GLORIOUS SABBATH DAY PEOPLE OF GOD
Have you ever heard a bad sermon? The one that seems to be never ending. It just goes on, and on…and on?
About a year, or so, ago, I encountered a young man who, espousing my tormentors’ teachings, took me to task publicly, regarding one of my posts. Now, with so little adherence, it didn’t then, and still doesn’t now, seem that anyone is reading them: But, we know better. The young man literally rebuked me for saying that Jesus had been kicked out of the temple. “Jesus put them out!,” he yelled. Facts. Still, I tried to reason with him. But, soon discerning his spirit, I left him to his own understanding; consoling myself that he was speaking from his youth. Recently, after posting a similar entry, I encountered a similar response; howbeit, this time from adults, who seemed to be of the temple (church folk). Apparently, my “presumed” error in teaching, gives them the right to steal from the Holy Spirit. IT DOES NOT.
Now, anyone who has given ear to my journey, knows that I have not been shy about asking God for understanding. Perhaps I had misinterpreted the scripture. So, I asked. READ IT AGAIN, was the response. So, I did. I started with the King James Version. Many are of the mindset, as I myself once was, that if it ain’t KJV, it ain’t authentic. But, the truth is, the KJV is not the original. The original verses, according to historians, were scripted in Hebrew, etched on tablets of stone. Nevertheless, as I have mentioned before, the KJV, while poetically melodic, can sometimes be a bit difficult to decipher. So, consulted one of my favorite study translations: The Message Bible. You have to be ready for the MSG: It is quite raw, and can be somewhat off-putting for the unsuspecting reader. I'll just let Jesus do the preaching…
Luke 4:16-28
He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,
God's Spirit is on me; he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "This is God's year to act!"
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place." All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?" He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you do in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown. Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian." That set everyone in the meeting place seething with anger. They threw him out, banishing him from the village, then took him to a mountain cliff at the edge of the village to throw him to his doom, but he gave them the slip and was on his way.
That must’ve been one bad sermon. Not only was Jesus thrown out of the temple, they literally tried to kill him – over a sermon?! Though He most definitely went to Nazareth to heal, deliver, and set free; howbeit, it was because of unbelief (disrespect, dishonor), that Jesus did almost no miracles in His own hometown. Imagine that, the townspeople were angry because they couldn't force Jesus to bless them, so they responded in vengeance and violence.
Even if there is error in doctrine, that’s between God and His messenger. The only justification for casting a disciple out and trampling them underfoot, is in the case of backsliding (salt has lost its flavor). I believe the Bible uses adultery, watering down the Word, and selling out for profit, as a few key examples of one who has backslidden. There is never, ever justification for trampling over, or stealing from the Holy Spirit. NEVER.
God defends those of us who remain steadfast (loyal) to Christ, and to our calling, despite man’s opinions, threats, or actions. For as it is written: He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. (Psalms 105:14-15)
Have you ever heard a bad sermon? The one that seems to be never ending. It just goes on, and on…and on?
About a year, or so, ago, I encountered a young man who, espousing my tormentors’ teachings, took me to task publicly, regarding one of my posts. Now, with so little adherence, it didn’t then, and still doesn’t now, seem that anyone is reading them: But, we know better. The young man literally rebuked me for saying that Jesus had been kicked out of the temple. “Jesus put them out!,” he yelled. Facts. Still, I tried to reason with him. But, soon discerning his spirit, I left him to his own understanding; consoling myself that he was speaking from his youth. Recently, after posting a similar entry, I encountered a similar response; howbeit, this time from adults, who seemed to be of the temple (church folk). Apparently, my “presumed” error in teaching, gives them the right to steal from the Holy Spirit. IT DOES NOT.
Now, anyone who has given ear to my journey, knows that I have not been shy about asking God for understanding. Perhaps I had misinterpreted the scripture. So, I asked. READ IT AGAIN, was the response. So, I did. I started with the King James Version. Many are of the mindset, as I myself once was, that if it ain’t KJV, it ain’t authentic. But, the truth is, the KJV is not the original. The original verses, according to historians, were scripted in Hebrew, etched on tablets of stone. Nevertheless, as I have mentioned before, the KJV, while poetically melodic, can sometimes be a bit difficult to decipher. So, consulted one of my favorite study translations: The Message Bible. You have to be ready for the MSG: It is quite raw, and can be somewhat off-putting for the unsuspecting reader. I'll just let Jesus do the preaching…
Luke 4:16-28
He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,
God's Spirit is on me; he's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "This is God's year to act!"
He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, "You've just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place." All who were there, watching and listening, were surprised at how well he spoke. But they also said, "Isn't this Joseph's son, the one we've known since he was a youngster?" He answered, "I suppose you're going to quote the proverb, 'Doctor, go heal yourself. Do here in your hometown what we heard you do in Capernaum.' Well, let me tell you something: No prophet is ever welcomed in his hometown. Isn't it a fact that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah during that three and a half years of drought when famine devastated the land, but the only widow to whom Elijah was sent was in Sarepta in Sidon? And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of the prophet Elisha but the only one cleansed was Naaman the Syrian." That set everyone in the meeting place seething with anger. They threw him out, banishing him from the village, then took him to a mountain cliff at the edge of the village to throw him to his doom, but he gave them the slip and was on his way.
That must’ve been one bad sermon. Not only was Jesus thrown out of the temple, they literally tried to kill him – over a sermon?! Though He most definitely went to Nazareth to heal, deliver, and set free; howbeit, it was because of unbelief (disrespect, dishonor), that Jesus did almost no miracles in His own hometown. Imagine that, the townspeople were angry because they couldn't force Jesus to bless them, so they responded in vengeance and violence.
Even if there is error in doctrine, that’s between God and His messenger. The only justification for casting a disciple out and trampling them underfoot, is in the case of backsliding (salt has lost its flavor). I believe the Bible uses adultery, watering down the Word, and selling out for profit, as a few key examples of one who has backslidden. There is never, ever justification for trampling over, or stealing from the Holy Spirit. NEVER.
God defends those of us who remain steadfast (loyal) to Christ, and to our calling, despite man’s opinions, threats, or actions. For as it is written: He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. (Psalms 105:14-15)
God will even punish leaders for our sakes.
Recommended Reading: Matthew 21:28-32 "Your word is your bond" I will get detail about this in upcoming posts.
