Thursday, December 31, 2015

Using your Imagination



Luke 22:47-53

These Scriptures deal primarily with the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, and I for one have always let my thoughts go to that low-life Judas and the religious dudes like the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come out with the soldiers at night under the cover of darkness to arrest Him.

But lets not go there today, let’s use our imagination and join the crowd, but you are not one of them, yes, you are with them but you are under the orders of the chief priest, you’re his servant. Now Scripture does not tell us if Peter was going for the high priest and was just lousy with a sword, you do recall he’s much better with a fishing-net than a sword.  But we are told the following; “And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.”  (Luke 22:49-51 ESV)

I feel the need to put in a note at this point; if you are of the Muslim faith I’ve been told you call Jesus one of your prophets, but do not acknowledge Him as the Son of God.  Do you see a contrast between Jesus and your chief prophet Mohammed?  Jesus, when He is being attacked and arrested tells His followers “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.”  But in your Koran you are taught to kill and enslave anyone who is not of your faith.  I will follow Jesus, and my prayer is that you will come out of the darkness of hate and come into the Light that is found only in Christ Jesus.

Now use your imagination, I know it is almost a lost art, but it is still there, your putting yourself in the place of the chief priest’s servant, you may or may not want to be there, but you’re a servant and you do as you are told.  This big guy comes at you with a sword, and you are not sure, but you believe the boss pushed you in the direction of the man with the sword and the next thing you recall is blood going all over the place, and you see Jesus, telling His followers “No more of this!” and he bends over and picks up your ear and it’s beyond your understanding, He puts it back on your head and you see the blood stop and your ear is back in place and there is no more pain!

Let me ask you a question, and I hope you ponder on it for a few minutes; what do you think of Jesus, is He your enemy, someone you want to destroy or has He just become your savior, your deliverer?  For without Him fixing the ear you would have been in big trouble. 

To be totally upfront with you that is where each of us are, we have a sin problem, its end game is death for eternity, leaving us like the high priest’s servant, wounded with little hope, that is unless Jesus rescues us and heals our wound.  And the good news is that is the purpose of the Cross, God required a sinless man to take our place on the Cross, and Jesus the one who John the Baptist said being filled with the Holy Spirit, said to his disciples in John 1: 29, “Behold the Lamb of God!”  And in verse 34 John the Baptist states; “And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Today it is your choice, you can ask Jesus to come and rescue you from the control of sin, the sin that makes you hate people who you do not know, the sin that makes you fear and distrust all but your little group.  God has extended His grace and will give you the faith you need at this moment to agree with God that you have a wound, that sin has control of your life and you are wanting to be free of fear and hate.  If you choose to agree with God that you’re a sinner, then pray this prayer, Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, and that you died for all sin, and I believe that with all my heart and I believe God the Father raised you from the dead, and that your blood has covered my sins, now and forever.

If you prayed that prayer in faith, welcome to the family of God, now get a Bible and begin to let the Holy Spirit teach and guide you in how to live life on planet earth.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice



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