Jesus Rejected in Nazareth

Jesus was rejected in His own hometown in Nazareth. Their unbelief stopped the flow of healing virtue because they considered Jesus as just a common inhabitant of the town who was common just like them. They could not accept His wisdom and power because they were so familiar with Him, having watched Him grow up in the community.

Jesus Sends out the Twelve Apostles

Jesus gave His 12 disciples power over unclean spirits. Its very interesting how this is placed in the text so abruptly given its importance. Also, Jesus instructed them not to take anything with them as they went. This is so very profound. He sent them two by two in order that they may have a witness, for by the witness of two or three shall a matter be established according to Deuteronomy 19:15. They not only cast out demons, they preached repentance and performed miracles. The fact that the disciples had the same authority Jesus had gives the idea that we today as Christ followers are no exception when it comes to walking in the power that comes with the authority of Jesus. This brings to mind that we should evaluate our current state as we’re walking in Christ today. What are we doing to carry the authority of Jesus so that it manifests to the world around us? Are we content to simply attend Church meetings and not go out into our own communities to witness to others?

Death of John the Baptist

Like John who preached righteousness, he was persecuted to the point of death. It is through much persecution that we enter into the Kingdom according to Acts 14:22, but the one who endures even death for Jesus will obtain riches in heaven and a victors crown of Life just as Jesus encouraged the persecuted Church in Smyrna in Revelation 2:8.

John publicly rebuked Herod who took his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias as his own wife. Simply because John did not relent to promote righteousness, he was thrown into prison as an act of protection by Herod because he thought John was a righteous and holy man. But Herodias was extremely vengeful and wanted him killed and she found the opportunity when Herod asked her daughter, who had danced before him, such an act moving him to vow to give her anything she wanted.

The daughter or Herodias asked for counsel from her mother as to what to ask for. It was in the daughter’s power to choose on her own, yet it seemed she had such a tie to her mother that it led her to sin and further become an accomplice to murder. Her actions should teach us to be leary of the influence that people have on us. Herod liked John the Baptizer, yet because of his vow and the people who were witness of the vow, he had to agree to murder John, just to save face and appease his followers.

Jesus Multiplies Food to Feed Five Thousand

Jesus wanted to be alone with His disciples so that He could simply share a meal with them. Sometimes we have to go away to a different place or break up our normal routine to find something different. However, so, many people were following Jesus and His disciples and Jesus was moved with compassion and taught them. As it was getting late, the disciples urged Jesus to send the people home to buy food, yet Jesus challenged them to get the people food. He simply asked how much food they had. Five loaves and 2 fish fed a crowd of thousands as Jesus broke the bread and the fish, giving thanks to God for it, as it multiplied over and over again to feed them all.

Jesus Walks on Water

While the disciples were rowing against a raging storm, Jesus, having seen them struggling, came walking on the waters of the storm and He would have passed them by in the ship, had they not noticed Him. This is key. Jesus saw them struggling and could very well have stopped the storm by His own power. Why did Jesus will to keep walking past them and why didn’t he stopped the storm to alleviate their toil? He wanted them to realize the power they had to overcome their fear and even calm the storm themselves. The disciples were afraid because as they saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought He was a ghost. Jesus came into the boat and the storm was instantly calmed. The disciples had missed all the lessons of the previous miracles of multiplication of food and the very power He had only just given them to cast out demons and heal the sick. They had even had a very similar experience to this one in a storm in Mark 4:35-41. They were in a tumultuous storm on the lake, but Jesus was sound asleep in the stern of the boat. He simply said to the storm, “peace, be still.” Then He turned to them and said they were gripped so much by fear that they had not yet learned to trust. Neither had they learned then nor had they learned in this instance when they saw Him walking on the water. Their hearts were hard. The scripture says they were “toiling in rowing.” We can often be doing this in our own lives by striving and trying to make things happen of our own power and accord when all we have to do is call on Jesus.

Summary

1. Don’t allow the storms in life to blind you to seeing Jesus Christ
2. There is a lesson in the miracle, 48-52
3. You are qualified by Christ, not the world’s credentials, 2-3, 7
4. Be faithful, even unto death, 27
5. Be careful of whom you allow yourself to be influenced by, 24-26
6. Unbelief kills the anointing, 4-6
7. Count the cost of your promises
8. Christ will answer your needs both natural and spiritual, 34-42
9. Let your compassion move you to action, 34
10. Walk in your purpose no matter the cost, 18-19

A Demonized Man Set Free

The way in which demons cause those that they posses to act in the most unseemly and untoward way is astounding. People may look at people who are demon possessed and think to themselves that person is crazy. However, we miss the spiritual connotations associated with that “crazy” behaviour. This demons possess mad man was fettered with chains, but had strength enough to break them off! Although the powers of darkness may be strong, Jesus is stronger. The demons recognize His authority, a force and power which will always overcome darkness. To cast a demon out doesn’t require striving and aggravation in manor of speech and sound. Jesus simply said, “come out of him.” The demons know there is a God and tremble. All of darkness must bow to Jesus. Demons can’t do anything to you unless you allow it or unless they see a weakness in you that they can exploit.

When the demons were cast out of this man, they wanted to go into some other living creature in order to continue to torment and terrorize. There were 2000 hogs on a nearby hill which the demons asked to be cast into. Its quite remarkable that Jesus gave them permission to do this, as before they were so a frightened that He would cast them out of the region. The Gospel of Luke says of this account that they feared being cast into the deep. They went into the pigs and caused the pigs to drown themselves in the ocean.

After the demons were cast out and the demonized man regained his composure and sanity, the people of the town wanted Jesus to leave. One would have thought that they would have welcomed Him for doing such a noble and compassionate deed for a tormented and deranged man. However, with their livestock being lost, no doubt a resource of their livelihood, one could imagine they were angry and fearful instead of gleeful and reverent that God had come to them. Also, a momentous change to their environment and circumstances showed that they were a stubborn people, unwilling to change their mindset about the miraculous power of God. Even still, they were aware of this miracle, but cared more about their herds than the well-being of the tormented man.

Two Miracles: Healing and Resurrection

While Jesus was surrounded by a crowd of people who were touching Him, one woman with great faith and desperation driving her get close enough to Jesus to simply touch the fringe of His garment, was healed instantly. She had and issue of constant bleeding and she said to herself, “If only I could touch His garment, I would be healed.” Jesus honors, in regard to our healing, what our faith expects of Him. She determined if she could just touch His garment she would be healed. The Centenarian of Matthew 8, whose son was at home sick, had faith that determined that if Jesus just spoke the word of healing, healing would flow to his son being miles away. Your faith determines how you shall be healed and through what avenue you shall be. This woman and the Centenarians stories are amazing because their faith in Jesus was what made them well. Faith is extremely powerful to do things in the spiritual realm. Without faith its impossible to please Him.

During the pressing of the crowd and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, the disciples were being discipled in that instance. When Jesus said virtue went out of Him and the disciples went to a carnal mindset, they were seeing in action how power, virtue and faith come together to perform heal miracles. Jesus didn’t belittle the disciples but taught them with compassion and patience, though they were more concerned about the outward and carnal things.

When a bad report comes, like that of the death of the Synagogue rulers daughter, it creates a great doubt and causes the soul to be seized with fear and sadness. Also, the voice of reason stirs doubt. However, Jesus was trying to stir up the man’s faith by telling him not to give into fear because as we’ve seen, faith is what facilitates miracles. Who had the faith here? Jesus and the dead girls Father, though the Father’s faith was little.

Jesus took 3 disciples with Him, Peter, James & John. These three seem to be closest to Him because in other instances, Jesus chose only them to go with Him on certain occasions, such as the mount of transfiguration, and in the garden of Gethsemane. We also see in this instance, as in the one with the woman being healed of the issue of blood, that the disciples were being discipled on how to raise the dead. Peter, in the book of Acts 9, does takes very similar steps to heal a woman who died, as Jesus does here for the little girl. Jesus caused all the whalers to go out of the room, because their weeping caused doubt and sadness to be active against Him speaking life into the girl.

Summary

1. Demons must flee in the presence of Jesus, 11
2. Let your deliverance be a testimony, 19
3. God moves in our lives with genuine, sincere faith, 34
4. Faith in Christ is your best advice
5. Allow your faith to overcome your fear, 33
6. Your faith activates healing virtue, 28-29
7. What’s your posture in the presence of Jesus, 22
8. Miracles don’t always have to be publicized, 43
9. Demons will obey you when your walk is true, 12
10. Use discernment to know them that you minister with, 37

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

This parable speaks to a number of things but what is most prominent is noticing “your circle.” The types of soil can be representative of the type of people you’re around. If you’re surrounded by people who are doing wordly things, eventually you will fall away from the truth and into the world. You have to surround yourself with people who are both lovers of God and living in the truth because then you will grow. The seed sown on stony ground can be compared to Christians whose hearts are hard and filled with self-righteous pride about the scriptures. In short, they think they know it all. The disciples never ceased to ask questions and its amazing that although they had Jesus with them, they still didn’t know God. It speaks to us as believers not having to know it all or be perfect, but simply just follow Jesus.

The Purpose of Parables

The parables weren’t for the 12 but for the multitudes. The 12 had already been given the holy, wonderful, joyous mysteries of the Kingdom of God. But what is holy is not reveled to those that are without because they would not appreciate it. It has to be revealed to them slowly because their minds have been dulled by the cares of life. This parable of the seeds is representative of us as believers who can be deceived or over confident in our walk with God, but having never been tested by trial can become unfruitful and even hard-hearted. How will we know we have true, deep roots in the Word of God if our faith has never been tested? If we endure trials and tests looking toward Jesus as our prize, we will finally have nutrient rich soil for our hearts that the seed of the Word can grow and mature in.

Sometimes its easy to dim your light, especially in this culture where shining in Christ is not applaudable. There is always a chance of compromise. But the light of Jesus overshadows the dark realm of Satan, casting it out completely. You have to shine because that is your nature as a believer in Jesus. Don’t ever be tempted to dim your light. If you sow bountifully into your walk with Christ and into the ministry He’s given you, you will have a fruitful life with Him. At the same token, if you don’t give much care to how you’re planting; if you don’t nurture the crop, then the harvest is going to be miserably sparse.

Parable of the Growing Seed

We are the farmer doing the work, unctioned by the Holy Ghost to preach, to pray, to heal the sick, to cast out demons. However, like the seed that mysteriously spouts on its own in stages of maturity, Holy Ghost is the one who mysteriously does the work to prick hearts when we preach, to move the mountains when we pray, to restore the bodies of the sick when we lay our hands on them, and to give demons the boot when they manifest. We are ministry partners with Jesus and we each have a role to play.

Parable of the Tiny Mustard Seed & the Storm

Jesus mentioned the mustard seed parable and then tested this with the storm that was to ensue. Why were the disciples so fearful? Because they lacked faith. They believed who He was in the midst of all this, but they didn’t see what He was doing in the midst of the storm. The disciples had forgotten who they were with. They were with Him everyday, but they forgot who they were with. The storm was a wake up call; a reality check. The disciples didn’t pay attention to His posture of trust and calm as He slept through the raging, tempestuous storm. They were more concerned with the chaos around them. Jesus, when casting out demons, told them to hold their peace and go. Jesus when calming the storm said peace, be still.

Summary

1. You need the faith of a mustard seed to succeed, 24
2. Be careful where you’re planted, 4-8
3. Let your light shine, 21
4. Where is your faith in the storm, 40
5. Share what Christ has given you, 24
6. Though you cannot see, the Kingdom of God will be, 26-32
7. The fruit you produce is from the faith you have, 20
8. Rest. God brings the increase, 26-27
9. Good soil keeps you grounded, 26
10. Jesus is the peace in the storm, 39

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

People watched Jesus with a hidden agenda to accuse Him. When you are walking in the works of Jesus, people will be watching and some may have hidden agendas against you. Jesus healed a man who had a paralyzed hand. When he heals, he does so completely as though what was restored was never maimed, torn, or broken. Many will reject no doubt, but many will flock to Him. The Pharisees wanted to kill Jesus because all of the attention was leaving them and being projected to Him.

Massive Crowds Follow Jesus

People had heard of all the things He did and wanted to be near Him, simply to touch Him because of the power. Today, just as it was then, if we display the Kingdom of God, through teaching, preaching and works, people would be drawn not to us. But let them be drawn to Him, for it is His power surging through us to perform these mighty signs.

Demons within people would scream out to Jesus, “You are the Son of God.” Sometimes evil spirits have more reverence for Him than His own children. Just as these demons fell at Jesus feet and recognized His authority, so can we as believers walk in that authority when we recognize Jesus within us.

Jesus Chooses Twelve Apostles

The ordination of the 12 disciples was very detailed. Jesus went up to a place set a part. He didn’t just call anyone. This speaks to hearing Jesus when He calls. These 12 men were given power to do the things Jesus was doing: casting out demons and healing the sick. Jesus didn’t hoard these gifts, but shared them. He is our example to give to others freely with humble, open hearts. As those in leadership, we should not be haughty and hoard our gifts. The specifics of nicknaming Simon “Peter,” gives insight to the character Simon would have. Peter means “stone,” and this man would be one that would be a leader in the Body of Christ. Not only he but all the disciples had purposes.

No matter where Jesus went the multitude kept coming to Him and His friends thought that He was crazy. However, He didn’t let their opinions stop Him from bringing restoration to the sick and tormented.

Jesus and the Ruler of Demons

The religious said that the miraculous things Jesus did in casting out demons and healing the sick were acts done through the prince of devils. Does it makes sense that Satan casts himself out? No, because Jesus cast out evil by the power of the Holy Ghost. Jesus didn’t force His way of thinking even on the religious, but phrased his questions so as to make the listener think.

The works of Holy Ghost are always good. He will never do evil. To call His works those of an evil source is a deliberate act of disrespect to Him and grievous to Him. To deny His beautiful works is to deny the sobering, wholesome effect the sight of His works brings to your very conscious. His works are tools to cause you to believe in Him and if you call them evil, it denotes a sinister stubbornness within your soul that Jesus says is a sin that cannot be forgiven. Be careful that you don’t point your finger at another Christian group who may be operating under the power of God in a way that you aren’t familiar with. You may be calling the works of Holy Ghost evil inadvertently.

Members of Jesus’ True Family

When Jesus’ mother and brothers came calling for Him when he was ministering among the crowds and He didn’t go to them, that didn’t mean He didn’t love them. He was demonstrating to the crowds that you can’t allow the tugging of family to sway your heart from seeking God’s purpose. Those who do the will of the Father, whether they are your biological family or not are your true family indeed.

Summary

1. Anytime is good time to be healed, 1-4
2. Let others be attracted to you because of Jesus, 1-4
3. All power comes from Jesus, 13-15
4. Beware the dangers of division, 24-26
5. Know when to withdraw from the crowd, 7
6. Allow God’s timing to guide your walk, 13
7. Don’t let the opinions of friends define you Godly destiny, 21
8. When God calls you, answer, 13
9. Do not judge the power of God you don’t understand, 29
10. How can your work be complete when you’re divided, 25
11. Have a single-eye for the will of Christ, 32-35
12. Be reverent before the Lord always, 11

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

The fact that Jesus saw their faith spoke to Jesus. God moves in faith; even in your movement, he responds to your faith. The perseverance people had to get to Jesus, no matter how many people were in the press speaks volumes. They made a way out to no way to get to the One who makes a way out of no way. People will walk over people’s heads just to get into a concert just to get to the best seat in the house. Its the same concept with the Lord. They weren’t phased at all, they were going to get their healing.

The gifts of the Spirit are at work in Jesus. He is performing miracles and healing others and has a word of knowledge about the thoughts of the scribes when they thought Jesus couldn’t forgive sins. Also, the connection between sin and sickness. Jesus addressed the sin first in the paralyzed man before healing the man. When the scribes objected Him, He used their unbelief to prove a point and didn’t allow what they said to discourage Him.

Jesus Calls Levi to Follow Him

Jesus links sickness to repentance. Repentance is the antidote to sickness and sin. Its not what goes into a man through food that defiles him, but what comes out of a man that defiles him: jealously, pride, debauchery, lying, envy. Jesus calls you to go to those who are in need. Go to those who are sick, not well. We need to have wisdom and discernment to come to those whom God has led us to. We also need not to be so “caught up in God’s work,” to the point where we’re judgmental toward others instead of being loving toward them. People can sense when you are holier-than-thou and they want no part of a hypocritical, judgmental, hypercritical person.

Jesus said to Levi (Matthew) simply to follow Him. We want others to follow us as we follow Jesus. It isn’t easy, however, it is God that draws the hearts and Holy Ghost that convicts the soul, not us.

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Jesus equates Himself to be the bridegroom when asked about His disciples who did not fast like those of the Pharisees. When the Bridegroom who makes the heart glad is gone, then there will be time for fasting because the heart is broken in longing for Him. But the time of fasting is like a time of refining for the heart, testing the love we have for the Bridegroom. At the end our fast we find we made new because of testing has produced patience and character in us that joins us even closer in relationship to the Bridegroom. There is bridal language throughout the scriptures that allude to our eternal union with Him in the culmination when time wraps us.

The Pharisees thought that fasting was a means by which they could obtain holiness, righteousness and good standing with God. This type of mindset is the old garment and old wine-skin which is worn out. The Bridegroom is the one who brings us holiness, righteousness and good standing with God. He is the new garment and new wine-skin. Fasting is only as good as the heart posture of the one fasting and is a means through which we find Him. We cannot make ourselves righteous no matter how much we fast, but fasting draws us closer to the Bridegroom who can.

Summary

1. Don’t question God’s will for you
2. Be ready for opposition
3. While Christ is away, saints must fast and pray v. 19-22
4. Don’t let the sins of your past paralyze you. Arise. v. 11-12
5. Persevere through the press v. 4-5
6. Your faith will speak for you v. 5
7. Let your healing be a testimony v. 12-13