Sunday 2 February 2014

To the Needy - Luke 5:12-16, 27-32 Part One

Some of the gospel events seem to start with a random/chance encounter. The leper is one example. He would have been outcast, pronounced perpetually 'unclean', which in reality meant he was seen as good as dead. Yet somehow he had enough faith to throw himself before Jesus and say 'If you are willing ...'.

Jesus answer to this was 'YES'. Bold font, big letters! Jesus identifies with him (touching him), i.e. puts himself with the one who was dead and restores him to life. That is the Kingdom vision right there: in the randomness of ordinary life being faced with the most hideous and broken, yet saying 'YES - God has life for you, be clean, get back on your feet'.

Note how Jesus also works in tandem with the ordinary systems of society. In his day it was to present to the priest as final arbiter. Today of course it would be to confirm your healing by going back to the doctor.

Yet Jesus then does something interesting - he goes to a solitary place to spend time with his heavenly Father. The 'yes' of Jesus flows from his relationship with God the Father. We need to go out seeing Kingdom possibility ... but not with our own cleverness or zeal, but flowing from our relationship with the Father. Specific time spent close to God will have a direct correlation to what we see and the Godly influence we have on those around us.

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