God Responds

Click here to read 1 Samuel 8.

Samuel is an interesting character. He is a mild-mannered prophet who has no problem removing the head of enemy kings. He is someone you can go to in order to hear from God, and also someone who will make sure the job gets done. (Stay with me this series). 

Samuel is the last of the judges in Israel. Remember the judges were raised up by God to order and administer justice in Israel and to help protect the people from their enemies. (Samson, Deborah, Gideon, are examples of the judges I’m sure you know their stories) Some of my favorite stories come from the book of Judges.

When we read the Bible, we have to understand there are different kinds of literature within this book. In fact, the Bible we have is actually a library of books. The Old Testament is broken up this way:

Torah (law)

History

Poetry

Wisdom

Major Prophets

Minor Prophets

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel are part of the historical writings. What this means is we get to see how the history of Israel pans out, even watching the beginnings of their monarchy unfold. Now, the period of the judges lasted around 200 years. 

It may seem as if the people of Israel did not have a set leader during this time, but the reality is, Israel was set up as a theocracy (meaning ruled by God), which was different than the rest of the nations. In fact, the entire way of life for Israel was set up to be different from the rest of the nations. They were to point the rest of the world to God because God had set them apart and made them holy (see Exodus 19).

This is the kind of life we, as followers of Jesus, are to live today.

But something begins to happen when we live a life different from everybody else. We can begin to think their way of life is better than ours because they can do things we can’t. 

(It’s always amazing to watch us think we’re missing out on doing things that are actually not good for us, isn’t it?) But this is what we do, and we’ll end up neglecting what we have just because we think something else is better.

So here’s the story.

Samuel was called by God, we talked about that last week. We also showed that God is always working even when we can’t see it. God always has a plan. Keep that in mind as we keep talking.

Samuel has been leading the people of Israel for several years, and gets to a point he knows his time is ending, so he makes his sons the new leaders after him. But his sons were not like Samuel and veered from the path of God. The people of Israel did not like that.

One day, some of the leaders (maybe not a representation of the entire nation of Israel), came to Samuel and said they do not like his sons and do not want to be led by them. Instead, the people of Israel wanted a king…so they could have what the other nations had.

Some things to consider: 1) Do we always know what it is really want or need? 2) Do we always know what it is we are really asking for?

It really does seem like what other people have is better than what we have. Why is this? Because we get insecure with the identity God has given us. This is why followers of Jesus Christ end up bending to the culture—so we don’t have to stand out from others and make statements of what is wrong. Insecurity does a huge disservice to us, to our life, to the life God has given us. Insecurity in our identity will lead us to become jealous and covet what we perceive others have.

We’ve all heard that phrase “the grass is greener on the other side.” What we don’t always know is the effort, work, sacrifice, certain lifestyle that was put into that work. After all, no matter what side of the fence the grass is on, it still needs to be watered and cut and cared for.

This is what Samuel is trying to tell the people of Israel when they asked for a king. He was telling them everything they will be getting into if they went that route and chose to live as everyone else. 

Remember Israel was set up as a theocracy, so their asking for a king, in reality, was not rejecting Samuel or his sons, it was a rejection of the sole reign and rule of God. This is why Samuel was upset and “sad” when the elders of Israel asked for a king to lead them.

As a parent, we know there are things that are not good for our kids, but they have to learn their lessons the hard way, sometimes. It is not easy to watch mistakes happen, but this is also part of the growing up process.

Yes, the people of Israel asked for this new way to be led, new way to live in this world. What does God do? He responds.

This is something to always know will happen. God will respond to the requests we make. You may be sitting here thinking “well yeah.” But when we think about how God responds, our society seems to think God will act out in some kind of vengeful way. But pay attention to how God responds.

God responds with grace.

He knows the people have chosen to live differently from their calling in this world. He knows they have a desire to be like everyone else. So in an act of grace, God gives them the request, but makes sure they know what it is they are asking for.

Before anyone here thinks I’m saying God will give us all of our requests, we have to understand that everything God does is an attempt to bring us back to himself. This is where it can get hard to hear. Sometimes God may allow things to happen to us for the purpose of leading us back into his fold and his way of living. The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, gives an example of this when he writes, “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.”

We come to God with many requests, each day. We plead with God to act and to reveal himself. We may or may not see, or experience, our requests, but we can be assured God has and will respond to what we’re asking him for. The answer may be yes, no, or not yet (meaning do what we’ve been told to do before we get the next answer).

This event did not take God by surprise. God responded even before the people thought about making the request for a king. Here’s what I mean by God has responded. 

The people of Israel asked for a king because they wanted to be like everyone else. What they may have forgotten is God has already given provision for Israel to have a king. In Moses’ final sermon (Deuteronomy), God laid out for how the king and monarchy was supposed to run:

  • God chooses the king (must be from among the people of Israel)
  • Will not accumulate more stuff than needed (especially for military)
  • Must stay in the land the Lord provides
  • Must not have too many wives or too much money (or will be led astray)
  • The king writes his own copy of the law and read it daily
  • The king will not consider himself better than anyone else

God made these provisions, but the people still wanted to be like everyone else, so they entered into a new way of life, serving a human rather than solely God. Even though this was not God’s plan for his people, God still provided a way for them to live, and to return to knowing, loving, obeying, and worshipping him and him alone.

I know each one of you is going through something today. I know life is not always easy. But I also know that God has heard every one of your prayers and requests and has even worked out a plan for you to know the answer. Always find a way to praise God no matter the answer. Why? Because everything God does is to lead you into his graces and love and forgiveness.

The people of Israel, because of many circumstances, will have to face evil kings, bad enemies, exile, but they are still God’s people.

How do we know God responds to his people with grace today? Just look at Jesus the Christ. Jesus is how God has provided for us to come back to him. Following the true King, Jesus, will lead us to a life of promise, of hope, of love, of joy, of peace. That is the life God is calling us to.

Our life may or will not always be easy, but we can always count on the response of God – “Come to me, all who are weary.” The response of God is always calling his children home, so they know what a holy life is like.

Ryan StrattonLeave a comment

Asking the Right Question

We have all been at crossroads and have to figure out which path to take that will be the best for your life. Some of the questions we ask are, “Which way does God want me to go?”, “How do I know if I make the right choice?”, “What is the best option for me right now and what if this is not the best option in the future?” If you’re not a believer, the question of what God thinks would not enter your thought process.

But here’s the deal. I think we are asking the wrong questions.

Recently, I have come to a crossroads where I feel like I need to make a decision. It has been weighing on me because I keep trying to think about every possible angle or outcome that could come along. In this process, I felt God just say stop and look. So I looked down and saw four different paths I could take while on this trail.

So what did I do? I studied where the paths went. Of course I could have just went back the way I came (the fourth path). But then it was a surreal moment. It was as if a light bulb went off in my head and then a wave of peace came over me. It was nice. What was it that happened? It suddenly dawned on me that no matter what path I decide, God will be there working in and through me.

That’s when it hit me! We end up asking the wrong questions. We often wonder “what path I should go?” but we really should be asking what kind of person will I be/do I want to be in whatever decision I make?

This is really an important question. God will move and work wherever we are and in whatever we decide. When we consider what decision will feed our souls and help us become the person we desire to be/are meant to be by the grace of God, that is the path we should take.

So, as the Crusader tells Indiana Jones when trying to choose the chalice, be sure to choose wisely.

Ryan Stratton8 Comments

Healing and Restoring

Luke 8:26-39

26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

Over the last few weeks, we have been looking at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, as witnessed in the Gospel of Luke. Why would we take the time to go through a specific series on the life of Christ? For one thing, we have made Jesus into an impersonal being that we seek to help us out only when we are in trouble or in need of assistance. We have also undervalued Jesus’ humanity to the point he doesn’t even resemble humanity anymore. Remember, Jesus was human. He was/is God in flesh. Not only is Jesus human, but he is also the epitome of how humanity should live with each other and with God.

At the same time, we remember that Jesus is also fully God. So, he is fully human AND fully divine. The second person in the Trinity brings us closer into the relationship of God, the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. We learn more about the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s work in this world. This was/is part of his mission.

One of Jesus’ first sermons was actually a reading of the prophet Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”[1]

Jesus said a lot by reading this passage in front of his hometown. Proclaiming the good news to the poor brings healing of the spirit, proclaim freedom for prisoners brings healing to societal status. Recovery of sight for the blind, setting the oppressed free brings healing to eyesight and to bring healing to those who have been held captive.

Wherever Jesus is, there is healing. When we encounter Jesus Christ, you and I experience some form of healing. Because that’s what Jesus does. Jesus brings healing.

In the passage we read out of Luke 8, we witness an exciting scene. Jesus has just come from a situation where he calmed with wind and the sea. His disciples were witnesses to this and they still questions who he was and what he could do. The thing we need to remember and see is that Jesus does not leave things in a state of chaos.

JESUS ALWAYS BRINGS PEACE AMONG THE CHAOS.

This is what he does. We can see evidence of this all the way back to the beginning of creation. The waters of the earth were chaotic, then God comes in and brings order. He brings his peace.

The presence of Christ channels the chaos and brings order and new life to the situation.

The demoniac.

This man had been tortured in his soul causing him to act in ways that the people took notice of him. He lived in the tombs and did not wear any clothes. Now I don’t know about you, but living in tombs would most likely change me also.

Side note about demons: I am often asked if I believe there are demons, and there is spiritual warfare going on. My answer is, “I don’t think we take the spiritual realm serious enough whether a person believes in demons/spiritual warfare or not.” I do know that Jesus took people being possessed by demons seriously. Jesus took the spiritual realm seriously.

This man saw Jesus coming, fell to his feet, and made a scene by shouting, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

This man is making a statement that he knows who Jesus is and is…well…mocking Jesus in some way. He knows Jesus has the power to free him from the demons. There is an excellent point here. We often say we believe in Jesus. Well, remember what James writes, “You believe that there is one God? Good! Even the demons believe and shudder.”[2]

So, I do believe in the spiritual realm and believe there is stuff going on we cannot imagine. This is why trusting that Jesus will give and bring peace to our lives, to the world is important.

See, we often say we “believe” in Jesus, but we do not really take it much further than that. Yes, believing in Jesus is essential; but if we do not allow this belief to come into our heart and transform our lives, then we will let other forces to take over our lives:

  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
  • Bitterness
  • Anger
  • Sex
  • Lust
  • Hatred
  • Selfishness
  • Indifference to any suffering around our community and the world.
  • This list can and does go on and on.

All of this will consumer our lives and cause us to act out in ways God did not intend for us to act. The power of Sin in our world, and in our lives, is stronger than we realize. Sin has already possessed the world, and without Jesus, there is no freedom. Everything is in chaos:

  • Our inner selves
  • Our mental being
  • Our emotional being
  • Our relationships

We like to think, here in America that we are above being demon possessed, but also remember what we do allow to control our lives, that is not God.

We all have different voices in our heads, trying to lead us, voices of darkness, and voices of light and life. When we listen to the voice of darkness, we can see evidence of chaos, yet we are unable to break free from this chaos because it has tormented our life so much that we become enslaved to it.

Notice what the demon-possessed man says, “I beg you, don’t torture me!” The demons inside him have the man convinced that Jesus is there to torture him. When the darkness fills our life so much, it is challenging to believe that Jesus brings anything other than torture because this means we have to change. And change to many people is torture.

The point of all of this is…evil is real in our world and within ourselves. But evil never has the final say. Jesus does.

Jesus gives permission for the demons (evil) to speak just a bit, but then it is his power that drives them out and sends the demons always to where they will be tortured and break free their control over the people.

What are you struggling with today that has a tight grip on you and is not letting you live into the life that Jesus Christ offers? What are you holding on to that is preventing you from fully loving God, loving people, AND trusting in God completely? Name it. Claim the power of Christ over it, then confess to other people.

We must go to others, confess our sins and articulate how Jesus is breaking us free from the powers of darkness. If we do not, then we are still living with selfishness and our own ability to get through life, which will wear us down. We are to have a group of people (whatever size) to help us and walk with us as we are stepping out to follow Jesus, we will fall down, but there are people to help pick us up.

James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

I personally have a core group of friends that I can be genuine with. These friends have been by my side for years, and I’ve been by their side for years. Together, we hold each other accountable to live into the light and not pick the chains of enslavement up to sin again.

There are times this may seem to bring chaos and torture into our lives, because we don’t want anyone to think less of us or see us as anything than perfect; but the truth is, when we tell confess to other people, the light is shining on our sin, it is brought into the open, and peace can finally enter in.

Jesus brings this peace. Whenever and whoever Jesus heals, peace has come into the picture. Do you feel like you live in peace? Then come face down to the feet of Jesus and cry out to him, “Lord, save me! Free me! I want to only live for you!”

Right after this scene, Jesus and his disciples were traveling, and we see two more healings: one of the raising of a dead girl and the other is cured of the issue of blood.

There are a couple things that are happening here.

One is Jesus brings life wherever he goes. When he proclaims the Kingdom of God is at hand, this is where real life is experienced. It is living in the full presence of God here and now, AND in the life to come. Because of Jesus,

WE EXPERIENCE NEW LIFE

The other thing that we see is someone who was outcasted in society, someone who was told they had to stay away from everyone. We have people like this today. All we have to do is drive down 7th street downtown, and we see the people the rest of society has cast out for one reason or another.

When have you experienced shame for a condition you have? When have you experienced rejection from people just because you were not like everyone else? When have you been told you weren’t good enough, so people withdrew themselves from you.

Something incredible about Jesus is, he did not just heal the condition of the person, he healed the state of their social status as well. Jesus’ healing was not only so the physical aspects of the person would be healed and whole, but Jesus also healed so people could experience wholeness as part of a community. He restored them to be able to be with society and not live on the fringes anymore.

JESUS BRINGS HEALING, WHOLENESS, AND RESTORATION TO MIND, BODY, AND RELATIONSHIPS.

Have you taken the time to seek Jesus, not just to fix our physical illnesses or injuries, but to restore our relationship with other people? So often, we get focused on praying about fixing and healing our bodies that we forget that Jesus is working to fix all of us and make us whole.

He is working to heal our physical bodies, our mental self, emotional self, and relationships. Jesus is concerned with the entire person. So, when we talk with people about praying for healing, let’s remember what Jesus did and focus on the bigger picture.

The physical healing is more about making us able to be part of society once again. Jesus is working in and through us to make us whole people, not just putting band-aids on injuries but healing us so we can be healed mentally, emotionally, and relationally with ourselves, others and HIM.

Notice another aspect of Jesus’ healing ministry that we need to pay attention to:

JESUS OFFERS FORGIVENESS

Remember that we are so messed up by sin and the enslavement to the power of sin and temptations that we need to hear and understand GOD FORGIVES YOU.

God is not in the business of making us feel guilty about anything we have done wrong. He is not interested in continually reminding us of our failures. God is interested in healing us from the inside out with the power of forgiveness driven by his great love for you…and me.

Guilt and shame weigh us down. When we do wrong, we remember, and our minds are tortured because we relive the tapes of our sin over and over again. We do this with other people. Just look at the news, newspaper, Facebook, or any other social media. We love to remind people of the ways they have messed up constantly, yet we don’t like it when people point our sin out.

Jesus brings forgiveness, which brings peace to our lives so we can share this peace, grace, and mercy to others. We get to be part of building the Kingdom of Heaven with every step we take, every word we speak and every time we encounter another person, in person or online.

As forgiven people, we have not right to hold anyone’s sin against them. If God can forgive you and me, then we have the responsibility and mandate to bring the forgiveness of Christ with us wherever we are. We can do this with those people we hold dear to our hearts. Can we do this with those who have made us enemies have done something so wrong to us that it destroyed the relationship? Can we offer forgiveness to all people?

Jesus was constantly proclaiming the “year of the Lord’s favor” by announcing the Kingdom of Heaven. This is the year when ALL people would be free from their sin. We are the people God has called, is transforming, and has sealed us to go into the world and be with people to help release them from the power of sin and temptations in their life.

He has an incredible way of bringing peace with him wherever he is. Since we are the body of Christ in the world, let us do what we can to bring his peace and grace, and not cause others to feel guilt and shame anymore.

Forgiveness is a powerful healer. It can mend relationships, even while on a deathbed. Forgiveness heals, restores, and brings wholeness.

Remember, Jesus is the Great Healer who comes to forgive, heal, AND restore our standing with God and people.

Come, all you who are worn down by sin. Come, all you who are sick. Come, all who need to experience peace and joy in your life. Come to the throne of grace where Christ will set you free, heal you from the inside out, and bring you into a close relationship with God and other people. Come, be builders of the Kingdom of Heaven with our lives.

 

Works Cited:

[1]Luke 4:18-21 (reference Isaiah 61:1-2)

[2]James 2:19 NIV

Ryan StrattonLeave a comment

More To Your Story

There is an interesting line in Genesis 37 that says, “This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” (Genesis 37:2 NIV)

This is actually a pretty significant line. Have we paid attention to it before? We can think it is talking about the people that descended from Jacob, and it does; but there is more to consider.

For one thing, we have to remember who Jacob was. He was the grandson of Abraham. Jacob’s name means “deceiver or heel.” When he was born, he was grabbing the heel of his twin brother Esau.

His name fits him. After all, Abraham set the example when he would lie to keep himself safe in other countries. Abraham was the person God had called out to be the father of the Hebrew people, God’s set apart people.

Along comes Jacob, and he seems to only want to play by his own rules and only get what he wants, even if it means to run people over. He would get upset when others would cheat him. Many people could have thought that Jacob’s life path was set, that he would be a swindler and cheater all of his life, only concerned about himself.

But, when we realize God is with us and we are part of His story, we realize that it is not our past, or even our present, that defines us. It is God who defines us. Jacob’s story was not over, and neither is yours or mine.

Genesis 37:2 says, “This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” Jacob’s story gets to live on, because of God’s grace, through his family!

Yes, there are many examples of how the people of Jacob (people of Israel) left God’s path, and God guided them back. Yes, there are times we will stray from God’s path; but there God is guiding us back as well.

God somehow uses our past and redeems it. God works through our past to bring healing, transformation, and ultimately redemption.

Your story is not over yet. There is so much more that God can do and will do with your life, your family line. Look no further than Jesus Christ.

When Jesus was on the cross, his arms were outstretched. We can think of this as him having his arms stretched out to embrace the world. He not only came for the world; Jesus also came for you.

Just think about all Jesus Christ can do in and through your life. When you feel discouraged or down. Or your past seems to get in the way on visioning for a bright future, remember this:

“This is the account of Jacob’s family line.” Jesus was part of this family line. Because of Jesus, your life, my life, and the world will never be the same. There is always hope and a chance to experience an incredible future and life because of Jesus.

Ryan Stratton1 Comment

REDEEMED: The Unfamily Becomes Family

Last week, I invited you to think about your faith story and how you are different because of the grace of Jesus Christ. If it wasn’t for his mercy and his grace, we would not be able to experience hope, joy, love, and peace in this world. We would constantly shift from emotion to emotion. That kind of rollercoaster emotional ride is challenging. But because of the firm foundation Christ’s grace can and does offer, we are able to experience the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

As you think about your life before and after Jesus Christ, think about how powerful it is to have gone from not knowing the family of God to coming into full knowledge of what it means to be part of the family of God. We really go from not feeling like we belong to realizing that through God’s grace we can become his children and have a Father in heaven we belong to (John 1:12).

The story of Ruth is a great story of redemption. Throughout this season of Lent, we have been examining and discussing our redemption through Jesus Christ. I invite you to read this week’s passage, Ruth 4:13-17. To put this passage into context, feel free to read the entire book (it’s only 4 chapters long).

Ruth decided she was not going to leave Naomi, her mother in law, as she was going back to her home land. Naomi had lost her husband and her sons, so she had no more family ties where she was living. Naomi was lost. Ruth, a Moabite (foreigner), her daughter in law, said she was not going to leave her. Naomi told Ruth to stay and get a new husband. Ruth did not listen to the request, and went on with Naomi.

I wonder if you have ever felt like Naomi at times. Walked through times when it seems like no one else would be there for you. Even wondered whether or not you belonged. In times like this, we would try to turn down the offer of our friends and family to be with us because we would not want to burden them.

But, aren’t you eventually glad there are people who stick by us even when we don’t want them to, or ask them to? We should be joyful we have people that want to be with us in times of grief, despair, loneliness. However, there are times when it just feels like we don’t belong.

I am sure there are people who might read this blog post today who find themselves in this situation. I am sure there are people who are wanting and are trying to show their friends they are loved, they belong. These are people we should keep in our lives.

See, when we read the story of Ruth, we can see how Naomi lost her family and Ruth was not part of a family (after her husband died). This can leave us in a pit of despair. But God. Those two words change everything about our lives and our circumstance. But God used Naomi’s one of relatives (Boaz) to restore their position in society and put them back in relationship with a family. Ruth bore a son. It is through her lineage that came our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Just like Naomi and Ruth finding a new place in a family, we find that Jesus Christ brings us into his family. We are grafted into the family of the King of kings. We belong. As we look at the cross, we see just how much Jesus wanted to have us know the love and grace of God.

You belong. Trust and know that God loves you.

If there has been someone who has walked with you through hard times, I invite you to find a way to say “thank you.”

May the joy of the Living God continue to fill you life with a sense of joy and of belonging.

NOTE: This is based upon a sermon series concept posted on www.seedbed.com called “Redemption.”

Ryan StrattonLeave a comment