“Sons of Thunder”

Luke 9:51-56

What a contrast we have between Jesus and two of His disciples, James and John, who were referred to as the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus.  Nowhere else in Scripture are they referred to as such, but this we do understand, Jesus is fully aware of our make up and these two as well as their dad, had short fuses.  If they had not met Jesus and His Holy Spirit had not come to live within them, they may have become religious followers of a Rabbi who would have lead them to do harm to anyone who was not in keeping with their values.

Before going forward open and read Luke’s account in verses 51-56, and you find Jesus focused on His Father’s mission and that is Jerusalem and a Cross.  Jesus sends out messengers ahead of him who went to a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.  But the people of that village did not receive him, because He was going to Jerusalem.  So who were the Samaritans?  Got Questions. Org gives this very good answer: “The Samaritans embraced a religion that was a mixture of Judaism and idolatry (2 Kings 17:26-28.  Because the Israelite inhabitants of Samaria had intermarried with the foreigners and adopted their idolatrous religion, Samaritans were generally considered “half-breeds” and were universally despised by the Jews.”

A Jew was not to marry a non-Jew and the reasons were clear; as seen in King Solomon’s life and how the foreign wives brought their customs and gods and not one good thing came out of that.  They were prejudice against any Jew who married outside of the Jewish faith, so when told Jesus was not welcome, it only took a spark to get a fire going, and what did the son of thunder want to do to this village, “Lord do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”  “But he turned and rebuked them.  And they went on to another village.”

What a distinction of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and the “Sons of Thunder” before the cross, but after Jesus had returned to the Father and the Holy Spirit had come on them, it was a mission of love and service by James and John.

In our time we see distortions in the minds and hearts of people who follow false gods and many are very religious.  This example of the Arab world is foreign to most of us, I found this of interest: “Before I was nine, I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; the tribe against the world, and all of us against the infidel.” -- Leon Uris, 'The Haj'

As followers of Christ we must not forget our Lord’s commands; “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48)

Contrast:  “Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' the
Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as
Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in The Quran's 99 excellent
names.  Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form, it is a
complete, total, 100% system of life.”  Dr. Peter Hammond's

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Words like Competition

Luke 9:49-50

These two verses put into the hearts of all who follow Jesus could change the world.  Just two verses, and in them is wisdom and power, in them is unity and peace and blessing to a lost and dying world.  We have often heard that words mean something, and there are words that have no place in the kingdom of God, and His Church.  Words like competition, one group of followers we call them a denomination, you know religious groups that claim to put their trust, hope, and faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, competing with one another.  And each of these groups does worship a little different, and most believe they have the inside tract on Jesus, it kind of reminds us of the question the disciples were asking: “Who is the Greatest?” 

Maybe it is time to apply this teaching to your denomination, and make sure you include self, for Jesus said: “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”  (Luke 9:48 ESV)  Are you and your group open to receiving those God has sent, or has your group moved to a new location in order not to have those new neighbors who are of a different color and social status coming into your group.  Folks, it is not a church at this point it’s a club rename it, for it brings shame on the name of Christ.  If that is where you are repent, be broken for you have missed the message of the gospel.  John the apostle states it so clearly:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

So Jesus answers the question then and now and before He can take a breath John states, “Master we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.”  I always revert back to my childhood, the big park down the street, not really a park, it did have swings and a few trees, but it was where we played ball, and down in our cul-de-sac, no one referred to it in that manner, it was the little circle, it was restricted for those who lived around the circle, a place of safety, mom was always close.  You see the Holy Grail was there, the big Mesquite where Tommy Black and I fought the Yankees and the Indians.  That is the attitude of John, you have to be part of our group our circle to do good, but that is not the attitude of Jesus.  For Jesus said: “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”

So that I am not misunderstood, we do have the responsibility to all followers of Christ to do as Priscilla and Aquila did for a Jew named Apollos at Ephesus.  You will find the account in Acts 18:24-28.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Going away Clueless

Luke 9:43-48

Yesterday, we looked at the man in the crowd, you know the dad who had a son with a big health difficulty and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy.  Christians have grown way too sophisticated to believe in unclean spirits but Jesus did, in fact many of the recorded healings of Jesus were first the removal of the unclean or evil spirit and then the healing.  Something that was consistent with evil or unclean spirits were: they desired to occupy a body; they resisted the will of God; they put desires in the person that brought harm to them, even the tendencies for suicide; they were powerful but not controlled by the person they entered; they acted against God’s desires for the person; they could leave a body and return, and when returning it was stronger; and they are of and under the control of the devil; and they have to obey God.

There are two dangers in this teaching, the first is to go out demon hunting and see them in every illness, and the other is not to believe they are as active today as in the time of Jesus.  It seems that all who witnessed the healing of the young boy were astonished at the majesty of God, and while they were all marveling at everything Jesus was doing, Jesus spoke these words to His disciples: “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”  And what happened next is so like today, I’ve done it and I’m betting you have also, they did not understand what Jesus was saying, and were afraid to ask.  No one wants to be the dumb guys, it’s called flesh, so they, like us, acted like we fully understand, and go away clueless.

Are you ecstatic that in 2015 no one in ministry are asking this question: “Who is the greatest?”  My sarcasm is dripping off this page, for I’ve seen it where one group of Christians feel a new group is infringing on their territory or ministry, are they in the kingdom building, sure, but it is not God’s kingdom but their own.  It is not new, for it is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and it is among the twelve guys whom we later called eleven of them apostles.  But in that it is recorded is anyone in ministry, and we have all been called to ministry, paying attention to the words of Jesus?  I was in full time ministry to the business world as a salesperson; some of you are housewives ministering to family, and neighbors, and the husband and kids.  We have all been called and we all make up the body of Christ and the Bible is very clear that one is not superior to the other.

Jesus has not minced words on this issue of who is the greatest, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35) And in Luke’s account, Jesus takes a child and puts him by his side and says to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”  (Luke 9:48 ESV)

Our flesh does not like being least, and that is why pride is hated by God, for prides’ kingdom is always self!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Are you expecting God to meet your needs?

Luke 9:37-43

I’m fearful that I’ve walked past miracles and not given glory to or have been astonished at the majesty of a Holy God.  One morning, at the Christian Business Men’s Committee, a young man named Mitch ask Greg Hood and myself to stay after the meeting, and these are close to his words; “God told me that if you two would lay hands on me and pray for my healing, I would be healed.”  I must confess I was not the one I would have picked, Ken Ryan a mighty man of prayer was with us that morning, I would have picked Ken, but for some reason God gave my name to Mitch.  Mitch had to ware a special sock, a very long sock that put pressure on his artery, and he had been in some pain for a while.  

If I recall, Greg who was my mentor at that time prayed first and then when I prayed touching Mitch, it felt as if something went out of me into him, and as soon as we had finished praying Mitch jumped to his feet and removed that sock, stating, I am healed!   Now I did not go into the healing ministry, to be honest I was then and am still wondering why God would allow one with such small faith to be part of or a witness to Mitch’s healing?

I have little problem placing myself in the audience of the twelve disciples at this time, Jesus had given them authority to do great things in His name when He sent them out in two’s and yet they, like me, had such small faith in a big
God.  Three went up on the mountain with Jesus to pray, but nine were left to meet the needs of the day. This man from the crowd had come to the nine who did not go up on the mountain with Jesus, and they could not help his son.   So as Jesus comes down the next day a great crowd was waiting for Him and once again this dad who needed help for his son called to Jesus and told him the need of his son.

Listen to this dad; “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”  (Luke 9:38-40 ESV)  Can you hear the heart of this dad, and this is Jesus’ answer, “Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” “While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God.” (Luke 9:41-43 ESV)

Are you expecting God to meet your needs, are you astonished at the majesty of God?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Listen to Him!

Luke 9:28-36

For years my bride of almost 50 years has said, I’m praying this Scripture back to the Father for you.  I have begun to do the same, especially in the Psalm, and today my reading was Psalm 119 and in verse 18, I asked the Father for this: “Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from your instruction.”   You also may want to ask the Father for this it is a great gift, and it’s a gift only He can give.

It has been about eight days since Jesus talked with the twelve about giving up their rights and putting Him first in their hearts and minds.  Now this is special, of the twelve Jesus picked three of the twelve are to go with him up on the mountain to pray.  That was a big deal, not sure how the others felt but on a chart of 1-10 and ten being the max, these three are at a12.  I bet you go to a large church and if your pastor or priest asked you to go with him and a couple of guys to pray and seek the Father’s will, you also would have a better understanding of the emotions Peter, James, and John experienced.

Now this is what took place: “And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”  (Luke 9:29-31 ESV)  Can you place yourself in the story, what are your emotions doing, can you contain them?  You have experienced the transfiguration of Jesus, you’re a witness to Him talking with Moses and Elijah, “who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”  Or would you be doing what Peter, James, and John are doing, sleeping? 

As Paul Harvey would always say; “Now the rest of the story” “Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.”  (Luke 9:32-33 ESV)  They were sleeping, and before you get all full of self, think about your own prayer life, it is easy to go to sleep when you are not involved in the conversation, when you are just a witness to someone else’s prayers.  But when fully awake it became their story, they were witnesses of Jesus in all of His glory and the two men who stood with him.

And now it gets dangerous for though Peter’s eyes were fully awake, so was his worldly mind, for at this time Peter did not have the mind of Christ.  So Peter the bold one said without praying, without being still and asking the Father His will, Peter said; “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.”

“As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.” (Luke 9:34-36 ESV)

It is one thing to be chosen, but it is terrifying when one realizes they are in the presence of Holy God.  And God is saying today, this moment, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Allways be Ready

Luke 9:24-27

I have no doubt you recall Jesus saying, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  (Luke 9:23 ESV)  And in this culture and also the one Jesus found Himself in, people were into self.  But I do believe we live in a culture of self on steroids and this battle of flesh and Spirit is on going in all followers of Christ. 

With that stated shall we move on to the remainder of these verses: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”  (Luke 9:24-25 ESV)  Jim Elliot who in his personnel journal penned; "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Elliot was referring to Luke 9:24-25, and had no thought of dying I’m sure at this time, but was willing to bring risk to himself so the Huaorani tribe could hear the words of Jesus.  He along with four other missionaries made contact from their airplane with the tribe and passed down gifts in a basket.  They setup a base a short distance from the Indian village and had contact with a few of the tribe.  One or more of these told the tribe these men had bad intentions and 10 warriors came and killed all of them.   Jim and the others lived out what Jesus had said, and they all gained what they could not lose.

But be wise and listen to this, for in this time of darkness you will have your allegiance to Christ challenged, and it may surprise you where the challenge comes from. “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”  (Luke 9:26 ESV)   

As a professional sales person often the enemy who controls (Channel One) the deceptive channel in my mind would feed me thoughts that sure sounded like me, it was a south Texas drawl and it went something like this, “watch out your going to blow this sale, this guy does not want to hear about your faith” and the sad news is often I listen to that channel.  The apostle Peter gives this insight: “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter 3:15)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Who is in Control of your Will?

Luke 9:23

Every great battle, conquest, company, or nation has had a leader who has said follow me, and those who followed were willing to do as commanded.  It is my opinion that this statement from Jesus to the twelve has not seemed compulsory to many who are called Christian in 2015.  As we begin reading verse 23, it’s the first four words we may be reading past, “And he said to all” “All” is defined; the whole of, and that might be confusing if Jesus had not given this statement: “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  (Luke 9:23) Anyone, that includes somebodies and nobodies, that includes rich and poor, that includes old folks and young folks, it’s everyone who is a follower of Christ.  We live in the culture of instant gratification and those who go by Christian are not exempt from this culture, we and I’m including me, have a I need, I want, I’m going to get nature that runs head-on into denying oneself.  So how does one follow the leader who states clearly these are the conditions for being a follower of Christ?  And I know you are looking for loopholes, it’s our nature, but it is the old nature, the one that got crucified and it is dead, yet we have learned from both the old nature and the culture how to get our needs met outside of Jesus Christ.

So what is denying self, what is taking up ones cross daily and how does one follow Christ?  For myself, it requires self to be examined and who is the easiest person for me to con, you got it, it is me, so I need accountability to a man who will tell me the truth.  It also is essential for me to understand the way God designed us; what we call our personality, the real me has a mind, emotions, and a will.  You never have made up your mind on anything, but your mind and your emotions have sent information to your will and will say yes or no.  If your will is controlled by self, the Bible calls this flesh, it will war against the Spirit that lives in you. Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”

So our problem lies at the feet of who is in control of our will, for there is a conflict, self likes to look good and even be thought of as top shelf at church, work, and with friends, but it wants to control and Jesus tells all who will come after Him, to deny self and listen to the Spirit, obey and walk with Him.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice