2024 Advent Deeper Christmas Devotion Day 7: Whom did Jesus come to heal?

Jesus was born for this. The Bible is full of stories of the downs and outs. Crowds thronged Jesus, including the rich, the famous and the powerful, those with ample means to donate and contribute to His ministry, some of whom might have employed tough strong body guards to open their way to access to Jesus. When everybody was rushing against time, Jesus always slowed down, paused, looked around and stopped for the sick, weak, lowly, poor, voiceless, and even an outcast, and showed God’s great mercy and grace (undeserved favor) for such individuals to ensure that they got heard and their needs attended to. He knows the Father’s hearts, and He follows the Father’s will. 

Who were the ones that Jesus stopped for? Here are some general and specific examples, spanning over old and young, men and women, Jews and foreigners, 

Indeed, all sorts of sick, physically or mentally afflicted or oppressed people who came to Him were healed and set free. They were of all ages, races, nationalities, social classes and financial status, cultures/political/religious affiliations. He was concerned with their spirit, soul and body health. The Bible recorded some of such incidents and those He healed, delivered, and paid special attention. Here is an unexhaustive list: 

Matthew 8: a leper; a Roman Centurion’s servant; Peter’s mother-in-law;  two demon-possessed men set free.

Matthew 9: a paralytic; Matthew (Levi, Luke 5) the tax collector (soul and spirit); a 12th year old girl restored to life, a woman who had bleeding issue for 12 years healed instantly; two blind men received their sight -healed; a mute man healed.

Matthew 12: healed a man with a withered hand on Sabbath in a synagogue; also healed a demon-possessed, blind and mute man.

Matthew 14: Showed His compassion for the great multitudes who followed Him on foot from the cities and healed their sick. At evening He fed them, by miraculously multiplying five loaves and two fish to feed about five thousands men, besides women and children. (Provision)

Matthew 14: Many sick people begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment and as many as touched it were perfectly well.

Matthew 15: A gentile (Greek) woman showed her faith and cried out to Him to heal her severely demon-possessed daughter and she was healed from that very hour.

Matthew 17: A deaf and dumb spirit tormented boy with seizure was healed despite the unbelief of even the boy’s father. 

Mark 2: Forgave and healed a paralytic carried by four men who had faith and were undeterred by the crowd. They  uncovered the roof and let down the bed so Jesus could heal him. (Spirit, soul and body)

Mark 10: Let the little children come to Him, took them up in His arms and blessed them.  (Special attention.)

Mark 12: Took note of and praised one poor widow who could had only two small copper coins and gave all to the temple. (Special attention.)

Luke 7: Raised from dead the son of a widow of Nain. (Special attention.)

Luke 7: While being a guest in a Pharisees’ house, Jesus let a repentant sinner woman wash his feet with her tears, wipe with her hair, kiss his feet and anoint them with fragrant oil. (Spirit, soul and body)

Luke 14: Healed a man with dropsy on Sabbath in the home of a ruler of the Pharisees. 

Luke 15: All the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. (Spirit and soul)

Luke 17: Ten lepers cleansed, including a Samaritan. 

Luke 18: Counseled a rich young ruler. (Spirit and soul)

Luke 18: Stopped for a blind beggar, Bartimaeus, near Jericho and healed him.

Luke 19: Brought salvation to a rich chief tax collector, Zacchaeus and his house. (Spirit and soul)

John 4: Shared the Kingdom of God with a Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (Spirit and soul)

John 4: A Samaritan (foreign) woman who had five husbands and was living with one not her husband. (Spirit and soul)

John 4: Healed the dying son of a nobleman.

John 8: Jesus pointed out that not one of the accuser was without sin. So the adulteress was forgiven and not condemned, and He asked her to go and sin no more. (Spirit, soul and body)

John 9: Healed a man who was born blind. 

John 11: Raised Lazarus who was dead for four days. 

Summary of those whom Jesus healed and saved: Luke 5:31-32 NLT 31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Application: Think about why we need Jesus. Why is remembering His birth so important? What more do we still need to ask since He has given all He has for all mankind? 

2024-12-17 Καὶnos

2024 Advent Deeper Christmas Devotion Day 5: Neither ashamed nor afraid

 Often Christians are ashamed. Why? Where? How come? These are the questions for which we find answers from our brethren the apostle Paul today as we dive into deeper waters with Jesus. Jesus assured us not to be afraid. Paul assured us not to be ashamed. He was not ashamed too. 

Romans 1:16-17 New Living Translation

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[a] 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”[b]

Footnotes

1:16 Greek also the Greek.

1:17 Or “The righteous will live by faith.” Hab 2:4.

1. Why are Christians ashamed to tell the Good News of Jesus even at His birthday celebration right now? They don’t know the power of God in the Gospel:
1. They are afraid of being rejected, ridiculed, not politically correct, judged, and worse, even persecuted. 
2. They do not know in Christian faith we are required to just believe and carry out our belief by faith in the living God.
3. God has assured of a divine power, through the Holy Spirit, to carry out to fulfill His purpose of saving lost souls.
4. This salvation is available for everyone who believes, regardless of race and past beliefs. 
2. What is this all powerful God-initiated Good news about Jesus?

Romans 1:3-5 New Living Translation

3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be[a] the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.[b] He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege[c] and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

Footnotes

1:4a Or and was designated.

1:4b Or by the Spirit of holiness; or in the new realm of the Spirit.

1:5 Or the grace.

In summary, you have to believe this:

1. The Good News is about Jesus Christ, the Son of God
2. He was born into King David’s family line on earth, just as prophesied
3. He died for us and was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit
4. The God News is all about Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Application: Our belief is based entirely on the truth given in the Bible, as we believe by faith and not by sight. With man’s tendency to use our mind this is hard and quite impossible. But with God, nothing is impossible. This Christmas let us expect the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit from God making the impossible to possible!  

Note from my post on 2022-12-20: “Jesus has declared that He and His Father are one. Jesus also says this of us (His believers): “I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” And His Father is our Father. This is the greatest assurance today. As we are united with Christ and God, we have nothing to fear or worry about. His house is our house. His lives in us and His divine life is our real life. He does things with us, speaks to us and teaches us. He gives us all good gifts. He loves us to the extent of giving His Son to us, to redeem us so that we can return to Him and be reconciled with Him as His children. He sent His Son to purchase our life, pay for our healing and divine health too.”

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32

2024-12-11 Καὶnos

永在我心没有离开 you have never left me

 “对于活着的人，我已离去，

对于悲伤的人，我永不回头，

对于愤怒的人，我被欺骗了，

但对于快乐的人，我很平静，

而对于信主的人，我从未离开。

我不能说话，但我可以倾听。

我看不见，但我可以听见。

所以，当你站在岸边凝视美丽的大海时，

当你看着一朵花，欣赏它的朴素时，

请记住我。

把我记在心里：

你的思想，你的记忆，

我们相爱的时光，

我们哭泣的时光，

我们争执的时光，

我们欢笑的时光。

因为如果你总是想着我，我就永远不会离开。”

~玛格丽特·米德

“To the living, I am gone,

To the sorrowful, I will never return,

To the angry, I was cheated,

But to the happy, I am at peace,

And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen.

I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.

So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,

Remember me.

Remember me in your heart:

Your thoughts, and your memories,

Of the times we loved,

The times we cried,

The times we fought,

The times we laughed.

For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.”

20240509

~Margaret Mead

my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation

Romans 10 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Misdirected Zeal
10 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for Israel is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have zeal for God—but not based on knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Messiah is the goal[a] of the Torah as a means to righteousness for everyone who keeps trusting.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on Torah, “The man who does these things shall live by them.” [b] 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks in this way:

“Do not say in your heart,[c]
‘Who will go up into heaven?’[d]
(that is, to bring Messiah down),
7 or, ‘Who will go down into the abyss?’[e]
(that is, to bring Messiah up from the dead).”
8 But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart”[f]
—that is, the word of faith
that we are proclaiming:
9 For if you confess with your mouth
that Yeshua is Lord,
and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved.
10 For with the heart it is believed for righteousness,
and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever trusts in Him will not be put to shame.” [g] 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all—richly generous to all who call on Him. 13 For “Everyone who calls upon the name of Adonai shall be saved.”[h]

14 How then shall they call on the One in whom they have not trusted? And how shall they trust in the One they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without someone proclaiming? 15 And how shall they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!” [i] 16 But not all heeded the Good News. For Isaiah says, “Adonai, who has believed our report?” [j] 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah.

18 But I say, have they never heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”[k]
19 But I say, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will provoke you to jealousy
by those who are not a nation,
with a nation empty of understanding
I will vex you.”[l]
20 And Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I became visible to those who did not ask for Me.”[m]
21 But about Israel He says,
“All day long I stretched forth My hands
to a disobedient and contrary people.”[n]

Footnotes:
a. Romans 10:4 Or end-goal.
b. Romans 10:6 Lev. 18:5.
c. Romans 10:6 Deut. 9:4.
d. Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12.
e. Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13; cf. Ps. 71:20.
f. Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14.
g. Romans 10:12 Isa. 28:16.
h. Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32(LXX); cf. Joel 3:5.
i. Romans 10:16 Isa. 52:7; Nah. 1:15.
j. Romans 10:17 Isa. 53:1.
k. Romans 10:18 Ps. 19:4; Ps. 18:5(LXX).
l. Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21.
m. Romans 10:20 Isa. 65:1.
n. Romans 10:21 Isa. 65:2.

John 10 Tree of Life Version (TLV)
The Faithful Hear the Shepherd’s Voice
10 “Amen, amen I tell you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice. The shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 “When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them; and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Yeshua told them this parable, but they did not understand what He was telling them.

7 So Yeshua said again, “Amen, amen I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate![a] If anyone comes in through Me, he will be saved. He will come and go and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly!

11 “I am the Good Shepherd.[b] The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 The hired worker is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. He sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees. Then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. 13 The man is only a hired hand and does not care about the sheep.

14 “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me, 15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not from this fold; those also I must lead, and they will listen to My voice. So there shall be one flock, one Shepherd.

17 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.”

19 Again a division arose among the Judeans because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon. He’s insane! Why listen to Him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of someone who is plagued by a demon. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can it?”

Some Despise the Light and Harden
22 Then came Hanukkah;[c] it was winter in Jerusalem. 23 Yeshua was walking in the Temple around Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 Then the Judean leaders surrounded Him, saying, “How long will You hold us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, tell us outright!”

25 Yeshua answered them, “I told you, but you don’t believe! The works I do in My Father’s name testify concerning Me. 26 But you don’t believe, because you are not My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life! They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

31 Again the Judean leaders picked up stones to stone Him. 32 Yeshua answered them, “I’ve shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone Me?”

33 The Judean leaders answered, “We aren’t stoning you for a good work, but for blasphemy. Though You are a man, You make Yourself God!”

34 Yeshua answered them, “Isn’t it written in your Writings,[d] ‘I have said you are gods’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the Word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You speak blasphemy,’ because I said, ‘I am Ben-Elohim’?

37 “If I don’t do the works of My Father, don’t believe Me! 38 But if I do, even if you don’t trust Me, trust the deeds. Then you may come to know and continue to understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.” 39 Therefore they tried to capture Him again, but He escaped from their hand.

40 Again He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first started immersing, and He stayed there. 41 Many people came to Him and were saying, “John performed no sign, but all John said about this man was true.” 42 And many trusted in Him there.

Footnotes:
a. John 10:9 Or door.
b. John 10:11 cf. Gen. 48:15; Ps. 23; Ezek. 37:24.
c. John 10:22 Lit. Rededication.
d. John 10:34 Lit. Law, here applied to the Torah, Prophets, and Writings; quote is from Ps. 82:6.

Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.