October 6, 2012 … What’s He doing ??!!

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 280

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Matthew 8 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Mark 2 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Matthew 8: 1-2; 5-8; 14-15; 23-27 : [NLT] … {And this man, Jesus, was so curiously different, caused such a stir in those days around Capernaum, the town which Jesus called “home.” He went about the countryside healing people, calming bad weather, and even causing Roman soldiers to come to Him for help. The miracles couldn’t be denied; and they made the established Jewish leaders nervous, jealous, or downright angry. But Jesus was just doing what God led Him to do; and He simply wouldn’t deny that only God could do such things. What do you do with such a man, when He’s taking attention away from the established leadership of the day?} … 1 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. 2 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Jesus. He knelt before him, worshiping. “Lord,” the man said, “if you want to, you can make me well again.” … 
5 When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 6 “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and racked with pain.” … 7 Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” … 8 Then the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed! … 
14 When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a high fever. 15 But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him. … 
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a terrible storm came up, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” … 26 And Jesus answered, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm. 27 The disciples just sat there in awe. “Who is this?” they asked themselves. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” …  
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Highlight Passage: Mark 2: 1-7; 13-14; 23-24 : [NLT] … {The Pharisees and other religious leaders in Jesus’ day just couldn’t handle a man who claimed to have the authority only God could have. And yet, He did things that only God should be able to do. And all the people followed Him. … Think of the implications. If He is Whom He claims to be, and He and does what He does, then people would have to follow Him and the teachings and leadership of those leaders in that day would be meaningless, wouldn’t it? Isn’t that exactly the dilemma which secularized leaders have today? If the teachings and principles of Christianity are true today, isn’t it truth then that the people should follow Christ and His teachings and not depend upon the government or the educational elite or the power-mongers in the entertainment industry? And, seeing that potential, wouldn’t it be logical that these leaders, who have power in the world today, would have to be threatened by Jesus and want to eliminate His Name from the public arena? … Well, isn’t that exactly what is happening?} … 1 Several days later Jesus returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the town. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn’t room for one more person, not even outside the door. And he preached the word to them. 3 Four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t get to Jesus through the crowd, so they dug through the clay roof above his head. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” … 6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there said to themselves, 7 What? This is blasphemy! Who but God can forgive sins!” … 
13 Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that gathered around him. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at his tax-collection booth. “Come, be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. … 
23 One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of wheat. 24 But the Pharisees said to Jesus, “They shouldn’t be doing that! It’s against the law to work by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.” 

My Journal for Today: Reading thru two Gospel chapters in today’s chronological read, Matthew 8 and Mark 2, I was stricken by how Jesus, in His day, caused much the same dilemma for the religious/social establishment which He and His followers cause today. Jesus claimed to be God and did what only God could do. And today, we, who know that He was/is God; and yes, those, who know from the Bible and historical evidence that He did, in His day, what only God could do, will follow Him simply because He’s worthy to follow.

Well, in Jesus’ day, He became a threat to the established governmental authority or the educational elite or the political power-mongers of His day; and they did all they could to have this Man, Who claimed to be God, eliminated from the public scene. Does this remind anyone reading here of anything we see going on today?

I really don’t need to journal anymore here today. I think you can see – or feel – the implications of God’s word from Matthew and Mark to what we see going on today. Who’re we going to follow; … the government or Jesus; … the entertainment elite or Jesus; … the humanistic/scientific elite or Jesus? … Personally, … I’m going with Jesus!

My Prayer Today: … Today, like all days, Lord, reading and knowing Who You are, I will follow You. Amen