A few years ago, I had the privilege of sitting and visiting with Pam Tebow, mother of NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. As we waited for her turn to speak at our pregnancy center banquet in Champaign, our conversation varied and I enjoyed so much her sweet spirit and genuine heart. We spoke of some of the big public moments in Tim’s life on the football field but we also spoke of some of their private moments as a family. By the time Pam rose to go to the stage, I no longer saw her as a public figure about to speak to a room of 800 people about prolife issues – I now saw her as another mom who loves her family and daily allows God to use her however He desires.

I had considered how BIG the life of the Tebow family must be but I had not considered what it would feel like to have your son call and express his hurt over the way the media had twisted his words. The cameras often show us the big moments of Tim’s life but we do not hear about the private moments when he talks to a little girl on the phone who is dying of cancer and explains to her how she can accept Jesus into her heart like he has, just thirty minutes before she would meet her Savior face to face. There is so much more to this family than what is made public. They are a healthy, loving and committed family, with or without an audience.

As we read through the gospels, we see that Jesus’ ministry had both its public and private moments. In many of those private moments, Jesus instructs the person he healed to not reveal his identity to others. There was a bigger plan at work and there was wisdom in what Jesus was asking his followers to do, even though they did not always listen to him. Let’s look at the difference between these two kinds of moments in the ministry of the Messiah.

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.
Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you” (Mark 1:40-44a).

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” – Mark 2:1-12

First there is a private moment where a man in need of healing falls on his knees before Jesus and is healed. There were probably very few people listening into their conversation. Jesus specifically tells the man not to tell anyone that Jesus has healed him. Then, just days later, there is a moment where Jesus displays his ability to heal and his authority to forgive sins in front of a large group of people. The result in both situations – God is praised!

There may be moments in our lives when many people are aware of something we have accomplished or a way in which we have served God. We may get a pat on the back or the applause of an audience and in all of that, we hope and pray that God is glorified. But there may also be moments in our lives when God asks us to do something for Him, something we will never get earthly recognition for. We obediently follow Jesus regardless of the presence of an audience. There is no need for public fanfare or media attention, we are simply daily responding to God’s lead.

That night at the banquet, I was introduced and the crowd of pregnancy center supporters welcomed me warmly. In that moment, everyone in the room knew who I was and the position in the ministry I hold. In the same room there was a retired couple sitting at their assigned table. Every week she comes in and volunteers, working with the young mothers who are learning how to parent. Her husband comes in each week and volunteers by cleaning the pregnancy center. Neither of them got specific public recognition last night but I was given the honor of privately thanking them for all they do for Living Alternatives.

My obedience to what God has asked me to do with my time is no greater than the faithful service of this couple. I guarantee you they were not concerned last night that they did not get a standing ovation. That is not why they do what they do. They are humble servants of their Savior and King and it is His approval that they are living for.

May our testimony today be the same – willing hearts, with or without an audience, whether or not our reward is on earth or in Heaven. May our testimony be as strong in today’s private moments as it is in the public moments when others are watching.

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus…Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John – but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). – John 1:35-37, 40-42

Andrew encountered Jesus and what did he do next? Don’t miss this because it just might be one of the most powerful sentences in the New Testament. Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Friends, I have to admit to you that this sentence brought me to tears this morning and I had to just sit and consider the weight of these seven words. Andrew did not just soak up all the Jesus he could get and then just hope from a distance that his brother would someday have the opportunity to meet this incredible man. He brought Simon to meet Jesus – he introduced his brother to the one who would forever change his life!

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come and follow me and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him (Mark 1:16-18).

God had a plan for the lives of these two brothers – a plan bigger than they had ever imagined. I would guess that, even in that moment, Andrew and Simon Peter did not fully comprehend the extent to which Jesus was going to penetrate their lives.

After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged. Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them (Luke 4:38-39).

John the Baptist introduced Andrew to Jesus and then Andrew introduced Simon, now known as Peter, to Jesus. Now Jesus is not only impacting the life of these two fishermen, He is reaching out beyond Peter to his family. This woman who was sick in bed is now on her feet serving Jesus. All who witnessed this were now aware of the power of the Son of God. The number of people whose lives are being touched by Jesus is multiplying.

As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one. Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak (Luke 4:40-41).

Let’s back up a little. Simon is from Bethsaida (John 1:44) but has moved his home and his family to Capernaum for the sake of his fishing business. While in Capernaum, Andrew meets Jesus and then tells his brother Simon about this man whom John the Baptist had called the Lamb of God. Now just a short time later, Simon Peter’s family, as well as his entire community, have been greatly impacted by the power of the Son of God! No, not just impacted, touched. The touch of his hand healed every one. By following Jesus, Peter had shortened the distance between those he came in contact with every day and the Savior of the world. They now had the opportunity to be touched by Jesus because of Peter’s faith.

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking (Luke 5:1-7).

Now Peter’s relationship with Jesus was not only affecting his life and the life of his family and the life of his community, Peter had brought Jesus to work with him! Now all of his coworkers and colleagues were given the opportunity to see a miracle – to see Jesus at work in Peter’s life and also in their own lives! They were now going to reap the benefit of this huge catch of fish. How do we know his coworkers and colleagues gained from this large catch? Because Simon was officially no longer a fisherman of fish. His name was now Peter and he was now a fisher of men!

When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me – I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” As soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:8-11).

Our response to our encounter with Jesus will determine whether or not those around us get an opportunity to have their own encounter with Jesus. When we fall on our knees, admit that we are a sinner and obediently follow Jesus – doing whatever He tells us to do simply because He said so – our submission impacts the lives of those around us. We can keep all this Jesus to ourselves or we can start fishing for people and take Jesus into our family relationships, our community and our workplace.

“Don’t be afraid!” Jesus is with you and will reach out and touch those around you if you will simply be His hands and feet to everyone you come in contact with today – if you will simply stop seeing yourself as “Simon” and begin seeing yourself as “Peter”.

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone (Luke 4:13-15).

After 40 days of being tempted by the devil in the wilderness (4:2), Jesus returns home – not worn out and beat up by the devil’s attempts to destroy him but rather “filled by the Holy Spirit’s power.” I love this! With the same love, God strengthens us through the power of the Holy Spirit as we go through difficult times. At the end of our trial, we are often stronger than we were before the hard times appeared.

By this time, word has spread throughout the region about Jesus and everyone seems pleased with what he is teaching in their synagogues. He is in his homeland, but now it is time to return to the village where he grew up – Nazareth. It is time to go home.

When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious (Luke 4:16-28).

Jesus was revealing to them that he was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. Jesus knew their hearts and their struggle to see him as anything but the son of a local carpenter. They had watched him grow up, watched him play in the streets with the other kids. They were excited that he had come home and amazed at what a good teacher of the Law he had become but they did not see him as the Promised Messiah.

Jesus laid out his calling for everyone. He was anointed by the Spirit to bring good news to the poor. He was sent to proclaim that captives would be released, the blind would see and those who were oppressed would be set free! The time of the Lord’s favor had come, but Nazareth was not going to experience all that God had for them because they would not accept all of who Jesus was.

I know several people who grew up in the church but who still struggle to fully believe in Jesus. My heart aches for them to have faith – to fully accept Jesus for who He is! They spent so much time in the presence of the Church without taking the time to truly seek God. When eyes are focused on religion, we miss out on seeing God Himself revealed.

The village of Nazareth was going to miss out on all of the miracles because they wanted to define Jesus one way instead of listening to what he was trying to teach them. How much do we miss out on when we decide to define Jesus from our own perspective and make him who we want him to be?

This is who Jesus wants to be in our lives today if we will just stop trying to contain Him in a box and truly allow Him to be Lord.
He wants to bring good news into the areas of our faith where we are lacking, where we are poor.
He wants to set us free from the bondage of sin and from the oppression of this world.
He wants to open our eyes today and allow us to truly see Him.
He wants us to stop deciding we already understand him and daily open up to what He wants to reveal to us today.
He wants to open the eyes of our heart so that we can truly see Him.

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions (Ps. 119:18).

Lord, we are sometimes so blind to what you are showing us. Will you open our eyes to your truth today? Will you help us to truly see you?

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KGYWKLNX

John 3:23 says that Jesus performed miraculous signs while in Jerusalem but John does not give us details regarding those miracles. He does give us the results of those miracles – many began to trust in him. John goes on to tell us in detail about the second miracle Jesus performed in Galilee after leaving Jerusalem.

As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.

While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea (John 4:46-54).

God’s timing is a beautiful thing! It is often in the timing of an event or miracle in our lives where our faith is strengthened the most. The miracle itself is incredible but it’s the timing of the God’s movement that confirms that it is God Himself at work.

I see two elements of timing in this account of John’s: 1.) at the time when the government official’s son became very sick, Jesus was arriving in nearby Galilee, and 2.) the boy was healed at the very time when Jesus had said the words, “Your son will live.”

For most of my life, I have heard the saints in the church say, “God is always on time. He’s never late and He’s never early.” I have found that to be true in my own life but I must admit it is not always easy to patiently wait for God’s timing. But it is in the waiting that God has our attention and it is in His perfect timing that we learn to trust in Him and our faith grows.

There’s another miracle John describes in 6:16-21 that is a miracle of timing: That evening Jesus’ disciples went to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination.

Mark’s account of this miracle says: They climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed… (6:51). Matthew’s account is similar: When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed (14:32-33).
The moment Jesus stepped into the boat, the storm calmed – a miracle of timing. The timing of Jesus action was beautifully choreographed and their faith was strengthened.

What is your story of God’s perfect timing in your life – timing that confirmed God was at work rather than simple coincidence? Perhaps you are in the midst of the storm right now, rowing until God chooses to calm the waves and winds. Notice Jesus did not calm the storm after the disciples had rowed one mile. They rowed three or four miles before Jesus made His presence known to them. The disciples were never alone, Jesus had not abandoned them in the storm. He was there all the time, waiting for the perfect moment to say, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!”

My prayer for you this morning is that you will hear the words of Jesus today. I pray you will know without doubt that He is with you and that you will trust in His perfect timing. Remember, God is never late and He is never early – He is always on time!

The disciples began to worship Jesus when He stepped into the boat and the storm calmed. Let’s choose to worship Him while still rowing through the storm, praising Him in confidence for what He is going to do and for His presence in the midst of the waves and wind.

The book of John records seven miracles that Jesus performed. John refers to them as “dunamis” or a “sign” – an event that has a deeper meaning. This morning I looked closely at Jesus’ first miracle, praying that God would show me a deeper meaning. Many people look to this account of Jesus turning the water into wine and make it about the wine. I am searching for a deeper purpose and a deeper meaning to what Jesus did for this bridal party.

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”

After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples (John 2:1-12).

It sounds to me like very few people at the wedding even knew about the miracle. The servants obviously knew where the wine had come from – they knew better than anyone else. This group whom society devalued had a front row seat to the Messiah’s first miracle. John does not clearly state the impact this had on the servants but I can only imagine their lives were never the same.

Jesus’ mother knew they were running out of wine and knew who had provided in abundance for this wedding celebration. Jesus had not performed a miracle or miraculous sign yet, but Mary seemed to know what he was capable of. Was she forcing him to do something before it was time or did she simply believe he would be able to do something to help save this special occasion? Was she amazed at what he did? Perhaps this was the day when Mary’s view of her son transformed, helping her understand that Jesus was ready to go about his Father’s business.

I would assume his brothers knew as well but it does not say. We know they struggled to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, some not believing until after he was raised from the dead, so perhaps they did not witness how Jesus transformed the water into wine.

Transformation – I believe that is what this miracle is about. Jesus took six stone water jars each holding 20 to 30 gallons of water and turned them into 180 gallons of fine-tasting wine. It took a simple, everyday beverage (water) and transformed it into a quality, highly-valued drink (wine).

But the transformation was not about the water turning into wine. The true transformation was in the disciples. Curiosity had made them followers, this miraculous sign made them believers. They witnessed the power of Jesus and their lives would never be the same.

Jesus transformed the lives of the disciples, just as He transforms our lives. He takes our simplicity and is able to make us into highly effective tools for Him to use to change the world. He takes our impure, imperfect lives and purifies us, giving us a new quality and new value. We are never the same. The enemy wants to convince us that we have not changed. The world wants to continue to define us by what we used to be. God sees us as His beautiful creation – He is changing and perfecting and filling us with His Spirit.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:17-18).

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that I have been REDEFINED by Jesus and that my life has been TRANSFORMED by Him. Thank you for seeing me for what I could be become instead of what I am. Thank you for taking my impure, imperfect life and purifying me – giving me a new quality and a new value in You. When the enemy tries to convince me of who I am, remind me of whose I am. Remind me that I am Your beautiful creation – Your masterpiece – a work in progress. Amen.

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them.
They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
“Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus (John 1:35-40).

Here is another way in which John the Baptist was able to prepare the way for the Lord. John’s investment in Andrew prepared him for the moment in which he would be given the opportunity to leave everything behind and follow the Messiah. Andrew’s faith was strengthened by John’s faith and, because of Andrew’s faith, his brother Simon Peter was given the opportunity to face the One who would see him for what he would become rather than for who he was.

Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John – but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). – John 1:41-42

Jesus did not just rename Simon, he redefined him. Jesus knew that Peter was not perfect and he knew that he would one day betray him, yet he also knew that Peter’s faith would grow strong enough to stay true when many others would choose to walk away from Jesus.

Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”…
At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:60,66-69).

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown (John 1:43-44).

According to my study bible, Philip was Greek. This shows a mix of cultures between the disciples but also shows that Jesus ministry was not going to be to only Jews. The fact that Philip was Greek became a doorway for other Greeks to approach Jesus.

Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus” (John 12:20-21).

Each of Jesus’ disciples was created uniquely to draw others to Jesus, just as we are. There was something about Philip that gave others the opportunity to encounter Christ, just as there is something about us that God desires to use to draw others to Himself. The first person to find Jesus through Philip was a young man named Nathanael:

Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth!”
“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
“Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied (John 1:45-46).

Nazareth was a small town, not famous enough to be considered a possibility for greatness. There was a natural tendency for people to define others by where they have come from, the color of their skin, their family background, etc. Sounds like society today, doesn’t it? Nazareth was not well thought of and yet God chose it as the birthplace of His Son. How wonderful that God sees value in even the small or imperfect places or people!

As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel – a man of complete integrity.”
“How do you know my name?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God – the King of Israel.”
Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth” (John 1:47-51).

It wasn’t just that Jesus knew where Philip was before he arrived, he knew who he was. It was if Jesus was saying – just as you know where I came from and want to judge me by my origin, I know where you came from. You are a descendant of Jacob, who was known to be scheming and deceitful, but you are a man of complete integrity. And, just as Jacob dreamed of a stairway reaching to heaven with angels of God going up and down the stairway (Gen. 28:12), you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.

Heavenly Father, just as I came to faith through the faithfulness of others in my life, I pray that my walk with You will help others find You – that they will have the opportunity to hear you say, “Come, follow me.” Thank you for redefining me, not according to all the mistakes I have made and will make, or where I come from or how I look, but by whom You created me to be. You uniquely created me and purposefully place me in the lives of others. Use me, dear Jesus. Help me to see myself through Your eyes. Amen.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry (Matthew 4:1-7).

Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. God was not tempting Jesus but He was allowing Jesus to go through a time of temptation, just as He allows us to experience temptations. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed (James 1:13-14).

By fasting through this time of temptation, Jesus was showing his intention to depend on God for his strength and God only. He was giving God his full attention, away from the distractions of his daily life and away from the satisfactions of the earth’s nourishments. Jesus was able to say no to temptation because his focus was on God. Knowing Jesus would be hungry, Satan tried to play on this weakness in order to take advantage of his vulnerability, just as Satan tempts us where we are the most vulnerable or weak.

During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:3-4).

Jesus’ response to each of the temptations was to quote Scripture, a great model for how we can handle temptation. But we have to study the word and be prepared by knowing the Scripture in order to be equipped to use them in similar situations in our lives. If God’s word sustains us, shouldn’t we spend time in His presence soaking in what He says?

Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God’” (Matthew 4:5-7).

Satan wanted Jesus to test God by jumping off the highest point of the Temple in and then ask God to rescue Him. Listen carefully because I think we do this more often than we think. Satan tempts us to do something we know we should not do by convincing us that it will be simple to ask God to forgive us after we have sinned. If God is full of grace and all we have to do is ask for forgiveness, why not enjoy a time or moment of sin and simply ask God to forgive us afterwards? I believe we should take Jesus response seriously. “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”

Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you worship me” (Luke 4:5-7).

My first reaction to this next temptation is that Satan is lying when he says he has the ability to give earthly kingdoms and authority to men. But, the more I think about it in the context of other scriptures, the more I think maybe Satan does have this ability. That would explain why so many sinful people have gained high position and earthly wealth. But beware. If we compromise and live a life for earthly gain, we are worshipping Satan.

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus (Matthew 4:10-11).

Our response to Satan’s temptations could be just as powerful as Jesus’ response was. I love how the NLT translates this response: “Get out of here, Satan.” With strength and determination we can face temptations by declaring that we will worship God and serve only Him!

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came (Luke 4:13).

Satan left Jesus until the next opportunity came for him to tempt the Son of God. Satan will be back. He is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may destroy (1 Peter 5:8). We can be prepared for this temptation by giving God our full attention, studying the word of God and building our faith so that we can easily say, “Get out of here, Satan!”

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” – Matthew 26:41

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

God had a magnificent plan for John the Baptist, yet John remained humble. He was given the role of preparing Israel for the coming of their Messiah, he was given the honor of seeing Jesus revealed as the Son of God and he was given the privilege of introducing the “Lamb of God” to the very people whose sins Jesus would die for.

John could have thought much of himself but he knew he was also one who needed a Savior and that knowledge kept him humble. He could have said, “Hey, we’re family – Jesus is my cousin! God has chosen this relative of mine to bring salvation!” But instead he left himself out of the introduction and simply said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

It seems to me that John told half the story of Jesus’ baptism and Matthew told the other half. Therefore, I am going to combine both passages so that we can get an idea of how this took place:

John told them, “I baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you do not recognize. Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.” – John 1:26-27

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.’” – John 1:29-31

Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.

After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” – Matthew 3:13-17

Then John testified, “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon him. I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw this happen to Jesus, so I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.’” – John 1:29-34

The study Bible I use pointed out that the language John the Baptist used when he referred to Jesus as “the Chosen One of God” and the language God used when He said “This is my dearly loved Son” is the same language used in Isaiah 42:1: “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen. He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations.”

Just as God had a plan for John the Baptist who remained humble in carrying out God’s will for his life, we should also remain humble. What God calls us to do, the position He places us in and the things He calls us to do – none of it is about us. It’s about Him – the Chosen One of God, the Dearly Loved Son. It was for our sins that Jesus died and we come to Him as a humble servant, ready to be used however He desires for His glory and not ours.

He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised and we did not care.

And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. – Isaiah 53:3-8,11b-12

Now it’s time to make it about me! I’m a rebel – a rebel who humbly enters God’s presence this morning and bows before the Son of God to say…
Thank you for dying for my sins. Thank you for carrying my weaknesses and my sorrows, for being pierced for my rebellion, crushed for my sins.
I am whole because You were beaten;
I am healed because You were whipped.
There have been so many times I have gone astray and left Your path to follow my own, yet You willingly bore my sins and interceded for my rebellious heart. This morning I submit to Your path and give You all the praise and glory for where this path takes me. Amen.

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light (John 1:6-8).

God had a plan for John – a very specific purpose for his life. John’s obedience and decision to walk in God’s plan for his life made a difference in the lives of many people and in the acceptance of Jesus when He arrived. John knew God’s purpose, knew what God had called him to do – He didn’t know every detail or the timing of God’s plan but he knew there was a plan. John accepted this calling on his life with great humility, even when those around him desired for him to be more than who he was.

This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.”
“Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”
“No,” he replied.
“Are you the Prophet we are expecting?”
“No.”
“Then who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?”
John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am the voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’” – John 1:19-23

In those days, when a King or man of great importance was going to visit an area of the kingdom, they would send men out before him to prepare the way. Off course, there were not nice paved roads like we have now so they would take time to travel the path and clear the road of any rocks or fallen trees, perhaps trimming back branches that would hinder a chariot or horse. Their purpose was to make sure there was nothing blocking the way of this man of great importance.

John the Baptist had a similar role – to “clear the way for the Lord’s coming”; to make sure there was nothing blocking the way of this man of great importance.

We do a similar “clearing” here at our house when we know that company is coming. It is that moment when we look around and see through the eyes of someone else what our home looks like. When it’s just us, we become comfortable. When company is coming, we notice the pair of shoes in the living room; that the couch cushions need straightened, chairs have not been pushed back under the table, shower curtains need closed and blinds need opened. We scramble around the house, clearing and preparing for our special guests.

One day we were shopping at Bergner’s and saw a young mother from our church with her arm in a sling. She explained that she broke her arm when she tripped over the toys of her 3 year old. Her son didn’t do anything wrong, he was simply playing with his toys, yet the scattered objects had hindered his mother’s ability to walk across the room unharmed.

I feel God challenging me to take a look at my life through His eyes; to honestly look and see if there is some “clearing” I need to do. Are there things in my life that are blocking the way of what God wants to accomplish? Are there attitudes I have become comfortable with that I need Jesus to shine His light on and expose? Is there anything that is not clearly a sin but hindering someone else’s walk? Is there a possibility that the conditions of my life will cause someone else to stumble? Perhaps what I need to give up for Lent is more than just chocolate or coffee but something bigger that is cluttering my walk with Jesus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. – Hebrews 12:1-12

I know that, just like John the Baptist, God has a plan for my life – a specific purpose – just like He has for your life. I want to obediently and humbly walk in that plan. Lord, shine your light on my life and show me what I need to clear away. I do not want to hold tightly to anything that might block your way or hinder someone else’s walk. Strengthen my hands to take a new grip on you instead of holding onto something I need to let go of. Strengthen my weak knees and mark out a straight path for my feet. Amen.

When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people (Luke 2:39-52).

Have you ever lost your child, even for just a minute? The feeling that surges through you is far beyond what the word “panic” describes. I get that same feeling when I am at a store and I hear another mother looking for their child. I stop what I’m doing and immediately try to help her find the child.

Every year, we go to Pekin’s Marigold Festival. We start at our friends’ house watching the parade and then go to the park to face the crowds. For us, it isn’t about shopping at the many booths. Instead, it is all about the food! One year Scott & Libby went off to one booth to buy lunch while the rest of us went to a different booth. When we met up they told us how they had found a lost 3 year old boy. Libby had comforted the little boy and helped him find someone from the Festival to help. My heart went out to a mother somewhere in the crowded park who must be frantically looking for her son.

This must have been how Mary was feeling that day as she looked for her son – the son she knew belonged to God and yet was very much her child. I know the fear of a few seconds of being unable to find my daughter but I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Mary to go through THREE DAYS of searching for her son. Did she sleep at night? How many “what if” scenarios played through her mind from the time she confirmed Jesus was missing until the moment they found him in the Temple. How relieved she must have been when she found him!

The NLT version describes the reactions of Mary and Joseph as “they didn’t know what to think” while the KJV says they were “amazed” and the NIV uses the word “astonished.” I have had a few moments like this as a parent – moments of astonishment or amazement. I have found myself saying, “What were you thinking?!!” Perhaps Jesus’ parents had a similar reaction.

The Greek word used to describe the reaction of Joseph and Mary is very strong – “ekpletto” – to knock someone out of their senses, to strike with astonishment or perhaps terror or admiration. If there had been Twitter in those days, Joseph might have tweeted – I found my son teaching in the Temple! #ekpletto

They would have watched their son study the Jewish law for years by this age, but this was different. This time, after an exhausting three day search for their son, they walk into the temple and find him not just sitting among the Jewish teachers but listening intently to them, asking questions and then responding with his own understanding and answers. Yes, I am guessing that “ekpletto” would be the proper word for the reaction of more than just Joseph and Mary that day.

“Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Jesus was drawn to His Father, his heart connected to God. Just as I can relate to Mary in this passage, I can relate to Jesus. I love those moments when my heart is pulled so strongly toward God that I cannot get enough of Him. I love those moments when I am surrounded by His presence with no desire to ever be separated from Him.

My prayer this morning is that we will all experience a strong pull toward God this week. I pray that our time alone with God draws us like a strong magnet as we run into His presence each day. I pray that as Sunday approaches, we do not anticipate just another Sunday morning worship time but that we rush into His sanctuary with the spirit of I must be in my Father’s house!