Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and anchored there. As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Jesus. They ran through that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever he was rumored to be. And wherever he would go—into villages, towns, or countryside—they would place the sick in the marketplaces, and would ask him if they could just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Mark 6:53-56 (emphasis added)

Contrary to all the art of the Renaissance, Jesus was NOT remarkable in height, appearance, or beauty. He was not poor and shabby. But He didn’t stand out in a crowd like a ruler or have a shining face like Moses when he talked to Adonai (Exodus 34:35). Jesus’ wasn’t even tall enough to be seen over the crowd (Luke 9:1-10). He was less than ordinary. “Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him? He sprouted up like a twig before God, like a root out of parched soil; he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him” (Isaiah 53:1-2). Jesus was average Joe Blow. Or in His case Hebrew Henry. One of many. Average banana. So what was it that everyone recognised as soon as they got out of the boat?

Jesus wore nice clothes (Matthew 27:35). Those clothes were NOT unique to Jesus in pattern or colour as far as we know, only QUALITY. After all, wearing a red sash or a purple one wouldn’t glorify the Father. But wearing high quality clothes shows the Father takes care of His Son, which DOES glorify the Father, Provider of All – which makes you wonder why people are so convinced prosperity isn’t Adonai’s will. Everything Jesus did and had glorified His Father (John 12:27). As far as we know He didn’t have a special haircut. Or a funny moustache. He wasn’t a caucasian in a nation of olive or darker skinned people. He fit in. He was a Hebrew. A Jew. He looked like one.

It was Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit). Ruach (pronounced roo-akh) is the Hebrew word for spirit, breath, or wind. HaKodesh (pronounced hak-KOH-desh) is a substantive that means ‘The Holy One’. So Ruach HaKodesh is The Holy Spirit or maybe the Holy Breath. With the emphasis on THE. Jesus’ Spirit bore witness with their spirits that there was something about this man that was different. It is the same for us today. “The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16). These were Hebrews. Jews. Elohim’s Chosen People. They KNEW what the Ruach HaKodesh felt like because they went to the Temple for the festivals. They went to the Temple for the sacrifices. They tabernacled with Jehovah. Here was Jesus, the incarnate Word, come to Earth to tabernacle with His people (John 1:14). The tabernacle was for use in the wilderness. Jesus came to where the wilderness of the kingdom of darkness reigned to be the Light to show them the Way back to intimate relationship with the Father (John 8:12; 14:6 & 8-18). They RECOGNISED the Anointing on Jesus and RESPONDED by recognising which one He was.

Ruach HaKodesh came on Jesus, descending ‘like a dove’ (Luke 3:21-22). Doves descend to a safe roost and then remain there. It’s one reason why Noah used one when he wanted to leave the ark (Genesis 8:6-12). Noah knew that if the dove found a safe place, it wouldn’t willingly leave. That is how Ruach HaKodesh descended on Jesus. To stay. He indwelt Jesus in a way that had never happened before. A perfect merging. Holy Spirit to Perfect Spirit, with the power of Ruach HaKodesh being bestowed on Jesus’ mortal flesh. Fully God, fully man, and with all the power of Ruach HaKodesh. THAT is why Jesus did no miracles before His baptism (Matthew 3:13–17). There was no talking newborn. No child turning stones to birds or bread. No raising anyone from the dead. Until His baptism, Jesus was an ordinary man – albeit a perfect one without any sin.

It was this Spirit that was on Jesus. It was this Spirit that was IN Jesus. Merged together perfectly. Full of power ready to be released is how Jesus got off the boat. And they IMMEDIATELY recognised Him. They didn’t talk to Him. They didn’t bring Him food. They ran the opposite direction. And then they got EVERYONE who was sick. They got them on mats (I presume litters to carry them) and then asked about Jesus. Where was He? What town was He in? Did He go to such and such village? Is He visiting such and such place? Have you seen Him? Have you seen Him? Have you seen Him? I can feel the desperation leap off the page, can’t you? They were desperate to get their sick friends and family to Jesus. They KNEW they would get well. They were totally trusting in it. These are the kids who you tell Friday night they’re going on their dream vacation and leaving the next day. When the sun crests the horizon they’re packed, dressed, and beeping the horn to wake you up. They were eager for the wholeness they KNEW was coming.

They were so certain of it, they required nothing of Jesus but His permission. They knew they were going to be healed. They just wanted to be polite. They were GOING to be healed. All they did was ask for a touch. Not a lot of time. Just let us touch you. Simple. Easy. But I doubt it was calm. This has the feeling of an almost-riot everywhere Jesus went. And I can hear His laugh as again and again and again trust in Adonai was demonstrated by these people. Ruach HaKodesh responds to trust. So does Jesus. So does the Father. It’s why we were made. To have trust in Him. It’s why Jesus came. To restore trust with Him. We cannot please Him without trust (Hebrews 11:6). Mercifully, He gives us HIS trust so that we have something to trust WITH (Mark 11:22).

Since it was the Spirit IN Jesus that was recognised, don’t you think we’re missing out on something? That same Spirit is in US and gives us LIFE (Romans 8:11). We’re called to let the Spirit shine out of us. “In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). They should recognise Jesus in us and then run to get their sick in the same way. We should be the neighbourhood go-to. Ringing doorbells and knocks at all hours. Please pray for me. Please pray for my child. Please pray for my spouse, my partner, my parent, my relative, my friend, or whomever. We should be the first stop, not the emergency room. We should desire THAT kind of reputation. We should desire to see it. To be able to stand there and admit truthfully that it isn’t US but the Father IN US who does the work. We should all crave the opportunity to glorify the Father through our trust in what He says He wants to do every time.

Can you imagine the witness? Ordinary believers. Letting the Father use Ruach HaKodesh through us in the same way the Father did through Jesus. Jesus wanted us to. He told us we’d do the same works He did if we were faithful, submitted to the Father’s will, and ready to glorify the Father through them (John 14:8-13). Whenever we go out, people should come to see us. They should be thrilled that we walked through the door of the restaurant, mall, grocery store, or wherever. They should recognise Jesus in us. We’re supposed to be obedient to Jesus all the time. “Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:15-17).

We should be working to keep Adonai first in our lives. Getting into the Word and letting it get into us. Cultivating relationship through steady and consistent prayer and fasting. Just to know Him better. To be someone upon whom the Spirit RESTS. To be that face in the crowd they recognise. To be that face that looks just a little bit like Jesus. Sometimes the only Jesus they will ever really see is the one you are projecting. Be the face of Jesus. Rest in Him.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Isaiah 6:9-10

“He said, “Go and tell these people: “‘Listen continually, but don’t understand. Look continually, but don’t perceive.’ Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind. Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”” The parables of Messiah would fall on deaf ears. This was sometimes because of hardness of heart. Other times it was a mercy just like how Adonai kicked Adam and Eve out of the Garden so that they would not remain in a sinful state forever (Genesis 3:22-24). To attempt salvation before a repentant heart hears the Word is the opposite way to do things. If they are not ready to humbly submit in obedience, they would cause more problems from their misunderstanding of Kingdom priorities. “For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them” (Matthew 13:13-15). Jesus often said if you have an ear to hear, hear (Matthew 11:15, for example). Hearing is not enough. You also need to act on what you hear. If you don’t act on what you hear you have the same result as not hearing in the first place. The parables Jesus told fell on ears that refused to apply what they heard (Matthew 21:45). It fell on ears not ready to understand. They fell on ears that heard, tried to understand, but only gained revelation in hindsight (John 2:22). The Messiah has a lot to teach us, but we must let the Word train our ears to hear it properly (John 10:10; Romans 12:2). We must also humbly submit to what we have heard by applying it and being obedient to it (John 14:23). Start with the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9, Mark 4:1-9, Luke 8:4-8) Which Jesus said was the basis for understanding ALL His parables (Mark 4:13). Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b