Posts Tagged ‘Messiah’

The Word 11.1.09

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Comments Posted on Nov 01, 2009 Last Updated Nov 02, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

Jesus heals a demon-possessed man which causes the people to ask whether he is the long-awaited Messiah. The Pharisees pick up on the commotion and accuse Jesus of using the power of Satan to cast out the demon. Their claim makes sense considering the fact that the Pharisees are the true representatives of God and authorities on all things coming from God. Right? Wrong. Jesus exposes their intentions time and again. This time Jesus breaks down the faulty logic in their argument. It makes absolutely no sense to say that Jesus is wielding the power of Satan to cast out his own subject since Satan would have sent the demon to possess the man in the first place. Satan would be working against himself. Additionally, Satan would not even get the credit since the people were associating Jesus with the Son of David. If Jesus’ authority does not come from Satan, it must come from God.

Jesus’ ability to cast out demons also says something about Satan and kingdom of God. Satan has been superseded and bound by Jesus. The kingdom of God has come and is currently working toward its culmination when Jesus returns. Satan has no authority or rule. Jesus has come to set the captives free.

Matthew 12:22-29 (ESV)

22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

The Word 10.4.09

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Comments Posted on Oct 04, 2009 Last Updated Oct 05, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

There are several interesting aspects to this passage. John sends his disciples to find out if Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus says that the non-offended are the people who are blessed. His statement assumes that there will be some people who will be offended by his works and message. It affirms the divisiveness of the gospel. He says that even the lowest person in the kingdom of heaven (inaugurated by Jesus) is greater than John the Baptist. That is a bold statement. And Jesus tells the crowd that despite their lack of positive response to John and himself, the truth of what has been said and done by these men will be validated by their everlasting fruit. This passage is certainly not short of provocation.

Matthew 11:1-19 (ESV)

11:1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’

11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

The Word 8.9.09

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Comments Posted on Aug 09, 2009 Last Updated Aug 10, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

This is further proof that Jesus is God as well as the Messiah. He tells his disciples to ask the Lord to send out harvesters and then calls the twelve apostles to fulfill that role. As well, Jesus is the good shepherd. He is moved to compassion for the lost and desires to gather them up as a shepherd does to lost sheep. Jesus is some Savior. He is everything that we need.

Matthew 9:35-10:4 (ESV)

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

The Word 8.2.09

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Comments Posted on Aug 02, 2009 Last Updated Aug 03, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

I found this passage extremely touching and encouraging this past week. It touches on several key points concerning Jesus. More to come soon. For now…I hope you find this account encouraging as it gives us all a better picture of Jesus the Savior.

Matthew 9:18-34 (ESV)

18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

32 As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”

The Word 9.28.08

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Comments Posted on Sep 28, 2008 Last Updated Sep 28, 2008 Posted by Jeff Lash

Matthew continues to build and solidify the case for Jesus as Messiah in this passage. On a side note, I think this passage also points us to the nature of Scripture. It is a grand story packed with claims of deep theological truth. It is beautiful.

Matthew 2:13-23 (ESV)

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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