of the few people in the history of the world who has broken a marble statue while dusting.  I still remember the figurine.  It was one of my mother’s most cherished possessions.  It had been in the family for many years.  It was an oriental man carved out of green marble, which stood majestically about twelve inches tall.  She always placed him in a prominent place of honor, easily noticed by guests who marveled at his beauty.  However, that was soon destroyed by a junior high, Pledge carrying, dust frenzy, gal.

It started out innocently enough.  I was just doing my weekly chores.  Somehow while cleaning one of the tables, the rag that I was using caught on the Oriental man’s hat and crashed him down on the table.  (So you see, it really wasn’t my fault.  It was my mom’s fault for giving me an old rag to use for dusting that had holes in it that could easily catch a marble hat.  Really, it could have happened to anybody.)  As I lifted the rag off the lifeless figure to assess the damage, I was mortified.  It was horrific!  The Oriental man was, well, beheaded!  I was convinced the same would happen to me as soon as my mother came home.

I put the head back on the man and just sat and looked at it.  What was I to do?  Finally, I had a brilliant idea.  As soon as my mom walked in the door, I asked her, “Do you truly believe the verse that says to not store up treasures on earth but in heaven?”  Surely, the spiritual tactic would work.  My mom would thank me for giving her this opportunity to grow in the Word.  My hope quickly faded when she asked, “What did you break?”  She knew me too well.  I still feel guilty all these years later when I see that marble man still sitting on the table, shakily repaired, with a huge slit in his throat!

Due to my habit of breaking things, I am drawn to the story of the woman who broke her jar of alabaster perfume on the feet of Jesus.  (Or maybe it is due to the fact that Jesus’ responded so much better than my mom.)  This story touches my heart every time I read it.  I identify with two of the main characters.  One of them radiates the beauty of her love for the Savior.  The other refuses to respond to the Savior.  I seem to waver back and forth, acting like one of the two.  The one is nameless, we only know her as the “woman”.  The other is named Simon.  In fact, it is at his house where the story is set. Let’s begin in Luke 7:36.

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who is touching Him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two men owed money to a certain money lender.  One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.  Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?  I came into your house.  You did not give me any water for My feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give Me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on My head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much.  But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace”  (Luke 7:36-50)

Before you continue reading, stop and pray.  God may have already spoken to you through His Word.  Listen to His Spirit.  Worship Him.  I know I had to before I could continue writing.

Will you journey with me into the heart of God?  Can you hear His love?  It is beating for you.  A woman heard the same sound long ago.  It captivated her so much that she risked everything to be in His Presence again.

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so He went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.  When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume…  (Luke 7:36-37)

How did the woman know that Jesus would be eating at Simon’s house?  Did the Pharisee willingly share his guest list with others in the town so that the gossip would travel?  Maybe he wanted to brag about the big names that would be coming over to dinner.  “Hey, have you ever heard of that prophet named Jesus?  Well, guess what, He’s coming over to join the guys and I for dinner.”  How often do we “drop” names so others will realize how important we think we are?  You just have to mention that you know the “big guy on campus”.  Or maybe you need to let your co-worker know that you played golf with the boss.  You never seem to mind mentioning that you know the mayor, the governor, or the guy who ate the most donuts for the Guinness book of world records.  It just proves that we put people on a hierarchy.  Some are “in” and some are definitely “out”.  But Jesus never sees people that way.  His heart loves us all, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

These verses, right at the beginning, show the marked difference between the Pharisee and the woman.  The Pharisee wanted Jesus to come to him.  He was in control.  It was his house, his invited guest, his meal, his timing.  He would make the decision of whether Jesus would be invited back or not.  He would let Jesus know if He was “in” or “out” of his life.  He was not going to make any type of sacrifice.  He was only willing to stay in his comfort zone, in his familiar surroundings, with his friends.  It was just an opportunity to inflate himself to other people, to be able to say, “Yes, Jesus came to my house.”

What a contrast to the woman!  She was willing to travel, to go out of her way to come to where Jesus was.  She did not mind the walk, no matter the length.  She just wanted to be near Him.  It did not matter the cost.  She risked public humiliation and even possible rejection by Jesus Himself.  The emotional sacrifice was only one part; she also brought an expensive jar of perfume.  A lifetime of savings would be gone.  She did not mind.  Stepping out of her comfort zone, she humbles herself, giving complete control to the One who already controlled the stars of heaven.

…and as she stood behind at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.  (Luke 7:38)

We have heard this story so often that we skip over the experience.  Focus on your own feet.  Let’s all be honest, that part of the body is just nasty.  First of all, feet are not attractive.  And boy, can they smell sometimes.  (Emphasis on “boy”.  Why do high school boys have the worst smelling feet in the universe?)  Imagine if those smelly feet had dirt all over them.  Some of you right now are thinking about that one person in your life that you always hope will not get so comfortable in your home that he or she, but most like he, takes off his shoes.  Come on, you all know someone.  Or you may be the one that someone else pictures.  Anyway, do you want to get near someone’s smelly feet?  But this woman, not only came near but she also kissed them, cried over them, poured perfume over them, and dried them with her hair.  Some of us would be crying more because of the smell or of the wasted perfume or of having messed up hair!

This woman, with her beautiful heart, cared about nothing else but to show her love to the Savior.  She humbled herself and took on the lowest job that a servant could do.  Washing the feet was considered to be the job for the bottom slave on the totem pole.  But what others rejected, she considered an honor to do for Jesus.  She did not even feel worthy enough to look at His face or to anoint His head with oil.

Anointing with oil is common in the Bible.  We have numerous examples.  For one, we know that Samuel the prophet anointed David with oil to proclaim that he would be the next king of Israel.  Samuel did not anoint David’s feet.  Why?  Because as God’s prophet, Samuel, too, was called by God.  It was one God-called position anointing another person set apart by God.  But the woman is proclaiming another message.  She is saying, “I have no right to proclaim You for Who You are.  I am here to proclaim what I was, what I am, and to thank You for loving me anyway and for seeing me as I will be.”

What a beautiful act of worship.  She saw herself for who she is-a sinner, low, dirty, an outcast.   However, she also saw God for Who He is-Savior, Redeemer, Forgiving Love.  Because she had a right perception of herself and a right perception of her Lord, she could let go of her shame and grab onto the feet of Jesus.

By the way, one day we will get to do the same.  Although, we will not be using precious perfume, we will be casting our crowns at His feet.

While this beautiful scene, an amazing act of worship, is taking place, there is another in the room who is missing the significance.  His opinions are recorded in verse 39.

When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who is touching Him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner.”

The Pharisee’s heart is in sharp contrast to the woman’s.  Seeing such a powerful sight, he responds with judgment and criticism.  It is directed not only to the woman but to Jesus as well.  When we judge others we are judging the one Who created them.  We must leave judgment to God alone.  Remember, too, when the world judges us and rejects us, that we are not alone.  They are judging Him as well.  So, we are in great company!

Simon’s criticism is obvious in one word “If”.  He thought, “if this man was a prophet, He would know…” the Lord Himself is reclining at the table and the Pharisee is questioning His ability to know.  The All-Knowing God is being condemned as not knowing anything.  Simon could be sitting at the feet of all Knowledge and Wisdom instead he sits at the head of the table, condemning Him.  This Pharisee believes he knows more than the Lord.  It seems ridiculous but how often do we do the same thing?  We judge the situation from our limited viewpoint, not asking God what He thinks about the situation.

God’s viewpoint was extremely different.  He refused to look at the Pharisee.  His eyes were on the woman kneeling at His feet.

God brought this point home to me in a vivid fashion.  One night I had a dream.  In the dream, I was standing on a street corner with a group of friends.  We were all laughing and carrying on when we looked up and saw a young girl crossing the street.  She was pregnant, unwed, and miserable.  Instead of talking to her even though she was someone we knew, we pointed and laughed at her instead.  I suddenly woke up from the dream.  I was so confused about it because it had been so detailed, as if it really had happened.  I thought about it for a while but eventually I fell back to sleep.  (When I said I thought about it for a while, don’t get the idea that I was up for hours.  It was probably three minutes.  I like my sleep. I rarely wake up in the night, which was the weirdest part.  Did I mention that I like my sleep?)  I had another dream.  In my next dream, I was the pregnant girl.  I went through the same situation of crossing the street but I was the one getting laughed at.  It was so painful, humiliating, embarrassing for I knew my “friends” were mocking me.  I felt alone.  My dream continued, taking me through the day.  It processed my feelings of being hurt, confused, lonely, and yet determined to do what was right despite my mistake.  I woke up again.  (Like I said, this is so weird for me.)  God immediately dealt with my heart.  He told me to never judge people.  I don’t know their situation, what they have gone through, who they truly are.  He alone knows that.  I am only called to love.  All of us are the girls who made mistakes in the past.  Yet, God forgives each one of us, no matter what we have done.

Jesus, not only knowing what this woman had done and also knowing the heart of the Pharisee, began to speak.  He doesn’t address the woman; He speaks to Simon.  Realize, people, that this is amazing because the Pharisee hadn’t spoken out loud.  Remember, it said that Simon had spoken to himself.  Imagine his surprise when Jesus answered his thoughts.  Why do we try to cover up our hearts? We justify our thoughts because we didn’t say them out loud.  That doesn’t matter.  God knows our hearts.  He is willing to cut right through it to expose the evil.  Jesus knew the heart in question was not the woman’s but the Pharisee’s.

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me teacher,” he said.

Before we go on, let me point our something icky.  (Yes, the word “icky” can be used in a book.)  Simon says, “Tell me teacher.”  Can’t you just hear the arrogance?  Simon thought he got away with his critical thoughts about Jesus.  How could anyone know?  He didn’t say them out loud.  He even mockingly, hypocritically called Him “teacher” after just thinking that Jesus must not know much.  Do you ever do that?  Do you ever put someone down in your mind and then smile to their face?  That’s called hypocrisy.  Don’t try to justify it because you didn’t say it out loud.  Sin in the heart is still sin.  Jesus didn’t allow Simon any excuses, and He doesn’t give us one either.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart, his mouth speaks.  (Luke 6:45).

That is why Jesus didn’t play into the game that Simon thought he was winning.  Jesus addressed the heart of the issue by telling Simon a story.

“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.  One owed him 500 denarii, and the other 50.  Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.  Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.  (Luke 7:41-43)

By the way, always remember, both men needed their debts cancelled.  Before comparing your sins to others and thinking you are not so bad, remember that both of you needed your debts cancelled.  And your sins and my sins hung Jesus on the cross just as much as someone else.  Remember our “righteousness” is like filthy rags.  We all needed to be cleansed.  This can only happen by asking Christ into our lives.  Then, we are pronounced innocent.  Even then, we cannot forget how far Christ has brought us.  We still cannot condemn the sinner for we ourselves were once like them.

Dawson McAlister, a well-known youth speaker, really brought this truth home to me.  When I was in junior high, I attended one of his weekend conferences.  One afternoon he told us that Ted Bundy, the infamous serial killer, had been executed for his terrible crimes.  Everyone began cheering.  Then he said, “Ted Bundy reportedly accepted Christ before he died, which means that he will be standing beside us in heaven worshipping God.  He is just as much forgiven as you and I.”  I have never forgotten that.  Amazingly enough, forgiveness is extended to all, even to me.  So how can I judge others? I must leave that to God.

Simon needed an illustration to get this point.  (I guess he never attended a Dawson McAlister conference.)  Jesus presented him a question.  Simon gave an answer.  Jesus told him that he had judged correctly in his answer.  By the way, that was the only time that night when Simon had judged correctly.

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

His judgment of the woman earlier had been wrong.  Jesus used the story to open up Simon’s eyes to the truth.  Then, Jesus explained what was lacking in Simon’s hears.

Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?”

“Do you see this woman?”  Jesus knew that Simon did not truly see the woman.  Yes, physically his eyes worked; however, his heart could not truly see others.  He saw their mistakes, their sins, but not the person.  Jesus was saying, look at her.  Don’t look at what she has done in the past.  Don’t look at what she is wearing.  Don’t look at the way she carries herself.  Don’t look at the label you have put on her.  Look into her eyes, her heart.  See her as someone I created, that I planned to be born, whom I fashioned in the womb, who I loved before time began, who I will show my love by enduring the cross, who will one day be with Me in paradise.  Do you see her?  Do you see the one I love?

Is Jesus asking us that today?  Do we truly see others?  Or do we see the man with AIDS, the woman who had an abortion, the teenage boy addicted to drugs, the prostitute, the adulterer, the murderer, the liar, the cheater, the hypocrite, the gossip?  God is saying to us today, stop judging, stop acting as if your debt wasn’t paid, and truly look at them.  I made them.  I love them.  Do you see them?  We need to stop hiding our eyes.  People are hurting, are dying all around us.  We, like Simon, are judging them, not wanting them to get near us, to touch us.  We would rather put them down then try to help them up.  Yet the King of the Universe lets them touch His feet.  He reaches a hand to them.  He loves them.

Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?  I came into your house.  You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.  Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much.  But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”  (Luke 7:44-47)

What a comparison.  I must ask myself, who am I more like?  Do I want Jesus to come to me, and then not ask me to do anything for Him just save me from hell?  Or am I willing to sacrifice my pride to do menial tasks such as washing His feet, cleaning the sanctuary, taking out the trash, working hard with no recognition, cutting grass, sewing clothes, or a list of other things.  Or am I willing to take time for Jesus, to kiss Him through worship, Bible study, prayer, service, evangelism?  Or am I willing to pour out myself, to be an empty vessel, to give all of my resources, my time, my energy to Him?  Oh, what a reward is in store for us when we live for Him!

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much.  But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”  (Luke 7:47)

Not only can we be forgiven for everything, but also we can be filled with abundant love.  Who would like to love others more?  Raise your hand!  (Some of you actually raised your hand, didn’t you?)  We all would like to love others more.  But to have this we must be willing to be forgiven.  We must be vulnerable, hold nothing back, come to His feet, kneel before Him with humility, allow His forgiveness to be poured out on us, realize that He forgives because He loves us so much, and THEN in turn our only response is to love Him and others.

That is what the woman did.  Her love response was so beautiful that Jesus spoke the tenderest words to her.

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Who of you feel ashamed?  Who of you still regret your past?  Maybe your past mistake was only a few hours a go.  Jesus wants to say to you today, “your sins are forgiven.”  Oh, but to hear that you must first come to Him.  Take that step today.  Let your heart kneel before Him.  Then, you will hear His precious words of forgiveness and will experience His tender mercy.  Don’t miss out on what Jesus desires to give you.  You may have heard this message a million times but it has never penetrated your heart.  Don’t be like the men who had gathered at Simon’s house.  They also heard the words of Jesus but it was only the woman who experienced them.

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

They still didn’t know who Jesus was.  They still hadn’t figured it out.  These educated, religious men were unable to comprehend the fact that God was at their table.  But one sinful woman, who was not even worthy enough to recline at the table, she alone knew whom Jesus, the Son of God, her Savior was.

Some of you may be sitting close to Jesus and yet not recognizing Who He is.  You go to church; you do the “right” things and yet do not realize your need to leave your seat of honor in order to humbly bow at the feet of Jesus.  Do not miss His mercy; it is so close to you.

But that day, one heard His voice.

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

What saved her?  Faith.  What saves today?  The same thing.  You must have faith in Jesus.  When you do, the peace comes.  Can you imagine a sinful woman whose life was full of turmoil, left the feet of Jesus completely forgiven and filled with peace?  Only Jesus can bring such transformation.  How awesome He is!  Praise be to the Lord!

There are so many wonderful stories of changed lives.  We see them in the Bible, in our church; we bear witness in our own hearts.  Changed lives are God’s favorite hobby.  We come to Him broken, He makes us whole.  We come to Him stained with sin; He forgives us and cleanses us.  We come in turmoil; He sends us away in peace.  We come feeling unwanted; He welcomes us.  We come feeling unloved; we leave as His precious child.

Where are you today?  Come to Christ.  Pour out your heart to Him.  His love and mercy is available to you right now.  Kneel, worship, and cry, whatever you need to do.  Take time right now to show Him your love for Him.  By the way, His eyes are on you right now.  They are filled with love.

Clean Clothes

Have you ever seen something so terrible that your heart breaks within you?  Have you ever felt powerless to do anything to help someone from his or her own demise?  Have you ever witnessed a person hurt himself?  I have seen terrible self-destruction in my days.  I’ve seen eating disorders almost drive people to hospitalization, drug addictions that destroyed health and relationships, sexual promiscuity that led to diseases, and other things just too terrible to write.

There are some hurts that I have witnessed that I wish I could erase from my memory for they seem to lead to only more and more destruction.  But then I have also seen hope.  I have seen lives changed.  People turn around and embrace love, joy, and peace.  I have heard testimonies that make me look past the sorrows, the failures, and see a God Whose heart broke more than mine, Whose love reached further to the deepest need, and Who orchestrated events to bring their prodigal home.  Only He, in the darkest times, can see what no one else sees, a child sitting with Him in the heavenly places.

Let us travel together to the darkest, most frightening place of all the journeys of Christ.  He chose to go to the place that everyone else tried to avoid for His heart took Him there.

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.  When Jesus stepped ashore, a demon-possessed man from the town met him.  For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house but had lived in the tombs.  When He saw Jesus, He cried out and fell at His feet, shouting at the top of His voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, don’t torture me!”  For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man.  Many times it had seized him and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.  And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside.  The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and He gave them permission.  When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.  When they came to see Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.  Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.  Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.  So he got into the boat and left. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”  So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”  (Luke 8:26-39)

There is so much in this story that I don’t even know how to begin.  But I can start with “Praise the Lord”!  He is awesome!  He is our hope, our Savior, and our perfect example.  Right at the beginning, He teaches us an amazing lesson about life.  Look at it with me.

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.  When Jesus stepped ashore, a demon-possessed man from the town met him.  For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs.  (Luke 8:26-27)

As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a demon-possessed man met him.  Have you ever noticed that whenever God calls you to a specific task, there are so many bad things that greet you?

There is a false popular philosophy going around today that teaches if you have enough faith then bad things will never come your way.  That is not true.  Jesus definitely had enough faith, yet His life ended at the cross.  The apostle Paul had enough faith, yet he was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and finally beheaded.  All the other apostles, except for John were killed for their faith in Christ.  We learn from church history, that the apostle John was boiled in oil and then exiled to the island of Patmos.  If the pillars of Christianity faced such difficulty, how can we justify the false idea that “true faith” keeps disease and difficulty away?

Don’t buy into the lie.  If you live for Christ, you will be attacked.  Satan will launch battles against the ones who are living for God.  He does not need to battle (torture, yes, but there is no need to battle) the unsaved; they are already under his evil influence.  He only works to keep them lost and separated from God.  He does not bother too much with the apathetic Christians.  You know them, the people who say they are Christians on Sunday but live like the world the rest of the week.  True, they are eternally God’s children, but down on earth, they are not living like God or furthering His kingdom.  And if they are not helping God’s side, then they are giving ground to the enemy!  But the people Satan keeps attacking are the believers who are determined to follow God’s will for the enemy realizes that they are truly at battle against his evil power.

Remember this next time you are faced with evil itself.  Christ Himself has been in a similar situation.  He will empower you with His strength.  He, too, has seen the enemy face to face.

Jesus has just stepped ashore and immediately He is confronted with a demon-possessed man.  The man has been in this terrible condition for a long time.  Where did he live?  In the tombs.  A man, who truly was living in death, meets for the first time the Resurrection and the Life.

Visualize this man.  He was filthy.  He probably had not bathed in years.  Imagine the grime.  The smell would have been overwhelming.  He had not brushed his hair or had it cut in years.  It was long, matted, dirty, tangled.  He was disgusting.  Look into his eyes.  They hold a menacing evil.  Not only that, he was not wearing any clothes.  Now imagine this man coming into your church doors, walking the center aisle.  Can you imagine the shock?  People would hide under the pews.  Someone would pull out their cell phone and call the police.  Some parishioners would scream.  Others would cry in fear.  Soon, the law enforcement would come and arrest him and take him away.  Then, the people would crawl out from under the pews and console each other.  We do not want to see anything like that, especially in our church.

Did you know that is how all of us looked to God before we were saved?  We were dirty, wretched, naked.  Only Jesus could cleanse us from our filthy sin and clothe us in His righteousness.  Do you know how He did that?  He became dirty, wretched, and naked in our place.

Jesus had not been able to bathe for at least two days before His crucifixion.  He was bleeding from all the beatings that He had received at the hands of the Jews and the Romans.  The smell of dried blood permeated the air around Him.  The dust of the air clung to His blood and sweat.  They stripped Him naked and forced Him to carry a cross through the streets of Jerusalem.  People smelled his stench.  People saw his pain.  People saw his nakedness.

He took my place.  He took your place.  He took our place.

This is described in Wes King’s song “The Robe”.  Read the words.  Praise the One who made this possible.

Anyone whose heart is cold and lonely. Anyone who can’t believe. Anyone whose hands are worn and empty. Come as you are. Anyone whose feet are tired of walking. And even lost their will to run. There is a place of rest for your aching soul. Come as you are. For the robe is of God. That will clothe your nakedness. And the robe is His grace. It’s all you need. Come as you are. Anyone who feels that they’re unworthy. Anyone who’s just afraid. Come and receive His mercy. Come, come as you are. For the robe is of God. That will clothe your nakedness. And the robe is His grace. It’s all you need. Come as you are.

Here in this account in Luke, Jesus sees a man who looked just like you and just like me before we were saved.  I wonder if Jesus knew that soon He would look like this demon-possessed man.  I don’t know.  All I know is that this man took one look at Jesus and immediately fell before the feet of the Lord.

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at His feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, don’t torture me!”  For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man.  Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.  (Luke 8:28-29)

I want you to see something critical.  The demons in the man broke the chains.  It would appear they gave him “freedom”.  But where did this freedom lead him?  To solitary places.  This is still happening in our world today; however, it has taken a more subtle role.  The demons are still gaining control and we give it the name of “freedom”.  Sexual freedom has led to the solitary places of unwanted pregnancy, diseases, abortion, confused sexual identity, broken hearts, and broken lives.  All in the name of freedom.  Alcohol freedom has led to the solitary places of addiction, fetal alcohol syndrome, drunk driving, broken homes, and broken families.  Speech freedom has led to the solitary places of media violence, pornography, grotesque art, broken innocence, and broken purity.

The world promises “freedom” but its freedom leads to solitary places, for that is all sin is capable of doing.  Sin separates, isolates us from God.  That is a lonely place.  The enemy wants to keep you there forever.  That was the plan in the Garden of Eden, to separate God’s precious creation from their Loving Creator.  But the evil plan was thwarted.  For God became man.  His Name is Jesus.  And He came to redeem His people.  Nothing can stand in His way.

Demons may be stronger than man, able to break man-made chains, but they’re strength is nothing compared to God’s power. Demons tremble in the presence of Jesus.  They fear the authority of the Lord.  A word from Jesus is more powerful than any action they could do.

He spoke a word of healing, of true freedom in the life of the demon-possessed man.  Jesus told the demons to leave him.  By the way, the man did not ask for help.  He was unable to do that.  Jesus met his deepest need without being asked.  How gracious is our God!  How often has He provided for you in situations when you forgot to ask, or did not know what to ask for, or were too overwhelmed to even utter “help”?  His love is amazing.  His help is perfect and powerful.

One word from Jesus and the demons had to obey.  His command had to be followed.  But the demons made one request.  They asked permission to go play with pigs.

And they begged Him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.  A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside.  The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and He gave them permission.  When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.  (Luke 8:31-33)

Poor pigs.  The whole herd just, well, died.  This is a weird scene.  It did not go unnoticed.  There were a few pig-herders around and they ran into town and reported the news.

When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.  When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.  (Luke 8:34-35)

 Why would they be afraid?  An amazing miracle had happened.  The lost was found.  The hopeless case was cured.  This was a time for celebration!  Let’s throw a party.  Let’s dance, sing, jump around, praise God.  (Or if that is too crazy for you, at least just give a great big smile.)  But they did none of these things (not even smile).  They were more uncomfortable with the man being normal then when he was demon-possessed.

We get comfortable with other people’s sins, don’t we?  “Oh, that is just the way they are.  They have always been like that.  They will never change.”  So, we quit reaching out to them.  We quit praying for them.  By doing that, we mock God.  Because what we are saying is that He is not strong enough to bring change to that person.

Who have you given up on?  Remember, God did not give up on you.  Who gave you the right to give up on others?  Keep praying for them.  Keep reaching out to them.  God may allow you the privilege to see Him work a miracle in that person’s life.

But there were some there that day that witnessed the miracle.  They told others what Jesus had done.

Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.  (Luke 8:36)

That is all God asks of us.  He wants us to tell others what we have seen Jesus do in our lives as well as others.  We are responsible to do that.  However, the way people choose to respond to our message is up to them.

 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.  So He got into the boat and left.  (Luke 9:37)

This scene is heart breaking.  They rejected Jesus.  They chose fear over peace.  They chose to be overcome instead of being over comers.  They were more comfortable with death than life.  They asked Him to leave.  And Jesus left.

Oh, but there was one who knew His power.  He was the one driven to the feet of Jesus by demons who had to kneel before the Lord Almighty.  He was the one who stayed by the precious feet of his Savior, clothed and in his right mind, as the town people came out to investigate his healing.  He was the one who knew all that God had done for him that day.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.”  So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.  (Luke 8:38-39)

The demon-possessed man, who lived in the tombs, the one who everyone thought was beyond hope and beyond help, became God’s chosen missionary!  He was the first missionary in the area.  Is it not true that God can use anyone who is willing, despite our past, our failures, our weakness, our reputation?  God asks all of us to share His message.  What is the message?  It is the same one a man from the Gerasenes proclaimed that day.  He told others what Jesus had done for him.  That was it.  This simple yet powerful message is still effective today.

Jesus is calling us to do the same.  He calls us to tell others what God has done for us.  That is what witnessing is.  You don’t need a seminary degree.  You don’t have to have formal training.  You don’t need to be a nun.  All you need is to tell people that God has saved you from your sins.  Each of us can do that.  A small child can do that.  We are without excuse.  We must be telling others the miracle of God’s love that took a wretched, naked sinner and clothed the person in His robe of righteousness.  He saved us from ourselves.  Each one of you has your own story.  Share it with others.  You may be the person God has chosen to reach out to one specific person.  Only one.  We compare ourselves to Billy Graham and say, “He reaches millions.  I could never do that.”  But those numbers are made up of individuals.  The one person.  You can reach them one by one.  Then you will be just like Jesus.

Who did Jesus reach in this passage?  Only one man who was demon-possessed.  Only one.  Some revival speakers of today would consider that number to be a failure.  But not Jesus.  He knew that the town would reject Him.  From the beginning of time, He realized this mission would be for one man.  He made a special trip across the lake to reach him.  That is how important each soul is to Jesus.  May it be the same for me and for you.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 5)

by Shannon Tillman | Jul 3, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Faithful Foreigner

We had a birthday tradition in my house when I was growing up:  everyone else completely catered to you.  Your wish was their command.  It began the moment you woke up until you went to sleep.  We still do this for one another.  It is fun to allow each other to live it up on their day!  The older I get the more I appreciate it for at least something good comes out of growing another year older.

I am only in charge one day every year.  Most of my authority involves commanding people to get me more cake and ice cream.  For the rest of the year, I am more like the servant, responding to the needs of others.  Yet, for some reason I am drawn to the following verses on authority.  I believe this model of leadership amazes me for it is rarely seen.  Our idea of power involves being cruel and harsh.  Often it is seen as pushing others down in order to advance your agenda.  It is about looking out for “number one”.  Leadership has been defined by control.  And often, needs and wants are demanded, never requested.  These abusive traits are found nowhere in these two men.  Instead, they define what leaders ought to be.

There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.  The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.  When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with Him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”  So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Him:  “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.  But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes; and that on, ‘Come,’ and he comes.  I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”  Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.  (Luke 7:1-10)

A centurion was a Roman soldier who commanded at least one hundred men.  His military regiment would have been within a legion of soldiers a unit of the Roman army, consisting of 6,000 men.  He discharged orders frequently and also received them.  Being a professional man of war, he would be unafraid to kill someone if he had to.  I love the fact that this rough and tough military man truly cared for those around him.

There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.  (Luke 7:2)

A servant in his household, not a family member, was on his deathbed.  The centurion obviously saw him as more than someone who worked in his home, he saw the servant as a treasure, someone to be highly valued.  This tenderness gets to me.  In a time when people could treat their servants terribly, this soldier cared for his.  This begins our look into this man’s heart.  And we begin to know more in the following verse.

The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.  (Luke 7:3)

The centurion was in the “know” about Jesus.  He had heard about His power to heal and had faith that He could.  His belief is shown in the fact that he sent some Jews to Jesus, to plead for His help.  The fact that within his circle of at least acquaintances were Jews, speaks volumes about this man.  For we know how Jews felt about Gentiles.  The children of Israel hated foreigners and referred to them as dogs.  To be Roman was to be one of the worst of all Gentiles, since they were oppressing the Hebrew people.  What about this man led Gentile-haters to be his friend?

When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with Him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.”  (Luke 7:4-5) 

Somehow in the middle of a foreign land, even while being hated for who he is, this Roman fell in love with Israel.  He was so enraptured with the land, the people, and their God; he built the people a synagogue in Capernaum.  This shows this centurion was a man of wealth and was willing to spend his money on a people that he was not born into, in a land that was not his original home, and on a religion of a people that claimed God as theirs alone.

It sounds to me that the Roman soldier was a missionary of sorts!  Just like apostle Paul used his tent making trade to support himself while proclaiming the gospel, this centurion used his Roman paycheck to fund the religion of the people his government was oppressing.  Crazy but true.

The elders of Capernaum, so moved by the generosity of this foreign man, willingly answered his request for help.  The centurion asked the men to go to Jesus for help.  You have to laugh how the Jews come to Jesus.  They began begging, telling Jesus how this soldier really loves Israel and built them a worship center.  They assumed Jesus, being a Jew, would have the typical response to Gentiles as most of the people that day, hate them and refuse to help.  That is funny.  They did not realize that Jesus had called all to be saved, Jews and Gentiles.  He was the One who would break down the barrier of Gentiles being separate from God.  That is why the apostle Paul wrote:

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth…that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.  For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…(Ephesians 2:11-14, 19)

The Jews had no idea that one day they would be one family with the Gentiles.  That was still in the distance.  Right now, they thought they would have to beg a fellow Jew to come and heal a Gentile’s servant.  But Jesus knew His purpose all along, and His heart was full of love for all people, not just one group.

So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Him:  “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.”  (Luke 7:6-7a)

Humility is the key word to leadership.  This man is a commanding soldier in the Roman army.  Yet, he feels unworthy to have a Jew, a part of the oppressed people, come into his house.  Do you know how many of his fellow soldiers would have mocked him?  They would have said, “Demand this guy to come and help you.  You rule over him.”  But this centurion was a humble man.  He did not feel worthy to come to Jesus himself, so he sent Jewish elders.  But as Jesus approached, he was made more aware of his unworthiness to have the Lord in his home, so he begs Him to not take a step closer.  Who is he to trouble the Lord and ask him to come to him?  As this man sat and thought after the Jewish elders left his house, he realized he was nothing.  And so he quickly sent out friends and asked them to stop Jesus from coming to his home.  But he still needed a miracle.

“But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  I tell this one, ‘Go’, and he goes; and that on, ‘Come,’ and he comes.  I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  (Luke 7:7b-8)

The centurion knew how to command at work and at home.  First, he discusses the soldiers who go and come on his demand.  Then he talks specifically about his servant who does whatever is asked of him.  A man of authority, yet a man dearly loved by friends and by Jews, and also a man who loves his servant.  Does this seem a dichotomy to you?  It is true leadership.  Modeled by another Man.  His disciples obeyed His request, because they knew He loved them.

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me.  He who loves Me will be loved by my Father and I too will love him and show myself to him.”  (John 14:23)

In order to be a leader like Christ, we must love those who are under our authority.  To show our love to Christ, we obey His commands.  For we know His Word is powerful.

“But say the word, and my servant will be healed…”  When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”  (Luke 7:7b,9)

And another thing, great leaders always brag on others.  They are not too proud to commend the amazing work someone else did.  They will not take credit but give it.  Look at Jesus boasting about the centurion.  He turns around and tells a group of Jews that this Gentile has shown more faith than anyone else in Israel.  A compliment to the Roman, a challenge to the Jews.  A leader is always pushing people further than whatever they thought possible.  He is saying, “Look at this guy’s faith.  You have more reason to have this kind of faith.  Live in faith.”  Some in that crowd took that dare and proved Christ is able to do more than we can ask or imagine and ran back to the house.  Just as they believed by faith, Jesus had done a miracle.

Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.  (Luke 7:10)

The friends of the centurion and the Jewish elders were able to come back and celebrate with the Roman soldier.  They were able to walk in faith because this Gentile had walked in faith.  They delivered the message and were able to see the Answer!  His Name is Jesus.

What kind of faith do you have today?  Is Jesus bragging on you in the courts of heaven about your great belief in Him?  Or is He challenging you to believe more?  Pray to Him right now.  Ask for an increase of faith. Listen to His commands.  Obey them.  Be a servant of the Commander of the heavenly army!

Merry Mourner

My sister and I went to St. Augustine, Florida one year for Thanksgiving.  Somehow on the trip, she talked me into going on a ghost tour.  It is a historical tour of the town that is led by actors pretending to be ghosts.  To know me is to realize I am skittish.  To go on a ghost tour did not sound fun, for I knew they would purposely do things to make us jump and I do not like that.  But like I said, she talked me into it.

As we went through the town learning interesting historical facts, I became emotionally overwhelmed when we stopped at a graveyard.  As the tour ghost spoke on about different things, I was drawn into deep thought about the lives represented there.  Who were these people?  Did they live a full life?  Who mourned them?  One day, I will be in a grave, will there be people left behind that I was able to influence or will I be quickly forgotten?  I was still in deep thought as we boarded the bus and quickly screamed when the ghost banged on my window.  Not funny.  My sister laughed.  And so did everyone else in the group.  Did I tell you that I did not want to go on a ghost tour?

You know what would have scared everyone on that tour?  If suddenly, everyone in the graveyard began to rise to life.  It would not need to be all the people.  What if just one person came out of his coffin?  Would that shock a few of those people who laughed at me?  I hope so.  A few people got to experience this, and it gave a mom back all she had in life.

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and His disciples and a large crowd went along with Him.  As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out-the only son of His mother, and she was a widow.  And a large crowd from the town was with her.  When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, “Don’t cry.” Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.  He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”  The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave Him back to his mother.  (Luke 7:11-15)

A huge crowd is following Jesus.  The disciples are mingling with the people.  Everyone is laughing, having a good time, enjoying being together.  As they approach the next town that Jesus will minister in, they see a funeral procession coming towards them.  All the people stop smiling, as they see the tears, hear the wailing of the mourners.  Someone ask, “Who has died?”  A Nain resident answers, “A very young man.  It was unexpected.  Tragic case, too.  He was the only son of a widow.  She is the one standing near him.  Heartbreaking, isn’t it?”

As He approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out-the only son of His mother, and she was a widow.  And a large crowd from the town was with her.  (Luke 7:12)

Heartbreaking, indeed.  To have a loved one die is always tragic.  This woman had experienced much disaster in her short years.  At some point she lost her husband.  And now death had claimed her one and only son.  She was alone.  Or at least she thought.  For at that moment she did not realize that eyes of Someone who loved her deeply were on her.

When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her…(Luke 7:13a)

His heart went out to her.  Have you lost a loved one?  His heart goes out to you.  Are you feeling alone?  His heart goes out to you.  Are tears your constant companions?  His heart goes out to you.  He loves you so much.

But you ask, “Why then did He not stop the pain?  Why am I going through this?”  May I tell you that God offered a perfect eternal life in the Garden of Eden and we chose our own way.  The consequence of sin is death.  Each person is appointed a time to die.  We cannot change this.  We have brought this upon ourselves.  No, it should not feel right.  Deep down, we know that we are somehow meant to live forever.  And we will.  But it just cannot be on earth.  Yes, it hurts.  I will not deny that.  But you are not unloved.  I cannot explain the sovereign plan of God of why and when things happen.  But I do know, that He can relate to your pain.  His heart goes out to you, for He has seen the pain of an only Father giving up His only Son to die.  Jesus has felt loss.  That is why He is able to meet us in our deepest time of need.  He can relate.

and He said, “Don’t cry.”  (Luke 7:13b)

Does this sound callous to you?  Don’t cry?  She just lost her son.  She is a widow without children.  She is alone.  No one to care for her, no one for her to care for.  What is Jesus thinking?  Is He saying that we should not cry when someone we know dies?  Should we just pretend everything is all right and sing, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”?  Was He just giving a pat answer because He could not think of anything to say?  Can I tell you what I think?  I believe He wanted to get her attention.  He did not want her to miss what He was going to do.  In her rightful state of wailing, she would not be able to witness the most amazing miracle of her life.  Some of you are hurting so deeply right now.  But there will come a point when God will want you to temporarily to focus beyond your pain and look at Him.  When He has your attention, He will do something amazing.

Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still.  He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”  (Luke 7:14) 

If there was silence from the crowd during this moment, it did not last long.  For one person was getting ready to talk up a storm.

The dead man sat up and began to talk…(Luke 7:15a)

I just have to think this was one outgoing guy.  He was probably chatting excitingly to everyone in Paradise and in the middle of the conversation heard a voice saying, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”  He was obviously in the middle of a good point and just continued talking from death to life.

He seems to be the only one capable of doing anything.  For it seems no one knew what to do with the young man.  Finally, the Lord intervened

…and Jesus gave Him back to his mother.  (Luke 7:15b)

Can you imagine the smiles, the joy, the laughter, and the reunion?  I bet Jesus just watched with pure glee.  I wonder if He thought about how life would be after the cross.  Finally, believers would be able to go to heaven and have a reunion with the Father, the Son, and with the friends and family who have gone on before.  He recognized that at some other time, the mother and son would be parted again through death, but reunited once again in eternal life.  Never to worry about the pain of separation for eternity!

Some of you long for the day of seeing loved ones again.  You had hoped the person would be restored on earth, healed from illness, or spared from an accident.  But it didn’t happen that way.  The funeral took place.  Jesus did not stop it and perform a miracle to cause such celebration.  Or at least, that is how it seems.  But life was given, it was of the eternal kind.  A party is going on right now in heaven.  A reunion of unparallel proportions is taking place, your loved one is meeting all kinds of family they never knew they had.  They are meeting the father of their faith, Abraham, and laughing with the matriarch of the family, Sarah.  And so many other relatives that I could never name!  A miracle took place.  Jesus put his hand on the coffin leading to eternal decay and said, “Rise up!  I’m giving you back eternally to your Heavenly Father!”

Will you smile in your pain as you think on heaven?  A friend of mine lost her grandmother and was asked to sing at the funeral.  As she looked around at the relatives there, she realized how many lives her grandmother had touched.  Earlier, when they sat around and talked about her, they kept smiling and laughing for she had brought them so much joy.  And they knew she would not trade heaven to come back and be with them.  They were actually happy for her.  She had finally gone home to the reunion of her dreams.  They cried tears of pain mixed with joy, knowing that one day she will be a part of their welcoming committee.

As my friend spoke, it made me long for heaven!  She made it sound so fun, that my cubicle at work seemed so dull.  I wanted to burst out and go running.  (Which is weird for me since I complain that the mailbox is too far away from my door.)  But until that day, I want to live like the young man who had seen Paradise and then was brought back to earth, an excitement that bubbles over into all my conversation.  And I want to live like the widowed mother who probably could never stop thinking or talking about what Jesus had done in her life.  I want to celebrate that I can look forward to being with my friends and family forever!

“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.  They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”   (Revelation 21:3b-4)

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 4)

by Shannon Tillman | Jun 26, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Leapin’ Levi

Did you see the musical Annie?  It is about a red-haired orphan who lived in an orphanage during the Depression.  She is a mischievous little girl with a heart of gold.  Surrounded by a dismal existence, she can still sing, The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow.  One day she is picked out of everyone in the orphanage to go to a millionaire’s home for the week.  Whenever something amazing happens, this little girl would say, “Leapin’ Lizards!”  I do not know if lizards leap.  I do not usually try to get too close to them.  I am still traumatized by the time when I was a child and I caught a lizard in my hand.  It jumped out yet I still felt something moving.  I looked down to see its tail moving, as if alive, in my palm.  I screamed.  I got sick.  I am not feeling very well at the moment.  Let’s talk about something else.  But I have to make one more point.  If there were any profession that could be considered as slimy, as low, as creepy as a lizard, then Levi’s job would be the first to qualify.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth.  “Follow Me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed Him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.  (Luke 5:27-29)

Leapin’ Lizards, Levi was a tax collector!  This was the most hated profession in all of Israel.  These men exhorted taxes on behalf of the oppressive Roman government and usually raised the price to line their own pockets.  Creepy.

One of the many things I love about Jesus is that the creepiness of us does not keep Him away.  He came right up to Levi.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth.  (Luke 5:27a)

It reads that “After this” Jesus went out.  After what?  It was after the healing of the paralytic that we studied during the last chapter.  Jesus had just done an amazing miracle.  People were filled with awe.  Everyone was giving God praise.  Men and women alike were rejoicing at the power of God.  This was a high point in the ministry of Jesus.  You would think He would want to keep the good times rolling.  You want to keep people happy so they can learn more about the Lord, right?  That makes sense.

But what does Jesus do?  He goes and does something offensive.  He calls the lowest of Jewish society to be His follower.  A person that “holy” people would never be caught associating with is commanded by the Holy One of Israel to follow Him.  A man who was mocked and despised by the religious is the one who God accepts and invites to join Him.

Does this give you hope?  It does for me.  I look at who I was when God called me and still have to laugh.  If you only knew what I was like, you would question the choice of the Lord.  I was lower than Levi.  More on a snake level than a lizard.  I still feel slimy sometimes.  But my gracious God reminds me that it was His choice to summon me, not mine.

I do not know your past.  It really doesn’t matter.  We have all fallen short of the glory of God.  You, me, and the people you think have it all together (they don’t).  We are just a bunch of sinners, tax collectors, lowly lizards who can barely crawl.  Suddenly, we see a face above us.  He is looking down on us with love.  Surely He made a mistake.  He is looking at us in the middle of our sin.  We cannot hide the tax collecting sign now.  He knows what we are.  We are so ashamed.  Look at us.  Look at where we are.  He is probably going to condemn us.  We deserve it.  We put ourselves down all the time.  We hear what others say about us.  We cannot deny their remarks; they are speaking truth, even if it is said with such hatred.  Our eyes meet His.  He is smiling.  He is getting ready to speak.  The words will change our lives.

“Follow Me,” Jesus said to him…  (Luke 5:27b)

I wonder how the crowd reacted.  Were they shocked?  Jesus just called the lowliest sinner to his service.  Jesus was unconcerned about their responses; there was only one man he was waiting on to answer His command.

…and Levi got up, left everything and followed Him.  (Luke 5:28)

Thus the title, Leapin’ Levi.  He just jumped right up and followed Jesus.  He left everything behind.  The money lying on his table no longer held any value for him.  The profession that he had risked everything to be a part of, even though it led to him being despised by society, was now worthless.  He knew he had to follow the One who had called him.

What I most like about Levi is how he did not share with Jesus that he did not deserve to follow him.  To tell him, “Look at what I am, You could never use someone like me.”  I guess I respect that so much because that is the exact opposite of what I did.  When the Lord called me to vocational ministry, I began to tell Him all the reasons why He should not use me.  I am more like Moses whining to God in the burning bush about his speech problems.  But Levi did not do this, even though he could have pointed to much sin, rejection of religion, mistreating his fellow Jews, and much more.  Instead, he just got up and believed the One who called could also equip Him to follow.

Is there something God is telling you to do but you are refusing because you feel unusable?  Will you quit pointing to yourself and your shortcomings?  God knew all about you before He commanded you to join His work.  Instead of looking at yourself, place your eyes on Jesus and

…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 1:6)

He will complete the good work in you.  Only He is able to do the supernatural in you.  There is no way you can do anything good.  You are evil.  Sorry to tell you this if you didn’t realize it.  The truth is, God is able to do something through causing you to say, “That wasn’t me.”  You are right.  It was Him all along.

And one of the first things Jesus wants us to do is to tell others about Him.  We do not need to have a seminary degree to tell others about Jesus.  Levi would not count as a spiritual leader.  He is one you may fear sharing his testimony in church because it may be too graphic.  He was so excited; he wanted to share with his friends the new decision he made.  In his background, the best way to celebrate was to throw a big party!

Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.  (Luke 5:27-29)

The Holy God has come to your house.  You want to honor Him with a big meal and have other guests join the two of you.  Who would you invite?  Or maybe a better question would be, who would not receive an invitation?  Would you be embarrassed to have certain people around?  They dress inappropriately, or their humor is coarse, or they are caught in a terrible sin.  Would they be cut from the list?

Levi invites everyone he knows.  Who does he hang out with?  The other lowly lizards of town.  They all come to his party.  They did not “clean up their act” to be there I am sure.  They would be drinking, talking freely, acting like they always did at a banquet.  Some of them probably did not care who this Jesus guy was.  They just wanted to enjoy the free food.

Was Jesus out of place?  Not at all.  All of us are lowly lizards.  He saw the sins of the religious as well as the tax collector.  He came to redeem them all.  He sits back and enjoys a meal with the dredge of society, loving every minute of it.

Jesus does not come into our lives and say “Give up this and that and do this and that and then I will associate with you.”   He pulls us close and says, “I love you.  Not only that, I like you.  And I already see you as my perfect child.  Slowly, my image of you will become reality.  But for now, let’s just celebrate our relationship.  We are family!”

Not everyone believes this God of Grace.  The image of Christ at a party, eating with sinners is beyond them.  They believe Jesus should be sitting in a church pew, dressed in white, with a halo over His head, while He looks up to heaven.  But that is not Jesus.  And for those who have boxed God in, they continue to get offended as the “sinners” are chosen over the “church goers”.  They have the same complaint as other “religious people”.

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”  (Luke 5:30)

 While the Pharisees were complaining about the choice of Jesus’ company, the “sinners” were able to hang out with God Himself, reclining at the banqueting table of a tax collector.  Do not miss out on the Lord because you have your ideas of whom He should choose to call to Himself.  I believe many churches missed a great work of God during the Jesus Movement of the 1960’s.  The Lord was pulling many hippies out of drugs, open sex, and other sins and into a vibrant, growing relationship with Him.  Yet, churches would not allow these “tax collectors” of their day into their doors because the men’s hair was too long, or they only wore sandals, or their dress style was too strange.  And yet I believe Jesus was hanging out at the communes, changing lives, showing grace, while the church was questioning the work of ministers in this place.

I know a man of God who began a ministry to hippies.  Sometimes, he was called to the prison because the hippies who knew the “preacher” had been busted for drugs and wanted someone to talk to.  He watched with heartbreak as some of the kids refused Jesus and ended up dying to their addiction of drugs.  Yet, he was able to rejoice with others who chose Christ.  Many were led to the Lord.  He even began a Bible study for them at their commune.  The pastor of the church he was serving at the time began preaching against this man and his ministry to the hippies.  In the vein of Pharisees, he spoke about how it was not right for a minister to be at a commune.  I guess he did not know that Jesus was there.

I want to be where Jesus is, don’t you?  Listen to His call.  Follow Him.  He may lead you to some strange places.  Others may tell you that you should not go.  They may put you down as well as the people you are trying to reach.  Ignore them.  For God called a man rejected by the religious order, and made him one of the founders of the Church.  He asked a social reject to help change society!  The world was never the same.   And neither was Levi.  And neither am I.  And neither are you.

Healed Hand

I like object lessons.  I believe they are more on my intellectual level.  At one church I worked at, I was asked to present a children’s sermon each week.  I did my best to make them relate to the minister’s sermons.  Sometimes it was easy to do.  Other times I had difficulty understanding where he was going in his message, much less present it on a level children could understand.  One day a woman in the church came up and said, “Thank you so much for doing those object lessons.  It helps me to know what the minister is trying to tell us!”

All of us have a hard time grasping some concepts.  I believe that is why the Dummie books have done so well.  We need for someone to present a difficult idea to us on a simple level.  Then, we can grasp thoughts and tasks beyond us.  Jesus could have written one of those books.  He may have titled it, The Purpose of Healing for Dummies.  In order to illustrate His point, He actually made a person the object lesson.         

On another Sabbath He went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.  The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.  But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.”  So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath:  to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”  He did so, and his hand was completely restored.  (Luke 6:6-10)

Picture this scene with me.  Jesus is teaching in the synagogue.  People are sitting all around listening to Him.  There is one man in the crowd whose hand was shriveled.  Apparently, he was in a position where everyone could see him.  For both the Pharisees and Jesus knew this man was there and what his need was.  And the religious men were up to their favorite pastime: watching Jesus with the hopes to trap Him.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath.  (Luke 6:7)

Whenever you are doing what is right, there are people around who are waiting to catch you in their opinion of what is wrong.  Jesus, in all His perfection, offended the religious people because He did what was right and holy not what was religious.  These men did not like that.  They wanted Jesus to uphold their religious traditions, instead of the Word of God.  This still happens today.  I recall a time at a former church a woman told a young adult, who was a recent believer, that she should not enter the sanctuary since she was wearing shorts.  That young girl has never stepped foot in the church again.  Who cares what people wear?  The Pharisees do.  I know a pastor who refused to dedicate a baby of an unwed mom who just recently turned back to God.  Who holds someone to their past?  The Pharisees do.  Unfortunately, the Pharisees are alive and kickin’ today.  They are so determined to keep God and others in a box they refuse to understand that Jesus came to set people free.  And it doesn’t matter what day of the week it happens!

But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.”  So he got up and stood there.  (Luke 6:8)

You cannot hide your thoughts from Jesus.  He knew they were trying to ensnare Him.  To heal or not to heal, that is the question.  Jesus decides to answer this one in front of everyone.  He figured the best way to teach dummies was to get on their level.  It was time for an object lesson.  He looked at the man and told him to stand up.  I would suppose that many people in the crowd were sitting down.  This man is obviously sticking out.  Everyone in the room would have noticed his hand.  The poor guy is just standing there.  This would be a junior high kid’s ultimate nightmare:  to be standing alone, with a roomful of eyes watching and waiting to see what would happen next.  But you have to hand it to the guy (sorry about that pun), he showed faith by standing.  He did not refuse the request of Jesus to stand.  And even though he was all alone, he got up and let what would happen to happen.

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath:  to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”  (Luke 6:9)

Is this a trick question?  I would think the answers would be to do good and save life.  I mean, come on now, they are in the synagogue.  I would think they would want to give the “religious” answer.  Children do this every week when they answer “Jesus” to every question in Sunday School.  They know somehow He must relate.  Why does Jesus ask such a simple question?  Because sometimes you have to put concepts on an easy level so all can grasp them.

This object lesson was for the most difficult students of all.  They were so focused on their rules about Sabbath-keeping that they were willing to allow someone to continue suffering with a handicap.  They looked so hard at keeping regulations that they missed the entire heart of God.  He is good.  He desires to save lives.  Jesus came to show us this.  He wants us to do the same.  When we are more concerned about keeping traditions than we are about reaching those in pain, we have joined the ranks of the Pharisees.  We hear sermons about them all the time but are we keeping their ways with our modern traditions?  When your opinion somehow becomes a mandate for others, you are living the life of a Pharisee.  Confess it.  Repent.  You can change.  The Father loves you and wants you to love others with His heart.  He is giving you an opportunity right now to change.  He gave the Pharisees in the synagogue the same invitation.

He looked around at them all… (Luke 6:10a)

How unnerving is that?  Imagine your teacher just staring at you, waiting for an answer.  Can you imagine the tension in the air?  Jesus asked a question with an obvious answer, but to reply would mean that He was right and they were wrong.  So they stayed silent.  All the while, the eyes of God are bearing down at them.  But they say nothing, hardening their hearts even more.  They even become angry that their evil intent had been exposed to the entire crowd.  For Jesus did not rebuke them in private, this is in front of everyone.  I wonder if the people had tennis match eyes, as they looked at Jesus and then the Pharisees, and then looked back at Jesus, and then the Pharisees, and then…

In between the match, one man stands alone.  His fate caught in the balance.  At this moment, he still has a shriveled hand.  Would Jesus ask Him to sit back down?  He did not know.  But suddenly, Jesus broke the silence.

and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”  He did so, and his hand was completely restored.  (Luke 6:10b)

In an act of faith, the man stretches his hand at the command of Jesus.  He is healed.  Everyone is a witness to the restoration, even the Pharisees who wanted to prevent it.  When Jesus is ready to do something, He does not care about the religious traditions of those who are watching.  He is good.  He has come to save lives.  He will complete His mission.  No one is going to stop Him.

But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.  (Luke 6:11)

Pharisees get mad when God does not stay in their box.  They do not like seeing Him work in unorthodox ways!  They do not care that lives are changed.  Pharisees only desire for the rules to be followed.  If you are serving Christ, realize at some time or another Pharisees will come against you.  But do not let their anger, their complaints, their traps keep you from doing good and saving lives.  Let God deal with them.  You just keep following the ways of Jesus, not of men.

Next time you are in a store, and you see one of those Dummie books, have your own object lesson.  Let it remind you to confess any Pharisee-like tendencies in your heart.  Then ask God to help you to be more like Jesus.  And He will!

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 3)

by Shannon Tillman | Jun 19, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Low-lying Leper

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.  When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.  “I am willing,” He said.  “Be clean!”  And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” (Luke 5:12-14)

My mind went completely blank as I began this chapter.  I believe it must be what professionals call “writer’s block”.  I am obviously not a professional for I had no idea what was going on.  I kept reading through the verses time and again, unable to write even a few words.  I was getting ready to just turn off the computer and go eat a snack when suddenly I was overwhelmed with one phrase.  “…if You are willing.”  Immediately, I was convicted.  I realized I was taking for granted I could write.  That is foolish.  Only if the Lord is willing can I put words on the page.  He alone can give me insight.  I need to be asking for His help, but I also need to be ready to receive whatever answer He may give.  In my desire to finish this book, would I be able to preface my prayer, my request for help with, “…if You are willing”?  Would I have been alright if the answered had been, “No”? Would I still call him Lord?  My petition was only about writing.  The man in these verses was facing a matter of life and death.  Yet, despite his hardship, this leper had an amazing understanding of the sovereignty of God.  He was prepared to live by whatever choice the Lord made, even if his request was denied.  He knew Jesus could heal him, but only if He was willing to answer his plea for help.

If anyone had a right to demand healing, surely this man did.  He must have been in the latter stages of his disease since the text shares that leprosy covered his entire body.  We can only assume what his physical appearance was like.  Because this skin disease kills the nerve endings in the epidermis, you have no ability to feel pain.  You could cut off your finger and not realize it.  Often many people who suffered with leprosy lost skin and body parts due to the unknown injuries they were inflicting on themselves.  This man may have had a grotesque appearance.  Not only was this man suffering, he would have known that Jesus had cured others.  That is why he knew he could ask for healing.  If Jesus had granted the requests from others, then why would He not answer his?  But this man of faith did not demand anything.  He simply put his petition before God.  He waited on the reply.  He realized that no one, no matter the difficulty of his or her situation, could demand a miracle.

Please do not think that he was saying, “Oh, well, whatever happens, happens.  Que sera sera.  Whatever will be, will be.”  (Which of, course, if he did say this means he somehow knew how to speak French.)  He was not passive in making his petition; he was passionate about his request.  He was not yawning when he made it, feeling half bored.  He was throwing Himself at the feet of Jesus in complete humiliation as he spoke his supplication.

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.  When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”  (Luke 5:12)

The request was to be made clean.  Does that seem strange to you?  The man has leprosy.  Why did he not ask to be healed from the disease?  Why was his focus on being clean?  Was he obsessed with being germ-free and smelling like roses?  No, his focus was the Levitical law.

The person with…an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, “Unclean!  Unclean!”  As long as he has the infection he remains unclean.  He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.  (Leviticus 13:45-46)

The leprous man was asking for healing, a healing that would not only restore his physical body but also restore him to the social world.  Beyond the social world, he longed to once again be a part of the religious order.  For to be outside the camp, is to be outside the Temple.  Little did he realize, the Temple was standing in front of him.

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.  “I am willing,” He said.  “Be clean!”  And immediately the leprosy left him.  (Luke 5:13a)

Look with me at the method of healing.  Jesus could have spoken healing over this man.  He could have just waved His hand.  But Jesus reached out and touched the leper.  Can you imagine the touch of any person when you have been isolated so long due to leprosy?  Remember from the passage we read in Leviticus, any time he came within yelling distance of people, he had to cry out “Unclean”.  People would do anything to get out of his path.  They were fearful of catching this cruel and devastating disease.  Not only did they not want to come near you, but they surely would not want to touch you.  Jesus reaches out, makes an effort, stretches forward and puts the hand of God on a man covered with leprosy.

Who today feels covered with sin, with shame that seems never to leave you?  Who feels like people do not care about your existence?  Has anyone been treated less than human?  I have felt all of the above.  Some of the pain I inflicted on myself but then others caused part.  There are those of you who can relate.  May I tell you the truth?  The nail-scarred hand of the Son of God is reaching out to you.  But you say, “He has not done anything.  My life is the same.”  Child, before He can speak healing into your life, you must allow Him to touch your heart.  We do not know how long the hand of God rested on the leper before He heard the words, “I am willing.  Be clean!”  But he waited on the words.  And while he waited, he knew he was not alone, for Someone had drawn near to him.  Instead of running away like everyone else, God came close.  The Lord wants to do the same in your life.

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man.  “I am willing,” He said.  “Be clean!” (Luke 5:13a)

For however long this man had suffered, he was forced to tell everyone he was “unclean”.  No one approached him for that would make the person “unclean”.  But not so with Jesus.  When He touched the man, the cleanness of the Lord made the man clean.  How powerful is our Savior!  This amazing spiritual truth takes place everyday.  Whenever a person confesses Jesus as Lord and believes that God raised Him from the dead they become saved.  The leprous sinner is no longer unclean by sin.  He has been cleaned in the blood of the Lamb.  And our Redeemer is always willing for this to happen.  He longs for everyone to be clean, to be saved, to be changed for eternity.  And mysteriously it happens in an instant.

And immediately the leprosy left him.  (Luke 5:13b)

Rejoice over the word, “immediately”!  In a moment of time this man went from a diseased body to a healthy physical state.  He went from being a social outcast to being a part of the community.  He went from exclusion from the Temple to being able to walk in there at will.  Every part of this man’s life was changed.  From that moment on, he was a new man.  His old ties to disease no longer held him.  He could walk freely in his new state.

This same principle takes place in our hearts.  We are no longer bound to the old way of life.  God has given us a new way of living.  We can choose to walk in His Spirit instead of walking in the ways of ourselves.  This is freedom.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In a moment, a new creation is made.  In this instance, the new creation was a leper healed from his infirmity.  But in order for his restoration to be complete, the man had to offer a sacrifice.

Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

Jesus knew that in order for a person who had been cured of a disease to be fully accepted back into social and religious class, he must go to the priest.

On the eighth day he must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil.  The priest who pronounces him clean shall present both the one to be cleansed and his offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.  (Leviticus 14:10-11)

Did you catch the first phrase, “On the eighth day”?  What a minute, Jesus told him to go right away.  How can that be?  Not only that, when you study the fourteenth chapter of the book of Leviticus, a couple of steps in the cleansing process were missed:

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.  (Leviticus 14:2-3a)

But this step was not skipped.  The High Priest, Jesus Christ Himself, came outside the camp.  He determined the man was clean and proclaimed it.  Step one complete.  What about the next step?

If the person has been healed of his infectious skin disease, the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed.  Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.  He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.  Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the infectious disease and pronounce him clean.  Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields.  (Leviticus 14:3b-7)

I am getting ready to be too deep for my own brain.  Try to follow.  I say to you, that this had all taken place in eternity past and would take place in time in three years.  “What?” you ask.  Two live birds, both clean.  Just as there were two men, Jesus and the now clean leper.  One bird killed, the other released.  Jesus, the Son of God, was killed on a cross (cedar wood).  His blood is the scarlet yarn that weaves together the Word of God.  And hyssop represents throughout scripture the application of the sacrificial blood for the cleansing of sin.  I am trying to express, please Lord help me, that the initial sacrifice was not bypassed by Jesus but that he was the fulfillment of this step.  Outside of time, this event had taken place.  For we know that He is

…the Lamb that was slain before the creation of the world.  (Revelation 13:8b)

Because of His sacrifice, which outside of time had already taken place, the other bird, and all of us birds, are free from the punishment of death because He Himself took it.

But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.  (Isaiah 53:5)

You must be wondering, like I did, “Then why did Jesus order this man to go to the priest?  Could He have not completed this step as well?”  His motive is shown in one phrase.  See if you catch it.

Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”  (Luke 5:14)

Did you see it?  Jesus told him to go in order to give testimony to the priest of the healing power of God.  He was sending the former unclean leper to be a missionary to the “clean of the clean”.  Don’t you just love it!  The outcast was being asked to witness to the religious elite of society.

May I ask you, as a former leper speaking to another, whom are you telling about Jesus?  He has sent you out.  Can you imagine this leper acting like nothing had happened, hiding his new skin, and pretending to still be an outcast?  That would be crazy.  No one could contain this man’s joy!  The same should be for you and for me.  Don’t worry about whom God sends you to.  Do not be concerned about their “status” in this world.  The priest and other religious leaders, who thought they were clean, did not realize that they were suffering from a worldwide disease epidemic called sin.  Only One could heal them, if He was willing.  But in order to be clean, you must go to Him, humble yourself, and believe He alone is able to make you new.

Moving Mat

Have you ever done anything crazy to get someone else’s attention?  I mean the no holds barred, don’t care what anyone else thinks, will go to all extremes for the sole purpose of getting that one special person to not only notice you but remember you?  Do you recall a moment in time when you let go of reason for the sole purpose of hoping to tug at the heartstrings of another?

I had a friend who desired to impress a girl that he was dating.  He wanted to let her know how much she meant to him.  He decided to create an unforgettable Valentine’s Day.  He picked her up early in the evening, drove to the side of one of the main roads in the city, and pulled over.  She was surprised when he got out of the car and came around to open her door.  They were on the side of the road.  What was he up to?  He then proceeded to encourage her to climb the ladder on the side of a huge billboard.  I still have no idea how he convinced her to do this.  When she reached the top, she saw that he had prepared a picnic for her.  Why was the billboard so important?  It was an advertisement for a hospital promoting cardiac care.  It had a huge 3-D heart in the middle of it.  Sitting 30 feet in the air, which was amazing considering his extreme fear of heights, eating dinner in front of a big heart, he expressed his feelings for her.

Some of you are very irritated at your spouse right now, wishing he or she was that creative.  Why do stories like that make us say, “Ah, how sweet!”?  All of us deep down want to be the recipient of extravagant love.  It does not even have to only be from a husband or wife or boyfriend or girlfriend.  How wonderful it would be to have a friend who was devoted in good or bad times, dedicated even when everyone else is gone, and showed you care and concern even when you may not have the physical or emotional energy to reciprocate the affection.

We can see that kind of friendship in the Bible.  A perfect example is one of a man who was not only blessed with one friend like but four of them.

One day as He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there.  And the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.  Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  Which is easier; to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….”  He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you get up, take your mat and go home.”  Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.  Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.  They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”  (Luke 5:17-26)

This account is so cool.  I know you are impressed by my deep theological word, “cool.”  This text is so rich; it just amazes me each time I read it.   I know that you have heard many sermons on this story, but please do not skim it over.  There is too much you could miss.

First of all, look at the crowd.  You have a very elite group gathered in this house.  The Pharisees and the teachers of law had come to hear Jesus.  These guys were the religious examples of their time.  If you had any questions about the Scripture, you would ask them.  To learn how to practically apply the Mosaic Law to your life, you could have them explain the thousands of statutes they created on how to keep the Law.  (The Mosaic Law is the commands God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai that is detailed out in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  It explained how the people could interact with God.)  If you desired to see examples of how to carry out the Law, they would willingly allow you to watch their lives and love all the compliments you gave them.  These guys, in their opinion, represented what the nation of Israel should be.  This is the group of men you wanted to be “in” with.  They were the cool crowd (I just wanted to use that theological word again).

As amazing as these men thought they were and as adored as they were by the people, Jesus was not impressed by them.  Their ideas of the Law did not matter to Jesus because He had come to explain a new way.  In fact, the scene is set up with Jesus teaching this group.  He knew the ones who taught were the same ones who needed to receive His teaching.  Jesus was never impressed with anyone’s perceived status nor was He ever revolted by anyone’s past.  He knew that everyone needed to hear the Truth, religious or not, leaders or not, powerful or not.  He knew that all people needed Him.

The same is true today.  God has called us to proclaim the gospel to every person.  The Hollywood star needs Jesus just as much as the crack addict downtown.  Everyone is just as lost, just as separated from God until they accept Christ.  Our job is to proclaim to them the good news.  We do not need to be intimidated by earthly powers of money, status, or political connections.  A greater Power is with us and His heart goes out to everyone.  No man intimidated Jesus.  This cost Him His life.  Surely, we can sacrifice our reputations.  When you are focused on Jesus, it does not matter what anyone else thinks about you.  Was that not evident in the life of Paul, the greatest missionary of all time?  He eventually was martyred for his faith in Christ.  Read these powerful words.

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

Not concerned about others.  Letting go of your reputation.  Willing to risk everything to get to Jesus.  Do you have that kind of faith, that kind of life?  Not many people do.  Sad to say, we are so concerned about the opinions of others that we miss the opportunity of reaching others for Christ.  Just look at this group.  The crowd was unwilling to move in order to allow the lame man and his friends to enter in.  Surely some saw them.  It was obvious the reason why they were there.  It was not a shocker to think that they had brought their friend to be healed by Jesus.  Yet, the group was left outside for the crowd was not willing to make a way for them.  May I say that we do the same things today?  We are so used to “church” our way, as if it is Burger King, we are unwilling to move to bring others in.  When we do, we miss out on seeing the move of God.

Thankfully, these men were determined to get to Jesus despite the religious people who were unwilling to get out of the way.  The four friends were not to be detoured.  They refused to give up easily.  And they were willing to go to the extreme, to sacrifice their reputation in order to help their lame friend.  All they knew is that they needed to get to Jesus, even if it meant showing up in a dramatic way.

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.  When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.  (Luke 5:18-19)

Picture this.  You are sitting in church.  The preacher is in the pulpit delivering a sermon.  Everyone is very attentive, which is a kind way of saying they were staying awake.  Some are even ambitious enough to take notes.  All of a sudden, you hear a strange scratching sound coming from the ceiling.  You look up and notice the roof seems to be moving.  Weird visions of rats falling on your head come to mind.  You look around and realize everyone else is staring at the ceiling, too.  The sound continues.  Dust starts flying in the air.  Then, chunks of the roof start falling down.  The flying missiles hit you in the head.  The place is too crowded to get up and leave.  Your only hope is to cover your head with your hands and arms, hoping to not get hurt.  Suddenly, the sound stops.  You peek out, afraid that roof particles could get stuck in your eyes (better than a plank).  You are covered with dust and fragments.  You look up as you brush the mess off your arms and legs, when you see them.  There are four men looking down at you.  You feel anger, irritation, and curiosity all at the same time.  (The same feelings you have around a toddler throwing a tantrum.)  The men disappear for a moment.  Then, you see a large rectangular object coming down from the ceiling.  The four men are struggling as they lower it down.  What are they doing?  Suddenly, you realize there is a person lying on a mat.  As he comes closer, you recognize that his legs are twisted.  The man cannot walk.  The mat is lowered in front of the pastor, the teacher, the Rabbi, Jesus.  Now, all eyes are on Him.

When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”  (Luke 5:20)

That’s it?  That’s all?  I am covered with dust and roof shingles and all you do is talk to the guy?  Did you not see the effort that those four guys went through?  They even put our lives in jeopardy and all you do is speak a few words to the paralyzed man?

Ah, but Jesus knew, as we also know, that the spiritual need is more important to meet than any physical or emotional need.  All the crowd could see was the physical brokenness of the lame man’s body.  But Jesus could see deeper.  He saw a soul that was twisted, abnormal, scarred with sin.  That is what he wanted to heal.  He knew that the man’s soul was eternal, while his lame body was only temporary.  And Jesus wanted the soul with Him forever.  Not only his soul, but He also wanted everyone’s soul who would listen to His offer of mercy:  the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and the four men on the roof.  Jesus wanted all of them to know that He would forgive their sins.

Sadly, the religious leaders quickly questioned this notion.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?  Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  (Luke 5:21)

 The music minister at my former church spoke on this passage one Sunday.  He answered the Pharisees’ question with this, “You are right.”  For it is true, God alone can forgive sins.  But what these religious leaders failed to realize was that God was in their midst.  And He was forgiving sins.  And He was offering them this eternal guarantee as well.  He also knew their hearts had rejected it.

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?  Which is easier; to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….”  He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you get up, take your mat and go home.”  Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.”  (Luke 5:22-25)

Which one is easier to say, “your sins are forgiven” or “get up and walk”?  Their answer probably would have been to say, “your sins are forgiven”.  For us, it would be easier to say something than to make a miracle happen.  Sure, it would be easy for me to go around telling people that their sins are forgiven than to try to heal them.  However, it was a different story for Jesus.    By being on the other side of the cross, we are painfully aware to the real answer to this question is.  For Jesus, it was easier to say, “Get up and walk”.  Think of what he had to suffer in order to say “your sins are forgiven.” He knew He would have to endure scorn, beatings, nails driven into His hands and feet, separation from His Father, and then death.  It was not easy.  Yet, Jesus was willing to suffer through the torture, so He could say to us, “Friend, get up and walk away from sin.  Your soul has been healed.  There is no trace of how you have been scarred, wounded, or lamed by your past.  I am freeing you to walk in grace, in joy, in peace.  I have the authority to give you this.  Why?  Because I endured the cross of death for you so that I may give you life.”

Jesus has the authority to do that.  He alone has the power to change your life.  That is what He was showing the crowd that day.  Look again at what He was doing.

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….”  He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you get up, take your mat and go home.  (Luke 5:24)

He wanted them to know He had the authority to forgive sins. The physical healing was only a testimony to what God had already done in the man’s heart.  Two miracles had taken place.  The man was healed spiritually as well as physically.  The latter would only last until the day he died.  The former will last throughout eternity.

Can I share something with those of you who were saved at a young age, obeyed God faithfully, and have served Him in quiet ways in the church?  Please do not ever feel like your testimony is not shocking enough to share.  I had a friend who never wanted to share her salvation story because it was not the “God saved me from crime, drugs, and tearing pages out of hymnals.”  What God did in her life as well as yours is extraordinary.  It may not have seemed as dramatic as the healing of a lame man.  In the pages of eternity, however, it was an indescribable display of the mighty power of God.  Speak your testimony, for you are a witness to the glory of God!

In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might BE FOR THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY.  (Ephesians 1:11-12, emphasis mine.)

To be the chosen for the praise of His glory is an awesome thought.  Jesus that day chose a man that society looked over.  He could not work, take care of himself, provide for others, or benefit the community. In the world’s eyes, he would be summed up as a failure.  But that was before He met Jesus.

He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you get up, take your mat and go home.”  Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.  (Luke 5:24b-25)

We, like that paralyzed man, can take up our mats, which represent our pains, our disappointments, our broken dream, and even our failures-and see God use them for His glory.  What a mighty testimony of the power of Jesus Christ.  It makes me wonder if he kept the mat until the day he died.  Did he show people when they came to visit him the place where he used to have to lay all the time?  Did he share his struggles of life from the mat?   Did he detail out what kept him from living life?  But then did a huge smile cross his face as he shared about the day Jesus released him from the mat?

God is still releasing people from their mats today.  Yesterday, on the radio, I heard about an ex-convict who became a Christian.  He has now opened a halfway house for released prisoners, to help them readjust to society.  While they live in this home, he has the opportunity to share the gospel, to explain what Jesus did in his life.  Now they, too, can experience the eternal healing power of forgiven sins.  He is pointing others to his empty mat.  I knew a former drug addict and dealer, who later worked at a Christian drug rehab to help others to release their addictions and turn their lives to Christ.  He, too, is pointing others to his empty mat.  We all have our empty mats, the dramatic story of how God came and radically changed our lives.  We can choose to hide them.  But how would God’s glory be displayed?  We need to tell others how God showed His strength in our weakness.

Imagine the opportunities that this former lame man had to glorify God that day.  Here he was walking down the street with a mat under his arm.  No doubt he and his four friends were jumping, running, praising God as he headed home.  People wondered what was causing all the excitement.  Neighbors came out of their homes to find out what was going on.  They look at this foolish crowd, laughing and dancing.  Then, they recognize him.  “Could it be?  Surely it’s not.  How could a lame man walk?  It must be the sunlight playing on my ways.  No, it is him.”  The former lame, now the dancing fool, practically sings as he tells the people what had happened, what Jesus had done.  Brothers and sisters, as we travel homeward toward heaven, take every opportunity to praise God and to tell others what Jesus has done in your life.  People will know there is something different about you.  They will recognize your joy!  Then, others can share in the blessing of salvation.

Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.  They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”  (Luke 5:26)

Glory to God!  When Jesus does a work in our lives He alone deserves to receive the praise.  The man did nothing, all he could offer was his faith.  But that was enough.  His friends, also, had faith and they had the ability to bring their friend to Jesus.  That was enough.  All five of them had done their part for they had placed their faith and their abilities not in themselves, but in the One greater than the problem.  It was Jesus alone who could do the miracle!  Are you weak from your circumstances?  Do you feel as if you cannot walk through any more trials?  Have sins crippled your ability to move forward in your life?  Maybe all you have is your faith?  Guess what:  A miracle can happen.  Do you know someone who needs Jesus?  Do you have faith plus the ability to bring your friend to meet Him?  Then, keep watching.  I guarantee those four friends never stopped looking through that hole in the roof as they all waited to see what God would do.  A miracle can happen.  Not only could your life be affected, but also countless others who witness the change that only God can bring.  Glory to God!

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 2)

by Shannon Tillman | Jun 12, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Simon’s Supermom-in-law

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them. (Luke 4:38-39)

It was hard to be sick in my family growing up.  My mom was an Intensive Care Nurse for thirty years so she saw diseases at their worst.  Sometimes, at dinner, she would begin sharing in gruesome detail about her patients.  The rest of my family listened with keen interest and compassion.  I, on the other hand, would often begin to pass out.  I cannot handle blood and gore.  When my mom would see me swaying in my seat, about to topple onto the floor, she would abruptly stop the conversation and profusely apologize while helping me to the couch to lie down.  Intensive Care Unit nurses are not fazed by illness, for they are surrounded by the horrors of it.  In order for me to be able to stay home from school, I had to be on the brink of death.  My friends could have a broken nail and they would get to stay home.  But not me.  I had to be too weak to walk, running a temperature, unable to speak, and look as if I had been run over by a car!  Basically, I was never one of those kids who faked being sick to stay home.  I was just thankful when I was sick and I was not sent to school.

Besides being a nurse, I believe another reason my mom never allowed us to stay home with just any sniffle was because of what a hard worker she was.  Mother would not let any illness hold her down.  She knew she had so much to do in the home; she would force herself to stay on the move for the sake of us kids.  When mom was in bed, I would be scared for that meant she was truly ill.

I believe that is how many moms are.  They hold the home together.  These women know that a few days out can mess up the schedule for the entire household.  Despite how they feel, they must keep going.

A remember a time when a gentleman in my church dropped off his child in Sunday School.  He looked frazzled.  When questioned, he told us that his wife had been out of town for a few days.  He said, “She left me her list of the things she does each day.  There is no way possible that she is able to do all that each day.  I can’t complete the list!”  So speaks a man.  He had no idea what all she did at the house, taking care of their children, plus working part time.  He was ready for her to come home!  The schedule was too much for him.

I wonder if another man, years ago, was making the same plea.  Instead of wishing her trip was over, he desired for her fever to be gone.

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon.  Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.  So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.  She got up at once and began to wait on them.  (Luke 4:38-39)

 Jesus had just left the synagogue.  After healing the demon-possessed man, the Lord went to Simon’s house.  Now I have to wonder if looking at the violent demon-filled man did not remind Simon that his mother-in-law was sick.  Sorry, cruel mother-in-law joke, but some of you reading this can relate.

Whatever the case, they did go to his house that day.  The mother-in-law was extremely ill.  We do not know from what she was suffering.  However, by the writer’s detail describing her fever as high, we can assume that her condition was serious.

A few years ago I caught a horrible case of the flu.  I was sick enough to break down and go to the doctor.  I hate going to the doctor. Since my mom was a nurse, we rarely had to go to the medical center.  She could diagnose us and knew how to treat our various ailments.  I still call my mom and try to get her to tell me what is wrong with me, anything to avoid the dreaded clinical office.  What does she say?  “Go to the doctor!”  On this occasion, I readily agreed.  I went to a local doc-in-the-box.  I waited over an hour before they brought me in.  I was so frustrated because there was only one other guy in the waiting room.  What were they doing back there?  Anyway, I was finally called back.  After examining me and taking some tests, I was told that I had the flu, strep throat, and mono.  The doctor basically told me not to leave my house for a while.  He also prescribed medications that were so strong their side effects made me feel even worse, if that were possible.  I have never been more miserable in my life.  I lay on my couch not knowing what time of day it was as I drifted in and out of consciousness.  Coworkers would call to check up on me, since I lived alone.  They were afraid that I would faint and hurt myself and no one would know.  They also called because they thought it was funny to listen to my voice.  I sounded like an old man who decided to gargle with tacks.  I was scared to hear myself!)  It took me months to fully recover.

I do not know how ill this woman was, but I have a feeling she may have been suffering as I did.  I know that, for one thing, she was unable to ask for help.  Others had to do that for her.

Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.  (Luke 4:38b)

I can only guess who the “they” was.  Could it have been Simon and his wife?  Maybe it was some of her friends who were staying with her to help her.  Possibly it was some of the other followers of Jesus.  We do not know who the “they” was.  But they were obviously people who looked at her condition and realized the only Person who could help was Jesus.

Do you know someone who is suffering?  It does not have to only be physical suffering.  There are people around us who are broken emotionally and feel as if they cannot get out of bed.  Some are hurting in relationships and do not know how to reach out for help.  Many are spiritually afflicted yet do not know Who can change their state of life.  Will you bring Jesus to that person?  Be willing to go spend time with him or her.  Be willing to meet the need.  Be willing to boldly ask Christ to intervene.  Be willing to watch for His answer.

Reaching out to others is always a risk.  Look at the danger these people put themselves in.  Here is a woman with a high fever; it is possible their immunity could not fight off her illness, and they also could become sick.  Yet, they still went to be with her.

For a short time in college, two friends and I led a Bible study for the homeless around the campus.  I befriended men and women who faced the daily hardships of trying to survive on the streets.  One time the three of us went to our usual meeting place.  A man from the Bible study was bleeding from a head wound.  He had been in a fight with another man who was trying to steal his stuff.  The potential thief had taken a metal chain and lock and had struck the first man in the head.  It was bleeding profusely and we knew we had to get him to the hospital.  I sent one friend to the nearest phone to call the police.  The other friend tried to talk to the homeless man about the need to stop the bleeding.  The homeless man would not allow him to come near.  He only wanted me to come and help.  I have already shared how easily blood and gore make me ill, so I did not want to help.  I was also scared of diseases that could be transferred by blood.  But I was more frightened to watch someone die.  I went over and was able to gather some old cloths he had and stopped the bleeding.  I also worked to keep him conscious until the ambulance could arrive.  After he left, the three of us rushed to the hospital.  In the waiting room, I looked down at my hands.  His blood was on my hands.  I ran to the bathroom and scrubbed them for fifteen minutes.

It is a risk to help others.  Sometimes it is frightening.  Other times it is just emotionally draining.  It is always easier to not help, to not get involved, to just ignore the problem.  But we hear the Spirit calling to our hearts, “Will you take Jesus to that person?”  When we hear Him ask, and we do obey, then we see something amazing.  For Jesus will get involved.

 So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.  (Luke 4:39a)

 I love how Jesus does not stand on the other side of the room to rebuke the fever; He gets up close.  It reminds me of a parent to a child.  When I was sick as a child (and my mom actually allowed me to stay home), my mom would bend over me and place her hand on my head to check my fever.  She would ask me how I was feeling and show her concern for me.  Jesus, the Heavenly Father, is leaning over His child, letting her know that He cares.  I wonder when was the last time that this mother got to feel like a child.  I bet, for a moment, she felt the love of a Father.

Before she had a chance to speak or maybe even to think, she hears Jesus rebuke her fever.  Suddenly, she feels better.  The fever is gone.  The color returns to her face.  The fog in her head clears.  The eyes become clear.  The energy returns.

 She got up at once and began to wait on them. (Luke 4:39b)

After Jesus heals her, all she wanted to do was wait on Him, and not only the Lord but also anyone else in the home.  She was so excited she wanted to help everyone.  She began telling everyone, “Sit down.  I’ll take care of that!  Don’t you worry about me.  I am doing great.  I feel wonderful.  I have been healed!”

What a beautiful picture of a life transformed by Jesus.  A person who has felt His touch just wants to serve Him and others.  It is a way of showing our gratitude.  We know we cannot repay Him for what He has done.  We understand that we did not even deserve His help.  But we are so appreciative of what He did in our lives that we just want to be at His beck and call.  Anything He asks for, we want to do.  We are willing to perform any task to help others just to please Jesus.

In a spiritual sense, each of our lives was ill with sin.  But Jesus rebuked the evil at work in our lives.  We are free from the fever.  And with that freedom, we will serve our Lord.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  (Galatians 6:10)

Sinful Simon

We have all heard, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  We quote it to our children.  We wish we abided by it all the time.  You must be wondering, “Then why is the chapter titled Sinful Simon?  I mean, that is not saying anything nice about this poor disciple who is continually picked on.  It is bad enough that in every movie portraying Peter, he is always the one with the blond curly hair that sticks up a foot above his head.”  But it was easier to title this Sinful Simon, than Sinful You, or Sinful Me (and it sounded better, too).  For this is a story of salvation.  If you look closely, you can see your story in it.  In order for us to experience salvation, there must be something from which we are rescued.  What were we?  Sinners, caught in the snare of evil, needing to be set free.  We were entangled and could not escape.  But then Someone came along who not only saves us from what we are, but chooses to see us as we can be in Him.  If I could break out in song right at this moment, I would sing to you “Amazing Grace.”  This story shows the beginning of the journey of transformation from Sinful Simon to Saint Simon.  Same with you.  Same with me.

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked Him to put out a little from shore.  Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.  But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!”  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.  (Luke 5:1-11)

A group of children from the third grade Sunday School class put an invitation in my mailbox for a party in honor of everyone working on the church staff.  When the children saw me, they wittingly said, “We invaded your personal space.”  Of course, they thought their joke was hilarious and repeated it to me half a dozen times because that is what kids do.  A joke about personal space invasion is fine, but in reality, it is far from all right.  I avoid speaking to one gentleman I know because he has a need to stand five inches away from the person to whom he is speaking.  My personal space is a lot larger than that!  I will step back to give room, but he moves on forward.  I wonder if that is how Jesus felt as the crowd pressed against Him.  But He just stepped back into a boat!

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked Him to put out a little from shore.  Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.  (Luke 5:1-3)

 Unlike me, Jesus did not stop speaking because He was being crowded.  Instead, He came up with a solution that could help everyone.  He looked around, saw some fishermen cleaning nets, and requested help.  Simon readily agreed.  I love this about Simon.  From the beginning, he was willing to give whatever he had to Jesus.  I want to be more like that.  So often I have a vice grip on things that when God asks me to let Him use them, I just squeeze tighter.  He kindly pries my fingers off.  Then, I go around bragging about how I gave all I had to Jesus.  Not true.  He had to keep after me to get anything.

My mom learned the difficult lesson of giving all things to God in a most unusual way.  About twenty years ago, she was sitting in a church service listening to a minister speak on how everything we own is a gift from God for He owns everything we have.  When we give to Him, we are only returning what He has given us.  My mom wrote down in the middle of her sermon notes, “Not my music box.”  My mother owned an antique music box that played a variety of songs through the use of levers and bells.  It is a beautiful, hand made work of art.  A few days later, she opened up her one-hundred-year-old box in order to listen to the music.  After only playing a few notes, it began making a weird sound and then ground to a halt.  It was broken.  The box had never messed up in a century and now it was rendered useless.  My mom began laughing.  She said, “Lord, it always was Yours.  Please forgive me.”  She did not get the box fixed for years, using it as a testimony to tell others how God owns everything.

I am always amazed at how the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills can still be such a Gentleman and ask.  Jesus did not use a Jedi mind trick (anyone a Star Wars fan?) on Simon and command him to let him use the boat.  He just asked.  And Simon was eager to please the Lord and said, “As you wish” (Did you see the movie Princess Bride?)

I have to laugh at this a little.  Having worked with children, I have learned that sometimes you take the most unruly child and make them your “special helper” for the day.  Sometimes, I stress sometimes, this helps calm him down enough to pay attention because he feels important and wants to act “grown up.”  I wonder if Simon was not paying enough attention while cleaning his nets that Jesus decided to make him the “special helper”.  All I know is now Simon was on the boat.  Jesus was only a few feet from him.  He had to listen to what the Teacher was saying!  And this lesson went from being delivered to the crowd to being extended to one man.

 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”  (Luke 5:4)

 And so begins the part of the church service called “The Invitation”.  This is at the end of the message when people respond to what God laid on their hearts.  Often people go forward to kneel down at the altar.  Jesus was asking Peter to move the boat forward to let down some nets.  Here the Lord is inviting Peter, to go deeper, to find out what He can do, to trust Him, to see a miracle.

Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.  (Luke 5:5a)

Think about this:  a carpenter is giving fishing advice to a professional fisherman.  Simon, one to always share his opinion, is letting Him know that they had worked very hard all night long and caught nada, nothing.  Fish count for today:  zero.  By the way, this is not a prime time to fish.  You go fishing at night or in the early morning hours before sunrise.  Hence, the reason I do not fish.  The only thing I want to see before sunrise is the back of my eyelids.  But the professional fisherman prefaced his sentence with one word that made all the difference, “Master.”  If Someone is your Master, you obey.  Remember, Jesus did not ask Peter, “Would you mind going fishing?  I mean, it could be fun.  Maybe something miraculous could happen.”  He commanded for him to go to deep water.  And Simon knew a servant heeds the command of the One in charge.

But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  (Luke 5:5b)

 I wonder what Simon was thinking.  “Because you say so, I will go.  I will look foolish.  Here I am a professional fisherman going fishing when no one is out on the water.  I may get laughed at.  If nothing happens, this will reflect on both of us.  But I am willing to listen and go.”

Has Jesus ever asked you to do anything radical?  It looked so foolish from a human perspective, yet you knew God was calling you to obey.  Will you call Him, “Master” and follow?  Is the Lord asking you to do something hard, even impossible?  Peter had a long row ahead of him, after a whole night of not sleeping.  There was no guarantee that this fishing trip would be successful.  We know the end of the story; we know the miracle took place.  But during his journey into the deep, Peter did not have a guarantee.  Instead of fish, he may have to eat chicken tonight (or should I say rooster.  Remember his famous denials.  Sorry.  I had to pick on Simon Peter again.)  But without any guarantees, he kept rowing.  I am sure he was ready to give up and go home, but he kept heading to the deep.  Wherever you are, press farther, the miracle will come.

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. (Luke 5:6)

Don’t you love the fact that God does things in abundance?  He blesses us beyond reason.  He gives us more than we can ask or imagine.  He lavishly gives grace and mercy.  He is not stingy.  He loves to love.  We do not deserve it.  We cannot earn it.  He just gives because He is good.  Praise His Name!

And often when God blesses us, others are bound to notice.  Not only will they see the glory of God in your life, but will reap the benefits of His amazing power as well.

So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.  (Luke 5:7)

Look at that picture of grace:  all Simon said was he would go to the deep, only after giving Jesus a mini-lecture of why they would not catch any fish.  But Jesus decided to not only give a good catch, but a catch of a lifetime.  This gave Simon fishing bragging rights for the rest of his life.  Next time Bubba gloated over the two foot bass he caught, Peter could outdo his story with the time he caught so many fish two boats almost sank.  So be quiet, Bubba!

Let us brag on Grace.  We deserve nothing, yet God gives us everything through Christ.  I deserve eternal punishment.  Yet Jesus was willing to save me from my sins.  That would have given me eternal reasons to praise Him, yet He chooses to continue to love me, to lavish me with mercy, to be good to me.  He wants to be in a relationship with me.  Grace is giving me what I do not deserve.  What better way of showing a fisherman grace, than to drown his boat with fish.

It is in the presence of Grace that we realize how much we need it.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!”  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.  (Luke 5:8)

 One of the movies about Jesus portrayed this scene in an amazing way.  Peter is sitting on the boat laughing, amazed at the catch.  His laughter abruptly changes when he looks at Jesus.  Suddenly, he is crying.  He begs Jesus to leave him, for he realizes he is a sinner.  I was so moved by this scene.  I realized that it was not judgment that convicted Simon but grace.  He looked at what Jesus had given him and knew he did not deserve it.  He recognized Jesus as good, as kind, as generous, as Lord and knew it was in stark contrast of what he saw in himself. Peter knew he had no right to be around Jesus.  He commands Jesus to leave for he knew holiness could not be around sinfulness.  At that point, Peter was right.  But what he could not realize was that in a few years, grace would be poured out on sinners in new way.  Those who confess their sins and proclaim Jesus as Lord would receive immediate forgiveness, justification, and redemption. Their sins would be paid for on the cross that Jesus would bear.  But for now, the Lord looks into the eyes of the man kneeling in fear at His feet and speaks grace.  

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”  (Luke 5:10b) 

Another command from the Master.  This one held a promise to Peter of what will happen if he would obey.  This decree was far more intensive than taking an afternoon boat ride.  This was another invitation to go deeper.  It was not about one day, but for the rest of his life. Jesus was asking for a new focus, a new purpose, a new reason for living.  Jesus would be all of these and more.  For the Lord was looking into Peter, who for now could only see himself as the sinner he was, and saw a leader of a new order, called the church.  Jesus was seeing all the men and women who would be “caught” for the kingdom.  And Jesus was ready for this man to join His work.

So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.  (Luke 5:11)

He left it all behind:  the boat, the nets, the huge catch of fish.  None of them mattered now.  Others could have everything.  All he cared about what following the Master of Grace.  Jesus had invaded Simon’s life that day by meeting him where he was.  The Lord stepped on his boat in order to call him off it.  God gave him a miraculous catch of fish, so he would realize that the fisherman’s idea of a dream come true was not the answer to the need in his heart.  God graced him so he could see himself for what he was:  a sinner.  With that confession, Jesus would call Peter to Himself in order to train him on how to catch more sinners out of death’s waters so they might have eternal life in the Lord.  But it came down to the decision.  Peter made it immediately.  Without a glance backward, the fisherman left the fish.  The sinner followed the Savior.  The Lord began training a preacher who would one day extend an invitation that would be answered by thousands of people.  That is a bigger catch than one that sank two boats!

Are you ready to answer the call?  It is time to drop the nets of this world.  Jesus has called you to something more than what you had dreamed for yourself.  However, a choice must be made.  Will you let go of everything:  security, relationships, plans?  Will you follow Jesus?  In three short years, Peter went from fisherman to an apostle.  God alone knows where He is leading you.  Follow Him today.  Like Peter, you will not regret it.  The adventures in grace will be more exciting than anything else you could have dreamed.  Drop the nets.  It is time to obey the Master’s call.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 1)

by Shannon Tillman | Jun 5, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Introducing Interruptions

I needed to work.   I was far behind on a project.  A friend of a friend called to ask if I could baby sit for a little while.  It ended up being for eight hours!  The child used the time to tell me over and over again about the same movie.  He drew pictures of the movie.  He would reenact key scenes.  He would use elaborate gestures.  He was sure to use direct quotes from the movie in as many conversations as possible.  But after four hours, I must admit, I was sick of hearing about the movie.

I finally decided to escape by going to the kitchen to make dinner, but the boy followed me with another drawing he had made about the movie.  Everything within me wanted to say “I hate that movie!  No more drawings, no more stories, no more acting it out!  Four hours is my limit!”

Before I regressed to sitting in a corner and sucking my thumb, God intervened.  “I am patient with you, child, when you pray about the same things over and over.  Will you be patient with him as well?”

Instantly, I was convicted.  I was seeing only the way my day was being inconvenienced instead of capturing the opportunity to minister to someone else.  I was looking only at myself and my needs, not what that little boy needed from me.  I confessed my selfishness and asked the Lord for help.  His answer was immediate and not lacking with humor!  As I pulled off the packaging for the frozen pizza, an advertisement for the movie came out it!  With a smile, and a “thank you God”, I gave it to the little boy.  You would have thought I had handed over my life savings.  “For me?  I will hang it up in my room.”  His eyes glowed as he looked as his treasure.  A small thing from me meant the world to him.  An inconvenience became a divine interruption where two lives were changed!

While I may only deal with pizza and movies, Jesus dealt with far more serious interruptions.  He was interrupted all the time.  People were always coming to Him to get their needs met one way or another.  Yet, He never yelled at them, rolled His eyes at them, sighed heavily, or regressed to sitting in the corner.  He was never inconvenienced.  Instead, He accepted each interruption as a divine appointment from God Himself.

We will look at a few of these “divine interruptions” as we study the book of Luke.  I picked the one-on-one encounters that Jesus had with various people.  Sometimes no one was around; other times a crowd surrounded the two.  But in each event, Jesus affected one life in a dramatic way.  The person was never the same.

Through my study, I have changed as well.  I know that is hard to believe after I just recounted the “continuous movie incident”!  However, the words of Scripture have both convicted and inspired me.  My hope is that the same will happen to you.  Hey, I figure if I had to be convicted, others should be, too.

As I share these lessons with you, I hope more than anything that your love for studying the Bible will begin or be renewed or will be pursued with even more diligence. It would be wonderful that a time in Bible study would no longer be considered an “inconvenience” but instead be viewed as a wonderful interruption in our day, a divine encounter with the One who is never inconvenienced by you.

Let us begin this journey with Luke.  He did all the research for us.  I’m glad for that, since research was never my strong suit.  I prefer to have someone else do all the work, and I get all the credit.  Just joking.

Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.  (Luke 1:3,4)

Let’s begin with the first interruption.  I am warning you, it is not very pretty.

Dropping Demon

Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area. (Luke 4:31-36)

I was asked to tutor a high school student in algebra.  It was a beautiful day outside so we went to a local park to study.  She and I were sitting at a picnic table, amongst beautiful trees.  We noticed two young men in suits setting up a sound system on the pavilion.  I wondered if a music concert was scheduled.  There were only four other people in the park, so I concluded the show must not be until later.  Suddenly, I heard a man screaming into the microphone.  He began shouting about the judgment of God and people going to hell.  The young girl and I looked at each other, startled.  We listened as these young men went back and forth yelling about Satan and the end of the world.  I assumed this tirade would not last long since there were only a handful of people who could hear their verbal abuse, but after ten minutes, I had decided that enough was enough.  I walked over to the stage and explained to the two men that if they wanted people to respond to the loving and graceful God, that the medium of screaming was probably not the route to go.  Yes, the Lord is the Judge on the throne, but the amazing truth is the One Who will judge is the One Who sent Jesus to earth to die a cruel death on the cross to atone for our sins.  Mercy is available to those who will receive.  We need to extend grace to others in proclaiming the gospel and leave our personal judgment out of the picture.  The guys just looked at me and then said, “Thank you.”  As soon as I walked back to the table, my hopes of having stifled their twisted gospel were quickly dispelled.  They began to yell things like, “Sometimes Satan comes against you in other people.  He wants to stop the message of the truth by using people to try to make us stop speaking.  We rebuke you, Satan, and the person you use to try to get us to be quiet.  We will continue speaking the truth.  We will not be silenced.  For the one who tries to stop us is being used by hell.”  I began laughing and realized that I had just been accused of being the agent of evil.  They were so mixed up; they did not realize what was right or wrong.  Needless to say, we did not accomplish much algebra that day.

Being screamed at in a park is not what you expect on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  But imagine if this incident had taken place in the middle of a church service.  The preacher is in the middle of an incredible sermon when suddenly you hear someone yelling.  As you visualize this, you are set up for the scenario that took place in the religious building in Jesus’ day, the synagogue.

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit.  He cried out at the top of His voice, “Ha!  What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” “Be quiet!”  Jesus said sternly.  “Come out of him!”  Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out with out injuring him.  (Luke 4:33-35)

 A demon-possessed man is in the synagogue.  Does that not make you sad?  A person obviously tortured spiritually and emotionally was in the religious center of that day.  He walked by countless devout Jews, many religious leaders, yet he was not changed.  He was still plagued by the warfare within him.  No one helped him.  Maybe they felt powerless.  What could they do?  Who were they to interfere?  Maybe they were frightened, fearful of getting hurt if they got involved.  Possibly they were hoping someone else would help.  They may have justified themselves with saying, “We will pray for him.”  Or could it be the lay people blamed the priests for not changing him, for that is “their” job?  Of course, everyone might have been just too busy to notice, to take the time to help, to risk being rejected.  The person, possessed by evil, was not even challenged by the people supposedly possessed by good.

This demon-filled man comes across a crowd listening to Jesus.  It was the Sabbath, so a good number of people would have been gathered in the synagogue.  The people were listening intently, in awe of His teaching style.

Then He went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people.  They were amazed at His teaching, because His message had authority.  (Luke 4:31-32)

 Authority:  people are drawn to it.  He was not speaking his opinion or hearsay.  He was telling people what the Word of God means for He knows; He wrote it.  They were eating it up.  They were drawn into His visual images.  Suddenly, a scream pierces the air.

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit.  He cried out at the top of His voice, “Ha!  What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”  (Luke 4:33-34)

Have you ever heard anyone yell at the top of his voice?  Children do this often.  I love it when a child realizes a room is too quiet for his liking so he decides to shout.  Then, I enjoy watching the parent’s face as the horror is mixed with a look that lets the child know they will be in trouble later.  But the child can rest in the fact that with all these other people around, he is safe for now.  If you have never experienced this, it means that you are not volunteering in the nursery department in your church.  And why not?

But there was nothing cute or amusing about this man’s scream.  His yell was accusatory, belittling, and sarcastic.  It was like a cruel joke meant to destroy the reputation of the innocent.  But he picked the wrong target for his game.

Middle school students are masters at sarcasm.  I believe it is a class taught in their curriculum.  I watch sweet elementary school children turn into sarcastic monsters.  Parents of middle school youth can attest to the torture of sarcasm.

Let us name the demon “Middle School Kid.”  So, imagine the tone of a thirteen-year-old child as he says, “Ha!  What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?”

The demon was stabbing where it hurts.  For we discover in the verses before that Jesus had just left Nazareth, His hometown.  You can read the full account in Luke 4:14-30 but let me summarize it here.

Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Nazareth, the place where He grew up.  He stood up and read a portion from the book of Isaiah that prophesied about the coming Messiah.  After He read it, he told the people “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  (Luke 4:21b) Well, the people began to question that.  They reminded each other that he was just the son of Joseph; and they felt He was being arrogant.  Jesus rebuked them and said that a prophet is not accepted in his hometown.  He used examples from the Old Testament of how the prophets Elijah and Elisha helped outsiders, the Gentiles, over the chosen people, the Jews.  Whoa!  That started the uproar.  The people were furious.  A riot developed.  They drove Jesus out of town and tried to throw Him over a cliff.  “But He walked right through the crowd and went on His way.” (Luke 4:30).  And what was His way?  He went to Capernaum, the town He was preaching in when the demon-filled man made his sarcastic comment.

The demon-possessed guy was trying to accuse “Jesus of Nazareth” of being a failure in his hometown.  But Christ knew He did what was right and not what was easy.  Yes, His friends and family had rejected Him and even tried to kill Him, but He had only spoken truth to them.  He had no regrets.

Does the enemy ever like to come back and remind you of your past?  You may have had to make a tough choice; it cost you a lot, but it was the right thing to do.  But does the enemy like to remind you of all you lost?  Or maybe make you think what might have been.  Or maybe you just miss life how it was.  There is also the other side.  Maybe unlike Jesus, you may have reasons to regret.  You did not do the right thing.  Now the enemy plagues you with the names of your past:  Adulterer, Backstabber, Criminal, Gossip, Liar.  The enemy may want to keep your past before you, but God never does.  Listen to a quote from a murderer:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 2:13b-14)

The apostle Paul wrote those words.  Before he became the greatest missionary for Christ, he worked hard to kill Christians.  Yet, by God’s grace, he changed.  Your past cannot haunt you unless you permit it to stay.  You can choose in the name of Jesus to speak two heavenly words.

“Be quiet!”  Jesus said sternly.

The enemy has no right to speak over your life.  Christ alone can tell you what you are in Him.  When He looks at you, He has pronounced you clean.  And when He is around you, He is not thinking about your past, but looking forward to your future with Him in the heavenly realms.  So, when the enemy comes against you reminding you of your past, in the Name of Jesus tell the devil to “Shut up!”  And then praise Jesus for the new name He will give you.

I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.  (Revelation 2:17b)

Praise Jesus!  He is so good to us.  A new name never used in sarcasm, anger, or gossip.  I cannot wait to find out what my new name is.  But until then, let’s not allow the enemy the ability to give us his name for us.  Our past is in the past.  Leave it there.

After rebuking the enemy, don’t try to argue with him.  He will try to lead you into a trap.  Don’t fall for it!

“Ha!  What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know who you are-the Holy One of God!”  (Luke 4:34)

A theological debate with a demon, does this seem a little odd to you?  Look at the viewpoint.  It is so twisted.  “What do you want with us…?  Have you come to destroy us?”  The demon was twisting Christ’s objective in coming to earth.  Was it to destroy Satan and his evil crew?

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.  (John 3:17)

Mission of Christ:  to save the world.  That is why God sent Him.  Is the focus of His mission the demons or the people?  People.  This egocentric demon thought he was the focus of the work of Christ.  Dumb demon.  Now, will evil be destroyed because of the work of God?  Of course, that is not the question.  The issue is the motive.

Imagine going to an action film.  The enemy has captured hostages.  There is only one man who is able to secure their release.  Would you love this hero if his only objective was to kill the bad guy and yet could care less about the hostages?  No.  You want the guy to love the hostages so much that he willingly risks his life for them to be free.  In the process, bad guys die in weird and cruel ways that only Hollywood could create, but the final scene is not a picture of death.  The movie ends with life, with freedom, with hostages hugging the necks of their families because they are home.

The Son came to save the world.  He knew His mission.  He knew the cost.  He knew the Hero would die in order to liberate the hostages bound by the evil one.  But they would be free.  He was not going to bypass the torture of Himself for then the hostages would never be released.  He loved us too much to allow that to happen.

Love was what this demon was trying to undermine.  He was trying to convince the crowd, “This is the Holy One of God.  He could stop our evil work.  But He is not willing.  He does not really care.”

“Be quiet!”  Jesus said sternly.  “Come out of him!”  Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out with out injuring him.  (Luke 4:33-35)

But once again, love prevailed.  While others saw a disturbance, Jesus saw a man trapped by evil.  While others were powerless to help, Jesus released the man with two sentences.  When no one else interfered, Jesus dramatically intervened.  When others were afraid, Jesus had no fear.

That day a man was saved.  He was no longer gripped by evil, an evil that even tried to hurt him on the way out by throwing him to the ground.  But Jesus did not allow him to be injured. No more harm would be done to this man who had been tortured by the demons for so long.

And the crowd?  Well, they were in awe earlier by the authority of His words.  Now they were confronted with Someone who was beyond just a good teacher.

All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching?  With authority and power He gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”  And the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding area.  (Luke 4:36-37)

Authority.  Power.  That is the God we serve.  He is not weak.  He is not unable to save.  He is not unwilling to intervene in your life right now.  Tell him what plagues you.  Are you regretting your past?  Are you filled with doubts?  Do you question His love for you?  Are you afraid to help others?  Whatever it is, tell Him.  He knows.  He is ready to speak Truth over your life.  He is willing to silence the enemy.  He wants you to be free.