JESUS’ HARD SAYINGS – FINGER OF GOD

Please read Luke 11:14-20 

What comes to your mind when you hear the words finger(s) and the Bible? Most might remember the handwriting on the wall in Daniel 5:5. In that verse - only the word finger(s) is used - but in other places in the Bible, the word finger is used in the phrase “finger of God”. In Exodus 8:16-19, the Pharaoh’s magicians cannot replicate the plague of gnats and they say, “This is the finger of God.” In both Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 9:10, we learn that the Ten Commandments are written with “the finger of God.” In the scripture for today (Luke 11:20), Jesus says “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”  So what/who is this ‘ finger of God’?

In Acts 20:27, speaking to the elders from Ephesus, Paul stresses the importance of declaring the “whole counsel of God”. What Paul means is that he himself taught all of God’s revelation in the scriptures, leaving nothing out.   It is only by the reading and studying the entire Word of God that we receive His whole counsel. Also, God’s word itself makes clear many of the difficult words, phrases, or verses of the Bible.

So does the “whole counsel of God” teach us about the finger of God? It does - when we read Matthew 12:22-28 and compare it to the Luke text. We see that both texts show Jesus healing a demon-oppressed mute man. After hearing of the healing, the Pharisees accuse Jesus of working with Beelzebul, the prince of demons, to heal the man. In the Luke text, Jesus then says that he casts out demons by “the finger of God” (Luke 11:20).  When we come to the Matthew text, Jesus says, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). Jesus in these two texts is telling us that he is doing His work through God the Holy Spirit and not by satanic powers.  And of course, we learn that God the Holy Spirit is the finger of God.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus is pointing to God the Holy Spirit as he does his work. So let us follow God the Holy Spirit who teaches, prompts and guides us in our walk of faith. Also, let us earnestly seek the whole counsel of God to abide in Him.

Heavenly Father, help me to understand your word and your will through your Holy Spirit. Amen.

JESUS’ HARD SAYINGS - INTRODUCTION

Please read John 6:41-66

In John chapter 6, Jesus says, “ I am the bread of life”(John 6:35, 6:48), and “I am the living bread that came down from heaven”(John 6:51). He says this to the people following him, the same people fed miraculously by the multiplying of five loaves and two fish. To these people seeking more earthly food (John 6:26), Jesus teaches that He is the heavenly food from God. In John 4, Jesus taught the Samaritan woman that He is the one who provides living water (John 4:10). Now He says He is the living bread and this bread is His flesh (John 6:33, 6:51). 

How do the Jews react? First, they grumble (John 6:41) and then they argue among themselves (John 6:52). They do not understand that this bread given by God comes with the death of Jesus and I doubt that they understand that the sacrifice of His flesh would give life to the world.  This is what John the Baptist prophesied (John 1:29) but the people do not understand. Not only do they not understand, they are offended. They are offended because they cannot grasp the spiritual truth that Jesus is teaching. Their limited minds can only think about cannibalism, and they cannot understand that He is the lamb to be sacrificed by God for the sins of mankind. The Jews, in their consternation, can only think about the laws forbidding the eating of the flesh with its blood (Genesis 9:4; Deuteronomy 12:23).

While Jesus’ words caused the Jews to grumble and argue, many of his disciples are offended. They have been following Jesus and this must have been the first time that Jesus says these words. What is their reaction to Jesus’ new teaching?  They walk away from Jesus saying “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?”(John 6:60)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, there are other words/teachings of Jesus that sound or read as harsh or “hard sayings”.  My goal is, beginning next Thursday, to post every Thursday these “Hard Sayings” (John 6:60) of Jesus. Please pray that God will equip me to be faithful coming to His Word, the topic and posts. Also either next Tuesday or the following Tuesday I will post on a different topic. So beginning next week or beginning May I will be posting regularly every Tuesday (topic to be decided) and Thursday (Hard Sayings of Jesus).

Dear Jesus, open my heart and my mind to truly understand your words and your teachings. Bless me through God the Holy Spirit to learn your words (John 6:45; Deuteronomy 32:2), and practice them and teach others (Matthew 5:19; 2 Timothy 3:16).  Amen.  

Blessed Easter

God bless you all.

I will be back on Thursday

Because of Jesus you ……… Day 40

Please read Luke 7:18-22

Today, on this last day of Lent, we will focus on one verse in the text (Luke 7:22).

In Luke 7:18, the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead and other miracles are reported to the imprisoned John the Baptist. Then John asks Jesus a question (Luke 7:19), through his disciples,  “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

Let’s look at Jesus’s answer (Luke 7:22). First, it looks as if Jesus is sending a report of the different type of miracles – healing the blind, the lame, the lepers, and the deaf, the raising of the dead- and the gospel being preached, but Jesus makes a profound statement.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as you know, you and I are sinners and we deserve the just wrath and judgment of God (Romans 2:5). Also, our good works (Isaiah 64:6) do not save us (Ephesians 2:8-9). So Jesus came to save us sinners and he suffered and died on the cross for your sins and my sin, and rose on the third day for your salvation and mine. Because of Jesus, you and I, who are blind will see God; who are lame, i.e. can’t come to God, will stand in God’s presence; who are unclean like lepers are cleansed by Jesus’ blood; who are spiritually deaf hear the good news; and you and I will be raised because Jesus’ life and sacrifice. So let’s rejoice.

Dear Jesus, thank you for taking care of all my temporal and eternal needs. Amen.