Week 1, Day 5
Today’s Reading: Luke 9-10
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
In this reading, one thing that stuck out to me was how many miracles Jesus did. Going back into Luke 4, we see Jesus telling the people that he was not going to do miracles among some of them. Consider:
He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ” Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
–Luke 4:23-27
This seems to indicate that Jesus was going to be selective (for various reasons) with the miracles that He would work. However, in our current reading, we see Jesus working a very wide variety of miracles:
- The Centurion’s servant is healed without Jesus even going to him.
- A dead man, in a funeral procession was raised.
- Jesus stilled the sea by speaking to it.
- A man cursed with demons was healed–the demons were cast into a flock of swine
- The woman with a hemorrhage for twelve years was healed by touching Jesus.
- Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead.
There is much that I think is shown through these various miracles. We learn a lot about not only the purpose of miracles, but a lot about Jesus Himself from these miracles. We know that the Hebrew writer tells us that the purpose of miracles was to confirm the word that was being spoken:
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
–Hebrews 2:1-4
But, we see even more than that in these miracles. Not only is Jesus proving who He is, and confirming the message He was delivering, but He reveals His own character as well. He was not going to work miracles just to be some kind of a “sideshow” for the pleasure of the Pharisees, but when He was struck with compassion, He used His miraculous powers to help. Several times throughout the reading, we are told that Jesus had compassion for someone, and at other times, though it is not stated, Jesus’ actions show His compassion.
Think of how different this is from the “faith healers” that we see today. We don’t see people using their (fictitious) power for expressing compassion, but rather for profit. Jesus could have certainly used His true power for profit, but He wasn’t going to do that. he used His power to help people who needed help, and He used His power to prove who He was.
Finally, today I would like you to consider some of the lessons that can be learned from some of the miracles that Jesus worked in Luke 7-8.
- The healing of the centurion’s servant. In this miracle, Jesus was able to heal a person who was not even within sight. This demonstrated Jesus’ control over space. Jesus didn’t have to see someone to be able to work a miracle on him. This is certainly a display of power, not only in healing the servant, but exhibiting power over the natural world.
- Raising the dead. At least twice in this reading Jesus raised the dead. With all of the fake miracles that take place now (and took place then), this type of miracle stood out. There was no faking this. Jesus raised a man that was in a casket in a funeral procession. No one doubted what they had seen! This displays Jesus’ power over life and death–something no one else could claim at this point!
- Stilling the sea. Jesus was able to stop the tumultuous seas, which displayed His power over the natural realm. He was able to speak to the seas, and they obeyed His voice. We will see other instances of this as we continue with our studies. It is important to understand how Jesus had power over all of the natural realm. That is the very nature of the miraculous–it is not natural. However, when we see Jesus calming the sea, we see Him showing power over what we call “nature” itself.
- Healing the woman with the hemorrhage. This is a most amazing miracle, because Jesus was able to heal this woman simply by having her touch Him. I don’t believe that everyone who touched Jesus was healed. However, this woman was healed, and Jesus knew that she was healed. I believe that Jesus knew who it was that was touching her, and why she was touching Him. He asked who it was to draw her out, to show that she had been healed, and to praise the faith that she had. This miracle shows Jesus’ control over all His surroundings. With all the people pushing against Him, and touching Him, He was still able to heal this one woman who touched the hem of His garments.
All miracles are amazing. It is so interesting (at least to me) to consider the purpose for each of these miracles, and to see just how much power Jesus was exhibiting. I’m sure that there is more that you can add to this discussion, or you can jump in with other things that you saw in this reading…there is a lot of good stuff in these chapters!
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4 Comments »
Laura said :
January 16, 2009 at 8:01 pm
One passage that has always stood out to me is the parable of the sower, especially the thorny soil. When you have a garden or flowerbed, pulling weeds is a never-ending battle. If you stay on top of it, it’s a simple matter of pulling up little sprouts. But if you let yourself get too busy or distracted, then before you know it you’ve got a whole forest of weeds!
The “cares, riches, and pleasures of life” are the same way. If I watch, I can keep those thorns in their place. But if I let my guard down, the world creeps in, and I have to hack away at my schedule and priorities to get back to where I should be. It’s always going to be a battle – but one well worth fighting.
One thing I’ve noticed about thorns is that they’re sometimes covered with roses. But that doesn’t mean they’re not weeds!
Cynthia said :
January 17, 2009 at 10:58 am
It struck me when Jesus asked the disciples in the boat, “Where is your faith?” I think I would have been afraid, too, but Jesus expected them to trust Him.
Stephanie said :
January 17, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Jesus did none of his healing under false pretense, like the “faith healers” try today. A lot of it is even fake, which is a very sad! Jesus did nothing to exalt himself. I had a hairdresser that would command God, like when she would talk about praying she would say in the name of Jesus she commanded that it would be such and such…etc. Yes, God has all power, but we do not command him to do anything! Faith is essential, but we have to have faith that God works things for our best. Very good point Laura.
Stephanie said :
January 18, 2009 at 8:26 am
^^ did not word that correctly. All of it is fake, not a lot but all. Don’t boot me off please!! j/t.