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Archive for the ‘Bible Characters’ Category

Bread From Heaven

Posted in Bread, Explanations, Jesus, Manna, Satisfaction, tagged on June 18, 2011| 2 Comments »

“Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. [I am] the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.” – Jesus (John 6:35b, 49-50)

They all knew about manna — their ancestors were hungry and God nourished them with “bread” from heaven. It was God’s miracle through Moses, so different they called it, “Manna”, which literally means, “What is it?!”

When Jesus’ audience asked him for a miracle like Moses gave, he said he was the miracle itself.

Like manna was given by God to satisfy hunger, Jesus satisfies the gnawing hunger for something more. Unlike Moses’ manna which sustained a short while, eventually going stale, and breading worms, God’s true “living” bread is always fresh, satisfies for ever, and gives unending life.

Of course, they had problems with metaphors.

Sound Bite: Jesus is not the miracle worker, he is the miracle itself.
Prayer: Jesus, don’t just give me bread, be my bread.

– fritz@langgang.com
See also: “What He Is, Not What He Does” – June 9, 2011

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Noticing Details

Posted in Compassion, Explanations, Good Samaritan, tagged on June 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

Many are familiar with Jesus’ story of the “Good Samaritan” — a foreigner proves himself neighbor to a man in need when others don’t — but few notice why Jesus told it.

Luke noticed. A man who already knew the Bible law was trying to justify his views by asking “Who is my neighbor?” — just who was he required to love?

His culture distinguished between people groups.

His people kept their own as hard luck slaves no more than seven years but foreigners forever. His people couldn’t charge their own loan interest but they could foreigners. His ate no unclean animals but sold them to foreigners. His called foreigners “Dogs”. This man was seeking justification for his cultural view of justice.

But Jesus told of a foreigner who held no such distinctions — He had compassion on anyone in need, not just his own. As a Samaritan, that man’s religious beliefs were way off target but his heart was spot on.

This tells us at least two (2) things:
1. Everyone deserves compassion, not just our own;
2. Jesus doesn’t justify our views on anything — he offers forgiveness, healing, and change of heart.

fritz@langgang.com

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Is Jesus “Smart”?

Posted in Dallas Willard, Jesus, Quotes, Smart, tagged on June 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

And they … wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.- Luke 8:25B

The world presents a false picture of Christ we dare not accept. He is presented as a religious figure, and maybe a very good one of his day but uneducated and unaware of modern science, day-to-day stresses of today’s life and jobs. The idea he is smart enough to direct how run a business, answer scientific problems, or conduct daily affairs is not even considered.

Don’t accept that!

Dallas Willard, Professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, has a different take!

He is not just nice, he is brilliant. He is the smartest man who ever lived. He is now supervising the entire course of world history (Rev. 1:5) while simultaneously preparing the rest of the universe for our future role in it (John 14:2). He always has the best information on everything and certainly also on the things that matter most in human life. — The Divine Conspiracy (p. 95)

Soundbite: “The Lord of the universe is not stupid!”
Prayer: “Jesus, you are smart enough be my boss! Amen!”

– fritz@langgang.com

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