Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?’ And then I will say to them plainly, I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Chapter seven continues the Kingdom’s Constitution. Jesus pleads with us not to judge others. We all deserve judging. We were shown mercy, we should show mercy and not judge. Jesus didn’t come to judge (John 3:16-18), but to give a chance of mercy BEFORE the judgment. We should be living like Him and spreading His message, not condemnation. Jesus teaches on asking the Father for what He says we can have. If we ask, we will get it. The Father is a GIVER and WANTS us to have His things (3 John 2). Jesus teaches that we cannot have everything AND have God as first place. There is denial involved in following Him. It is the Way or it is nothing. The Way is FULL of godly good things. All the best things. But we get them through Jesus not through the world’s system. Jesus taught us to look at what a person produces in their life, not just what message they put forth. Jesus pointed out that not everyone who claims Him knows Him. Jesus wants a relationship with us. God is about us seeking Him and not being satisfied until we are communing with each other. Just claiming to be a Christian doesn’t make you a disciple. Jesus told them (and us) that if we hear His words and DO THEM – if we apply them, come into alignment with them, if we humbly submit to them – then we are wise and can stand through all the storms of life. If we hear what He is saying and do NOT do them? Disaster awaits us because His words are the TRUTH.

Chapter eight is a visible demonstration that healings and miracles follow the preaching of the Word (Mark 16:20). A leper came and asked Jesus if He was willing to heal. Jesus is ALWAYS willing to heal and turns NO ONE away who seeks it EVER. Jesus healed him. A centurion came because his servant was sick and he was seeking healing from Jesus. Jesus healed this Gentile. Notice that Jesus did not say he approved of the centurion’s lifestyle or that of the servant. He did not pass judgment on them in any way. Jesus responded to the TRUST of the centurion. Jesus responds to trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6). Not many have this kind of trust, but those who do always receive from Him. Jesus entered Peter’s house and healed Peter’s mother-in-law. MANY people came to Him with the sick and possessed. Jesus PHYSICALLY healed them ALL – fulfilling Isaiah 53:4. The prophecy includes physical healing even as it includes the spiritual healing of salvation. Salvation is physical, spiritual, AND mental. Several people came to follow Jesus, but when they were faced with TRUE discipleship and not just jumping on a popular bandwagon, they balked. Jesus entered a boat with the clear intent to cross over to the other side of the water. He slept, exhausted from His labour, and a storm kicked up. It was so bad they almost sank, but Jesus was asleep and at peace. He did not rely on physical circumstances, but on His Father. He used that trust in His Father to still the storm – something the disciples could have done if they were relying on the Father instead of their senses and efforts. Trust matters. When they got to the other side, Jesus cast demons out of possessed men. The demons did not want to be cast into darkness and begged to be allowed to possess nearby pigs. Jesus allowed it. But the pigs had more sense than most people and refused to let it happen. They preferred death and drowned themselves. The people of the region witnessed this supernatural deliverance and it terrified them. They begged Jesus to depart. Jesus respected their free will and left. But the healed men stayed behind witnessing about the power of God.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Roman Centurion, a leper, Peter’s mother in law, demoniacs, the disciples

Key Verse(s): Matthew 7:7-12; 8:14-17