Sending the Seventy, part 20: Rejecting the Sent-Ones

"The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and He who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me."  (Luke 10:16 NASB)  

We read "When you have done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto Me" (Matthew 25:40) and we understand that we have served Christ when we have served others. This verse, however, tells us something we may not want to hear. When we "reject" those whom Christ has sent to minister in His name, we reject Him.  We read about rejecting ministers and think to ourselves that we would never do that. "Of course, we do not persecute ministers," we think, but persecution is not exactly that to which Jesus was referring.

Matthew Henry wrote some very hard words that we do well to consider. "And they who despise the faithful ministers of Christ, who, though they do not hate and persecute them, yet think meanly of them, look scornfully upon them, and turn their backs upon their ministry, will be reckoned with as despisers of God and Christ." 

It's all I can do to read that, and yet it rings with truth. When God calls someone to minister in His name, He literally sends them in His name, or in His place. They are His representative. There are some ministers, just as there are some who are not ministers, who will be drawn into sin and live in rebellion. This is not written in reference to them. This is in reference to that sent-one who is a faithful minister. When we reject those faithful ministers, "think meanly of them", scorn them (even "behind their backs") and turn our backs on them, we are rejecting, scorning, and turning our backs on Christ, and on His Father who sent Him. 

The word translated as "reject" is atheteō and means "to reject, to refuse, or to slight." What does this look like in today's world? When we avoid worship service because we do not like the minister's style of preaching, we atheteō him and his ministry, and, according to this verse, we also atheteō Jesus and our Heavenly Father, as well. When we indulge in negative thoughts or complaining about the minister God has sent, we atheteō the minister, Jesus, and our Heavenly Father, as well.Whoa! That sounds harsh, doesn't it? Perhaps so, but Jesus was not just talking to hear Himself talk here. He is serious about His sent-ones, and He expects us to be, as well.  

The sent-ones were not sent to entertain the crowds. They were not sent to tickle their ears. They were sent to tell the good news of Jesus and to heal the sick. The towns to which they were sent were responsible for listening, receiving, and providing. The people to whom these ministers were sent would, ultimately, care for them as they did their own family by welcoming them into their homes, and we do well to take note of their response to the sent-ones. 

Those who minister in the name of Jesus will, of course, give account of the way in which they minister. Ministers are not called to be entertaining, and we should not expect entertainment. They are not called to preach pithy sermons with cute alliteration nor lead worship in the way to which we have become accustomed. They are called to share the Word of God in a clear manner and glorify Christ in whatever they do. Does the music glorify God? Does the preacher's message come straight from the Word of God? If so, then it is our job to respect their efforts.

We who are not ministers will give account of the way we treated those ministers. Did we grumble and complain that the music was not to our liking? Did we refuse to listen to the minister with a "boring" style? Did we reject the sermons because they were too deep or too shallow? Oh, dear ones, I am as guilty as anyone of not respecting the ministers of Christ as I should, but this verse has pierced my heart, bringing conviction and change.

Not long ago, I was in a worship service where the sermon was not organized to my liking and the manner of presentation was less than stellar. It was all I could do to stay in my seat through the entire sermon. Afterwards, someone mentioned a very astute insight the preacher had said and I was shocked. I had not heard anything helpful at all. The fault was not in the minister, but in the listener. 

If we are tempted to reject, think meanly of, and scorn the ministers God has sent, let us first examine our own hearts, then let us pray for His servants to glorify God in all they do, regardless of the skill and finesse with which they do it. Let's be sure we listen to Christ by our response to His sent-ones, and not reject Him.

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The link to last night's story, Mamie Invents a New Game, is here.
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We often want a "fast food" answer to our prayers when what we need is the "crock pot" solution that allows God to do His work completely, both in us and our situation. If you are weary in waiting for the answer to your prayer, here's something that can help. The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, is available here. Also available in Tupelo at Joyful Creations and Park Place Salon.

Sending the Seventy, part 19: Capernaum

"And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!" (Luke 10:15 NASB)

These words come near the end of Jesus' instructions to the seventy as they prepared to leave for the journey. Jesus knew that it was exciting to be a sent-one, but not every experience would be easy. Not every town would receive them, He told the sent ones. They were not responsible for results, but for obedience to share the gospel. If they were not received, they were to shake the dust off their feet and move on. 

Jesus, Himself, had encountered similar difficulty. He had harsh words for Capernaum, where His ministry was centered. Peter, Andrew, and Philip were all from Capernaum and Jesus and the disciples were frequently in and out of the small town. Jesus performed numerous miracles there. Sight was restored to the blind, hearing was restored to the deaf. The paralytic was healed, demons were cast out, and withered bodies were made whole. 

The people of Capernaum not only heard the words of Jesus but also saw signs and wonders. They had a choice. They could embrace the teachings of Jesus or cling to the old ways, relying on sacrifice rather than relationship. Although Jesus offered freedom and hope, most chose the old ways and rejected Jesus. 

 Some of the towns, like Capernaum, where Jesus had spent the most time would gain little from His presence. God had blessed them extravagantly with His presence and honored them with the works He did in their presence. Rejecting Jesus was an option, but it came with a severe price. In the judgment, Capernaum would be "brought down to Hades." 

Every decision comes with consequences. Sometimes those consequences are good, but some are not. The decision to reject Jesus would have far reaching consequences for Capernaum that extended to the day of judgment. What we often forget is that every single one of our decisions has consequences, too. Every decision to obey, or not, is more than checking yes or no on a form. It has weight and significance. Embracing the truth of Jesus matters. Obedience matters.

As we begin our day, may we take advantage of every opportunity to serve Christ in obedience, embracing the freedom only Christ can give. 

Sending the Seventy, part 18: Sidon

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. (Luke 10:13-14 NASB) 

We began looking at this passage a few days ago with a brief history of Chorazin and Bethsaida, both towns where Jesus preached and ministered. It was in Bethsaida that the miracle of the second touch healing of the blind man occurred. Despite their familiarity with Him and the miracles He performed there, neither of these towns embraced Jesus. Both towns lie in ruins today. 

In part 17, we looked at Tyre, a wealthy seaport that trusted in its beauty and its wealth, for which it received the condemnation of Jesus. In this post, we explore Sidon, the city mentioned along with Tyre in the passage above. 

Sidon was a famous Phonecian seaport city-state located in what is now Southern Lebanon and was famous for its glassmaking industry as well as its purple dye (from the Murex shellfish). It was the mother city for Tyre. It is still an important City in Lebanon today. 

The first Biblical mention of Sidon is in Genesis 10:15, 19. Canaan, the grandson of Noah, was the father of Sidon, for whom the city was named. It was a portion of Canaan's territory. It, like Tyre, was eventually part of the territory of the tribe of Asher, but was never conquered. Instead, it was a source of continuing conflict and oppression for Israel, as well as a source of idolatry. Solomon entered into a matrimonial covenant with Sidon and the marriage ushered in his own idol worship. According to 1 Kings 16:31, Ahab also had a matrimonial alliance with Sidon via his marriage to Jezebel, daughter of the King of Sidon. 

In Joel 3, the prophet says that Tyre and Sidon made slaves of the children of Israel, selling them to the Greeks to remove them as far as possible from their land, for which Sidon will receive the judgment of God. Joel 3:8 tells us that Sidon will reap what they have sown and their own children will be sold into slavery. 

There is a beautiful promise in Joel 3:7, however, that gives hope in the most seemingly hopeless situations imaginable. 

behold, I am going to arouse them from the place where you have sold them, and return your recompense on your head. (Joel 3:7 NASB)

The Sidonians had sold the children into slavery, sending them so far that they could never get home on their own, but God not only knew where they were, He would "arouse them" and bring them home, allowing them to be an instrument of vengeance in His hand. This verse tells us that sin can never take us so far from God that He cannot rescue us and avenge us. Even when it appears that all hope is gone, that we are beyond redemption, God knows exactly where we are and what we are doing, and He is not only willing but also able to rescue and restore. 

Take heart, then, that the loved one who seems so far away is still under the watchful care of God. Press on with your prayers, waiting and watching for the day when God both arouses and returns the captives from the place of slavery. 

Sending the Seventy, part 17: Tyre

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. (Luke 10:13-14 NASB) 

We began looking at this passage yesterday with a brief history of Chorazin and Bethsaida, both towns where Jesus preached and ministered. It was in Bethsaida that the miracle of the second touch healing of the blind man occurred. Despite their familiarity with Him and the miracles He performed there, neither of these towns embraced Jesus. Both towns lie in ruins today. 

Tyre was a Phonecian seaport and fortified city, within the area of the Promised Land given by lot to the tribe of the sons of Asher. (Joshua 19:29) The city was famous for a particular purple dye (Tyrian purple) obtained from the murex shellfish found in the waters off its coastline. Because of its rarity, it was very expensive. 

Tyre was an extremely beautiful city and had the best of everything with unimaginable wealth, but it was a very prideful city. Ezekiel was instructed by God to take up a lamentation against Tyre. (Ezekiel 27:1 ff) The city, because of its location on the coast, was "merchant to the people of many coastlands." The passage indicates that the wares of Tyre included white wool, fine wine, wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane, lambs, rams, and goats, clothes of blue and embroidered work and carpets. We can see from the passage in Ezekiel that Tyre received payment in the best the world offered. They also accepted payment from Javan, Tubal, and Meshech with "the lives of men and vessels of bronze" (Ez 37:13) This indicates an active slave trade in Tyre that had been allowed to continue. 

In addition to their wealth, the leader or Prince of Tyre was very wise, had accumulated great wealth through his wisdom, and ultimately was so filled with pride that he had declared himself a god.

The city has been conquered numerous times over the centuries. Now a part of Lebanon, it is predominantly Muslim. There is a Christian presence that dates as far back as the first century, when Paul stopped there on one of his missionary journeys. 

Jesus said that it would be better for Tyre than for Chorazin and Bethsaida when the judgment came. The pride and the decadence of Tyre, the arrogance of the Prince who declared himself a god, the slave trade, would receive less punishment than Chorazin and Bethsaida. How can that be? Tyre had the law, but not the physical manifestation of the Amighty. God Himself, in the flesh, came to Chorazin and to Bethsaida, however. He spent time there. He did amazing miracles there. The people could literally see God, and yet they refused to believe. 

What does this mean for us? First, we must be careful not to put our faith in beauty and wealth, both of which are transient, as the people of Tyre did. Instead, our faith must be in God Himself. Second, the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida also had God in their midst. They saw Him in the flesh. One of their own, a blind man, was left with sight as an ongoing attesting miracle. Despite this, they failed to recognize Him. 

Because of the Holy Spirit, we can know God personally. We can see His acts and be filled with His Presence. We can see, but the question is will we see? Will we look to ourselves or look to God for the answers of life, for our direction and purpose? Dear ones, Jesus is truth. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved from the consequences of our sin. May our prayer be that of the hymn writer:

"Open our eyes, Lord,

We want to see Jesus!"

(Robert Cull (c) 1976)

Sending the Seventy, part 16: Familiarity Breeds Contempt

"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you. (Luke 10:13-14 NASB) 

This passage is filled with historical references with which we need familiarity to understand. We will take the two cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida first. 

Chorazin was a town in Gallilee located north of Capernaum and west of the Mount of Beatitudes. It is now an excavated ruin. Some sources say it was known for the grain that grew there. The olive millstones found in the ruins indicate a likely olive industry as well. Jesus spent time teaching and doing miracles in this city, but the people rejected Him, despite the miracles He did there. 

Bethsaida was the home town of Philip, Andrew, and Peter, possibly very near Capernaum, as it was a fishing village on the Sea of Galilee. An alternate possible location is on the Sea of Galilee at its northernmost tip, in the Tetrachy of Philip in an area now known as the Golan Heights. It was in Bethsaida that the second touch healing of the blind man occurred (Mark 8:22-26) and it was where Jesus withdrew for quiet time (Luke 9:10). There is controversy about the exact location of Bethsaida, but suffice it to say it is now lying in complete ruins. The people of Bethsaida had considerable contact with Jesus and His disciples because of the three apostles who lived there and yet, according to Scripture, they also largely rejected Jesus. 

It brings to mind the saying, "Familiarity breeds contempt." Perhaps because the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida were so familiar with Jesus, they were not able to equate Him with God. When we see God as distant and remote, it is hard to comprehend how intensely personal He is, isn't it? It must have been difficult to equate the Coming Messiah King they expected with the Flesh and Blood Suffering Servant standing before them. Even the attesting miracles Jesus performed were not enough to open their eyes, and we are left wondering what it would have taken to open their eyes and their hearts.   

We, too, have much the same problem, don't we? Because we in this country, especially those of us living in the Bible Belt, are so familiar with the church and have spent so much time around "church people", we can easily think of Jesus as just a baby in a manger who grew to be another "church person" with little to offer. In fact, He is God made flesh, now reigning in Heaven, and one day will judge the world. What would it take to open our eyes and our hearts to Jesus? 

He has already done all that is needed to redeem the world. There is nothing more that Jesus needs to do. The problem lies with us. Will we embrace His teachings? Will we deny ourselves and follow Him? In the wake of the celebration of the birth of Jesus, let us commit ourselves anew to follow our Lord and pray that He will open our hearts and our eyes to know and see Him more clearly. 

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We often want a "fast food" answer to our prayers when what we need is the "crock pot" solution that allows God to do His work completely, in us and our situation. If you are weary in waiting for the answer to your prayer, here's something that can help. The Waiting: When the Answer to Your Prayer is Delayed and Your Hope is Gone, is available at http://www.leannahollis.com/online-store/ Get your copy today.  

Excitement in the Boat, part 26: The Big Mistake

When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country. The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned. (Luke 8:34-37 NASB)

We look now at the most heartbreaking part of the story. When the demons went into the pigs, the pigs started running and quickly ran straight off a cliff into the sea. The herd was lost and those pig herders were likely in big trouble with their boss.  Their only defense was an unbelievable tale about a traveling preacher and a naked wild man. Who was going to believe that?  Nevertheless, those pig herders rushed around, telling everyone they saw about what had happened. 

Their story was so compelling that the people went out to the tombs to see for themselves.  Because the pigs were gone, the only evidence was the former demon-controlled man, now fully dressed, fully sane, and soaking up the words of Jesus, seated at His feet. These were likely the same people who had been part of the effort to restrain him. When they saw him fully restored, it frightened them to death. 

Eye witnesses confirmed what they had seen and the story chilled them to the bone. They were in the presence of something they did not understand. About the only thing they did understand was that an entire herd of pigs had run off the cliff into the sea and somehow Jesus was involved. The loss of the pigs was an economic loss to their owners and probably resulted in job loss for all the pig herders. It was a blow to the community as well as the owner. 

If they had stopped long enough to ask what Jesus wanted to show them, what new plan He had for them, which direction they should go, things would likely have been different. Instead, in the midst of an amazing miracle of grace, redemption, and restoration, on a day filled with miracles, an entire town and the surrounding community allowed their fear and uncertainty to lead them into the biggest mistake they would ever make. 

"You need to leave and don't come back," they told Jesus in no uncertain terms. And He did. 

What could be more tragic than to respond to confusing, uncertain, and difficult times by rejecting the One who has it all firmly under control? 

Are you in the midst of hard times? Have you suffered losses? Are there circumstances you don't understand?  It is easy to respond with fear, our only objective to put distance between us and those circumstances. We would do well to be still, sit at the feet of Jesus along with the newly healed, and listen. Dear ones, the time for rejecting is done. Be still. Know that He is God. Fear not. Embrace His plan. 

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Our terrorist/terror group of the week is the former ISIS, now the Islamic State. Their leader is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. To learn more about them and their goal of spreading radical jihad and sharia rule throughout the world, click here: http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/08/radical-obedience-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi.html

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Link to last night's Friday Night With Friends post:  http://leannahollis.blogspot.com/2014/08/friday-night-with-friends-prayers-for.html

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