Luke 8:1-56
As we continue to follow Christ's ministry, we learn much about who He is, what He came to do as well as how we ought to respond to Him. There are the three lessons that I gleaned about the word, will and work of Christ from this text.
THE WORD OF CHRIST DESERVES PROMINENCE: When our children draw a cute picture, we put it on the refrigerator. When we earn a degree, we frame it and hang it on a wall. These things deserve prominence in our minds. Christ is teaching His disciples the importance of considering the Word of God as a priority in life. The parable of the soils demonstrates what happens when God's Word is ignored, misunderstood or devalued. The Parable of the lamp illustrates how the Word of God should be lifted up like a light. Does the Word of God hold this place of priority and prominence in our lives? Do we reject the teachings of the worldly society in which we live that we might fully embrace the teachings of Christ? Do we hold the teachings of Christ up high and boldly proclaim the truth that others might see Him through our works and our words? God calls us to receive the Word of God as our most precious possession and then proclaim that Word with passion so that the nations of the world might see Him.
THE WILL OF CHRIST DELIVERS PEACE: Our lives without Christ are filled with turmoil and chaos. At times, the turbulence of life is self inflicted, at times it comes from forces of nature and at times it is as a result of Satan's grip on this world. To matter the source of the trials we face, it is Christ's will that we, his children experience peace. Paul called it a peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7). That source of peace is the person of Christ and the assurance we have in His control over the circumstances of our lives and even Satan himself. We do not need to fear the storms or Satan because we know Christ and He has the ability to calm the storms or cast out Satan in accordance with His will. There are times when, in His wisdom, He allows the storms to rage and Satan to reign for longer that WE think He should, but we must not allow this to rob us of the peace that He provides. We must not allow circumstances to fill our hearts with fear. Rather, we walk in that perfect peace that only Christ can deliver when our eyes and hearts are fixed full on Him in faith. When we replace our fears with faith the result will always be peace.
THE WORK OF CHRIST DEMONSTRATES POWER: The reason that peace is possible in any circumstance is the power of Christ over every circumstance. By His power he can reduce waves into ripples, release lunatics from the demons that plague them, relieve the suffering of illness and raise the dead to life. It does not matter if our problems come from the natural world or the supernatural, He has the power necessary to solve them. The disciples, the demon possessed man, the woman and Jairus were desperate and had lost all hope. The disciples had made every effort to reach safety, the demoniac had been banned to the cemetery, the woman had suffered for twelve years with no relief and the daughter of Jairus was dead. They had all come to the end of themselves. It is precisely at these moments, when our hopes have faded and our circumstances seem darkest that the power of Christ shines brightest. May the omnipotence of Christ fill our lives with hope.
THE WORD OF CHRIST DESERVES PROMINENCE: When our children draw a cute picture, we put it on the refrigerator. When we earn a degree, we frame it and hang it on a wall. These things deserve prominence in our minds. Christ is teaching His disciples the importance of considering the Word of God as a priority in life. The parable of the soils demonstrates what happens when God's Word is ignored, misunderstood or devalued. The Parable of the lamp illustrates how the Word of God should be lifted up like a light. Does the Word of God hold this place of priority and prominence in our lives? Do we reject the teachings of the worldly society in which we live that we might fully embrace the teachings of Christ? Do we hold the teachings of Christ up high and boldly proclaim the truth that others might see Him through our works and our words? God calls us to receive the Word of God as our most precious possession and then proclaim that Word with passion so that the nations of the world might see Him.
THE WILL OF CHRIST DELIVERS PEACE: Our lives without Christ are filled with turmoil and chaos. At times, the turbulence of life is self inflicted, at times it comes from forces of nature and at times it is as a result of Satan's grip on this world. To matter the source of the trials we face, it is Christ's will that we, his children experience peace. Paul called it a peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7). That source of peace is the person of Christ and the assurance we have in His control over the circumstances of our lives and even Satan himself. We do not need to fear the storms or Satan because we know Christ and He has the ability to calm the storms or cast out Satan in accordance with His will. There are times when, in His wisdom, He allows the storms to rage and Satan to reign for longer that WE think He should, but we must not allow this to rob us of the peace that He provides. We must not allow circumstances to fill our hearts with fear. Rather, we walk in that perfect peace that only Christ can deliver when our eyes and hearts are fixed full on Him in faith. When we replace our fears with faith the result will always be peace.
THE WORK OF CHRIST DEMONSTRATES POWER: The reason that peace is possible in any circumstance is the power of Christ over every circumstance. By His power he can reduce waves into ripples, release lunatics from the demons that plague them, relieve the suffering of illness and raise the dead to life. It does not matter if our problems come from the natural world or the supernatural, He has the power necessary to solve them. The disciples, the demon possessed man, the woman and Jairus were desperate and had lost all hope. The disciples had made every effort to reach safety, the demoniac had been banned to the cemetery, the woman had suffered for twelve years with no relief and the daughter of Jairus was dead. They had all come to the end of themselves. It is precisely at these moments, when our hopes have faded and our circumstances seem darkest that the power of Christ shines brightest. May the omnipotence of Christ fill our lives with hope.
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