October 7, 2012
If you find a good teacher you will see what they are
teaching next semester. We do that with church as well. If we are motivated by
what is said by Joel Olsteen or T.D. Jakes, etc you will follow them. Here the
temple is empty and the multitudes are following Jesus. The Pharisees are not happy about
this. The people were following them but compared to Jesus they were sorely lacking.
In Matthew 8:1-4, we encounter a leper who is segregated from all others but he positions himself to be in the path so that he could talk to Jesus so he would be healed. He believed that if he could just get to Jesus, if he just positioned himself to be near Him, he would be healed. When we pray do we believe that God is all powerful? Do we position ourselves to talk to Jesus?
Do we believe that he can do anything for us? The leper knew that Jesus could
heal him. The leper knew Jesus could if it was His will. Do we go to God like
that? Do we know that He can?
Jesus says that He will as He is reaching out to touch us. Our
God, no matter what is going on around us and what the world says our shame is,
the Lord is approaching us to touch us and draw us to himself. He wants that one
on one relationship with us.
V3: The multitude is following but this man gets in the way
because he wanted Jesus to change his life. God wants to change our
situation; First, our spiritual situation and then our physical situation. This
leper was waiting for Jesus to pass. How long was he waiting? We don’t know but
he said, if you are willing I am waiting. That is how our attitude must be.
Lord, no matter how long if you are willing, I am waiting.
V4: Jesus tells the man to tell no one. In order to be
restored to society he had to go to the priest. to be declared clean. We often times don’t go back to
where we can be restored. Jesus is saying go straight to the priest to be
declared clean so that you may be restored so that it may be a testimony to
everyone else. What God does for us is a testimony of what he has done and can
do. God was calling him to be an obedient witness.
Where do we stand in the things of our lives? Is our
attitude, Lord if you’re willing I am waiting? Hebrews 11:6 says, it is about faith.
We must continue to read his Word so that we give Him access to our lives. And
we must believe His Word. (Rev 22:18) If our position is that God’s Word has a
flaw then the truth is not in us. Therefore, if we agree with God we need to
pray and ask him if He is willing to fix it. We have to be waiting knowing that He can.
Keep a mind of prayer, knowing that He is willing and worship Him.
Pastor Pete
No comments:
Post a Comment