Luke 17:11-19
He wanted to die. He wanted to live. He was doing neither. The camp was downwind of the city because the smell of rotting flesh permeated the surrounding area. The ghastly appearance of revoltingly disfigured bodies was commonplace. They lay in the streets, nameless and faceless all day and all night, week after week, waiting to die. Each one of the victims longed for the touch of another human being that would never come. The village was replete with pain but strangely devoid of weeping. Only the newcomers shed tears, for the others there were no more tears to cry. These men and women had become prisoners that had committed no crime. Joel had lived, no, existed, in this makeshift tent village outside the city walls for the last two years. Although not everyone here had contracted leprosy each man and woman here had some sort of skin or blood disease that made them untouchable (and I don’t mean in the sense that they were above the law—they were literally untouchable.) It was dangerous to one’s personal health to touch them, and if you did touch them you too would be declared “unclean” by the law and be forced to follow the prescribed detailed regulations (which included presenting yourself to the priest for examination and the sacrifice of a young dove or pigeon) in order to be declared clean. He hadn’t always been a leper. Now that’s all he was. In his life before the disease he was a city official. Most of his cohorts were hard hearted, greedy, and crooked. Joel wasn’t. He had a tender heart that often got him in trouble. Unmarried he was able to spend hours helping those less fortunate including the untouchables. He didn’t do it for recognition and no one recognized him. He never appeared in the LIFE section of the Samaritan Times-Herald as a courageous volunteer. Most of his deeds were done in secret and as such were unnoticed. Over the last year or so he had been drawn to the “city outside the city” by the quiet, but obvious pain of the lepers. He wanted to do something to show them that people still cared. So he began to visit the city downwind. He began to make friends with those who couldn’t believe that he would risk his own life. Then one morning he woke up and noticed a small white spot and white hairs on his arm. It was as he suspected…leprosy. Now, he was no longer called “Joel”, but “Leper.” Required by the Health Code and Law, Joel moved outside the city and shouted with the others “Unclean! Unclean!” when people approached so that no one would mistake him for a clean man and contract this horrible flesh eating disease. The disease was not only eating away at his flesh it was eating away at his soul. He tried to remain hopeful but smell and pain were constant reminders of his imminent death. He wanted to die. He wanted to live. He was doing neither. The ten of them had become friends not because of their common heritage (in fact, he was a Samaritan among Jews) but because of the disease there were no more racial divides. Strangely, disease breaks down those visible and invisible barriers to relationship. Outside the boundaries of the village they were all anonymous except for “Unclean!”, but inside the confines of the village each other was all they had. Theirs was a unique bond that transcended culture and ideas. If one of them was depressed the others would do their best to cheer him up. These ten stood out among the others because they held out hope for a cure. They didn’t know where it would come from or when it would come, but surely God would do something. Word of a traveling miracle worker had trickled into the leper colony over the last two days. One of the men’s brothers had heard a neighbor say that some Teacher had stopped at the town’s well and spoken to a Samaritan woman and a widely known prostitute. Supposedly the miracle-worker had not just spoken to her, (“Hey, how are you? How’s the water in at this well?” ), but spoke to her in a way that no man or woman had ever spoken to her, he spoke with her about things she had only sensed in her heart—things that until now she had been unable to verbalize. The teacher made strange claims about himself. He said that unlike the water in the well, the water he was offering would never run dry or grow stagnant. As strange as it sounded to the woman she understood what he meant, it was if she had had a veil lifted from her eyes and mind and she knew what he was talking about. The net of it was that she believed that this Teacher to be the Messiah and as a result of her story many other locals were beginning to believe as well. A Jewish Rabbi speaking to an unclean Samaritan woman--unheard of! They say he even has the power to bring physical healing. Although the lepers had heard stories of healers before, none had ever dared enter their quarantined village, and it didn’t matter, for in the end these ‘healers’ had turned out to be charlatans anyway. These frauds knew that if they had come into the “city outside the city” their inability to cure the dreadful skin diseases would be obvious to all and their cover/charade would be discovered. Was this man different? Did they dare hope? They did. The Ten decided that they would stand on the edge of their “city outside the city” and wait. Perhaps this man was different. Perhaps he was who he said he was. Although Joel didn’t completely understand the Messiah thing like his nine Jewish friends did, he was doing his best to get his head around the concept and what they spoke of did resonate with his heart and soul… They went out early in the morning before daybreak to begin their vigil. They were determined not to miss their opportunity, so they took their worn mats and lay as close to the boundary as they were allowed. They didn’t have to wait long. Just after the sun broke over the hilltops they saw him coming with his entourage out of the mountains. They were laughing and singing as they neared the men, sounds that echoed in stark contrast to the quiet sorrow that lay behind The Ten. “Jesus! Master! Have mercy on us!” the Ten shouted as with one voice. He didn’t glare at them condescendingly. He didn’t rebuke them for interrupting their song. His followers didn’t seem annoyed by their early morning pleading. He didn’t furrow his brow and take on a different persona. He just kept smiling and walked right up to the Ten without hesitation and absolutely no fear. This man was different, Joel thought to himself. He didn’t ask for an explanation. He didn’t wait for them to beg him, worship him, or pay him. He was behaving just as the rumor the well woman had said; and somehow it was as if he was looking into them. Then with a sense of tremendous joy and peace he told them to go and show themselves to the priest (which was the first step in being declared clean/whole/well). Although nothing had changed externally in Joel or the other nine they were compelled to do as he had instructed, so they picked up their mats and started toward the temple. Astonishingly, about 100 meters from where they encountered the miracle worker their skin disease began to disappear right before their eyes. Joel could hardly believe his eyes. The pigment was returning to his arms, the boils vanished, his physical strength was returning. The other nine began running. Joel stopped. He turned around to see Jesus and twelve other pairs of eyes watching him with smiles on their faces and their arms stretched to the sky in jubilation. There was more going on here than anyone, including Joel, could see or comprehend. On a purely physical level he had just been healed of one of the most dreadful diseases of the day, which Jesus was using to teach his disciples on a spiritual level to prove that he had dominion over all things; and on another level the Teacher was using this teachable moment to show his disciples their future. After Jesus had dismissed the Ten he had instructed his disciples to watch and they would see. They would see how the world would treat him; they would see how the world would treat them. Now, Joel began to run like he hadn’t run in two years, but he did not run with the others. He ran back—back to Jesus and the group. He ran back uninhibited, free, healthy, and full of praise for God. He didn’t care what anyone else thought at that moment; he could tell by the look on the disciples faces that they were enjoying watching him run and leap for joy. They were laughing out loud, but not laughing at him like he was a maniac who had lost his mind, but laughing out of pure joy at what they were watching. Joel would never know that the group had just come down from a time of prayer for his village and that they had prayed specifically for something like this to happen. Joel threw himself at Jesus’ feet, an unmistakable act of worship, and wept with joy. What an incredible scene. Jesus reached down and picked Joel up by the hand. It was the first time anyone had touched him in two years. The tenderness of the moment was overwhelming. “On your way, now!” Jesus exhorted, “to the priest so that he can declare you clean! Your faith has made you whole!” Joel turned back toward the temple and as he did a young dove startled him as it fluttered away.
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The threat of snowfall and ice used to be the only things that might prevent a church from gathering--and then, only if you lived in the deep south! But the wide-spread mess that is Covid has forced those in church leadership to monitor not only the Weather Channel but also the weekly reports from the Department of Public Health.
Full disclosure: Pastors (and other church leaders) despise having to make these types of calls--because it often feels like a No-Win decision. Worship Gatherings are vital to the spiritual health of people and so when we cancel a service, it is always (and I really do mean always) after considerable prayer and with great reluctance, and not (and I really do mean not) from a position of fear. However, there are times when the wisest decision is to take a week away from gathering in-person. This is one of those times. After seeking the counsel of our Leadership Board, staff and key volunteers, we have decided to cancel our in-person gathering on January 2. However, I (John) will share a message live on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. I want to ask that if at all possible, you join me at that time so even if we won't be face-to-face, we can be together in spirit. I am excited to begin sharing what I sense God's direction for us, The Stone Church, is for 2022. Thank you for being a strong church who trusts us to lead as we all follow Jesus! I am truly grateful for your strong support and encouragement even when we have to make difficult decisions! Grace and Peace. Disclaimer: As you may know, there is no mention of an inn keeper in Scripture--only that there was no room in the inn. So the story below is simply an "imagine-if-tion" of that moment in time. Maybe it will encourage you to see it through fresh eyes.
She’d just nudged the last few sheep and a young colt in the livery under her living quarters, turned the key and locked the door. This stable-under-the-house design, though perhaps a bit smelly, kept thieves from breaking in and stealing the little she had. Stopping to put away the last few things she looked up into the vibrant night sky. Millions of stars--as numerous as grains of sand on the seashore. Brilliant. Beautiful. Amazing. And yet, she felt so small. Insignificant. Forgotten. Maybe even invisible. Her name was Rahab—named for her distant relative from the double-walled city of Jericho, who had hidden two Israelite spies under the drying flax on her roof. That Rahab! The one who was called an “innkeeper” but who was really a prostitute. The harlot turned heroine who courageously hung a scarlet cord from her window, as instructed by those Israelite spies to insure she and her family would be spared. The Rahab, who gave birth to a son named Boaz who married Ruth who became the great-grandmother of King David. That Rahab was the woman for whom she was named. At times, when things were quiet at night, she wished that she were more like that Rahab. She could certainly use some of her courage, but the truth was she was barely surviving. She lived on the edge—the edge of survival, the edge of community, the edge of a nowhere town--the last “inn” on the road—the edge of life. She shivered, pulled her coat tightly around her neck and carefully climbed the rickety ladder to her living quarters. Alone. After straightening her pallet, she lay down and pulled the covers up snug. Finally, she would rest. She was hungry but the pangs would eventually pass—they always did. Fortunately sleep came quickly to Rahab until… A quiet knock at the door awakened her. Did she just imagine that noise or had something startled the animals? Her exhausted eyes closed…it was probably nothing. Then she heard it again—a gentle knock—a little more urgent. “Hello? Is there someone there?” Rahab called out hesitantly. “Yes,” came a calm male voice. “I’m looking for a place to stay the night…for my…for my wife and me,” he said with a worried glance at Mary. Rahab called down: “I’ve not got a guest room—there’s just enough room for me. I’m sorry. I really am.” Rahab lay quiet. What could she do—she had nothing to offer. “Do you know of anything? Mary, my wife, is in pain and needs a place to lie down. She is laboring with child. We’re desperate.” Rahab was still. Surely they would walk away. “Hello? Miss?” They hadn’t left. Rahab stared at the roof made of flax and thought of “Grandmother Rahab” and then she heard a small voice in her spirit say: “What about the stable? You have a stable.” “Hel…” “I’m coming,” she interrupted. She opened the door and she couldn’t believe what she saw—the time was now! “Thank you,” whispered the man as he helped the young woman through the gate. “You are very kind.” Rahab lowered her head and said, “I’m embarrassed to even show you this, but it is all I have,” as she removed the key from her pocket, unlocked the gate and entered the manger. As the door swung open the pregnant woman, obviously in pain, caught her eye, smiled and mouthed the words, “May the Lord bless you.” Rahab’s heart stuttered. Who are these people? She was glad she had gotten up to help. Do you have room for Jesus in your "inn" today? The fact that you've read this far says you're heart is open! Immanuel.
God. With. Us. What a gift! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." Ephesians 1:3-10 The story of Jesus is everywhere! Wait for it…
We are not a people who like to wait. Yet waiting is a vital discipline of spiritual growth and maturity. Israel anticipated and waited for the Messiah for generations. Just a few days after the birth of Jesus, Luke introduces us to two Israelites who had waited their entire lives for the long awaited Messiah. Simeon and Anna waited with confident expectation upon Yahweh for this moment. And when Jesus' parents brought him to the temple on the eighth day Simeon's and Anna's hopes were realized! Luke 2:25 (Simeon) Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke 2:38 (Anna) And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. How does Scripture instruct us to wait? We wait quietly, silently, and patiently! Lamentations 3:25-26 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. Psalm 62:1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. Knowing that waiting is a position of strength not weakness! Psalm 31:24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! When everything in you says—"get moving, you got things to do—you’re behind", then perhaps the best thing you can do is the contrary…stop and wait. When we start running ahead of God we begin to take short-cuts that short-circuit and compromise our values and His Way. We settle for less than His best. Acknowledging that waiting may be more emotional and last longer than expected Psalm 69:3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. Recognizing that waiting clarifies/ intensifies our hope! Psalm 39:7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Waiting matures us. Waiting trains us. Waiting heightens our desires. Waiting raises awareness of dependence. Waiting clarifies our motives. Waiting tests and proves our commitment, devotion, and loyalty. Over the next couple of days you may see children ripping into the gifts for which they have been waiting, and when you do, REJOICE! It can be a reminder to you that great waiting leads to great joy! But quietly consider this...(without "hating on" the moment in front of you:) “Offer a young child the choice of having Daddy present Christmas morning with no gifts or having Daddy absent and a stack of gifts piled high and the child might choose the gifts. Only the mature value the blessing of presence over the blessing of presents.” (Larry Crabb, Pressures Off—p. 34) Waiting for the Lord is part of the Father’s method of eradicating our desire for blessing more than intimacy. As we mature we value presence over presents. Wait with great anticipation and confidence upon the Lord. His Presence is enough. His Grace is sufficient. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 I love the nativity scenes displayed in various places in people's homes, front yards, and even barns. They are vivid reminders of that night…that place…when silence was broken.
A manger is, as you probably know, a feeding trough used for cattle, sheep, donkeys, or horses and may have been in a cave stable or other shelter. But what you may not know is mangers were also used by shepherds to place the best lambs (the unblemished ones) reserved for sacrifice. Shepherds would typically swaddle their newborn sheep in strips of linen—sometimes provided to them by the priests—so that the lambs would remain calm and unhurt. The most common usage for thee lambs that were born in Bethlehem was that they were destined to become Passover lambs. Is it simply coincidence that Jesus was born in a place used for birthing sacrificial lambs and wrapped in a swaddling cloth or was Someone Greater sovereignly in control from since before the creation of the world? The unblemished Lamb of God, the Son of Favor, from the line of David, born in Bethlehem, in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Thirty-three years later on the night he was betrayed he would remove his outer garment and wrap the servant’s towel around his waist—humbly and lovingly washing the disciples feet. The next day Joseph of Aramethea would wrap him in a linen burial cloth. But on the third day Peter would run to the tomb and find the cloth folded up—the work complete! But it gets even better! Have you seen what John saw and described in detail from the Revelation? He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. Revelation 19:13-14 As we ponder that night and that place over the next few days perhaps we can see beyond the images frozen in time. Perhaps we can see that in that moment all of time coming together. It is the point on which the ancient past and prophecies was fulfilled…it is the point where all the hopes of our distant (or not so distant) future is anchored. A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12 (The Message) Do you sometimes feel like one of the toys left on the Island of Misfit toys--
Charlie in the Box A train with square wheels A water gun that only shoots jelly… Do you sing the song: “Why am I such a misfit? Why am I such a nit wit?” If you’ve ever had to change schools in the middle of the school year, moved to another state, started a new job working for a new boss, you know a bit what it’s like to feel like a misfit. If you’ve travelled to another region of our country or even to a different nation, you know what its like to be a misfit. You don’t know the unspoken rules and the culture of your new home. The insiders, the fit-ins, look at you funny when you speak. They squint their eyes at your outfits, and smirk at your expense. People can even feel like a misfit when they attend a church. Often, the most difficult step a person takes in coming to church is the step out of their vehicle toward the building. Why? They don’t know if they’ll fit in or not. Will they sound silly? Did they wear the right thing? Will they escape with their dignity? We are the Messiah’s Misfits! It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We’re something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. We’re the Messiah’s misfits. 1 Cor. 4:9 How are we expecting the Messiah/ the Savior to come to us? Do we look for a king (president) to overthrow our government and our twisted policies? Do we look for a prophet or priest with a huge personality to come and correct all the wrong-headedness and set things aright? Are we looking for a savior to come and clean up our messes, fix our lives so that this life works and I can triumph now? Could it be that the Messiah has come, Immanuel has come, God with Us has come—in the midst of your mess—and you’re missing Him because he isn’t what you expected? You expected him to swoop in and fix your life and yet that’s not what’s happened. You expected him to come and heal all your hurts and stop the tears, but that’s not what’s happened...yet! Could it be that you are missing Immanuel (God with you) because you’ve been expecting something or someone other than Jesus, the Messiah? Over the next few days push away the clamor of the world and take some time to ponder and treasure Jesus—the unfolding story of a Messiah whose promised birth turned out exactly like it had been told and whose return will turn out exactly as it has been told. Let us ponder and treasure Him. He came so that we who are unfit for kingdom life could be made fit. Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:1-2 I love that you can create your own soundtrack (playlist) on Spotify because you can listen to and sing the songs you like the most this time of year without having to endure some that you don't like as much. Tracie recently created one she entitled, "Christmas Fun" and it is full of classic Christmas songs, most that have been rearranged (made new) by some of our favorite artists. (There's a link to that Playlist at the bottom.) It's been fun to listen and sing along with these songs as we do things around the house this week leading up to December 25!
I'm embarrassed to admit this, but there are days (and even longer) when I find myself stuck in the mire of life. Two steps forward, two steps backward. Gray. Dull. Cold. These are words that describe my heart not just the weather! Same ol' song and dance. If I'm honest I was feeling that way a bit this morning when I opened up the Psalms and read 94:1-2 and reminded to "sing to the Lord a new song!" You see, when I'm singing the same old song, I'm probably focused on my circumstances rather than on the truth of Jesus. If I tell you, “Do not think about your Christmas tree,” the first and probably only thing you’re going to think about is--your Christmas tree. You won’t be able to take your eyes off of it. You’ll look at the ornaments and the pinecones. You might think about the pros and cons of artificial versus real trees. But you will think about the Christmas tree. Unless I say, “Don’t think about the Christmas tree, instead think about manger scene.” Now, your focus isn’t on the tree it’s on the stable. You may have a momentary slip when you glance at the tree but you can realign your attention fairly quickly if you know what you are supposed to be focused upon. In these next several days leading up to Christmas Day don't you want to sing a new song to the Lord with your heart and life. Don't you want to sing a song that exalts his Name and lifts your spirit. Me too. Here's the link to "Christmas Fun" if you'd like to listen: open.spotify.com/playlist/31P4U24yCYG0b4tC04Hq5s?si=b0e53ea1033a4649 “What’s on your mind?” , your spouse asks.
It’s a scary question. These four words have the power to send a normally functioning marital conversation into a death spiral. Your response: “Uhhhhh. I don’t know.” Your spouse's rebuttal: “Yes you do! What is it? What are you thinking about?” Your mental (but never spoken reply): “I’m thinking about how to get out of this maze, this trap, this conversation. There really is nothing else on my mind!” But today I want us to consciously “Think about what you are thinking about.” Even if is uncomfortable for you…think. Even if you’d rather not…think. Do you have any small engines laying around the garage? Weedeaters, chainsaws, lawn mowers? There are few things more frustrating in the springtime than to pick up one of those tools thinking that you will knock out a quick job or two around the house before it gets out of hand, only to find it impossible to start only to discover that the carburetor is clogged! Do you know what clogs it? Fuel that contains ethanol! These engines are designed to run on non-ethanol gasoline. Although the machine will run on the same stuff you put in your vehicle, after a while and colder temperatures, the carburetor will gum up. So, you watch a few YouTube videos and figure out how to solve your problem and a couple of hours later---your done! Not with the project, but with the carb cleaning. You can cut the grass next week —maybe! Our thoughts are like the fuel for our lives. Just as small engines are designed to run most optimally with pure gasoline, our lives are designed to run most optimally with pure thoughts. 8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. Philippians 4:8 (Amplified Bible) Our thoughts impact our attitudes; our attitudes influence our words; and our words inspire our actions. So...how is your thought life? What's on your mind? A farmer is a Seed Sower; and a Seed Sower expects to reap a harvest.
He expects to reap: What he has sown; More than he has sown; Later than he has sown. We become disciples of Jesus as the Seed of His life is planted in the soil of hearts. As that seed takes root and is nurtured it eventually begins to mature and bear fruit--even much fruit. Paul's words capture this idea: He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 Just as the condition of the soil is crucial to the reaping of a physical harvest, the condition of my soul is the "X Factor" in terms of reaping a harvest of righteousness. Jesus' parable of the Sower and the Seed found in each of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 13, Mark 4, and Luke 8) is revealing. Some seed fell along the hardened path: The Hard Heart Some seed fell in the rocky soil: The Shallow Heart Some seed fell among the thorns and weeds: The Strangled Heart Other seed nestled into the good soil: The Open Heart The seed along the hardened path was snatched away and was unable to germinate. The seed along the shallow path sprang up quickly but when difficulty came, the plant withered. The seed that fell among the thorns sprang up but was quickly choked out by the concerns of life. Only the seed that nestled into the nutrient rich soil was able to survive, thrive and multiply. In the 1800's, Charles Finney wrote an article for Christians who were having trouble finding true peace. Years later, Keith and Melody Green edited and paraphrased the article entitled: "Breaking Up Fallow Ground." Over the years I have returned to this pamphlet several times and have found it helpful in making the soil of my soul receptive to the Seed of the Word of God. I hope that you will too. Here is a link to the article: Breaking Up Fallow Ground |
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