Lessons from the Gospels 8 – Burdened

I am tired, sweet sisters. My job is currently very busy with opportunities that I, as director of sales, am tasked with turning into clients. I have a lot going on at church with teaching opportunities and events, kids classes, blogging and SOS. I’ve been traveling for work and for pleasure. Family birthdays and anniversaries, getting together with friends, and babysitting grandkids. Add to those good things the starting of a new entrepreneurial business venture and am training for a 5k.

I am very much over 21 and I don’t last as long or spring back as fast as I used to. But these are sweet “burdens” that I enjoy bearing, even though they tire me out. These are physical “burdens” that actually feel light to me due to the joy I have in them.

You know what wears me out more than those activities? The emotional and mental stress of the suffering of the world – from friends and family facing health, financial or interpersonal issues to the various wars, depressing and unnecessarily adversarial political environment, famine, prejudice, abuse and more going on in the world around me. These are too much for a human to bear and I sometimes ask God how He can look down on the earth and see it ALL (He sees so much more than I can), and not just send Jesus back right now!

You know what is not a burden? My relationship with God.

Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT] 28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

When Jesus calls us, He calls us to “light duty”. The Greek work translated “easy to bear” in the New Living Version above is translated and just “easy” in the King James, and it means “fit, fit for use, useful, good, virtuous or manageable”.

Something that is fit for use or useful hardly seems like it should be called a burden. God does ask us to carry a load, but it is a light load, and easy load.

We are not asked to carry the guilt or debt of our own sins. Those were pinned to the stake with Jesus.

We are not asked to carry the mental burdens of this world. Those Jesus promises to hold for us.

We are not asked to carry the burden of trying to save others. God does the calling in His own time.

We are not asked to carry the burden of “pay back” and revenge. Revenge-taking can be exhausting, and God offers to take that burden off of us. [Romans 12:17, 19] How much more peaceful would this world be without individuals or nations seeking revenge or to “get their own” back?

Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT] 28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

The burden He asks us to bear is light. And we can think of it in two ways. (1) It is light as the opposite of heavy. Not so much to ask of us.  (2) It is to BE the light in the world. [Matthew 5:14]

Our “light burden” sweet sisters is to be the light of this world - light that shines this suffering world toward God. Light that brings hope and happiness. Light that brings the warmth and comfort of peace rather than conflict.

Our churches should be a haven of peace and joy in this world so void of both. They should be places where the world-weary souls can come to find rest from struggle, doubt, gossip, ladder climbing, etc.

Our relationships should, to the best of our abilities, be sewn in peace. [Romans 12:18] We should be the people who do not “bring the drama” to our workplaces.

Why? Because we follow Jesus who healed people, taking away that burden. We follow Jesus who lifted the burden of adherence to all the extra things the leaders had added to the perfect law of liberty. [James 1:25] Our congregations and 501c3 organizations should not be places that add to the law what are really just the man-made burdens of “tradition” or opinion.

He asks us to help others who are burdened by sin – NOT to add to their burdens with opinions and rituals. [Galatians 6:1-2]

I know that Matthew 7:14 says the way that leads to life if difficult, but that is not because it is a heavy burden. That is because we, as humans in a world led by Satan, struggle against the good way, the peaceful way. That is because we, as humans in a world led by Satan, too willingly take on the burden of sin and its consequences.

God and Jesus offer us peace, hope, a future. We know God’s plans are for exactly that. [Jeremiah 29:11]

We bear the “burden” of being the beacons of peace, light, and hope in this world, and of spreading that message of a beautiful, bright future out into the world.

That is no great burden to bear.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the chat or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org

Lessons from the Gospels 6– Who IS this man?

Matthew chapter 8 is full of the miracles of Jesus. It’s all about miracles and little else. Miracles that surely confirmed He was the Messiah.

But in the midst of this chapter of miracles, we find this interesting miracle:

Matthew 8:23-27 [NLT] 23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" 26 Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

Jesus “rebuked” the wind. To be clear, our Savior was sleeping through this “fierce storm” – apparently not in the least concerned about it. Not the disciples. They were scared.

"Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

But when they woke Him, Jesus got up and “rebuked” the WIND. Wonder if He went right back to sleep, while the disciples stood there with gaping mouths.

Matthew 8:27  tells us, “The disciples were amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked. "Even the winds and waves obey him!"

Who IS this man?! They had just seen Him heal a man with leprosy by touching him – something forbidden as making you unclean.

He commanded the healing of a young servant, from a distance.

He healed Peter’s mother-in-law and then, “That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick.”

With a “simple command” the evil spirits left.

Amazing miracles. We don’t even have actual numbers it was “many”. Too many to be counted?

Who is this man who sends healings, touches lepers, simply commands the demons to get out?

But what drops the jaws (metaphorically) of the disciples is His command of the weather? Perhaps because they felt He saved their lives when all seemed lost.

This is not the only time that the actions of Jesus drew the phrase “who is this man”.

Luke 7:47-49 [NLT] 47 "I tell you, her sins--and they are many--have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love." 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven." 49 The men at the table said among themselves, "Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?"

Who is this man to forgive sin?

Well, if He was JUST a man these things would be astounding. What’s more astounding is this:

Phillipians 2:5-8 [NLT] 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Who IS this Son of God that even my life was worthy of His loving sacrifice. Who is this Being, that even for me He gave up “His divine privileges” and took on a human body, with all it’s pains and weaknesses, and then gave that up too?

Who IS this Jesus? Immanuel. Messiah. Son of God. Healer. Good Shephard. Perfect Lamb. Coming King. My Savior. My Lord. My hope. The Rock I build on. The One I follow.

Who IS this Jesus? The Way. The Door. The Gate.

Who IS this Jesus? The Father’s gift to us.

Who IS this Jesus? He is everything – all our hopes and dreams – our future. He is OURS. 

I welcome your questions and comments. You can write me in the chat or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.

Lessons from the Gospels 2– Camel Hair

Got any odd people at your church? Someone who it is difficult to talk to for some reason. Maybe they seem too intense. Maybe they always want to talk about stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable. Or they just monopolize the conversation. Maybe they just have really bad breath or odd mannerisms. Are you the odd person at church?

John the Baptist might have made me uncomfortable. He might seem a little odd if he walked into your synagogue back in the day. He dressed differently. He had a unique diet.

The gospel account given in Matthew makes it a point to call out some of what might have made John stand out as odd in his time. Matthew 3:1-4 [NKJV] 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.' " 4 Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Jesus calls out some of the same very specific marks of John’s life and ministry that made his seem weird to the leaders of his day.

Matthew 11:18 [NKJV] "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'

How would you like that? After maybe decades of preaching in the wilderness, warning people about the need for repentance and reminding them of the coming of the Messiah, people essentially said, “He is so different from us that he must have a demon.” People can be cruel.

Here are some unique points about John, the baptizer:

1.      Miracle child to his parents. (Luke 1:5-25)

2.      Responded to Jesus in utero. (Luke 1:41)

3.      Knew his role was not the Savior, and that his role was preparing the way. (John 3:27-30)

4.      Had the privilege of not only baptizing Jesus, but also of hearing God call Jesus out as being His Son (confirming that Jesus was the one John was preparing the world for).

5.      And yet, near the end of his life, when he was in prison for calling out Herod’s sin, John had a moment of doubt about Jesus.

Matthew 11:2-3 [NKJV] 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

In spite of his doubt, Jesus praised John for his work. Matthew 11:4-11 4 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 "[The] blind see and [the] lame walk; [the] lepers are cleansed and [the] deaf hear; [the] dead are raised up and [the] poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." 7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 "But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft [clothing] are in kings' houses. 9 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 "For this is [he] of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.' 11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Only Jesus, our Savior, lived a perfect, faith-filled, Spirit-led life while on this earth. John, the baptizer, the voice crying in the wilderness, who had the God-given duty and privilege of preparing the way before Jesus, was a very human person. He was a miracle birth. He had a God-designed role, which he fulfilled well, including baptizing Jesus. He spoke to a king about that king’s sin. He suffered martyrdom. He lived a life of faith and had at least one moment of doubt.

Matthew 11:2-3 [NKJV] 2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"

Don’t discount the odd ones, sweet sister – even if YOU are the odd one. God has a place, a role, and a purpose in each and every one of us that He calls in this life. Your unique purpose may seem odd to others, but it is your perfectly crafted, snug-fitting piece in the puzzle and process of the Kingdom timeline.

So, wear your camel hair proudly, beloved child of God, and never doubt that God called you, specifically, to play a part in that coming Kingdom. Jesus will praise you for doing your part.

I welcome your comments and questions. Write me in the comments section here or any time at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org.