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"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Tag: seeing

“Even the Tree Had A Purpose” Luke 19:4-6

March 19, 2017 /

“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly” (Luke 19:4-6).

Only in Luke’s Gospel accounts do we find the Parables of the “lost things.” The coin, the sheep, and, the son. Luke’s lost theme points us towards the reason Jesus has come to Jericho on this particular day.

It was not accidental…

There is nothing random about God. He both can and will use anything, any circumstance, to reach us.

Luke directs our focus. He Causes us to realize why it was Jesus had stepped down across time and eternity to donned a suit of flesh. He has come to find that which is lost. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

And He knows exactly where to go to find it…

Even the tree in Luke’s account had a purpose. Why? It was a place of gain. A predetermined location, a portal of sorts, where the Divine would meet a man and from that meeting the will of God would be born—again. A sign in our narrative of what was about to take place. Now it was Zacchaeus who would climb the tree to see Jesus. Soon however, it would be Jesus being lifted-up on a tree for all men to see. No longer would man’s view of His Savior be obstructed. Jesus would make certain of that…

It’s why He came, first into the world, but today, specifically, into Jericho.

Zacchaeus, a wealthy man by all accounts—and a chief tax collector, was about to gain the greatest gift he would ever own. One worth giving up—surrendering, turning over to, everything that he had known, accumulated—and clung to. Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus, perhaps he had even seen Him—as a passerby, or one standing in the many crowds that had followed Jesus. Certainly, he had heard tell of Him and of His power to do miracles—to restore to life that which was dead. To make those that were blind see. To bring healing and restoration to dead, useless limbs.

But, as a Jew, there was something else that caught Zacchaeus attention. He had heard the whispers…

Could this be the Messiah? The One he and his people had been waiting for? The One foretold by the Prophets of old? Spoken of by the elders? Or was He just another rabble-rouser? After all, there had been so many that had come claiming to be the one who would deliver his people.

Yet there was something about this one—something that caused Zacchaeus to get excited—more, hopeful, that perhaps, just maybe, He truly was the Messiah. The Son of the Living God. And he was not the only one to share this curiosity. The streets were filling up quickly, like when the people prepared for a festival. There was a great sense of expectancy and excitement in the air…

Why did I have to be born so short? I’ll never be able to see Him now, and I just must, I must! That tree, that’s it!! It’s perfect—it’s solid enough to support me, yet short enough for me to climb up; and yet tall enough for me to get just high enough so as not to miss Him as He passes by!

Perfect tree…

Jesus knew exactly where Zacchaeus was. He had seen across time and eternity that on this very day, at this very hour, Zacchaeus would climb this very tree—and more, God knew why he’d do it. Zacchaeus wanted more. And he was willing to do whatever it took to make sure he got it. Little did Zacchaeus know as he was climbing that tree that Jesus had seen him doing so before the very foundations of the world had been laid. And today—at this hour, was the exact moment Jesus had chosen to show Himself to Zacchaeus—for all Eternity…

Zacchaeus couldn’t have known that this simple tree he was climbing to better see this Jesus had been planted just for him, just for this reason—it was its purpose, to lift Him higher. To elevate Him above those that had come out of a “carnival curiosity.”

Zacchaeus had no idea, as he was climbing to catch a glimpse of this maybe Messiah, that he was actually on a bridge that God had constructed to bring the natural man and the Divine together.

One in a tree, another on the road below. Yet both on their respective paths to destiny. To the fulfillment of their Divine purposes…

And the rest of Luke’s account attest to the fact that this one tree had not been created in vain. Rather, in being the conduit that facilitated this supernatural encounter, it had fulfilled its purpose in being created…

And in Zacchaeus, we see the Spirit of Jesus’s Words found in Luke 18:14: coming to life; “I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

So here’s the question that God has put before me; and so I’ll ask it of you too. “What does your tree look like? What has He put before you that you would choose to climb up in to go higher—solely that you may see Jesus more clearly?”

Or is your tree something that God is asking you to walk away from—leave behind, let go of perhaps?

Will you, like Zacchaeus, drop everything so that you too may better see God?

“So he ran on ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Him, since Jesus was about to pass that way. When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today” So Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully.… (Luke 19:4-6; emphasis my own).

 

 

 

 

“There’s Nothing Wrong With My Sight!” Jn. 9:16

November 19, 2016 /

alone-971122_960_720  “Some of the Pharisees said, “The man who did this is not from God because he doesn’t follow the traditions for the day of worship.” Other Pharisees asked, “How can a man who is a sinner perform miracles like these?” So the Pharisees were divided in their opinions” (Jn. 9:16).

If only the Pharisees and the religious leaders of the day could have seen what it was this man—blind from birth, saw. Perhaps the whole of Chapter Nine would not have ended up reading like a tragic comedy. Tragic—because it glaringly illumines the out-and-out blindness of the Pharisees and religious leaders present in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day. And comedic in its irony. It was the man born blind that can see the Truth of who Jesus is.

And, it is the man blind from birth who confirms their teachings concerning Messiah in his reply to their scathing, dissection of his miraculous healing at the hand of Jesus… Listen to him:“We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.  Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind.  If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it”  (Jn. 9:31-33).

There is a familiar saying that goes as follows: “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” It’s believed to be taken from God’s conversation with the Prophet Jeremiah. (Jer. 5:21).  And it seems to rightly fit the mindset of the religious leadership of Jesus’ day.

It’s what Paul was teaching Timothy, his young son in the faith, to be on the lookout for—have nothing to do with them! Although Paul is talking to Timothy about the Godlessness that will permeate the last days, his list of reproachful descriptors certainly applies to those hard-hearted religious leaders who refused to acknowledge our blind friends miracle…Proud, boastful, lovers of self and of money—treacherous, and, rash—to name only a few. But,Perhaps, the most telling—the most revealing truth of their spiritual condition, is found in verse five. “They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that” (2 Tim. 3:5)!

Once, when He was teaching his disciples, along with those gathered at the temple courts, Jesus aptly instructed them that they must obey the Pharisees and teachers of the law—“because of the office they held. They sat in Moses’ seat” (Matt. 23:2-3). Paul basically mirrored to Timothy the litany of rebukes Jesus used to point out the character— or the lack thereof, of the religious leaders of His day (Matt.23:1-34).

Yet, neither Jesus nor Paul were gentle in their choice of words. Jesus called them snakes, a brood of vipers! He referred to the religious leaders of the people as blind guides! And, throughout John’s Gospel we see evidence of just how blind these so-called, “seeing” spiritual leaders were. Their obvious inability to see who Jesus truly is wasn’t  limited to their sinful mishandling of our blind friend and his miracle…

No doubt the religious leaders of the day were present in the temple courts on the day of Passover preparation. Surely they witnessed Jesus making a whip out of cords. Chasing those who were changing money and selling all manner of things out of what He claimed to be His Father’s house! They’d conceivably gotten word of His changing six, thirty-gallon, stone jars of plain water into the best wine served at the wedding feast He attended at Cana in Galilee…

Or, further back still, they were certainly walking among those gathered around the edge of the Jordan river in Bethany where John was baptizing. Perhaps even at the very moment that he proclaimed Jesus to be, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:26;29)! It’s safe to say that from the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the religious leaders of the day knew of Him. That fact is evidenced throughout the four Gospels…

They knew of the transformative encounter He had with a woman—a Samaritan woman—at Jacob’s well. And, the effect that one encounter had on an entire town…

Yet, they could not relate to such an experience…

They knew of the royal officials’ son who, having been near death, was miraculously healed…

Yet, they knew nothing of True healing…

But that aside, it’s the healing done for an invalid of thirty-eight years that ushered in the proverbial last straw. It broke the backs of the Jewish religious leaders’ willingness to endure this one they labeled an interloper any longer…

Their protest? The source of their outrage? Jesus was healing people on the Sabbath…

Surely, if He was their long-awaited Messiah, He would have known better, the law is quite clear! And, doing anything outside of what the law states was after-all, is strictly forbidden! Besides, they were the ones in positions of great authority. And He, well, who was He?

Even when doing a thing was meant for good, still, it was forbidden… “One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?”  When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away.  Then he turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son[b] or your cow falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” Again they could not answer” (Lk.14:1-6).

So, it wasn’t that they didn’t see—couldn’t see, who this Jesus is, unlike our friend blind from birth. Rather, they hard-heartedly determined they wouldn’t see! They chose to adhere to what they knew. Laws. Rules. Rituals. Ceremony…Leaving no room for growth, relationship—or vision.

I ask you today—rather, our text challenges you, to check your vision. To choose what it is you’ll allow yourself to see…

Will your sight be born from a heart willing to step out with whatever faith you’re able to muster and say, “Who is this Son of Man? Tell me so that I may believe in Him” (Vs. 36). Or, will it narrowly focus on the familiar? On the way you’ve always done it? “We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but for this fellow, we don’t even know where He comes from” (Vs.29)! Will it be the way of the Pharisee who allowed for the lure of worldly power, the seeking of public recognition to overtake them. Blinded, by the lusts of their flesh, and, thus, their hearts waxed hard and cold.

Ridged, they could no longer bend to serve those placed in their care…

Or, hopefully—prayerfully, you will choose the path of the man born blind? The one given a sight beyond that of those who’d been sighted since birth. One who cared little for man’s judgement. Who chose to believe for the impossible that he might see beyond the inside of his own darkened world view. One familiar with pain, rejection, humiliation, with living beneath God’s intended best for him…

Why? Because blindness had eaten up most of his life. Fault, or not. Yet his heart remained pure, willing—open. Unlike the Pharisees and rulers of the law, his heart had stayed malleable. Thus, God could use this man who held no station—had no religious standing, to upset rulers and challenge their dogmatic laws.

How? By the Truth of his testimony…

Reality can’t be argued away. The Word of God says it this way; “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great” (Pro. 18:16). God used the suppleness of our blind friends heart to bring him boldly—confidently, before the religious leaders of his day. Blessing him not only with what the Pharisees had possessed all along, their physical sight; but greater, Jesus opened the eyes of our blind friends understanding to the Truth of who He is!

A Truth that those who choose to sit in darkness, however sighted, will never see…

Our choices are simple and these…

To be—mimic, go after, live as, the Pharisees. Or, to be—choose, openness—malleability. To live as self-effacing as our once blind friend, that we too may gain our sight.

“Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (Jn.9:35-41).

 

 

 

 

 

“Eyewitnesses” 2Pt.1:19

July 2, 2016 /

eye-428390_960_720 “We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard—God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts” (2 Pt.1:19).

Is Peter double talking?

Or, is he confirming Scripture?

Confirming Scripture I believe. And Scripture bears me out. Listen to what Jesus says: “The eyes that see the things you see are blessed! For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them” (Luke 10:23-24).

It is on The Word of God alone that we must rely.

Peter is nearing the end of his life, he has finished his race and is awaiting his Crown of life to return home to his Friend. It’s from this mindset that he’s speaking—observation and experience. You see he was privy to be eye-witness to what only burned in the hearts of the prophets to know…to witness for themselves. But it was not for them…

They longed for what Peter and the disciples had experienced. The magnificent privilege of living in the physical presence of Messiah. The Holy One of Israel. To taste of His Divinity, bask in His Holiness. To listen to, be taught and instructed by Him daily. To fellowship and tabernacle with Him at will—and live! Think God speaking to Moses here—listen: “But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live” (Ex.33:20).

Yet here is Peter telling us that not only was he eye-witness to the Messiah, more astonishingly, He was His friend…

In fact it is Peter alone, in the Gospel of Mark, who answered unswervingly the question Jesus posed to His disciples. “Who do people say that I am? And what about you?” Peter answered—via divine revelation: “You are Christ, the Messiah, God’s own Son” (Mk.8:29, Lk.9:20).

For three years Peter walked with, ministered alongside of, ate with, slept near and had been privy to the teachings of Jesus. Couple this with being one of three welcomed into Jesus’ inner circle and certainly, by all accounts, we have evidence of Peter being a fit eyewitness—a worthy and reliable source.

Need more?

Let’s go to Mark 9. Here we see Jesus, Peter, James, and John. The three are witnesses to Jesus’ Transfiguration. This only eight or so days following Peter’s revelation and profession of Jesus being the Son of God. In the blink of an eye Peter went from being the one who had followed Jesus in faith, had believed Him to be the Messiah, to an eyewitness.

There was no room for doubting that Jesus was in fact—the I Am spoken of by the prophets!

Perhaps Peter was in the crowd the day John baptized Jesus and heard God’s voice declaring Him His Son  (Mk. 1:10-12)? Perhaps that was the first time Peter heard God’s audible voice? Was that what caused him to drop everything and follow after Jesus? Scripture doesn’t specify. Whatever the case may be, Peter most certainly heard God’s voice loud and clear on the mountain when Jesus was Transfigured. He also saw Moses and Elijah, as well as witnessed the physical realm shift in appearance as they were collectively engulfed within a cloud (Matt.17:1-5; Lk. 9:28-36).

So is Peter in any way questioning, doubting or challenging the veracity of the prophets accounts of Jesus? Absolutely, emphatically—no! What he is in fact doing is laying down, confirming, adding, another layer of truth—an eyewitness account.

Peter is doing what each of us are called to do. Fulfill the Great Commission. He is giving testimony to, lending a voice to what he knows—emphatically. He is saying if you have any doubt that the Old Testament prophets may have gotten it wrong let me set the record straight. He is a lawyer’s dream come true!

And tell us Peter, on the day in question, on that mountain—can’t you just hear it?

Their questions, his sharp, crisp, quick answers! No hesitation, no second-guessing. Just here it is, this is the way it happened.

So now that we’ve established we can rely on Peter’s eyewitness testimony, it follows we should adhere to his instructions to us. We must stay fixed, focused on Jesus—and His Word. Patiently awaiting Jesus’ promised return for us—His eyewitnesses.

But how do we do this? How do we like Peter, James and John, like the prophets of old—become reliable eyewitnesses?

By following after the example of the one who spoke to them—instructed them. By following, via strict adherence, Jesus’ instructions. Just as they did.

To be a credible witness, one must deny himself. That is—deny what you think, feel or imagine to be real and true if it does not align with Scripture—the inerrant Word of God. Jesus did nothing outside of His Father’s will. “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another, showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way” (2Tim.3:16). Obviously I am not referring here to mundane daily tasks like picking out your wardrobe…

As eyewitness for Jesus we must be discerning. We must know, via The Holy Spirit within us, what to pay attention to. What we should allow to influence our thoughts, words and deeds. And what to dismiss, run from, disdain as folly—snares meant to rob our Truth. “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world” (1Jn.4:1)

We must be willing to lose our lives, not popular I know, but necessary. Every belief, possession, personal ideal—everything must be willingly laid at the foot of The Cross. We must be subject to Jesus’ Lordship over us or we are useless. Salt without taste—willful, rebellious. Using eyes that do not see—the blind leading the blind. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matt. 16:25-26)?

Witnesses must be confident, bold in their truth. We must be audacious, uninhibited in our testimony, come what may.

We, unlike the Peter and the Apostles, may not have yet seen Jesus face to face but that doesn’t diminish our knowing Him—our certainty in His existence. He is no less real to His friends today than He was when He stood and spoke to Peter, James and John face to face. To be a credible, trustworthy, reliable eyewitness we must have zero regard for our reputation. We must be singularly focused on speaking the truth—God’s Truth. Solely. Without wavering. Without compromise. “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, divine utterance may be given me, so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should” (Eph.6:19-20).

Beloved, we have yet to see our Lord face to face, yet we do have firsthand knowledge of Him and in fact have seen a shadow of His Magnificence. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse” (Rom.1:20).

If we have eyes, we are eyewitnesses…

Even if we were blind our Spirit would testify to His truth!

Go, as eyewitness, into all the world telling anyone—everyone that Jesus Christ is Lord while it is still today. While you here, sojourners in a foreign land, awaiting your Crown…then you will have fulfilled Peter’s instruction—to wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts.

Be a faithful and true eyewitness…

Until next Beloved, Blessings.

 

“Do You See What I See?” Matt. 9:23-25

May 14, 2016 /

sunset-1033769_960_720 “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at Him (Matt 9:23-24).

Has that ever happened to you? Have you shared what you ‘v seen, your truth, only to be laughed at, belittled?

Dismissed. It’s as if what you have to say can’t possibly have relevance, is of no value. It, your knowing, simply doesn’t line up with everyone else’s knowing, therefore your input is immaterial. Take heart dear one, you’re in good company. That’s exactly what was happening to Jesus when He entered the ruler Jairus’s house and told the mourners there to go—the child is not dead.

These people were in full mourning mode, there was wailing, flutes were playing funeral dirges, and the atmosphere was pregnant with sadness and loss. Surely she was dead! What was He talking about? He thinks He sees  something  that we don’t!

But Jesus did see differently then,  and still… He walked in and where those assembled saw death, He saw life. Where they saw an end, Jesus saw a beginning. For them, the story as they say—was over. But not so with Jesus, in fact in Him, life was just beginning…

I don’t know about you, but I am grateful to know that in a world where others could often care less, are blind in their seeing, Jesus offers a fresh perspective. A newness of sight. A throwing open of windows on warm windy days, allowing sunlight and freshness to pierce and permeate our otherwise fusty, lifeless shells… our dead hope. “And I walked and He who sat on the throne said to me, “Behold, I make all things new.” And he said to me, “Write: ‘These words are trustworthy and true” (Rev. 21:5).

Concerning our text for this week, we witness a physical resurrection. Jesus raising a girl who is factually dead.

But let’ step out beyond that one instance. Let’s broaden our view and look to how it is He meets us where we are, now, today. Single, married, divorced. Addicted, in recovery or still on the streets, He meets us. Right where we are, He meets us. He comes in and speaks to those circumstances that are wailing over our ostensible lack of life—our presumptive deadness and commands them each to leave…

Depression, sexual addiction, drugs, physical bondage—be gone!

Not you? Okay—self-doubt, cutting, childhood abuse, alcoholism, perfect life gone wrong in a snap—be gone!

There is no situation, nothing you can do or have done, regardless it’s hideousness, that has thrown you farther than God will reach to return you to himself. I know this to be true. I am not merely writing story.

The Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Church, speaks to us about knowing the breadth and depth of the love of God and the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge so that we might be filled with the fullness of God. That’s something to hold tight to if your running on empty today…Gods fullness, it’s complete. No more lack or lacking…

If you’re feeling dead in your soul now, or in your thinking or maybe in your ability to see yourself clear of whatever this is… Hang on, help is coming. If your weariness forbids you to take another step, if  the molasses your trying to walk through is just too dense, then resting at the edges of His above knowing is the best place for you to be. Stop a while and allow yourself to be refreshed in Him.

You see when Jesus entered into that rulers house He did it fore-knowing the girl was dead. He’s God. He knows everything. And it’s no different today with you and I. We’re dead in our sin. Laying on our bier waiting…It is impossible to be brought back to life, or health, joy, wholeness or peace outside of Jesus touch.

There will always be those around you who see you as little more than a dead thing. Broken. Damaged. Irreparable. No life, no chance, no way out. Stuck and staying stuck is how they’ll always view you. But take heart dear one, people may see you one way, yet God sees you quite another. Listen… “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1Sam.16:7).

Regardless what the situation you are facing today. No matter how hopeless, hang on… Irrespective of how many times you’ve tried and failed, no matter how unforgivable you may feel, how blaring your sins may seem to you, contrary to how desperate the times may feel… there is One that does not see you see yourself.

Why? It’s all in what you see.

Jesus sees us from His sole vantage point. His exclusive ability to see our end from our beginning. In other words, how it is we are going to finish this race we call life. “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’ (Isa. 46:10). And because He this information is His alone, He knows to the utmost that everything truly, will be alright.

He is able to walk with cast-iron confidence into the front door of your life, and speak to the dead things inside you. Dead dreams. No hope…weariness, arise! He Commands them to wake up and be dead no more. The time for your life to begin is today. Someone, somewhere has asked the Lord to come to you, they knew you were ill/weary/broken and in need of help.  And if He would but only touch you they thought…without doubt, you will rise up!

Dear one, take heart today. Just outside Jesus is at your door and He has a great plan specifically laid out for you alone, He asking you, “Do you see what I see.” Listen to Him… “ “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11).

Beloved, do you see what He sees when He looks at you? Ask Him to give you a new perspective today. Invite Him into your heart as Lord and Savior and allow Him to make all things new…

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