Sonshine's Journal

Jesus walked and taught among the people. Some believed and others began to worry. The religious leaders worried not about the people’s cares but about their loss and privileges of being the elite. As they sat in their isolation, they began to argue and complain about the effect of Jesus’ ministry to the people. “If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation.” Ironically that came true in AD 77 when the Romans did take away both things. But, hardened hearts do not hear truth. “It has always been the case that those whose minds are made up to oppose what Christ stands for will not be convinced by any amount of evidence.” How true that was and is today. The outcome is not the peace that Jesus proclaimed but worry. 

So what are you worried about today? Are you worried about your government, the political scene or are you worried about tomorrow and the day after that? What about your destiny? Christ offered the evidence that He was and is the Son of God. Peter rightly said: Where shall we go? You have the words of life. When you know that, you have found the pearl of greatest price that no one can take from you. It is called: Salvation! 

In the history of our nation the dialog about slavery brought war and divided the nation. So what about slavery? Is it evil or good? We should be able to answer this easily but stop then and answer the statement Jesus posed: ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’” Is He talking about the slavery our nation experienced? NO! He is talking about being a slave for Christ who gave His all that we might be His slaves to do His bidding. 

When we accept Christ we become His slaves to do His work, not for pay but for His glory. We graciously do it because He gave His all that we might be saved. We do His bidding which is to spread the gospel to every nation and every person we meet. Do we expect a royalty or a payment? No! We have already received the wonderful gift of salvation and a promise to be with Him one day. What more can He expect of us but to obediently provide that He is the truth, the way and the life and no one comes to God but through Him. 

We are His slaves undeserving of any special praise but to give Him glory! 

Jesus used his miraculous powers to heal a man ‘on the Sabbath.’ He asked the religious leaders if that act was lawful but they remained silent. What would you have done? When you see a miracle before your very eyes, would you remain silent? A sinner has grasped the living Word and his life is changed. Would you remain silent? 

Next Jesus gave the religious leaders a lesson about their hypocrisy just as He did with the woman caught in adultery. As the man left the synagogue, Jesus then gave them a poignant story that they could relate to: “Which of you, if you have a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not answer. Dr. Luke tells us that they ‘could not.

The hardness of their hearts is revealed and we are saddened. Be careful of how you respond to the work of God. You have a choice, to rejoice or be silent. Which do you choose? Jesus took the initiative and asked the Pharisees and lawyers for their opinion thus shifting the burden of proof to them. He asked for their interpretation of what the Mosaic Law allowed (cf. 6:9). When they raised no objection, He proceeded to heal the man (cf. 6:10). Jesus could have waited a day, but He performed the miracle on the Sabbath to once again prove to them of their hypocrisy. 

said the one who stored up goods for his retirement but God called him a fool. There was a story of a rich man who died and asked to be buried in his Cadillac so he could drive all over heaven; fool. The Pharaohs were buried with their riches. The riches are still there but the soul of Pharaoh has gone on to eternity; fool. The rich Chinese emperor built his tomb with his soldiers. The soldiers are there, but the soul of the emperor has gone on to eternity; fool. What are we to learn from this tale Dr. Luke recorded and the other stories? It is this, he who says “I, I, me,mine” will be called a fool by God. Where are you storing up earthly riches but will one day stand before God empty handed? 

Dr. Luke recorded this sad tale to capture our attention and cause us to reflect on that question and it is as relevant today as was in the day of Jesus. How does one define neighbor and what are your and my responsibilities to those in need as this traveler was. It is easy to give excuses why you don’t need to help anyone in need. I am too busy, maybe tomorrow I can help. I don’t have the means to help a person like this one or someone else can help better than me and on and on. We are good at excusing our actions but one day we will stand before God and He will ask us did you help your neighbor? 

Real life lesson: Recently our neighbor’s car failed as she was backing out and the car was half way in the street. It was also garbage day and as her car rolled down she had hit the garbage can of our other neighbor. I went over to ask if she was all right and then what can I do to help. After that, I went to the other neighbor whose can was lopsided and he just stared at me, and helped me right the can but he never asked about the neighbor. Odd right? I got my husband and together we got the car pushed up in the driveway and called her husband. So which one was the true neighbor. By the way, my husband helped get her car started. 

How often is the case in real life today and this Jewish man that Luke recorded experienced my neighbor who offered no help at all. One day we will have to answer God to that same question. How about you?

If there is one story in the book of John that is captivating,it is this one. Why is that? John expertly reveals truth vs false, honor vs dishonor and more.Jesus uses this time to teach all of us the power of the living Word and how you can be like the blind seeing man too. So step back in time to the city of Jerusalem with its pomp and circumstance, with the power of the religious establishment that will reveal its obstinacy, its stubbornness, its unbelief when a miracle is standing before them. Their pride is revealed in spades and their lack of humility ranks above all. 

Some truths to take away after you have read and digested this story with its power, obedience of one man, rejection of the religious establishment and the love of the Savior to all of us who are just like this blind man. We are blind spiritually and in need of Jesus healing ministry. Walk with this man to the pool of Siloam and wash your eyes. Return to Jesus seeing Him in all of His glory and bow in adoration as He asks: do you believe and you humbly say yes!

As Jesus stood in the temple courts, He spoke words of life to the listeners who were there for the Feast of Tabernacles. Twice Jesus spoke: “Thus I told you that you will die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.” He spoke of God and they challenged Him. He spoke of their sins and they denied they had any. He spoke of Abraham and they could not believe that He had seen Abraham. Over and over Jesus told them this principle: If you do not believe He is the Christ, then you will die in your sins.It is not enough to say you are Abraham’s descendants or have followed the Law, you must believe He is the Christ sent from God. 

Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? What arguments do you present to show that you do not believe just as the Jews presented argument after argument but in the end, Jesus told them that they would die in their sins because they did not believe He was sent from God and He was God the Son. 

Is the name of a book authored by Josh McDowell some years ago. He answers the critics such as the Pharisees of today with clear evidence of the risen Christ. 

How often have you witnessed to someone but they say I would believe “if” (fill in the blank). The religious leaders were just like that. They said, they would believe “if” Jesus did this or that. Jesus rightly called them wicked and an adulterous generation. He had done miracle after miracle and still they wanted more proof. Today is no different than in the time of Jesus. People “want” and “want” and “want.” Then they had the very person of Jesus, the Son of God before them but it was not enough. Today we have the Word of God and men and women who have spoken the truths of the scripture but it is not enough. The evidence demands they believe the words of the Lord. Instead, they say I would believe “if” or there is God in every religion. Wicked and adulterous generation! This reminds me of the Proverbs adulterous woman who wipes her face and goes on her way to find another culprit to sift. We stop and ask why is that? The Apostle Paul rightly said, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so they would not see the glory of God. [2 Cor 4:4] 

Beloved, stay strong in your faith. Pray that God open the windows of heaven to the unbelieving so they can be saved. Pray that God open the hearts of the unbelieving so they can be saved. Who do you need to witness to today? 

If there is one sin that is glaring and what God hates (other than the ones listed in Proverbs ch 6) it is this: hypocrisy. You say one thing but do another. That is what Jesus called out about the Pharisees. They had the instruction of the Law but to keep the people from sinning,they added more instructions to the perfect Law of Liberty. How often do we do the same? We say but do not do. We say we honor God but our actions reveal our hearts are like the Laodiceans, cold, hard and thinking we need nothing. God forbid if we are like this! So what do we do then to avoid this sin? First and foremost, we seek cleansing from the Lord, seeking His wisdom and direction. James wrote that if we need wisdom we should ask God and He will give it to us. Where do we need wisdom for the rules of the church and society? Remember this wise counsel: it comes from the inspired Word of God. “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness.” 2 Tim 3:16. 

Today honor God with your lips and your work. Check your heart. Rejoice that God has given you all you need to honor Him. 

When Jesus sat down he realized that there were many many people and it was lunchtime. How to feed a hungry army when the closest store is miles away is a perplexing problem to us but not to Jesus. First he asked Philip what he would suggest and his answer was just like the economists of Wall Street. Gather the money and then find a vendor. Andrew had a different take on this problem. He, as he always did, found someone with food to share but it was not nearly enough. Jesus wanted to teach both guys a lesson and he did it with thanksgiving and practicality. First, let’s give thanks for this meager food. Secondly, prepare the seating arrangements and how to distribute the food. Thirdly watch and see how God used a simple gift to meet the needs of many. 

Put yourself in the shoes of these two men and then decide which was the better solution? Practically I hear you saying, neither! And you are right. Only Jesus had the right solution to this dilemma. First He took stock of the numbers then He tested the disciples plan. Then he graciously took the young lad’s food and multiplied. It. 

What is the lesson Jesus wants us to see? He can multiply our meager rations to feed many and He can take our meager spiritual gifts to meet the needs of the many. What spiritual gifts are you willing, like the young lad,to share with Jesus? 

BTW they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers. What does that say about what God can and will do with our simple rations?