Session 1 – Week 3 – Day 3
Reading: Luke 9 (with focus upon Luke 9:10-17, 37-43)
What would you have learned about him from these two occasions? Some suggestions are at the end of this week’s sessions if you need them. Write down your own observations.
Had I been in those crowds, I would have seen and learned that Jesus could truly perform miracles – feeding 5,000 people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish (and ending up with 12 basketful’s of leftovers?!); rebuking evil spirits (not something to be taken lightly!)… But more-so than that, I think something else that I have learned about Jesus from these two passages are his devoted love for people. He could have just as easily sent the people into neighboring villages for food and shelter. But instead, like a good shepherd, He tended his flock – providing for them and protecting them. However, in the second passage, I saw something different. It was almost… I don’t know… like Jesus was saddened by the generation of people that he was with. He describes them as unbelieving and perverse – not two of the most flattering adjectives in the dictionary. Yet He still protected the boy by driving the evil spirit from him. That is unconditional love!!
Spend time considering each of these different aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry. Ask yourself how far you have seen evidence of his activity in your own life or in the life of your church. How much is this the Jesus that you are getting to know?
I definitely believe that I have seen each of those aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry played out both in my own life and in our church. In our church, I have seen so many times when a person or family has been in need of council, support or fellowship, and instead of sending them away because we really just want to get home and take an afternoon nap after services or try to beat the crowd to the Luby’s line (as my friend puts it), we put our needs aside and tend to those needing us. Jesus didn’t skip out and send the 5,000 people home – he made sure that they were fed and taken care of. I’ve seen that performed over and over in our church in so many different ways.
Personally, I don’t know that I could put myself into that category. I can recall times that I’ve helped someone out in a small way, but I know that I’m not up to that kind of completely sacrificial love for others yet. I definitely have a servants heart (I have a hard time telling someone no because I want to help!), but it goes so far beyond just giving someone money when they’re having trouble making ends meet or listening to them during a hard time. Jesus prayed continually, and I have no doubt that during the feeding of 5,000, he continually prayed and praised God for His provisions. That’s something that I need to find myself doing in those situations. The glory isn’t for me (look what I did – I helped someone out! I rock!!), but rather for what God has done (He blessed us by gaving me the means to help).
The second example is an even harder example, I think, to follow. It’s helping when someone is frustrating you, when you’re tired of their “unbelief and perverse” lives. Praying, providing and protecting those who frustrate you, those who hurt you, those who do not believe you – that’s the hardest step to take. I’m slowly starting to take baby steps here, but that is only by the grace of God that I’m even attempting to. If left up to me, there’s no way that I would help out someone like that. No way, nut uh! But, God is changing me, and I’ve seen it every day. I mean, when you can honestly pray for someone like Osama bin Lauden, God’s definitely doing a number on your heart.