Most of us find it hard enough to love our friends! If we are brutally honest with ourselves, our desire for self-protection and self-advancement is so strong that we often fail to love the people we say we love as well as we should. We are willing to help our family up to a point, but we have our limits. We only have so much time, money, and emotional energy to spare. If we find it difficult to love our family and friends, how could we ever love our enemies?

            Ernest Gordon wrestled with this very question during World War II while he was suffering in the infamous Japanese work camp on the River Kwai. Harsh conditions had already brought him to the brink of death, and then he was headed to the dreaded “Death House,” a prison built at the lowest point of the camp. The heavy rains turned the floor into a sea of mud and sewage. The men suffered from a combination of lice, tropical ulcers, and open and untreated wounds. The place reeked from the smells of rotting human flesh. In his own words, “This was the lowest level of life.”

            In God’s providence, and through the compassion of his army buddies, Gordon did not die, but survived. More than that, he had many other men in his camp come to faith in Jesus Christ. They learned to love each other. Yet they still found it impossible to love their enemies. As Gordon writes:

We had learned from the gospels that Jesus had his enemies just as we had ours. But there was this difference: he loved his enemies. He prayed for them. Even as the nails were being hammered through his hands and feet, he cried out, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ We hated our enemies. We could see how wonderful it was that Jesus forgave this way. Yet for us to do the same seemed beyond our attainment! (Ryken 268)

            Whether it seems beyond attainment or not, today’s Scripture reading reveals that Jesus has called all of us to love our enemies!

Love Thy Enemies (27-28)

            Jesus is still preaching the sermon on the plain. After he pronounced his blessings on the down and out and his woes on the self-sufficient, he continues to highlight the new ethics of his kingdom by telling his followers to love their enemies. He begins this teaching with four power-packed imperative commands: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.”

            Look at the ways Jesus calls us to show love! To “do good to those who hate” is to love with our actions, doing good to those who do us wrong. To “bless those who curse” is to love with our speech, using gentle words of grace when people speak to us in anger. To “pray for those who abuse” is to love with our hearts and the benefit of the person’s soul.

            We can know whether or not we are following Jesus’ commands by asking ourselves some questions like, “When was the last time I went out of my way to do something kind for someone I don’t like? How do I respond when someone criticizes me or says something cruel? How often do I really pray for people who have hurt me?

            Who are your enemies? Fortunately, most of us are not engaged in a war with another person, but I would almost guarantee that everyone one of us has someone in our life who is difficult to love. Will you follow Jesus’ command? Will you actively love your enemies?

Turn the Other Cheek (29-30)

            After Jesus lays out his ethical commands to love our enemies, he presents some hypothetical examples of how to put his words into action.  He says, “If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes you cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” These responses to insults and defrauding are the exact opposite of the natural human reactions. Usually, if someone verbally insults us or physically strikes us, our natural reaction is to insult and hit them back. But Jesus demands better from his disciples.

            Every time I read these verses I can’t help but think about that epic scene in Victor Hugo’s classic story Les Miserables where the hardened criminal Jean Valjean is aided by an elderly priest who gives him food and shelter. Then in the middle of the night Valjean steals all of the priest’s silver and runs off. When Valjean is apprehended by the authorities and taken back to the priest’s home to verify the charges, the priest tells the authorities that he gave the silver to Valjean as a gift. And then he says to Jean, “But you forgot to take the candlesticks.” The priest’s remarkable mercy and love becomes the turning point in Jean’s live.

            Friends, this is what it means to turn the other cheek! When someone insults you, can you return words of kindness? When someone steals from you, can you give them more? When someone treats you unjustly, can you show them mercy?

The Golden Rule (31)

            Everything that Jesus has said about loving our enemies is summarized in one simple statement, usually called “the golden rule.” “Do unto other as you would have them do to you” is has become one of Jesus’ most famous sayings. This proverb is the foundational ethical principle of his kingdom because it defines how he wants human beings to act in every situation in life.

            This is very different from the rule that most people follow. It is not what we typically see when businessmen are trying to close a deal, or when you get into an argument with your spouse, or when siblings are jockeying for position in the back of the minivan. The usual rule sounds more like, “Do whatever you have to do to get what you want.”           

            There once was a grandpa who lived with his family. As Grandpa grew older, he began to slobber and spill his food. So the family had him eat alone. When he dropped his bowl and broke it, they scolded him and got him a cheap wooden bowl. Grandpa was so unhappy. Now one day the young grandson was working with wood. “What are you doing?” Mom and Dad asked. “I’m making a wooden bowl,” he said, “for when you two get old and must eat alone.” Mom and Dad then looked sad and realized how they were mistreating Grandpa. So they decided to keep quiet when he spills his food and to let him eat with the family.

            Are you doing to others as you would have them do to you?

Amazing Love (32-36)

            After establishing the Golden Rule, Jesus goes on to make one final point about loving one’s enemies. He sets up a bunch of comparisons with the average love that is found in the world with the radical love that he calls for in his disciples. He makes the point that it is relatively easy to love someone who loves you; it is easy to do good to those who do good to you; it is easy to lend to someone who would lend to you—even wicked sinners do that. That is average love at best!

            But Jesus calls his followers to amazing love—to love people who don’t love us, to be kind to people who have not been kind to us, and to share with people who won’t share with us. This is unexpected love! This is amazing love!

            This is the kind of love that Jesus showed his enemies! Jesus loved the Pharisees who falsely accused him! He loved Judas who betrayed him! He loved Peter who denied him! He loved Pontius Pilate who condemned him! He loved the people who spit on him! He loved the crowds who mocked him! He loved the soldiers who scourged him! He even loved the men who pressed the thorns into his skull and pounded the nails through his hands and feet! Even while he was hanging on the cross in agony, he prayed, “Father, forgive them…” Jesus did good to those who hated him; he blessed those who cursed him; he prayed for those who abused him.

            This is where we learn to love our enemies: at the cross, where we were the enemies that Jesus died to forgive. It is only by the cross that we are able to be like Christ to our enemies—loving them without demanding anything in return. If we exhibit this kind of amazing love, we will be called sons of the Most High!

            Eventually, Earnest Gordon learned how to show this kind of love to his enemies, the Japanese. After the war ended, Gordon and the other POW’s from the River Kwai made their long slow journey back to Britain, traveling through Asia by train. Along the way, they ended up in a rail yard next to a train full of wounded Japanese soldiers. Gordon describes their pitiable condition:

They were in a shocking state; I have never seen men filthier. Their uniforms were encrusted with mud, blood, and excrement. Their wounds, sorely inflamed and full of pus, crawled with maggots…The wounded men looked at us forlornly as they sat with their heads resting against the carriages waiting fatalistically for death. They were the refuse of war; there was nowhere to go and no one to care for them. These were the enemy.

            Without a word, Gordon and most of his men unbuckled their packs, took out their canteens and rations, and went over to the Japanese train. They knelt beside the enemy to give them food and water and bind up their wounds. But not everyone was pleased with this remarkable display of compassion. One of the Allied Officers said, “What bloody fools you are! Don’t you realize that they are the enemy?” Of course the officers realized it: that was exactly the point! The dying soldiers were the enemy, but Gordon and his friends were called to love them and do good to them.

            They learned to give this king of love from the same place where we can learn to give it: at the cross of Jesus Christ. The Savior who died for us calls us to give his love to others, including the people who hate us. Who are the enemies God is calling you to love? Do good to them. Bless them and pray for them! Show them the love of God in Christ. (Ryken 278)

            The 1992 United States Men’s Olympic Basketball Team was infamously nicknamed “The Dream Team.” It was the first American Olympic team to feature active NBA players, and with the likes of Michael Jordon, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, and Sir Charles Barkley on the team, it is no surprise that they shredded all of their opponents by an average of 40 points a game and cruised to the gold medal platform. Since then, 11 of the 12 players and 3 of the four coaches have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Many American sports journalists and historians believe that this was the greatest sports team ever assembled.

            Whether it is the United States Olympic committee or an elementary school gym class captain picking players for a kickball game, everyone wants the biggest, fastest, and most talented athletes on their team. In business and politics, leaders try to choose the best and brightest to fill positions in their company or cabinet. Boards of directors try to recruit highly educated and broadly experienced leaders to run their organizations. If you were going to assemble a team, wouldn’t you want the very finest? Conventional wisdom and common sense motivates us to choose the people who are most qualified.

            That is why Jesus’ choice of apostles is so peculiar. As he began to face increasing hostility from the Pharisees and other religious leaders, he knew that it was important to form a team who would carry on his mission after he was gone.  

            But none of the 12 apostles Jesus chose were “Dream Team” material. They were not from prominent families or prestigious backgrounds, nor were they highly educated or especially talented. They were certainly not qualified to lead a religious revolution. They were as common as a vanilla ice cream cone. They were just average blue-collar guys, and perhaps even a little rough around the edges. This was definitely not a “Dream Team.” So, why did Jesus choose these chaps?

Praying through Big Decisions (12)

            The ministry of these 12 men was central to God’s plan of salvation. First the apostles would spend several years with Jesus, learning the ways of his kingdom. At the end of their training, they would witness his crucifixion and resurrection, which would finally prove to them that Jesus was the Christ. After this, they would go and preach the gospel to all nations, proclaiming the good news of salvation. And finally, most of them would be martyred because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

            Since the apostles would be the foundation of God’s work in the world, it was absolutely essential for Jesus to choose the right men. So Jesus sought the solitude of a lonely mountainside to pray to his heavenly father. He prayed privately, passionately, and dependently, spending the whole night seeking God’s guidance for choosing the right apostles. (Ryken 254)

            Jesus was always man of prayer. The gospels often portray Jesus going off to be alone and pray, but this is especially the case when he was faced major life decisions. And that is exactly what he does here before he chooses his apostles!

            From this example we learn our great need for prayer. Like Jesus, we need to go to our own mountain of prayer when we face momentous decisions. We need to seek a solitary place away from the noise and clutter of our lives so that we can hear the voice of the Lord! We need to fervently request the wisdom and guidance of our heavenly Father and earnestly ask for his will to be done. And we need to humbly accept God’s answer, even if it is not the one we want or the one that makes the most sense!

            I openly confess that I am not nearly the man of prayer that I would like to be or should be, but I am at least grateful that I have followed Jesus’ example of sustained solitary prayer when I have faced big decisions in my life. I remember spending countless hours in prayer when I was seeking God’s will on where I should go to college. He eventually opened the door made it clear that I should attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where I not only received an excellent education, but it is also where I met Jennifer.

            A few years later, I remember spending a number of nights asking God if Jennifer was the woman that he wanted me to spend the rest of my life with. I certainly knew what I desired, but I wanted to be sure that she was God’s choice for me. He eventually answered those prayers by confirming his choice. (I guess that one didn’t turn out too bad!!)

            And during my seminary days, I was faced with another major life decision: should I follow conventional wisdom and stay in a great situation in Massachusetts or should I apply for the pastoral position that was open at a church in Franklin, Vermont? I fell to my knees again and sought God both day and night. Well, he made his will known and the past 11 years has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made!

            Are you facing any big decisions right now—college, relationship, spouse, kids, career, moving, retirement, health, or something else? Will you follow Jesus’ example and pray through these major life choices!

The Daydream Team (13-16)

            As I mentioned before, when we look at the list of men who Jesus actually chose to be his apostles, it doesn’t look anything like a “Dream Team.” As a matter of fact, we could probably dub this team of disciples “The Daydream Team” because the list makes us wonder if Jesus may have been daydreaming instead of praying.

            We have Simon Peter, who had some leadership qualities but also had a propensity for sticking his foot in his mouth. He was brash and outspoken, but didn’t back up his words with actions. He would go on to deny Christ three times when his own life was in jeopardy. Next, we have Andrew, who had been a disciple of John the Baptist, and introduced his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. Other than this, the Bible doesn’t tell us much about Andrew. He remained behind the scenes throughout Jesus’ ministry.

            Next we have James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Even though these two joined Simon Peter in Jesus’ inner circle, they were also the ones who exhibited selfishness when they asked Jesus to let them sit at his right and left hand in glory. These first four disciples were all Galilean fishermen by trade—not really dream team material!

            Then we have Philip, who introduces Bartholomew (Nathaniel) to Jesus, but who also showed a lack of faith when Jesus asked him where should they buy bread to feed the crowd of 5000 people. Although Bartholomew was a man of great integrity, he was the one who spoke the famous words about Jesus, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46) Neither of these two were dream team material either!

            Matthew (Levi) was a filthy yellow-bellied tax collector who sold out his own people to work for the evil Roman government. He made his fortune through extortion. Simon the zealot is also an odd choice. The term “zealot” identifies his as a Jewish nationalist, a militia group that sought to overthrow the Roman government. These two men came from backgrounds that generally hated each other, but Jesus chose both of them to be on his team. Dream team material? I think not!

            Thomas may have had the greatest potential of all of the apostles, but I doubt it!! Even today, 2000 years later he is still known as “Doubting Thomas” because he would not believe that Jesus was resurrected unless he could put his finger in nail scars. James the son of Alphaeus and Judas son of James are the most obscure of all of the 12 apostles. Other than being listed with the others, we hardly know anything about them. And finally, there is Judas Iscariot, the most well known traitor in the history of the world. He betrayed the Son of Man with a kiss for a mere thirty pieces of silver. Would you want any of these guys on your dream team?

            So, we return to the question, “Why would God choose men like this to carry on Jesus ministry? The answer is very simple: to display his awesome power! God doesn’t need people who are smart, talented, or charismatic to transform the world. All he needs is someone who is willing to follow Jesus and learn from him.

            Although it took them a while even after Jesus was gone, God used these 12 ordinary men to establish the Christian church and spread the gospel all over the world. He used this rag-tag group of disciples to start a movement that would 2000 years and become 3 billion people strong. 

            As we look at these apostle profiles, it makes us realize that these guys aren’t much different from us. We all have character flaws, inadequacies, and weaknesses just like them. Most of us are not dream team material, but if we are willing to follow Jesus and learn from him, God will display his power in us and use us to accomplish amazing feats for his kingdom.

            These 12 apostles act as a mirror for our own discipleship. If we look close enough, we will see a little bit of ourselves in these men. Is there anyone here like Peter—a brash, outspoken, loudmouth who is quick to act and slow to think. Have you even denied Jesus when you were under pressure? Do we have any James’ or John’s among us? Maybe you genuinely love the Lord, but you like to look out for your own interests too. Is there anyone here like Philip, Bartholomew, and doubting Thomas? Maybe you are following Jesus, but you are still struggle with doubts. Do we have any Matthew’s or Simon the Zealot’s? Do come from a dubious and destructive background? Do you have trouble overcoming your past mistakes? Maybe we have some people like Andrew, James, and Judas—is your life overshadowed by other family members or friends and you are sentenced to a legacy of relative obscurity? And finally, do we have any Judas Iscariot’s in our midst today? Is there anyone here who would be willing to sell Jesus out in the pursuit of money?

            Well, I doubt if there is anyone here today who is discipleship dream team material, but that is OK! God doesn’t need the best and brightest; he doesn’t need the most magnetic personalities or the most talented skill sets; he doesn’t need the most educated or experienced! All he needs someone who is willing to follow his son Jesus? Are you willing to be Jesus’ disciple?

            Ladies and gentlemen, I have some really bad news to share with you this morning. Rosco P. Coltrane is dead! He passed away last Monday from complications from pneumonia. He was 88 years old.

            For those of you who may not be familiar with Rosco P. Coltrane, he was the two-bit county sheriff on my favorite childhood show “The Duke’s of Hazzard.” Even though he was always pressed under the heavy thumb of Boss Hogg, his insufferable brother-in-law and the county commissioner, Rosco took law enforcement job very seriously (usually too seriously). In one episode of the Dukes, I remember watching Rosco issue a speeding ticket to a man for going 16mph in a 15mph zone.        

            Rosco spent his days enforcing the narrow laws of Hazzard County, but his primary function was keeping his keen eye on the good ole Duke boys because “t’dem boy had been in trouble with the law since the day they was born.” Rosco was always scheming some way to trick them into breaking their probation and putting them in jail. He was a legalizing legalist who was in love with the law. He even had a legal Beagle named Flash who rode with him in his police cruiser.

            Have you ever encountered anyone like Rosco P. Coltrane? Have you ever dealt with someone who let their little bit of authority go to their great big head? Do you have any self-appointed moral watchdogs keeping their eye on you? Do you know anyone who is a strict letter-of-the law person? Do you have some people in your life who are more interested in being right than doing what is right? People like this are obnoxious! They are hard to be around!

            Rosco P. Coltrane reminds me of the Pharisees that Jesus encountered in today’s Bible reading. The Pharisees were a group of self-appointed Jewish religious overseers who made sure that Israel kept all 613 statutes of the Mosaic Law. They were a band of high-brow brothers who took it upon themselves to make up a bunch of additional and arbitrary laws to ensure that no one broke the actual law. This brood of vipers snapped at Jesus’ heals throughout his ministry and was ultimately responsible for the false accusations that led to his crucifixion. They hated him because of his popularity and his undermining of their obsessive laws.

            Today’s Scripture reading recounts two confrontations that Jesus had with the Pharisees early in his ministry. Both of these stories deal with Jesus’ supposed breaking of the Sabbath law, but they really reveal that the Pharisees were people who were more interested in being right than doing right. Let’s take a look.

Harvesting on the Sabbath (1-5)

            As the news of Jesus’ powerful preaching and miraculous healings spread throughout Israel, the Pharisees were watching him like a hawk. One day, Jesus and his disciples were walking through some grain fields, and as they went along, they plucked some heads of grain, rubbed off the outer shell, and ate them. Ordinarily, this would not have been a big deal. The Mosaic Law demanded that farmers leave some stocks of grain standing in their fields to help feed the poor. Jesus and his disciples were simply gathering grain to fill their empty stomachs.

            The only problem was that it was a Sabbath, the holy day of rest. When the Pharisees saw what the disciples were doing, they immediately confronted and accused them of violating the 4^th Commandment—“Thou shalt keep the Sabbath Day holy.”  According to the Sabbath police, this menial harvesting of grain by hand was considered work, which was prohibited on the day of rest. So, the Pharisees charged them in the form of a question, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”

             Jesus answered their question by reminding them of a story from the life of King David. I love how Jesus heightened the tension by answering their question with another question about the Bible—“Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat.”

            The bread of the Presence was specially baked every week and set in the Tabernacle and consecrated to God. By law, the holy priests were the only ones that were allowed to eat it. But Jesus points out the fact that King David and his men were famished. Technically, for them to eat the bread was a violation of the law, but as the priest considered the total righteousness of God and the dire circumstance, he recognized his higher duty to meet a basic human need.

            Jesus recalled this story to show the Pharisees that doing what is right is more important than being right. Feeding the hungry was more important than keeping the letter of the law. What would grieve God’s heart more: harvesting a little grain on the Sabbath or letting someone starve to death? God always desires mercy more than observance of sacred rituals.

            Jesus could have stopped there. The legal precedent he cited from the Old Testament cleared him and his disciples from any wrongdoing, but Jesus went on to make the dramatic declaration that he is the Lord of the Sabbath. “Son of Man” is a messianic term that testifies to his humanity and deity, and this is why he has authority over the Sabbath. (Ryken 244)

Healing on the Sabbath (6-11)

            The second story also takes place on the Sabbath, but this time we find Jesus teaching in a synagogue. The text simply says that “a man was there whose hand was withered.” Now it could have been a coincidence that this man just happened to come to the synagogue that day, but I suspect that the Pharisees subtly orchestrated this meeting. After all, they were looking for a reason to accuse him, and they knew that Jesus had a reputation for healing on the Sabbath. Even though I can’t prove it, I think this was a deliberate set-up!

            Well, if it was a set-up, Jesus willingly took the bait. Whether it was by divine omniscience or the prompting of the Holy Spirit I do not know, but he knew exactly what they were thinking. So, he called the man with the shriveled hand forward and directed him to stand in front of the audience. Then he asked the crowd a brilliant question, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” This question turned the table on the Pharisees and backed them into a corner. If they responded that it was lawful to do good and save life on the Sabbath, then they would have no accusation against Jesus for healing them. On the other hand, if they said that it was lawful to do evil or destroy life on the Sabbath, they would show themselves as evil doers. Jesus was trying to teach them the doing what is right is more important than being right! He wanted them to see that life is better than legalism.

            As you can imagine, no one dared to answer Jesus’ question. Instead, an awkward silence fell over the crowd. (Then Peter and John bumped fists and said, “Boom! Take that you self-righteous hypocrites! No, I’m just kidding!) But I can only imagine wry grins appearing on the faces of Jesus’ disciples as the eyes of the Pharisees were flooded with fury. As the Pharisees began grumbling amongst each other, Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand, and it was miraculously and completely restored.

            Both of these stories are meant to teach us that Jesus is more interested in doing right than being right. They drive home the fact that Jesus cares more about meeting legitimate human needs than jumping through the hoops of outward holiness. Jesus desires mercy and compassion more than conforming to the letter of the law.

            How about you? Have you become so consumed with being right that you have forgotten to do what is right? Are you so concerned about maintaining your self-righteousness that you neglect ministering mercy to those who are in need around you? Are you a letter of the law type person? Is your personality so anal retentive that no one wants to be around you? Let me just say this: if Leviticus is your favorite book of the Bible, there might be something wrong with you!

            When your wife’s water breaks and she is screaming, “Get me to the hospital now!” don’t say, “Sorry honey, I have to slow down. This is only a 35mph speed zone!” Have some compassion! If your son or daughter is graduating from college on a Sunday, don’t say, “I’m sorry kiddo, I’ve got church on Sunday!” Be there for your kid! Church will be there next Sunday!

            Now please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that we should have a flippant attitude toward the law: God’s law or our nations’ laws. As a faithful Jew, Jesus had the utmost respect for God’s law; it was just the legalism that he didn’t like. He understood that God’s original intent for these laws was to be a blessing to mankind, not a burden. He did not like when people heaped further restrictions on top of God’s laws.

            Take the Sabbath for instance! Why did God rest on the seventh day and institute Sabbath for his people. Well, it wasn’t because God was tired and needed a break; it was because he knew that our human bodies and minds need a rhythm of rest after six long work days. He commanded his people to rest from their ordinary work one day a week so that bodies retain their productivity and minds maintain their sanity. Workaholics (people who never take days off or go on vacations) eventually burn out and are detrimental to everyone around them.

            The principle of Sabbath rest is still relevant for the Christian today. For most Christians, Sunday is the day that is set apart for worship and rest. To go to church on Sunday morning and spend the rest of your day in recreation or relaxation is good for the spirit, mind, and body. But take me for instance, Sunday is seldom my Sabbath. It is usually my work day. Therefore, I usually take Monday as my day off. I try not to get involved with work related activities. I like to ski, fish, and kayak on Mondays. I take it pretty seriously!

            But if the telephone rings and I discover that someone is dying in the hospital, I don’t say, “Sorry, today is my day off. Gee, I sure do hope that they can hang in there until tomorrow morning!” That would be a complete contradiction of the Sabbath’s intention. That would be legalism, not holiness.

            Therefore, I urge you to take God’s laws seriously! I urge you to take our government’s laws seriously! I urge you to take the Sabbath principle seriously! But whatever you do, don’t ever let being right get in the way of doing what is right!

            Today’s Scripture reading recounts two miraculous healing stories. Even though the details of the two stories drastically differ, they share a main purpose of displaying desperate faith and divine authority. Let me begin by explaining what I mean by “desperate faith.”

Desperate Faith

            Both of these stories convey desperate faith! Even though Luke doesn’t tell us which city Jesus was in at the time, he does tell us that a leper came into the city to see Jesus. This may not seem like a big deal to us today, but this was extraordinary for Jesus’ day. Leprosy was a chronic and highly contagious skin disease which had no cure in the ancient world. Symptoms usually included severe itching and chaffing skin, disfigurement of the face and hands, and sometimes included neurological problems. Lepers were, by law, forced to leave their homes and families and were sentenced to live in leper colonies that were often located in caves. They were forbidden to enter communities or come into contact with healthy people, so they were reduced to standing along roadways in order to beg for food and charity.

            Even worse than the physical pain and itching was the social ostracism and religious stigma associated with the disease; leprosy was generally considered a punishment for sin or a curse from God. There was no known cure, and if contracted, people would often live with the dreadful and lonely affliction for the rest of their lives.

            This leper bucked up against the cultural customs and flat out broke they law when he entered the city, fell down at the feet of Jesus, and begged Jesus to heal him. But desperate times call for desperate measures—and his was a complete and utter act of desperatation. He threw all caution to the wind because he knew that Jesus had the divine power and authority to heal his body and restore his life. The only question was, “Would Jesus be willing to cure him?” Either way, this leper demonstrated a desperate faith in Jesus.

            The circumstances of the second story are different from the first story, but it displays the same desperate faith. While Jesus was inside a house teaching a large crowd of people, which included a group of suspicious religious leaders, there was a group of men carrying a crippled man on a stretcher. We don’t know how or how long the man had been paralyzed, but we do know that he was trying to get to Jesus for healing.

            When the men could not make their way through the horde of people, they were not deterred. They somehow hoisted the crippled man onto the rooftop, removed the ceiling tiles, and lowered him into the room where Jesus was teaching. Can you imagine seeing this? What extravagance! What desperation! What an act of faith! Jesus was so impressed with their desperate faith that he made the man walk.

            Isn’t it interesting to see how Jesus granted miracles to people who came to him in desperation? He did not heal everyone he ever met, but he consistently showed incredible compassion toward those who came to him in meekness and humility. When someone displayed a desperate faith in Jesus—that is when he met their needs and restored their lives.

            This makes me wonder if a lack of miracles in our lives today is related to our lack of desperation. When I stop and think about the times that God has shown up most clearly and dramatically, it is always when I am most desperate—when my resources were exhausted—when I had reached my whit’s end—when I had no idea what I was going to do—when I gave up control—and when I finally fell before the feet of Jesus and begged for his help.

            I can think of many examples of this from my own life, but let me share just one. When I was back in college, and everyone in my dormitory was heading home for Christmas break, I had to stay behind and work a few extra days. I was allowed to stay in my dorm room, but the dining hall was closed, which meant that I was on my own for meals. The problem was that I had just paid my school bill and my financial resources were completely exhausted. I had no food and no money. I couldn’t even scrape up fifty cents to buy a bag of peanuts from the vending machine in the lobby. It was the first time in my life that I ever faced a period of days without food.

            After the first day, I was hungry, frustrated, and scarred. I had already resigned myself to fasting for those days, but I prayed that if it be the Lord’s will that he would provide for me. It was indeed a prayer of desperation! About 10 minutes later, I heard a knock on the door. It was my good friend Scott Mooberry. He said, “I was supposed to go home yesterday, but it didn’t work out. I’m heading home now, but I wanted to stop by to say good bye and to tell you to help yourself to the pizza in the refrigerator. I ordered way too much last night and I’m not going to take it home.”

            As soon as he left, I ran into the lounge and opened the fridge—and to my great surprise, he didn’t just leave me a few pieces of dried out Domino’s pizza, but he left me a whole Giordano’s deep dish stuffed pizza—the best pizza in Chicago—the kind that weighs 20 pounds and costs $35 a pie. That miracle pizza sustained me for the next three days until I got home for Christmas. Scott never knew that his pizza was the immediate answer to my desperate prayer!

            How about you? When was the last time you really cried out to Jesus and fell before him in desperation? When was the last time you were either forced or willing to give up control over your own life? That was probably the last time you saw God do something amazing in your life. Desperate situations call for desperate faith!

Divine Authority

            Now that we have seen people come to Jesus with desperate faith, let’s take a look at his divine authority. In both stories, Jesus displays his divine authority to heal people’s lives physically and spiritually.

Physical Restoration

           These stories show Jesus’ divine authority to restore people’s physical lives. Notice how the leper knew that Jesus had the power to heal; it was not a question of ability, it was one of willingness. And in this case, Jesus was willing to heal.

            When Jesus healed the man with leprosy, he didn’t just cleanse his skin; he gave him his life back! He didn’t just deliver him from physical pain and discomfort; he delivered him from the agony of social ostracism. Now he could be reunited with his family, resume his career, and be involved in his community. Every aspect of his physical life was restored. What an incredible display of divine authority!

            The story of the crippled man also shows Jesus’ divine authority to heal. We don’t know how this man became a paralytic or how long he had been disabled. All we know is that he couldn’t walk and he had to rely on his friends to move him from place to place—remember, this was long before the days of prosthetic legs, wheelchairs, and physical therapy.

            Despite his handicap, he wasn’t going to let anyone stand in the way of him getting to Jesus. Why? Because he believed that Jesus had the divine power to heal him. And when Jesus restored his legs, is it any wonder that he went home glorifying God? Is it any wonder that the whole crowd glorified God and said, “We have seen extraordinary things today?” Everyone there recognized Jesus’ divine authority to heal and restore people’s lives.

            How about you? Do you recognize Jesus’ divine authority to heal? Throughout the gospels we see Jesus heal people from leprosy, paralysis, fever, blindness, deafness, and even raise people from death. Throughout my life, I have seen Jesus miraculously heal people from all sorts of aliments: pneumonia, stroke, cancer, drug addiction and many other maladies. Just like in these stories, the issue is never Jesus’ ability to heal; it is always with his willingness.

            So that leaves us with the question, “Why does Jesus choose to heal sometimes and not others?” That is a good question and I have to confess that I don’t know the answer, but I will say this: when he doesn’t heal, he has another plan. Sometimes he allows us to suffer physical pain and loss because he wants to mold our character, strip away our pride, and help us to see our need for him. When he chooses not to heal, we must trust that he has our best interest in mind and that he is accomplishing some other purpose in our lives.

Spiritual Restoration

            These stories also reveal Jesus’ divine authority to restore people’s spiritual lives. When Jesus healed the man from leprosy, he also restored his spiritual life. He told him to “go and show himself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing…” (13) In these days, the priests also acted as public health officers. They had to inspect any who claimed healing from a contagious disease and declare them clean before they could reenter the community. The leper’s condition prevented him from being able to worship God at the synagogue. Therefore, he could not hear the Word of God taught, sing psalms, or participate in the corporate rituals that brought glory to God. When Jesus healed his leprosy, it showed his authority to restore his spiritual life.

            The healing of the crippled really highlights Jesus’ authority to restore the spiritual life. When Jesus saw the man’s great faith, instead of just telling him to get up and walk, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven.” Jesus intentionally said it this way to point to the fact that his whole soul was healed, not just his legs. He is indirectly pointing to the priority of spiritual healing over physical healing. After all, it is perfectly possible for a paralytic to enter heaven

            The Pharisees and teachers of the law quickly picked up on Jesus’ phrasing. They accused him of committing the sin of blasphemy. They knew that only God had the authority to forgive sins, and Jesus by declaring the paralytic’s sins forgiven, Jesus was claiming to be God. Their assessment was correct. Jesus not only claimed divine authority by speaking these words, but he proved it by enabling the man to stand up and walk!

            Like the crippled man, many of us come to Jesus seeking some type of physical fulfillment, but hopefully we will walk away seeing that our deepest need is spiritual. More than anything else in this life, our greatest need is to be forgiven for our sins against God. After all, neither paralysis, leprosy, blindness, heart disease, cancer, nor any other physical disablement can prevent us from going to heaven when we die; but unrepentant sin can!

            Friends, Jesus is the only one who forgive us and free us from our sins. He was the only human being to live a perfect sinless life. He is the only one who could shed his blood to atone for our sins! He is the only one who can give us eternal life! He is the only one who has authority to restore our physical lives here on earth and the only one who can offer us paradise in heaven forever!

            Have you put truly put your faith in Jesus Christ yet? Are you still trying to control your life or have you given it to him? Have you experienced transforming joy of knowing that your sins are forgiven and that your eternal future is secure?

            Let me leave you with two rhetorical questions: Do you have a desperate faith? Have you experienced Jesus’ divine authority?

            A young enthusiastic soul-winning preacher came upon an old farmer working in his field. Being concerned about the farmer’s soul, the preacher asked the man, “Are you laboring in the vineyard of the Lord my good man?” Not even looking at the preacher and continuing his work the farmer replied, “Naw, these are soybeans.”
“You don’t understand,” said the preacher. “Are you a Christian?” With the same amount of interest as his previous answer the farmer said, “Nope my name is Jones. You must be looking for Jim Christian. He lives a mile south of here.”
The young determined preacher tried again asking the farmer, “Are you lost?” “Naw! I’ve lived here all my life,” answered the farmer.
“Are you prepared for the resurrection?” the frustrated preacher asked. This caught the farmer’s attention and he asked, “When’s it gonna be?”
Thinking he had accomplished something, the young preacher replied, “It could be today, tomorrow, or the next day.” Taking a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiping his brow, the farmer remarked, “Well, don’t mention it to my wife. She don’t get out much and she’ll wanna go all three days.”

            What is the moral of this story? If you want to talk to someone about their soul, you have to speak their language. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who uses a bunch of technical jargon? It’s frustrating! Educators are infamous for this! They say things like, “My PLC is having a meeting with the AOE about student IEP’s.” Medical doctors are also notorious for this. They say things like, “I’m sorry to tell you that you have an acute hematoma in your dorsal lumbar region” rather than just saying “You have a bruise on your back.” And even though I hate to admit it, preachers have a reputation for spouting off theological terms that most people do not understand.

            Jesus didn’t use many technical terms in his preaching and teaching. Instead, he preferred to tell parables—short stories from everyday life that illustrate spiritual truths. This is exactly what Jesus does in today’s Bible reading. When he wanted to confront people about the condition of their souls, he told them a story about a farmer.

            Now we all know that Jesus wasn’t a farmer. He was a carpenter by trade, but since he was raised in the agricultural village of Nazareth, he knew something about farming. He also knew that most of the crowd following him was farmers from the fertile plains of Galilee. Therefore, he used the parable of the soils to connect with the hearts of the people.

The Sower and the Seed (4-8)

            Jesus begins his parable by telling us that a farmer went out to sow his seed. In ancient times, before John Deere, Case International, or your preferred brand of agricultural equipment, farming was done by hand. A farmer may use a team of animals to plow a field, but when it came to planting, his only option was to sling a large sack of seek over his shoulder and walk through the fields and cast the seeds onto the soil with his bare hands. It was a laborious process and its success rate was often challenged by heavy winds. This is why the seed in the parable ends up in four different kinds of soil.

            Today it is easy for us to be judgmental against the famer in Jesus’ parable. We may ask, “Why didn’t the farmer just sow his seed in the good soil?” Well, that is a lot easier said than done. For one, it is not always clear which soil is good and which is bad. Secondly, it is almost impossible to hand sow with any accuracy if the wind is blowing.

            Have you ever tried to sow seed in the wind? I tried this once with grass seed when I lived at the parsonage. I had a large area of rough land that I wanted to turn into lawn. I pulled the stumps and roots and raked it until it was smooth. When it came time to lay the seed, I decided to sow it by hand rather than buy a spreader. I got a big old bag of grass seed and was ready to go to work. I even thought about Jesus’ parable as I began. I knew that there was a bit of breeze in the air, but I honestly didn’t think it would affect me very much—that is, until I tried to sow my first handful. Just as I threw out a big clump of seed, a gust of wind picked up and blew it right back into my face. Have you ever tried a mouthful of grass seed? Well, let me save you the trouble…it sure doesn’t taste like salted pumpkin seeds.

            I quickly learned my lesson and tried casting the seed against the wind, but this time the wind lifted it all the way across my yard into my neighbor’s lawn. This happened a number of times as I tried sowing at different angles and heights. The only way to get the seed to stay on the dirt was to throw it straight down, but that made it cluster too closely. I eventually gave up and waited until the next day when the wind died down. I also went to the hardware store and bought a spreader. It was the best $15 I ever spent!

The Soils of the Soul

            This parable is one of the easiest of all of Jesus’ parables for modern readers to understand. That is because after he tells it, he interprets it himself. He tells us that the seed represents the Word of God and therefore, the sower represents anyone who spreads the Word of God and shares it with other people. The four types of soil represent the various ways that that people respond to the Word of God. Let’s take a look at them.

Hard and Indifferent (12)

            The soil is hard and indifferent. In verse 8, Jesus said, “Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.” Here Jesus draws on a common experience for farmers in those days, when footpaths were cut through the fields. Inevitably, some of the seed fell along the hard pathway, where it never had a chance to germinate. Before long, it was either trampled by passersby or became easy prey for hungry birds.

            The same thing happens when the Word of God falls on the soul of the hardened sinner; it never penetrates the mind, touches the conscience, or affects the heart. It just seems to go in one ear and out the other. Such a heart is not prepared to receive the gospel. This soil describes the hardened atheist who denies believe in God—the stubborn sinner who refuses to repent and give up their wicked ways—the apathetic person who is holding a bitter grudge toward God because he didn’t give them what they want. Does this soil describe your soul? Are you hard and indifferent toward God? (Ryken 359)

Shallow and Superficial (13)

            The second soil is shallow and superficial. In verse 13, Jesus said, “Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.” Like New England farmers today, ancient Jewish farmers had to contend with soil that was shallow and rocky. A plant might sprout up in such conditions, sometimes quite rapidly, but it will not survive.

            This soil describes a soul who hears the gospel and makes a quick commitment to Jesus Christ without counting the cost. They get all excited about God for a while, but then trouble comes and their faith fades. This is the person who makes a bunch of promises like, “God, if you cure my disease, heal my injury, mend my marriage, fix my kid, provide my need, etc; then I will follow you forever. I’ll be in church every week!” It seems like genuine faith at first, but their enthusiasm dries up as soon as the Christian life becomes difficult. Their faith was shallow and superficial; it never took root. Do you know anyone like that? Is your faith shallow and superficial?

Thorny and Preoccupied (14)

            The third soil is thorny and preoccupied. This one seems to grow better than the other ones, but it still fails to produce any harvest. Look at verse 14! Jesus said, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”

            Oh how easy it is to apply this soul to our modern souls. This soil describes the person who has a good spiritual foundation (perhaps they grew up going to church, attended youth group, or even helped with various ministries), but then fell away from the Lord. God was placed on the back burner as other priorities became more important. Just as weeds can choke out good plants, preoccupation with work and worries or health and hobbies can suffocate a person’s soul.

            Has your faith become thorny and preoccupied? Do you ever say things like, “Well, I would go to church if I didn’t have to work so much” or “Sunday is the only day I have to relax and spend time with family” or “Maybe I’ll take God seriously when I have more time.” The problem with this type of thinking is that we never know how much time we have left. Please don’t make this mistake that so many others have made!

Fertile and Fruitful (15)

            The fourth soil is the only one that actually produces a harvest—it is fertile and fruitful. Verse 15 says, “As for that in good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” This good soil represents the person who hears God’s word and responds to it quickly and faithfully. They are the true believers who commit their lives to Jesus Christ and live their lives for him rather than themselves.

            When you hear God’s word, does it sink into the soil of your soul? Do you obey it and put it into practice? Does it take root in your heart and produce genuine faith in Jesus Christ? Have you committed your life to him? Have you experienced the joy of knowing that your sins are forgiven and the hope of knowing that your future is secure in heaven?

            Like other parables, the parable of the soils searches our souls. As Jesus talked about the different types of soil, and the different spiritual conditions they represent, I hope that you recognize that we are all in this parable somewhere. It forces us to ask, “Which soil am I?”

            Allow me to conclude by telling you about the day when I saw all four of these soils at the same time. A number of years ago I received a telephone call to go to the hospital to see a woman who was dying. When I went into her room, she was still awake and coherent, although her body was fading fast. As I shared God’s word with her and told her about Jesus Christ had done for her, she made a clear profession of faith—it was a true deathbed conversion. After we prayed together, she told me that her soul was now at peace and she thanked me for coming. She died just a couple of hours later.

            A few days later, at her funeral service, I preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and shared the story of her conversion. When the service was over and I was greeting people at the door, a young man came up to me (tears we running down his cheeks), and he said, “I’m a terrible sinner! What do I need to do to go to heaven?” I could tell that his soul was fertile and was ready to bear fruit for the Lord. Many others left the funeral and said, “Thank you for the message. I’m going to get to church one of these days.” They heard the word of God, but their souls were filled with rocks and thorns. And toward the end of the line, and older gentleman approached me and shook my hand. He got right up in my face (I could smell his breath), and spoke words that I will never forget. He said, “Son, that was an excellent presentation, but I don’t believe a word of it!” And he laughed out loud as he left the church.

            Later that day as I reflected on the funeral service, I was amazed at the vastly different reactions to the same exact message—all four soils were represented. Hard and indifferent! Shallow and superficial! Thorny and preoccupied! And fertile and fruitful! That type of soil is your soul?

            If you read the sermon title in this morning’s bulletin, a bit of curiosity may have crept into your mind. Any time a preacher titles his sermon “An Exorcism & My Mother-in-Law”, it tends to furl a few eye brows. There is a certain amount of risk involved in choosing a title like this; especially when the preacher’s mother-in-law is sitting in the congregation.

            The reason why a sermon title like this could be construed as controversial is because of the combination of the terms “exorcism” and “mother-in-law.” Some of you may be tempted to jump to the conclusion that I believe that my mother-in-law is possessed and needs an exorcism!

            Although some of you may feel like your mother-in-law is possessed by a demon and needs an exorcism, I don’t think that about my mother-in-law (and I never have). My mother-in-law is actually a real sweetheart. She is kind, compassionate, and loves the Lord deeply. She has a servant’s heart and is exceedingly hospitable. I have the best mother-in-law in the world!

            My sermon title simply alludes to the fact that I am going to tell you two stories today. The first story is about the first exorcism I ever witnessed. The second story is about a miracle that my mother-in-law experienced. It is rather ironic that both of these events just happened to take place on the same day.

My First Exorcism (31-37)

            Many years have passed since I witnessed my first exorcism, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Back then, I wasn’t even sure if I believed in demons or exorcisms. I had never seen a demon and I didn’t know anyone who had been possessed. Like most people where I grew up, I had heard some local folktales about these things existing, but honestly, I was pretty skeptical—that is, until I saw it with my own two eyes. I have been to a number of exorcisms since then, but the first one has a way of etching a permanent memory in your mind.

            I had only been a follower of Jesus for a few weeks and my hometown church was holding a special Saturday afternoon worship service. This service was a big deal for my little town because there we were hosting a prominent guest preacher, a man who had gained immense popularity in our area. He had earned a reputation for powerful and life-changing preaching!

            Word traveled quickly and it seemed like the whole town showed up to hear him. The place was completely packed—I had never seen it so full. And the preacher definitely lived up to the hype. No one had ever heard anything like it before. He wasn’t like the other preachers we had heard in the past. (You know how most preachers can bore you to death by rambling on and on!) This man didn’t waste a single word. He looked us straight in the eye and he spoke with such clarity and authority. Our ears hung on his every word and his message pierced our souls.

            But just as he was coming to the end of his message, the strangest thing happened. A booming male voice shrieked from the back of the room, “Ha! What do you want with us? Leave us alone!” A shocked silence fell over the whole sanctuary—you could have literally heard a pin drop.  It was one of the most awkward moments I had ever experienced. As I turned around to see who it was, I felt anger bubbling up inside of me as I thought to myself, “Who in their right mind would have the audacity to interrupt a preacher in the middle of his sermon, especially one as good as this?”

            But as soon as I looked at the man who so rudely interrupted the preacher, I instinctually knew he wasn’t in his right mind. It is difficult to describe—his face was contorted, his body was distorted, and his eyes were filled with evil. His voice was so deep that it didn’t even sound human. As I mentioned before, I had been pretty skeptical about demons and demonic possession, but when I saw and heard this man, I immediately knew he was possessed.

            After a long pause, the man looked at the preacher again and bellowed, “I know who you are Jesus of Nazareth; you are the Holy One of God.” O yeah, by now I guess you have figured out that the guest preacher that day was none other than Jesus Christ himself!

            As the man was shouting, Jesus cut him off and sternly rebuked him saying, “Be quiet!” The man immediately stopped talking and stood in a upright position. Then, Jesus approached him, looked deep into his eyes, and said, “Come out of him!” The man’s body twisted and he fell to the ground as if he was forced against his will. He laid there struggling for a few moments but was uninjured. My brother Andrew looked at me and said, “Simon, the demons have left him.”

            The man fell before Jesus’ feet in worship and thanked him for delivering him from the demonic spirits. Jesus took the man’s hand, helped him up, and sent him on his way. As the service came to an end that afternoon, everyone was amazed by what they saw and heard. The whole congregation kept saying, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” As people left the gathering place that afternoon, they went throughout the area and spread the news about what had happened.

            As I watched Jesus perform that exorcism that day, not only did I learn about the reality of demons and demonic possession, but also I learned that Jesus had divine power and authority over demonic spirits and all of the forces of evil.

            Like me, there may be someone here today who is skeptical about demons and demonic possession, but I beg you to believe. They are real and they actively work to destroy people’s lives. And if you ever have an encounter with a demon, I hope that you will always remember that these forces can only be overcome through the power of Jesus!

            Also, in this one event, Jesus showed such compassion and control, meekness and might, pity and power! Even though I had already learned so much about Jesus, I realized that there was so much more to know! I hope that you will remember that too and actively seek to know him more!

My Miraculous Mother-in-Law (38-41)

            Well, now that I have told you the story of my first exorcism, let me tell you a little story about my mother-in-law. After the exorcism that afternoon, I invited Jesus, my brother Andrew, and my fishing buddies James and John, back to my house for supper. My mother-in law lived with my wife and me at the time, and she loved taking care of us. She always wanted to do the cooking and cleaning and would hardly let us do anything, which I didn’t mind all that much. She was a good cook too! I gained 15 pounds the first year she lived with us. She always had food cooking and she loved when we brought people over for supper. So, even though I didn’t check with her ahead of time, I knew it would be alright.

            When we got back to my house, my wife met me at the door in a panic. She said, “Simon, mama’s sick. She’s been running a high fever since early this morning and I’ve never seen one this bad. I’ve tried everything I can think of to bring the fever down, but nothing seems to work. I don’t know what else to do and I’m getting really scarred!”

            As I saw my mother-in-law lying on the bed in sweat and misery, I tried to think of something I could do for her. As a fisherman, I didn’t know much about medicine and I knew that there weren’t any doctors in Capernaum. Then, all of the sudden, it hit me! How could I be so thick-headed? I had just seen Jesus cure a man from demon possession; perhaps he could do something to help my mother-in-law.

            I went back outside and explained the situation to him. The tenderness in his eyes told me that he would help and he asked me if he could go in and see her. Everyone else stayed there, while Jesus and I joined my wife at my mother’s bedside. He very calmly bend over her, took her hand, and just as he did with the demon earlier that afternoon, he rebuked the fever and commanded it to leave her.

            In an instant, the fever was gone and strength returned to her body. It was a genuine miracle. She was perfectly well. She sat up, kissed Jesus on the cheek, and thanked him. Then she said, “You boys must be hungry; let me fix you something to eat!” My wife tried to protest, but Mama said, “Girl, don’t you tell your Mama what to do! You set the table and leave the cooking to me!” As she said it, she gave Jesus a wry wink out of the corner of her eye. Jesus just smiled back at her without saying a word.

            Man did we eat that night! Fresh baked pita bread! Rich mazza ball soup! And for dessert, the best date and fig bars I ever tasted! Mama really outdid herself. That was a dinner I will never forget.

            As we enjoyed the food and shared in delightful conversation together, I thought about how Jesus displayed his power disease. Did you know that Jesus has the ability and authority to cure any disease or physical ailment by just speaking a word or touching someone’s hand?

The Crowd and the Cure (42-44)

            As we finished our desert and mama began cleaning up the dishes, we heard a knock at the door and some voices outside. I opened the door and saw a large group of people. Somehow the news of the day’s events traveled all over the area, and now a large crowd of people came to Jesus seeking a cure. I had no idea what to do with all of those people, but Jesus quickly came to the door and surveyed the situation. He showed incredible compassion by dealing with every one of them personally. He talked with them and touched them. He healed every one of them from all kinds of maladies and delivered more from demonic possession. Meanwhile, the rest of us did what we could to help.

            As the night wore on, it seemed like people kept coming out of the woodwork. When we saw the sun peak out over the eastern horizon, Jesus said that it was time for him to retreat to a solitary place. He had ministered to people all night long, and even he needed to take a break. After a while, the people tracked him down and begged him to stay there with them, but he said that God had called him to preach the good news of the kingdom in the other towns too. And with that, he came back to the house, thanked my mother-in-law one last time, told us disciples to gather some supplies, and we headed off for Judea.

             As we walked toward Judea that day, I began to reflect on a few of the things that I had just learned about Jesus. I learned that Jesus’ preaching has the authority of heaven. I learned that Jesus has power over demons and diseases! I learned that Jesus has incredible compassion for people. I learned that even Jesus needs a break and retreat from ministry sometimes! And I learned that his utmost ministry priority was to preach the good news about the kingdom of God.

            By sharing these stories, I hope that you all have learned some of the things that I have learned about Jesus!

            Over the past year I have caught a few episodes of the PBS program Finding Your Roots, where noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. helps celebrities discover long-lost relatives hidden for generations within the branches of their family trees. Professor Gates utilizes a team of genealogists to reconstruct the paper trail left behind by their ancestors and the world’s leading geneticists to decode their DNA and help them travel thousands of years into the past to discover the origins of their earliest forebears. Among others, the show has highlighted the family histories of famed broadcaster Barbara Walters, author Stephen King, and former New York Yankees short-stop Derek Jeter (emphasis on the word “former”). Thank God for that!!!

            The immense popularity of the show is at least partially due to the renaissance of genealogical interest that has swept across America over the past decade or so. Contrary to many other cultures, Americans typically value things that are new over things that are old. While the average person from Britain or China can follow their family tree back hundreds and sometimes even thousands of years, most Americans, with perhaps the exception of those who are members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), can’t trace their roots back more than two or three generations. How about you? What do you really know about your great-great grandparents? How far can you trace the roots of your family tree?

            Our historical ignorance and cultural ambivalence has negatively affected our view of reading genealogies, especially biblical ones. That is why, when we come to long lists of peculiar names in the Bible like this one, we immediately react with thoughts like: “This is dumb!” “I can’t even pronounce these names!” “Why is this even here?” “This doesn’t make any sense!” “I’m not getting anything out of this!” “How is the pastor going to make a sermon out of this?”  

            But to the ancient Jewish mind, a person’s genealogy was critical for establishing their credibility. A person’s family line often defined their place in society, especially if they had royal blood. If a person could not find their family heritage, they were like a nomad wandering through the desert.

            Now I admit that genealogy may not be the Bible’s most interesting literary genre, but I assure you that they are always there for a good reason and they do bear great significance for our lives today. Just as our own genealogies help us understand our identities, Jesus’ genealogy helps us understand his true identity. In this passage, Luke combines a brief account of Jesus’ baptism with his genealogical background to highlight his role of Son of God and Son of Man—that is, his divinity and humanity.

Jesus’ Baptism (21-22)

            Luke only uses two verses to describe Jesus’ baptism. He is not interested, like the other gospel writers, in all of the dialogue leading up to Jesus undergoing the waters of baptism in the Jordan River; rather, he is interested in the two miraculous actions. Immediately after John brought him up out of the water, and as Jesus began to pray, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form as a dove. If this miraculous visible display wasn’t enough to astound the crowd, the audible voice that said, “You are my beloved son; with you I am well pleased” must have left them completely dumbfounded.

            The visible presence of the Holy Spirit and the audible affirmation from God the Father publically identified Jesus as own God’s son, thus declaring his deity. This is one of the few places in the Bible where we encounter all three members of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) at the same time.

            If John’s baptism was a baptism for the forgiveness of sins, it raises the question as to why Jesus wanted to be baptized. Jesus did not need to be baptized, nor did he need to be forgiven for any sins, but he deliberately chose to be baptized to endorse John the Baptist’s ministry and to identify with sinful humanity in their need to be forgiven. This decision would eventually lead him to the cross, the ultimate display of his own humanity.

            Jesus’ baptism reveals his true identity: He is fully God and fully man at the same time. His willingness to undergo the waters of baptism highlights his humanity. The miraculous appearance of the Holy Spirit and the Father’s affirmation demonstrates his deity! Why is this important? What is the significance of this? Just wait a few more minutes and I will tell you! But first, let’s take a look at Jesus’ family tree!

Jesus’ Family Tree (23-38)

            As I mentioned earlier, a person’s genealogy helps to reveal their identity. Like a carpenter who repeatedly hits a nail to solidify a structure, Luke places Jesus’ genealogy immediately after his baptism because he wants to drive home the fact that Jesus is both God and man. Luke has already told us the story of Jesus being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, but now he affirms Joseph as Jesus’ earthly father and traces his lineage all the way back to Adam and God.

            Most of the names in this list are unfamiliar to us. Nearly half of the 75 names listed here do not appear anywhere else in the Bible, but there are a few names that we do recognize. In accordance with Old Testament prophecy, Luke makes it clear that Jesus descended from the royal line of David, which shows us that he had the heritage of a king. He was also a descendent of Father Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish people, which shows us that he was a true Israelite. His ancestry can actually be traced all the way back to Adam, the father of the human race, which affirms Jesus humanity! This genealogy shows us that Jesus is fully human, fully Jewish, and that he is a king!

            Before I press this point further, I also want you to notice that Jesus’ genealogy includes as host of heroes and scoundrels. On the hero side, Enoch walked with God and was no more. He is one of only a few humans who never tasted death. Noah was a righteous man and God used him to save the human race. Boaz was an honest business man and became the kinsman-redeemer who eventually established the line of King David. These were men of moral integrity and spiritual stalwarts! It is no surprise to find men like this in Jesus’ family tree.

            But consider the scoundrel side for a moment, Terah was an idolater; Abraham was a liar; Jacob was a cheater and thief; Judah was slave-trader and philanderer; David was an adulterer and murderer. They were men of sketchy character and moral malfunction. You may be surprised to find men like this in Jesus’ family tree.

            Just like Jesus, we all have some skeletons in our ancestral closets. The branches on our own family trees are budded with both heroes and scoundrels. If you have descended from a godly family that took you to church, read the Bible, prayed together, and taught you about the grace and love of Jesus Christ, praise God and give thanks. Continue the pattern in your own family!

            If you have descended from a family of liars, cheats, manipulators, alcoholics, abusers, and philanderers, be encouraged! So did Jesus! But may the cycle of sin stop with you! Clean the skeletons out of your family closet! Cast the demons out! Learn from their mistakes! Establish a godly heritage for your family! 

            Like most Americans, I don’t know a lot about my family tree. But I do know that I have descended from at least three generations of alcoholics on my father’s side. In my younger days, I was on the fast track to becoming a fourth generation alcoholic, but when I put my faith in Jesus Christ, he delivered me from the deadly addiction. Now I am very careful about how much I drink! I want the curse of my forefathers to be broken with me. I don’t want to become a descendant of debauchery to my children and grand-children; rather, I want to plant a new family tree that will reap of harvest of righteousness for generations to come!

            Well, let me get back to Luke’s main point of Jesus’ family tree. Luke presents this genealogy alongside Jesus’ baptism to affirm his deity and humanity. In verse 23, Luke begins the genealogy by asserting that Joseph was Jesus’ father, but then he inserts the little phrase “or so it was thought.” He does this to inform the reader that everyone thought that Joseph was in fact Jesus’ father, but we already know that God was Jesus’ real father. Then he goes on to present the rest of Joseph’s genealogy. Luke is making the profound theological point that Jesus had both a human and heavenly father and is, therefore, both human and divine.

Conclusion

            So, why is it so important that Jesus is both God and man? If Jesus was not fully God, he could not have lived a sinless life. If he did not live a sinless life, his death could not have atoned for our sins. And if his death did not atone for our sins, we still bear the burden of our sin and our souls are still sentenced to hell when we die. Do you see how the whole gospel hinges on the fact that Jesus is God? If Jesus is not God, then we have no hope for eternal life! Likewise, if Jesus is not fully human, he cannot be our representative before God—he could not take our place or bear the punishment for our sins.

            This is one of the key traits that separates Christianity from all of the other world religions. Mohammed was a man, but he was not God! Buddha was a man, but he was not God. Confucius was a man, but he was not God! Native peoples claim that the Great Spirit is God, but he is not a man! Jesus Christ is completely unique; there has never been nor will there ever be anyone like him again. He is fully God and fully man at the same time! He is the only one qualified to redeem our sinful souls and save us from hell!   

            Do you see? It is absolutely essential for Jesus to be both God and man. If he lacks either deity or humanity, we have no hope beyond this life. But thanks be to God for his great plan of salvation! Thanks be to God for allowing his only son, our Lord, to die on the cross for the forgiveness of all of our sins! Thanks be to God for bringing his Son back to life on the third day! Thanks be to God for conquering death once and for all! Have you put your faith in the God-Man Jesus Christ?

            “Do you know what you people are? You’re a bunch of hypocrites! You worship God on Sunday, but you live like the devil the rest of the week. You say that you love God, but then you secretly indulge in all kinds of sinful practices. You sing hymns at church, but you use filthy language at work. You faithfully build your retirement account, but you never do anything to help the poor. You are living a double life. You are a brood of slippery snakes! Do you really think that God is going to save you because you’ve been baptized or because you go to church? Listen, unless you turn away from your sins, you’re going straight to hell.”

            This was the type of message that John the Baptist preached in the wilderness. His sermons may not have been very “seeker sensitive,” but they can hardly been faulted for a lack of courage. John wasn’t trying to win friends or improve anyone’s self-esteem: he was trying to get people to repent and to prepare them for the coming of the Lord. Therefore, he spoke with holy boldness, bluntly confronting their sin.

            When I read Luke’s account of John the Baptist’s ministry, I am reminded of the nineteenth-century Methodist preacher Peter Cartwright, who once preached to President Andrew Jackson. Before the service he was warned not to say anything out of line. So when Cartwright got up to preach, he said, “I understand Andrew Jackson is here today. I have been requested to be guarded in my remarks. So here goes: Andrew Jackson will go straight to hell if he doesn’t repent!” The congregation was shocked, but afterwards the president shook Cartwright’s hand and said, “Sir, if I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world.” (I should have shared this story last week when all of the politicians were here!)

            Like Peter Cartwright—though perhaps unlike most preachers—John the Baptist was not afraid to offend. His outspoken ministry led the great Anglican preacher J.C. Ryle to comment that it would be well “for the Church of Christ, if it possessed more plain-speaking ministers, like John the Baptist, in these latter days…There is no charity in flattering unconverted people, by abstaining from any mention of their vices, or in applying smooth epithets to damnable sins.” If you want to feel better about your sin, just stay home on Sunday morning and watch Joel Osteen on television. But if you really want to know what God thinks, I invite you to listen to the courageous preaching of John the Baptist and allow him to prepare your way to the Lord!

The Voice Crying in the Wilderness (1-6)

            Admittedly, John was a little odd. Matthew’s gospel tells us that he lived in the wilderness, wore wild clothes and consumed a diet of locusts and wild honey. (Matt. 3:4) Even in those days, he was considered strange, which is why people were talking about him all over Israel.

            Luke begins his account of John’s ministry by establishing the historical context. Verses 1-2 are the historian’s way of telling us that John began his ministry when he was about 30 years old. John’s divine destiny of preparing the way of the Lord had been revealed to his parents Zechariah and Elizabeth before he was born, and now he had reached the age for his ministry to begin. The “Word of the Lord” came to him and he traveled throughout the Jordan River valley preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

            In the ancient world it was customary for kings to receive a royal welcome. When an emperor or prominent person would enter a city, the citizens would rally together along the road and welcome him with great pomp and circumstance. To make sure that the people were ready to receive him, he would send a messenger on ahead to herald the news of his coming. The prophet Isaiah took this custom and turned it into a prophecy. Seven-hundred years before Christ, Isaiah proclaimed that a great king would come to God’s people, and when it did, his approach would be announced by a herald in the wilderness. He envisioned a massive public works project where mountains would be leveled, valleys would be raised up, and that the crooked road would be made straight so that everyone could see God’s salvation. John the Baptist was the fulfillment of this prophecy. He was called to be the forerunner, the herald, the one who would prepare the people for the arrival of his cousin, King Jesus!

            This passage shows us that God always keeps his promises and accomplishes his plans. It took God 700 years to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy; it took 30 years after John’s birth before he finally began to fulfill his divine destiny. Like John, God has a perfect plan for each one of us. He has called all of us to something! Some of you have already discovered it and some of you are still searching for it. God’s timetable is not always our timetable. He will reveal your calling and accomplish his ultimate plan for your life when he is ready. Until then, be patient and be ready!

The Role of Repentance (7-14)

            John’s calling was to get the people ready, to help them be prepared for the coming of Christ. But how were they supposed to get ready? What does it mean to “prepare the way of the Lord” or “make his paths straight?” These questions can be answered in one word—Repent! Repentance simply means to turn away from sin.

            John’s strange clothing, peculiar habits, and powerful words made him into an ancient spectacle. (In the modern world, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga have proved that strange looks and behavior still draws a crowd.) Everybody and their brother were going out to be baptized by John because it was the popular thing to do. But John had some strong words for these groupies that were really phonies. He called them a brood of vipers because they were like snakes slithering away from a fire. They wanted to get out of danger, but they still wanted to be snakes. They wanted to get baptized, but they had no interest in living a godly life. They were trusting in their religious heritage rather than an authentic relationship with God. They were going through the outward religious motions, but their hearts were far from God. So, John tells them that if they really want to get serious about God to stop sinning!

            John not only proclaimed the necessity of repentance, but he also preached about the urgency of repentance. He said, “Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (vs.9) This means that judgment would soon be upon them and anyone who did not repent would face the horrors of hell.

            Our lives are rocky and crooked, like the mountains of Israel. Mountains of pride need to be knocked down and valleys of self-pity need to be raised so that God can come in. Christ the King finds easy entrance to any heart that is truly sorry for sin. Or to put it another way, repentance is the on-ramp to salvation. If we want God to save our souls from hell, we have to turn away from our sin.

            A few weeks ago I was stumbled across an article where a young woman made the comment, “You don’t have to repent to be saved! All you have to do is accept Jesus into your heart!”

            John the Baptist would turn over in his grave if he heard that remark. This woman has obviously never read the Bible and has been skewed by a popular heresy. Repentance is absolutely necessary for salvation! Baptism will not save you! Growing up in a Christian family will not save you. Going through the motions at church will not save you! Praying before you go to bed at night won’t save you! Doing random acts of kindness won’t save you! You have to repent from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ!

            Therefore, if you want to experience the joy of Christ’s forgiveness and the hope of everlasting life, repent! If have been lying to someone—come clean! If you have been cheating someone in your business—treat them fairly! If you have been sleeping with someone you are not married to—stop it! If you have been taking substances or drinking too much—give it up! If you want to get serious about God, do what you know is right! And do it before it is too late!

A Model of Humility and Courage (15-20)

            Despite the boldness of John’s preaching, he still became so popular that many people began to wonder if he might possibly be the Messiah. As soon as these rumors began to swirl, John quickly laid them to rest. If anybody could be justified in having a messiah-complex, it would be him, but he made it abundantly clear that he was not the Christ and that he wasn’t even worthy to untie the thongs of the Christ’s sandals. John only baptized with water, but the Messiah, who was much more powerful than him, would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire and would judge the hearts of humanity. As a farmer used his winnowing fork to separate the wheat from the chaff, so the Messiah would separate those who had repented and those who did not. John was secure in his role of the forerunner who pointed people to the Christ. He was a man of great humility.

            John the Baptist was indeed humble, but don’t mistake humility for weakness. John was anything but weak. He possessed an uncompromising courage in his character and an unprecedented boldness in his preaching. He was a man who told the truth and he didn’t care who didn’t like it. Verse 18 tells us that he used many words to exhort the people and preach the good news to them.

            John’s courage landed him in prison because he publically rebuked the phony king Herod the tetrarch for his wicked deeds, one of which was taking his brother’s wife Herodias as a lover. Everyone in Palestine know the truth about Herod’s carnal corruption, but nobody would dare speak a word about it for fear of being imprisoned or even put to death. But nothing was going to stop John from speaking the truth of God’s Word. He was a man of great courage, even if he had to pay the price in prison.

            John the Baptist is a model of humility and courage for modern Christians. In a time and culture that is obsessed with self-worship, where everything is about me, myself, and I, John reminds us of our rightful place behind and below Jesus Christ. Like John, we should not seek praise or glory for ourselves; we were placed on this earth to worship and glorify Jesus. Everything that we have—our intellect, talents, skills, abilities, money, and possessions are all gifts from him! Therefore, let us join in John’s humility and point people to Jesus and give him all of the glory and praise!

            Likewise, we live in a culture where courage is increasingly uncommon. We live in a politically correct era where you have to watch every word you say; especially if it is about sin, truth, or Jesus. Talking about those topics can get you in trouble. When the time comes, will you have the courage to call sin a sin, or will you cave to the pressure of placation. When the time comes, will you have the courage to stand alone for the truth of God’s Word, or will you quietly acquiesce with the crowds? When the time comes, will you have the courage to speak the name of Jesus, or will you cower before the consequences? If it came down to it, would you be willing to join John the Baptist and the Apostle Paul and the English Puritan John Bunyan and the Nazi Resistor Dietrich Bonheoffer and the modern Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani in prison for speaking the name of Jesus?

             As we genuinely repent from our sins and become recipients of God’s grace and mercy and eternal life, may we prepare the way of the Lord by humbly and courageously proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ wherever we go!

(The first half of this message borrows heavily from Philip Ryken’s brilliant sermon that bears the same text and title.)