Matthew begins the New Testament by writing to the Jews, answering their questions about this crazy man who called Himself their Messiah. He includes the story of Jesus birth, His lineage; he gives the Jews the whole story, answers any questions they might have.Then Mark takes over and starts writing for the gentiles. Doesn't even touch this Christmas story, interprets Aramaic words, and includes only half the prophecy of the other gospels; he plasters the pages with the amazing miracles that anyone can understand.
At the same time, the Gospels are so similar too. Many stories of Christ's time on earth are shared in multiple places. It is interesting to note which stories the different authors choose to include. Also interesting is how the same story recorded in a different place can hit you in ways it doesn't or hasn't when read in another Gospel. Never experienced this interesting backwards Deja-vu? Well you're in luck, because today I did.
Today I found myself in Mark 1 and 2. Again, Mark doesn't spend any time talking about Jesus birth or lineage, so unlike Matthew, you get to see Jesus adult ministry immediately. Within the first chapter, Jesus is baptized and tempted in the desert, John the Baptist is put in jail, and Jesus is already being forced to move all over because He is being overwhelmed by crowds. Then, picture this vs. 40-42:
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.Ok, so you read that, and maybe you think, Jesus healed some guy, nothing spectacular, some of you probably did, because that's what I did on August 19th, when I read this exact same story almost word for word in Matthew 8:1-4. I looked back at my notes to see what I thought, and I didn't even mention the story in my thoughts that day, I only commented on the story of the Centurion that follows.
Anyway, today something was different. I read those verses and then moved on to get through the rest of the chapter, but I just kept coming back to them. Something about those verses was getting me, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. After maybe the eightieth time I read it (ok not eighty times, but it was a lot) it hit me. I was floored by the way man with leprosy requested Jesus heal him. "Lord if you are willing, I know you can make me clean." This one sentence seems so complex. The man, who remains nameless, I kinda want to give him a name so he will be more fun to write about, we'll call him Henry, so Henry recognizes that nothing happens outside of God's will, He identifies Jesus as Lord and therefore also God as man, and he knows that if its God's will, Jesus could end his affliction.
My question is, what if Jesus would have said, "Sorry man, I'm not willing, I can't do that today." Really, what if that would have happened? I want to ask Henry what he would have said and done afterward, instead of running around like crazy shouting about how amazing Jesus was, where would he have gone next?
Jesus wouldn't have done that, some of you are convinced that would be impossible. Take a second and glance here at Mark 1:32-34, just a few verses before
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.The first verse says the people brought all the sick to Jesus, and the second says He healed many. You know, I don't think they would make this distinction if the many that were healed were all that were brought to Him. For example, Matt 14:34-36:
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.
Matthew 14 all, Mark 1 many. Could you imagine being one of the not many who was literally in Jesus presence, but walked away without being cured, sitting staring in His face, but not feeling that healing touch?
So, I started this blog on Friday morning, and I basically got it written to this point Friday and I've been stuck here since. I couldn't get this story off my mind, but as I tried to conclude the post, I'm sitting here thinking, "so what?" Whether or not you track with the whole many vs. all theory I've come up with, the fact remains that sometimes Jesus does reply, "Sorry, I'm not willing," even when it's someone as amazing as Paul making the request in 1 Cor 12, but what do I want to say with this?
I was stumped by this question until last night at the Superchick concert (so good). After the band came out and rocked pretty hard core for a while, they decided to take it down a few notches. The lead singer began telling a story of a time in her life when it seemed impossible to see God's hand in her situation. She said one day during that time she found Job 23 and the song "Beauty from Pain" was the result. The song talks about how sometimes in life dreams are crushed and there is no hope of seeing them rekindled on this earth and there are times when God literally brings us to the end of ourselves basically to just leave us there. In those times, the darkness we are surrounded by is blinding; in that Job passage Job said that he literally could not see God no matter where or how hard he looked.
So, I think the point I am trying to come to with this is that there will be times when God says, "I'm not willing," even when it the most noble request from humble people who love the Lord with everything they got, and none of us can really understand that. But guys, I want to reassure that God will never take us through darkness without the hope that eventually we will see the dawn. Have you ever thought about that, how without the darkness of night you would never know the beauty of dawn?
I was stumped by this question until last night at the Superchick concert (so good). After the band came out and rocked pretty hard core for a while, they decided to take it down a few notches. The lead singer began telling a story of a time in her life when it seemed impossible to see God's hand in her situation. She said one day during that time she found Job 23 and the song "Beauty from Pain" was the result. The song talks about how sometimes in life dreams are crushed and there is no hope of seeing them rekindled on this earth and there are times when God literally brings us to the end of ourselves basically to just leave us there. In those times, the darkness we are surrounded by is blinding; in that Job passage Job said that he literally could not see God no matter where or how hard he looked.
So, I think the point I am trying to come to with this is that there will be times when God says, "I'm not willing," even when it the most noble request from humble people who love the Lord with everything they got, and none of us can really understand that. But guys, I want to reassure that God will never take us through darkness without the hope that eventually we will see the dawn. Have you ever thought about that, how without the darkness of night you would never know the beauty of dawn?
I'll be honest, that dawn isn't promised to be swift, it might accompany the second coming and even if we get a glimpse of the dawn, our hearts might still be breaking, but God isn't giong to take you through it for no reason. I want to encourage you tonight, to walk through the darkness, the pain, with Him, even if you feel like He is nowhere to be found, because I can promise you that that feeling is a lie. God is there and wants to walk through the pain with you, to be by your side loving you while you're just trying to hold on. You never know who's life your speaking beauty into by wakling through the pain with Him.
Job 23:16-17--God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me. Yet I am not silenced by the darkness, by the thick darkness that covers my face.
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