Tag: do good

Go And Be Healed

Mark 8 Comments

Mk 5:34b “…your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction. ”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus told a woman who had just been instantly released from her dozen years of misery to know that she had been healed indeed and that she could depart in peace.

Why would He say this?

The woman snuck up stealthily in a thronging crowd believing that just a touch of Jesus’ garment would heal her incurable bleeding. She was right but she could no longer hide in the crowd because Jesus perceived that power had gone out to accomplish the miracle. When He outed her actions she was terrified as if she had stolen something. But Jesus put her fears to rest by assuring her that He saw her and cared about her and that her healing was permanent. She need not fear any longer but was free to rejoice. 

The woman was in desperate need and she believed that she would receive what she sought. She formed a goal and made a plan and took definite steps to achieve her goal. She was  blessed with success.  I think there is a lesson here for me! 

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 191: “…go …and be healed…”
St. Helena Lighthouse in Lake Michigan
Southerly wind can make treacherous waves in northern lake Michigan because there are hundreds of miles of open water from that direction. St. Helena Island was a refuge for ships during rough weather. If the captain made a goal to shelter there and sailed the ship to the northern harbor the ship, crew and cargo would be safe. This lighthouse existed to positively identify the island.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery Click here see why I like lighthouses.
REFERENCE:  

Mk 5:34b  also Mt 9:22 and Lk 8:43-48;
Also see Lk 7:50 in a separate context

RECIPIENT:  

A woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years

CONTEXT: Three accounts from Mark, Matthew and Luke
Mark

Mk 5:21-34a  When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. 22One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet 23and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” 24And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.  

 25A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, 26and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse– 27after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.   28For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” 29Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?“ 31And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?'” 32And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 23But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.   34And He said to her…

Matthew – does not contain the command

Mt 9:18-22  While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”   19Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

 20And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak;   21for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.”   22But Jesus turning and seeing her said…

Luke

Lk 8:40-48a  And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.   41And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house;  42for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him.  

43And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone,  44came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.  45And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.”  46But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.”  47When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.  48And He said to her…

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 5:34 …“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” 

Mt 9:22 …“Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” 

Lk 8:48  …“Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

RESULT:  

Mk 5:29  Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Mt 9:22b At once the woman was made well. 

Lk 8:44b  …and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

The woman’s condition would have been miserable. It made her ceremonially unclean which meant that she would have been excluded from worshiping at the temple.  Her condition would have made her interactions with people difficult.  Her social life would have been nonexistent. If her bleeding was vaginal, then the Jewish Levitical laws meant that she likely had not had sex during the 12 years of her affliction.  She was financially broke.

Luke names the synagogue official as Jairis and mentions his daughter was 12 years old. The woman had been suffering for 12 years.  I wonder; if there was any connection with these individuals because of the years?  

Both the woman and Jaris came to Jesus believing that He was good natured and would care about them. Therefore both had a certain expectation that He would help them. In a word they had faith in Jesus. They both acted on their faith and did receive what they sought from Him. Both the woman and Jaris’s daughter got their life back!  Somehow faith is a powerful tool in God’s hands.

At different times and locations Jesus told men, women and children to “take courage,” Jesus referred to the paralytic who was let down through the roof as a child and he told him or her to, “Take courage.”  This woman was trembling when Jesus told her to take courage.   Jesus also told a blind man to take courage before healing him.  He treated them the same and healed them all miraculously.  These examples are subtle but clear demonstrations that Jesus did not distinguish between child and adult or male and female in terms of intrinsic worth.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

daughter:  G2364 θυγάτηρ  thoo-gat’-air —  a female child

take courage: G2293  θαρσέω  thar-seh’-ō  —  be of good cheer (comfort)

your:  G4675  σοῦ  soo —  of you 

faith:  G4102  πίστις  pis’-tis —  persuasion, that is, credence or moral conviction

well:  G4982  σώζω  sōde’-zō  —  literally or figuratively to save, deliver or protect 

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

Two applications stand out to me. First, Jesus accorded an equal value to men, women and children when He interacted with them and therefore, so should I. Second, both individuals had a humble attitude and took physical steps to demonstrate their faith. Therefore when I approach someone for help, especially God, I also need to have a humble attitude and when possible take definite steps to demonstrate faith that I will receive the help. 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2021 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Go Home And Report

Mark 2 Comments

Mk 5:19b “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you…”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

With a word Jesus performed a spectacular miracle to heal a man possessed by hundreds of demons. Jesus told the grateful man, who wanted to physically follow Him, to instead go home and tell everyone what happened.  

Why would He say this?

When Jesus commanded the demons to depart from the man they caused a huge herd of pigs to drown.  This event brought out the townspeople and their leaders to investigate. The man who was demon possessed, naked and bleeding when he came to Jesus was desperate to make any changes to his life in order to quench the torment of his soul by the demons. However the leaders of that region when they came to Jesus were not at all desperate and were thus unwilling to make changes to their lives. They were unwilling to even listen to Jesus before imploring Him to leave.

Many people dislike change in their lives. I’ve often said to myself and others, “Change is good provided it is good change!” I think that these people were too quick to judge as bad the potential changes that Jesus’ presence might bring to them. Therefore they implored Him to leave.

Change is good; provided it is good change! The original Fort Gratiot Lighthouse was built in 1825 but it was placed too close to the lake and was also poorly constructed. It was a disaster when it collapsed during a storm after just three years.  Because of the disastrous failures of the original lighthouse better plans and placement were implemented for its replacement  The current lighthouse has been in continuous operation since 1829.  
Similarly, the life of the demon possessed man was a disaster. His world had collapsed into total hopelessness. But it was during his hopeless experience that Jesus entered his world. Jesus gave the man healing and hope with better plans and sent him home as better place to live than in the tombs.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link, or scroll down for my full notes.

Command 190: “Go home… and report…”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 5:19; Lk 8:39
See also Mt 8:28-34. It includes this event but does not record the command.

RECIPIENT:  

Mk 5:17  …the man who had been demon-possessed…
Lk 8:38  …the man from whom the demons had gone out…

CONTEXT:  
Mark

Mk 5:1-19 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. 12The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” 13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.
14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. 15They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened. 16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. 17And they began to implore Him to leave their region. 18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him. 19And He did not let him, but He said to him…

Matthew

Mt 8:28-34 When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. 29And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. 31The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” 32And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. 33The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. 34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Luke

Lk 8:26-39 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” 29For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard, and yet he would break his bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.
32Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. 35The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. 38But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying…

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 5:19b “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you”

Lk 8:39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.”

RESULT:  
Mark

Mk 5:20-21 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
21When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore.

Matthew

Mt 9:1 Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.

Luke

Lk 8:39b-40 So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
40And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.

 

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Sometimes when I read the Bible’s stories, it is the back story rather than the main story that speaks to me.  Here, the back story is the reaction of the region’s leaders and the main story is Jesus’s instruction to the man that was freed from his affliction with the demons.  I think that the nature of scripture is that you can apply its truth to different situations in life.  For instance, I have personally experienced a big career change and that is the perspective that I have right now.  If I had read this story after recovering from a major illness or while recovering from some addiction perhaps the main story about the demon possessed man would have captured my attention.  But at this time my attention focused on the regional leaders reaction.

They Implored Jesus to Leave

The man who was demon possessed was naked and bleeding and desperate to make any changes to his life in order to quench the torment of his soul by the demons. However the leaders of that region were not at all desperate and were unwilling to make changes to their lives. They were unwilling to even listen to Jesus before imploring Him to leave. Many people dislike change in their lives. I’ve often said, “Change is good as provided it is good change!” I think that these people were too quick to judge as bad the potential changes that Jesus’ presence might bring to them. Therefore they implored Him to leave.

When Jesus returned to the boats and left the region the people there suffered a greater loss than just the pigs. He would do no miracles there. In other places He healed many people and even brought some back from the dead. He would not be feeding thousands on the hillsides or causing the blind to see.  People from the region who had means probably visited Capernaum to hear Jesus speak and to witness the miracles or to be healed of their own ailments; but it did not happen in their own town.

Why the Difference?

The formerly demon possessed man strongly desired to physically accompany Jesus. However, Jesus told him to do something unusual instead. He told the man to follow Him by walking away and becoming an ambassador to the region. When Jesus healed other people He told them to tell no one about what He had done for them; but this time was different. This time Jesus told the man to tell everyone about the miracle and what had happened to him. Why the difference? Jesus encouraged the man to talk about how he was delivered from the demons. I think that the reason was because Jesus was departing from the area at the request of the local leaders. Therefore Jesus would not have the opportunity to speak directly to the people in the region. But this man would be a powerful witness for Him.

In the other circumstances where Jesus performed miracles He told the individuals to remain silent. Their disobedience caused such crowds of people to throng around Jesus and His disciples that the situation became a practical hardship for them to move about freely. The Sea of Galilee is and was only 13 miles across.  People would still have the opportunity to travel across it to hear Jesus in person if they were determined to do so. But  Jesus’ would not be hindered in His movement by the man’s testimony  because Jesus would simply not be in the Decapolis region.  

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

home:  G3624 oikos  oy’-kos   —  a dwelling, by implication a family

people:  G4675 σοῦ  lam-ban’-ō  — thy, thee

report:  G312 ἀναγγέλλω  lam-ban’-ō  — to announce (in detail)

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I need to be cognizant of my personal resistance to changes in my life, especially when I initially perceive it as a setback. I will more carefully evaluate the proposed changes or those forced upon me and look for the good in them. Change is good provided that it is good change. I will consider that the changes have good in them rather than dismiss them all as bad right away.   

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Come Out… You Unclean Spirit

Mark 4 Comments

Mk 5:8 “Come out…”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus commanded a very large collection of demons to, “Come out of the man…” 

Why would He say this?

St. Joseph After the Storm
Photo by Dawn Carlson
Storms are an analogy for evil spirits. From a mariner’s perspective a storm is a demon having no substantial substance but air, yet it has a will and a purpose to make their life miserable or worse. Tornadoes, hurricanes, microbursts and even straight line wind storms, like demons, can cause widespread danger and damage that affects perhaps millions of people. A single storm can have lightning, hail, wind, rain, snow, sleet, waves and reduced visibility.  Each of these phenomena are like distinct demons having their own disastrous effects.  
But when the storm ends, it is like God commanding a demon to depart. Now ships can come in and out of their harbors safely. Here is a ship in the St. Joseph River enjoying the freedom of beautiful weather.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

This event was the quintessential “Come to Jesus” moment. Two desperate and helpless men who were in a most miserable state came to Jesus. They came just as they were, naked and bleeding. These men were hopeless in their circumstances unless a savior should happen to pass by them; and that is what happened. They seized the opportunity, ran to Jesus and He saved them! 

I think that there is a lesson here for me when I face big life problems.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 189: “Come out… you unclean spirit.”
REFERENCE:  

MK 5:8 also Mt 8:28-34 and Lk 8:26-39 include this event but do not record the command

RECIPIENT:  

An unclean spirit – a group of many demons collectively named Legion

CONTEXT: 

Jesus’ disciples spent a harrowing night of storms on the Sea of Galilee.  After Jesus calmed the storm the group sailed on to their destination.  

Mark

Mk 5:1-8  They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.  2When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain;  4because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones. 6Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8For He had been saying to him…

Matthew

Mt 8:28-29  When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.  29And they cried out, saying, “What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”

Luke

Lk 8:26-28  Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.  27And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.  28Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 5:8 “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit”

RESULT:  
Mark

Mk 5:9-20   And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.  11Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain.  12The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.”  13Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.  

14Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened.  15They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened.  16Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine.  17And they began to implore Him to leave their region.  18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him.  19And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”  20And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Matthew

Mt 8:31-34  The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.”  32And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.  33The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.  34And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Luke

Lk 8:32-39  Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain; and the demons implored Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission.  33And the demons came out of the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.  

34When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.  36Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well.  37And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned.  38But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying,  39“Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

This event was the quintessential “Come to Jesus” moment. Two desperate and helpless men who were in a most miserable state came to Jesus. They came just as they were, naked and bleeding.   One of them was so much worse off than the other that he is the only person mentioned in Mark’s and Luke’s accounts.  Jesus did not reject him but commanded the demons to depart from the man, instantly freeing him from their torment.  These men were hopeless in their circumstances unless a savior should happen to pass by them; and that is what happened. They seized the opportunity, ran to Jesus and He saved them!  

The people of the region rejected Jesus and asked that He depart from them.  They were astonished by the miracle of the healed man but were in dread of the risk to their livelihoods.  Pig farming would not be tolerated in the regions of Israel closer to Jerusalem. The religious authorities would have put a stop to it.  But where this story takes place in the hinterland of Israel.  These Jews lived among the local not Jewish population and apparently catered to their needs and I speculate that  they likely appropriated their ways.  I think that these people reasoned that if Jesus were to remain in the area that He would expose their guilt under the Jewish law and compel them to make big big changes to their lives and livelihoods..  Therefore, rather than upset their lives, they asked Jesus to leave.

Jesus and his disciples healed others who were possessed by demons: 

Mt 8:16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.

Mt 10:8 “Heal {the} sick, raise {the} dead, cleanse {the} lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”

Mt 17:18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.

Mk 16:17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;”

Lk 10:20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Where Did the Demons Go?

What happened to the demons after the swine died; I have no idea!  Why do we not more often see demonic possession as is described here?  I’ve talked to people who have themselves been assaulted by demons but I never hear of demon possession except for in the movies.  Have you ever wondered if people who commit mass murderers, acts of terror, serial rape and other truly evil deeds today are demon possessed?  I do.  I do not know the answer. 

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

Come out:  G1831  ἐξέρχομαι  ex-er’-khom-ahee  —  to go or come forth of with the mention of the place or the point from which he departs

man:  G444  ἄνθρωπος  anth’-rō-pos  —  a human being, whether male or female

unclean:  G169  ἀκάθαρτος  ak-ath-ar-see’-ah   —   morally unclean in thought and life; ceremonially unclean and  must be abstained from according to the levitical law

spirit: G4151   πνεῦμα  pnyoo’-mah   —  a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze used by analogy or figuratively to refer to a spirit being having essence, but devoid of matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I must not wait until my situation is such that I am physically or metaphorically naked and bleeding before I seek the help I need. When I have large life problems I will not hesitate to come to Jesus by seeking the assistance of God in prayer and by contacting trained professionals.

 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Hush Be Still

Mark 2 Comments

Mk 4:39 “Hush, be still.”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

When Jesus said,”hush, be still”  He was commanding the storm to put on a muzzle and to be silent.

Why would He say this?

Charlevoix Harbor
One obvious application of the command, “Hush, be still.” is to be certain to take Jesus with you physically in the boat when you are anticipating a storm!  You had better head for shelter if that is not possible. The Charlevoix City Marina is an excellent choice for protection against the storms of Lake Michigan. It is a large harbor with 69 slips and as you see from the picture, it has distinct pier lights.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Jesus decided to cross the Sea of Galilee in a boat. His 12 disciples and an unknown number of other disciples went along in other boats. Some of them were still undecided about Jesus in general.  They did not realize that Jesus was the agent of creation.  The words of God made the world – Genesis 1.  Jesus is the physical embodiment of the Word of God – John 1:1-14.  Therefore, Jesus had full authority to command nature at will.  He was and is THAT powerful. If these disciples were to become future leaders they needed to know about Him without a doubt. 

I am like everyone else, created in the likeness of God.  Therefore, my words also carry power.  I must be careful how I use them!

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 188: “Hush, be still.”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 4:39

RECIPIENT:  

Mk 4:39a And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea…

Mt 8:26b Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the se…

Lk 8:24b And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves…

CONTEXT:

See also Mt 8:23-27 and Lk 8:22-25 include this event and the fact that a rebuke of the elements was spoken but do not record the command.

Mk 4:35-39 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. 37And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. 38Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea…

Mt 8:23-26a When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”

Lk 8:22-24a Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”  So they launched out. 23But as they were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mk 4:39 “Hush, be still.”  And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

RESULT:  

Mk 4:40-41 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

Mt 8:26b-27 Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Lk 8:24b-25 And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.  25And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him?”

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:
Who Then is This?

Jesus is the agent of creation.  Genesis 1 records that the world and all creation was made through the words of God, “Then God said…”.  Jesus is identified in John 1:1-14 as physical embodiment of the words of God.  Therefore, Jesus had full authority to command nature at will.  He was and is THAT powerful.  

At least some of the disciples were still unconvinced of Jesus’ deity when this incident happened.  The story recounts that Jesus’ closest 12 disciples and other disciples in other boats were present in the storm.

A reconstruction of a first-century boat based on an ancient boat excavated along the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Photograph by Todd Bolen. Photo © BiblePlaces.com

The Sea of Galilee 

The Sea of Galilee is unique .  It is the lowest freshwater lake in the world at 700 feet (213 m) below sea level.   It is small by comparison to other large freshwater lakes.  Being only 13 miles long and 8 miles wide with a surface area of only 64 square miles (166 km2), it is less than 1% of the area of Lake Ontario which is the smallest of the American Great Lakes.  

The lake is infamous for its sudden fierce storms. It is in a basin surrounded by mountains.  Wind currents and temperature differences at times cause torrents of wind to build up quickly over the surface.  Dangerous waves of up to 10 feet can to occur on the lake.  Before modern weather forecasting mariners were at risk if they were caught in the middle of the lake during such a gale.  

My Words

Jesus had the power and authority to command the physical elements with His words.  Genesis 1:27 states God created men and women in His own image.  Is it then unbelievable  that my words also have the effect of shaping the physical reality of the world around me? I think of it this way.  All human activity begins with a desire and thoughts.  Thoughts and desires are completely intangible until they are embodied with language – words. It is through words that my intentions, either good or bad, give rise to plans and then to actions.  The result of action over time is what brings about the changes in physical reality.  When my words are spoken they can bring about progress or disaster,  healing or hurt to those around me.  

My words indeed have power.  Consider the quote from Henry Ford; If you think you can’t (do a thing) you are right!”  If I think things like, “If it were not for bad luck I’d have no luck at all”, or “I’m too stupid to learn (fill in the blank) then I am defeated before I begin.  Henry Ford also said, “If you think you can then you can.”  Of course he left out the planning, time and effort part, but the statement is true.  I think this is why it is so very important to train my mind to think and to speak good, productive things.  The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:8 to dwell on whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute and on anything excellent and worthy of praise.

When I think and speak good things it changes my attitude and promotes the desire for good things to happen and with time and effort good things do happen!

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

hush:  G4623  σιωπάω  see-o-pah’-ō  –  silence, involuntary stillness

still:  G5392  φιμόω  fee-mo’-ō  –  to muzzle

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

My thoughts and words have power to shape reality. Whether I think and speak of productive and good things or of defeat and poverty, it changes my attitude and desires to affect the results of my efforts. Over time, a positive or negative reality is the result of my words.  Therefore, I will make the effort to read, watch and listen to good things so than my thoughts and words will have better results.  

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Take Care What You Listen To

Mark 6 Comments

Mk 4:24a “Take care what you listen to...”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus said to pay attention to what I allow myself to hear.  He also said to pay attention to how well I listen.

Why would He say this?

A lighthouse is faithfulness to consistently say "yes" (on) and "no" (off).
Photo: Dawn Carlson
At night the Tawas Point light is known to flash white for 4 seconds. A mariner will recognize the light as the Tawas Point light and no other. 
But suppose a lighthouse keeper, on the advice of someone other than the United States Lighthouse Service, convinced him or her to put a red lens over the light or to changed the flash pattern from 4 seconds to 2 seconds?  (A light house keeper never did this and never would do such a thing!)
The lighthouse is a source of absolute positional truth for navigation. If that absolute truth were in doubt then you can just imagine how, in the days before GPS, mariners would be confused.  They would be imperiled if they misinterpreted their position. They might run aground even in good weather!   Similarly, if a teacher of truth is in error then those who rely on the truth will be confused and in danger of being in error themselves.
More lighthouse images can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I think that Jesus was warning his followers to be very careful of what and who they listen to.  His expectation for them was to train others about everything He was telling them.  How tragic if His followers lost the true meaning of His teaching by listening to falsehood from false teachers and then began to train others in falsehood. Many cults, heresies and even genocides have occurred by people listening to falsehoods about what Jesus said and meant rather than heeding what Jesus actually said and meant. 

The phrase, “Garbage in – garbage out,” is in reference to computers but it also applies to the human mind.  Thoughts inevitably lead to attitudes and together they lead to actions and actions lead to results.  This is why it is so important to evaluate carefully what I listen to and to fill my mind with good things.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 187: “Take care what you listen to.”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 4:24a  also Lk 8:18

RECIPIENT:   To His followers, along with the twelve in private

Mk 4:10  As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount 

Mk 4:21-24a  And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?  22“For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.  23“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”  24And He was saying to them…,” 

Lk 8:16-17  “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.  17“For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. “

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mk 4:24b-25; “Take care what you listen to.  By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

Lk 8:18  “So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

RESULT:  

Mk 4:33-34  With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:
Be the Lamp:

After explaining the Parable of the Sower, I think Jesus was telling his followers that He expected them to be the lamp; that is they are to spread the knowledge and deeper meaning to the world of people.  Jesus had imparted the deeper meanings of His parables to them and He did so with the expectation that they would spread this meaning this insight to others, much as the light of a lamp is put onto a lampstand to shine light so that many people may see.  

Be Very careful About What and to Whom You Listen

I  think that Jesus was also warning his followers to be very careful of what and who they listen to.  He just got through telling them the true meaning of an important parable.  His expectation for them was to train others about everything He was telling them.  How tragic if they lost Jesus’ true meaning by listening to falsehood from false teachers and then began to train others in falsehood.  

I don’t think Jesus was saying not to listen to other people, but to be very careful to compare what they say to what Jesus said.  It is so easy to believe hyperbole or exaggeration or clever phrases if such ideas align with our mood, or cultural standards but not quite what Jesus said. Many cults, heresies and even genocides have occurred by people listening to falsehoods about what Jesus said and meant rather than heeding what Jesus actually said and meant.  

Pay Close Attention 

Luke’s version is slightly different from Mark’s version.  Luke records Jesus saying to take care in how you listen.  I think He is encouraging them to pay close attention so as to fully comprehend His meaning.  If His followers, soon to be teachers and leaders, only have a cursory understanding rather than a full understanding they will be susceptible to error.

If I fail to listen in order to comprehend what Jesus said and I instead listen with comprehension to others with divergent messages then I am sure to eventually appropriate others’ ideas rather than what Jesus said.  You have heard of the phrase, “Garbage in – garbage out,” This truth is in reference to computers but also applies to the human mind.  Thoughts inevitably lead to attitudes and together they lead to actions and actions lead to results.  This is why it is so important to evaluate carefully what you listen to and to fill your mind with good things.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

take care:  G991  βλέπω  blep’-ō  —  A primary verb; literally or figuratively to look at

what:  G5101 τίς tis  —  an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what as a direct or indirect question

how:  G4459 πῶς  pōs  —  an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? 

listen:  G191 ἀκουìω  ak-oo’-ō  —  to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf;  to attend, consider or to understand what is or has been said

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and share it in the comments

Guard your mind!  I must be careful to evaluate what I listen to in music, entertainment, news outlets, political speech, religion and philosophy; these things influence who I am as a person.  I will listen carefully to my mentors to fully understand them so as to implement what is good into my life and to those around me.  As a Christians, my highest mentor is Jesus and therefore what He said should be my standard for evaluating all others. 

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

185 Let Him Hear

Mark No Comments

 Mk 4:9  “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus often told stories to express ideas.  He sometimes said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” when He was making a profound point.  I think that it was His way of telling those who heard Him to take the effort to understand what he was saying and let the implications change their thinking. 

Why would He say this?

Middle Island Light with Fog Horn
Photo: Dawn Carlson
If your ears hear the fog signal from Middle Island on a foggy day, you had better listen and understand that dangerous rocky shoals are nearby.  Middle Island Light Station is located in norther Lake Huron. It was fist lit in 1905. The fog signal building is on the far right of the photograph.  
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I also think that Jesus used this phrase to signal to His disciples that they should ask Him what He meant.  Jesus’ command did not cause the disciple’s understanding.  They understood when they sought out the answer.  It was then that Jesus explained it to them.

I could be more curious about what Jesus is saying when I see this command in the Bible. I could also be more curious about what other people are saying to me all the time.  Over the years I have learned so much from people, even from those with whom I disagree, by making the effort to shut up and to listen and understand them.  I confess that I’m not always good at listening.  Listening like this is hard because I have to evaluate my own assumptions and ask questions while listening without prejudice.  I might even have to change my mind! 

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 185: “…let him hear.”
REFERENCE:  

Mk 4:9b also Mt 13:9b
See also Mk 4:23 where Jesus made a related but different point.

RECIPIENT:

To a very large crowd and His disciples

CONTEXT: 

Mk  4:1-2-9 He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. 2And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, 3“Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
9And He was saying… 

Mt 13 1-8 is a parallel account of this same event.

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 4:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Mt 13:9 “He who has ears , let him hear.”

RESULT:  
Jesus explains the parable:

10As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

13And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? 14The sower sows the word. 15These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:
Profound Points

Jesus often told stories, also called parables, to express ideas.  He used this command, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” when He was making a particularly profound point.    He was telling those who heard Him to take the effort to understand what he was saying and let the implications change their thinking. His explanation of this parable fully revealed His meaning.  

In six of the eight instances that Jesus used this phrase, He later explained a parable to His disciples in private.  Perhaps Jesus used this phrase to signal to His disciples that they should ask Him what He meant.  

What Does it Mean?

Here is the Literal Version of the verse:  Mk 4:9 LITV  The (one) having ears to hear, let him hear.

I am not a Greek scholar, but if I use the literal translation above and the definitions below then Jesus seems to be saying to me, “If you can hear Me (or, if you can read this), then make the effort to comprehend the implication of what I am saying.”  Jesus’ command did not cause the disciple’s understanding, but they were obedient to the command by simply asking Him to explain it to them; and He did.

What Do I Do With This?

Albert Einstein said that he was not any smarter than other men but merely “passionately curious.”  I could be more curious about what Jesus is saying when I see this command in the Bible. But I could also be more curious about what other people are saying all the time.  Over the years I have learned so much from people, even from those with whom I disagree, by making the effort to shut up and to listen and understand to what they are saying.  I do not listen like this all the time and I really should do it more often.  I think that the reason I don’t is because listening like this is hard.  To do it I have to evaluate my own assumptions and ask questions and listen without prejudice.  I might even have to change my mind! 

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

(He who) has:  G2192  ἐìχω ekh’-ō   — to hold, such as in possession or ability

ear:  G3775 οὖς   ooce – the physical ear or metaphoric faculty of perceiving with the mind

hear:  G191 ἀκουìω  ak-oo’-ō  – to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf;  to attend, consider or to understand what is or has been said

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I see two related applications.  First, to be the kind of person God would have me to be I need to understand what He says by asking Him in prayer and studying The Bible diligently.  Secondly, to be the kind of open minded person I desire to be, I need to first understand the ideas of  other people by asking questions and listening without prejudice.  Furthermore, I need to be willing to challenge my own assumptions and even change my mind!  

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2020 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

184 Listen to This

Mark 1 Comment

Mk 4:3a   “Listen to this!””

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus told a very large crowd to listen to a story He was about to tell. The story was about a farmer who planted seeds.  The seeds fell in different locations and therefore had different results from bad to good.  

Why would He say this?

Listen up if you hear a fog horn!
Photo: Dawn Carlson
Listen up if you hear a fog horn from Grays Reef! It is there in Northern Lake Michigan to warn mariners of their proximity to the dangerous rocks nearby. Mariners must listen for fog horns during foggy weather. Their ship and possibly their lives depend upon it.
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

He told the crowd to, “Listen” in order to draw their immediate attention to His words and to consider their importance.  The story was about different people and how they process and apply what they hear.   Specifically, Jesus was talking about His Gospel Message.  However, any useful or life changing message has similar results.  Some people never really comprehend it; others receive it but only briefly; others receive and apply it but their practice is relatively short lived due to external adversity; then there are those who apply the message and prosper through it and even teach others.   

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 184: “Listen…”

Mk 4:3

RECIPIENT:  

A very large crowd.

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount 

Mk 4:1-2 He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. 2And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching…

Mt 13 1-23 is a parallel account of this same event but does not contain this command.

See also in separate context: Mt_21:33; Mk_7:14; Also see the account with the audible voice of God (The Father) Mk_9:7; Lk_9:35

COMMAND FULL TEXT:  

Mk 4:3a “Listen to this!”
Note that the words, “to this” are not in the Greek but were supplied by the translators. In their opinion the supplied words are implied by the text and help to render a more accurate English meaning.

RESULT:  

The story Jesus told:
Mk 4 3b-20 “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

9And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The story explained

10As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, 12so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

13And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? 14The sower sows the word. 15These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

When Jesus tells me to listen, He is announcing that He is about to say something important and that I need to pay close attention.  Jesus knows the weakness of the human mind and that we are often preoccupied or easily distracted. Unless our attention is first fixed upon a single topic we will likely miss the communication of part or all of the content.  This is the reason people say, ‘What?” so often. After being spoken to, we hear the sounds but without our attention being fixed on the words we don’t understand the first part of what was said. Without the first part we often miss the context of the rest of the sentence and do not understand the full meaning of what is being communicated.  So, we say, “What?”

The Word and To Bear Fruit

I think that the “word” that Jesus spoke about in His explanation of the parable is specifically the Christian Gospel Message.  The Gospel is a life transforming message that is both temporal and spiritual.  It is about God’s love, sacrifice and the immediate saving of the individual’s soul and ultimately eternal life.  This very message is easily dismissed, thrown away or forgotten. But there are some who retain and apply the Gospel message to their lives and even spread it to others. I think that to “bear fruit” in this context refers to the personal growth of the individuals who do accept and apply the Gospel message to their own life and also influence others who come to accept the Gospel message through them.

Beyond the Spiritual

I think Jesus’ explanation also applies to other temporal life changing messages.  Messages of personal responsibility, hard work, consistent good character and many others are in the same ways easily dismissed, thrown away or forgotten.  We all have to be reminded again and again about what is right and how to act righteously and how to succeed in life. Many people will not accept sound advice.  But some people will apply the good advice they receive and the lessons they learn and will even teach others how to succeed in life.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

listen:  G191  ἀκούω   akouō   —  a primary verb; to hear (in various senses such as to consider what is or has been said or to comprehend or understand the sense of what is said)

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

In today’s Western culture there is so much information and so much distraction with technology, and we are inundated with so many marketing messages that we may not notice or recognize the most important messages being communicated to us.  When I need to verbally communicate something of particular importance I must ensure I have the full attention of the recipient. Saying their name or just saying, “Listen up!” can help greatly.  

Christian Application Beyond the Purely Practical

First and foremost I am to personally listen so as to obey what God says.  Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8 when He was  tempted.  Deuteronomy 8 states that man lives by every word of the Lord and not only by physical bread.  It goes on to say that to obtain true success, “… you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.”  Jesus’ parable and His explanation suggests that personal obedience to God is made complete when I teach others to do the same.

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2018 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

34 ½ Observe How the Lilies Grow

Matthew Sermon on the Mount 3 Comments

Mt 6:28 “Observe how the lilies …grow;”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

When Jesus came down from the mountain, He told His followers to take time to observe the natural beauty of wild flowers so as not to be overly concerned about clothing.

Why would He say this?

White Shoal and Ship
Photo by Dawn Carlson
Paint is the “clothing” of a lighthouse. The White Shoal lighthouse has a distinctive color scheme in order to identify it among others nearby during the daytime. There are dangerous shoals in northern Lake Michigan. Therefore a mariner must know exactly where he or she is in order to safely navigate these waters. A fresh coat of paint on the lighthouse would be essential from time to time. It would be like putting on clean clothing!
Click here see why I like lighthouses.
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery.

In Jesus’ day clothing was much more difficult to make. It would have been costly in time or money.  A poor person might literally worry about what he or she would wear or could wear. Today, clothing is so abundant even the poorest people on earth can generally find something to wear.  In our modern Western Society we worry more about whether our wardrobe is in fashion or not. I think our struggle is light in comparison to Jesus’s day but we can still get caught up worrying about clothing.

Click here for a personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

 

COMMAND 34 ½: “Observe how the lilies …grow;”

 Mt  6:28

RECIPIENT:   To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.  2He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount 

Mt 6:26-28a  “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  27And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28And why are you worried about clothing? “

Lk 12:25-26  “And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span?  26If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mt 6:28b ”Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!”

Lk 12:27a”Consider the lilies, how they grow;  they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 28But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!”

RESULT:  

No stated result except after the next chapter when Jesus came down from the mountain.

Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
1When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jesus’ command to not worry about what to wear is in the context of the surrounding verses to not worry at all but instead to have faith that God will provide the basic necessities of life and more. I think that He provides these things primarily through personal initiative and industry to people who possess the ability and opportunity to work. To others He provides in other ways.

Clothing and The Effect of Sin

Clothing was invented by Adam and Eve after they sinned and became aware of their nakedness.

Before they disobeyed God’s clear command: Ge 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
After they disobeyed God’s clear command: Ge 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

God Himself made clothing for Adam and Eve out out of skins after this. Bible scholars consider this act to be the first blood sacrifice of an animal to cover the sin of mankind. They also consider the fact that God provided the sacrifice as being significant because it set the pattern for Jesus becoming the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin.

Ge 3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

Practical Considerations of Clothing

Of course clothing has many practical purposes too. The Earth’s climate is vastly different now than in Adam and Eve’s days and clothing is essential to protect our bodies from heat, cold and wind.  Also our daily activities demand protective clothing. For instance, shoes protect our feet from injury while we walk.  Motorcycle leather and a helmet help protect the rider from injury in the event of a mishap.  

In Jesus’s day clothing was much more difficult to make. A poor person might literally worry about what he or she would wear or could wear. Today, clothing is so abundant even the poorest people on earth can generally find something to wear.
In our modern Western Society we worry more about whether our wardrobe is in fashion or not. I think our struggle is light in comparison to Jesus’s day but we can still get caught up worrying about clothing; I only have to look at how much I spend on clothing to judge whether or not I think too much about my wardrobe.

I am not to worry about clothing, but I cannot simply ignore the subject. I’m not sure how to balance the fact that I am going to be judged by my coworkers and social circle by what I wear; so I don’t want to wear dirty or ragged or even mismatched clothing.  In my professional setting, I also do not want to draw undue attention to myself because of my clothing. Therefore, it cannot be outlandish with flash or flair or dirty or smelly. My clothing could be more expensive but I simply cannot afford truly fine designer threads, shoes and accessories.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

word:  G2919  κρίνω  kree’-nō   —  Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish

word:  G2983  λαμβάνω  lam-ban’-ō  — A primary verb:  to take

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and share it in the comments

I cannot ignore the fact that people will judge me with a first impression based partly on how I dress.  However, my life’s concerns are much too important to spend my energy worrying about what people think regarding what I wear. Clothing is a practicality for me. I will wear protective clothing as needed for my activities as I can afford them. For my profession I’ll wear appropriate clothing and keep it neat and clean so as not to distract others by it. My personal wardrobe will be modest but I’ll keep it clean and up to date as items wear out. Hopefully, my character and quality of work will overcome any perceived lack of style due to my wardrobe.

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2018 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Pray Like This

Matthew Sermon on the Mount 2 Comments

Mt 6:9b-13 “Pray… in this way: 

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Jesus told His followers how to pray: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

Why would He say this?

St Clair Flats Range Lights 1859
Photo by Dawn Carlson
From 1859  to 1934 ship captains would “follow” the St Clair Flats Front and Rear Range Lights through the narrow channel as they navigated near the mouth of the St. Clair River. They did this by positioning their vessel to align the lights one over the other when seen from a distance. In essence the lights told them to, “Sail this way” for safe passage. Jesus told his disciples to, ‘Pray this way” for an effective prayer. He then gave them a prayer as a model to fashion their own prayers.
Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I think that this prayer was a simply meant to teach me the basic outline of an effective prayer. As an outline I also think that I am free to add all the detail I would like to fully express myself in prayer. 

Jesus was speaking to followers of the God of the Bible. Yet, I think that His prayer has application for conscientious people of any faith. In the “My Comments and Notes” section I’ve outlined why I think that Jesus’ prayer has interfaith application.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

 

Command 28 “Pray, …in this way:”

Mt 6:9a;  see also in separate context Lk 11:2-4

RECIPIENT:  To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.  2He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT:    A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:6-7  “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
7“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.  8So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mt 6:9b-13 “Pray, then, in this way: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.   10Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.   11Give us this day our daily bread.  12And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

RESULT: 

Mt 6:14-15:  “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.   15But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

Also, after Jesus concluded the sermon in the next chapter: 

Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
1When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

(word::   Strong’s #      Greek word     pronunciation  — definition)

pray:  4336  προσευìχομαι  pros-yoo’-khom-ahee  — to talk to, to supplicate or worship God

in this way: 3779  οὕτω  hoo’-tō  — referring to what precedes or follows

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jesus was speaking to believers in the God of the Bible and this model prayer was meant to be applied in that context.  I think that Jesus’ prayer can also be adapted as a template for meditation.

Christian: 

I think of this as a model prayer that Jesus spoke to teach me the basic outline of an effective prayer.  The prayer can be used as is or I can embellish it by filling in the outline with copious details. 

This is a model prayer that:

1. Acknowledges God as personal and in command of the universe.
2. Reverences Him.
3. Agrees with His purposes over me personally and universally
4. Acknowledges that good things come from God and asks Him for my basic daily needs.
5. Assumes that God will forgive my debts (moral failings, sins) if I ask Him and maintain a humble heart to forgive people when they fail me.
6. Asks God to lead me to resist temptations and my inherent tendency toward moral failure.
7. Asks God to deliver me from adversities

Interfaith and Secular:

I also think that Jesus’ prayer can be used as an outline for effective meditation.

This is a template for meditation that:  

1. Acknowledge there is purpose in the universe larger than myself.
2. Respect that purpose.
3. Agree that all individuals are subject to the same basic physical and spiritual realities and therefore we are all alike and have equal worth and dignity.
4. Acknowledges that the universe is not against me but that I am meant for good things and any other reality is abnormal.
5. Assumes I can have peace in spite of my moral failings if, with a humble heart, I ask for forgiveness and if I forgive people when they fail me.
6. Acknowledge my tendency toward moral failure and reaffirm the commitment to personal and public moral excellence.
7. Understand that I have problems but I also have faith that there is a path to resolution and I resolve to find that path.

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and share it in the comments

I will consider and implement the interfaith applications of Jesus’ prayer and use it as the template for for my own prayers.

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2018 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Pray in Secret

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 6:6 “…when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray …in secret…”

Summary Notes
What did Jesus say?

Instead of showing off with grand public prayers that demonstrate to everyone my attitude of self righteous superiority, Jesus is saying to be discrete and even secretive with my prayers . 

Why would He say this?

Photo: Dawn Carlson
The Big Sable Lighthouse is one of the tallest in Michigan. The lightkeeper’s primary responsibility was to keep the light lit during the darkness. He or she had to keep the lamp fueled, trim the wicks, clean the windows, wind or tend the mechanisms throughout the night and during the day. Lightkeepers were seldom public figures; they didn’t have the time.
Like silent prayer or meditation good things happened because their belief was followed up with action. They quietly went about their duties because they believed in their mission. As a result, over 190 years, thousands and thousands of lives were saved, thousands of ships and hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of cargoes arrived at their planned destinations. This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery.  Click here see why I like lighthouses

 Jesus just got through explaining why and how to be discrete when I do good things and when I give to people. He then tells me how to avoid being seen as a hypocrite when I pray. 

Jesus did not prohibit public prayer with this command. He and the apostles practiced public prayer on occasion. He merely pointed out that God is not impressed with people who pray (or speak) in public for the purpose of self aggrandizement. 

Benefit beyond the spiritual

It’s my opinion that fervent prayer in secret serves to drive conscience ideas into the subconscious.  When I truly believe in an idea, my subconscious mind begins to work by ordering my conscience thoughts and actions.  By this mechanism I begin to notice opportunities that I would have otherwise missed and to act in ways that seem to attract the good things I seek.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

 

COMMAND 25:  “…go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret…”

Mt 6:6 

RECIPIENT:   To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.  2He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount 

Mt 6:1-5  “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
2“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.  3But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
5“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:  

Mt 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

RESULT:  

No stated result except for one chapter later when Jesus came down from the mountain

Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
1When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

MY  COMMENTS AND NOTES:  

Jesus did not prohibit public prayer with this command. He and the apostles practiced public prayer on occasion. With this command, Jesus pointed out that God does not reward people who pray (or speak) in public for the purpose of self aggrandizement; that kind of speech has its own reward in public opinion. Jesus said that God hears people who pray with humility and who honor Him.

Most prayer is in secret. But there are times when it is appropriate for people to pray together. On occasion Jesus and His followers prayed out loud and in groups with the clear purpose and result to honor God.

What example of prayer did Jesus and the apostles give?  

Jesus prayed publicly 

Jn 11:41-42 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  42I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”  

Jesus prayed privately

Mt 14:23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone;   

Mt 26:36  Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray”;

Mk 1:35  In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left {the house,} and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

The apostles prayed publicly  

Ac 4:24ff  And when they heard {this,} they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,…  

Ac 6:5-6  …And they chose out Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6each of whom they made stand before the apostles. And having prayed, they placed their hands on them.

Ac 20:36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

The apostles prayed privately  

Ac 9:40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.  

Ac 10:9  On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

My Opinion

I think that this command to pray in secret is related to the popular idea of “Attraction”.  My take on the idea of “Attraction” is that meditation and prayer serve to drive conscience ideas into the subconscious.  When I truly believe in an idea, my subconscious mind begins to work ordering my conscience thoughts and actions.  By this mechanism I begin to act in ways that attract like minded individuals and I notice opportunities that would have otherwise been missed. Of course it’s important that I choose those individuals and opportunities well!

DEFINITIONS:  Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

go:  1525 εἰσεìρχομαι  ice-er’-khom-ahee  — to go in

inner room: 5009 ταμεῖον   tam-i’-on  — a storage chamber, storeroom

secret: 2927 κρυπτοìς  kroop-tos’   —  concealed or  private

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

Private meditation or prayer is an invaluable tool.  It strengthens my thinking and assists my subconscious mind to order my actions according to belief.  Associating with carefully chosen like-minded people is an excellent method to multiply the results.

RETURN TO COMMAND

© 2018 Christopher Carlson

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

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