My Daily Journal:
Pop-Quiz Time for the Apostles.
Let’s review.
They heard the sermon on the mount where Jesus told them not to worry.
They heard Him teach them how to pray. They also heard the promise that God will answer those prayers.
They heard Him speak with authority, above that of any one in the temple.
They heard Him speak of coming to fulfill prophecy.
They saw His authority over all forms of infirmities and His ability to heal.
They heard Him say to leave your old life behind, don’t rely on what you used to know and do but follow Him first and only.
So, here comes the pop-quiz. Where should you test a bunch of fishermen? How about, on a boat?!?
How should the test be conducted? How about a storm? Something along the lines of, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat…” (see Matthew 7:25) What, oh what, would a wise man do???
What did they do? Pray or panic? They panicked. Oh, you of little faith. C- grade at best! (get it? “below “c” level”…sorry, bad storm on the sea pun!)
I don’t mean to be hard on the apostles. How often do we do the same thing? How often do I? I hear the words, I understand them and I want to apply them, but when storms come up, I go blank, I rely on myself, I show my “little faith.”
But, like the apostles, Jesus saves me. And, let’s be clear, this must have been a major storm… these were guys who made their living on the water… they knew a deadly storm. But, Jesus tells us we don’t need to fear even the deadly storms.
We don’t even need to fear the demon possessed.
I thought it interesting that the demons are aware of their ultimate outcome. “Did you come to torture us before the appointed time?” They know what is ahead. They know who is in control and who is the judge, the administrator of justice.
But how often do we fail the test, too? Do we put worry about livelihood over faith in eternal life? Do we put profit concerns over prophecy fulfilled. What is eternal life and salvation worth? 2000 pigs? I would hope so.
Finally, when we are called to follow Jesus, we are also appointed a place for that calling. The demon possessed man wanted to get out of town. He wanted to start anew. But Jesus had a special mission field for him and it was in his own backyard. This may have been the hardest mission field imaginable – but he obeyed. What an amazing transformation. From living in the tombs of the dead to being the one inviting others to eternal life!
My Answers:
12.
a.
Jesus was sleeping, he got up and rebuked the storm
b.
Authority over nature
c.
They had heard Him call Himself Lord, they had seen others put their faith in Him – would he then die in a storm? Did they trust the power of the storm over the power of God
d.
Heart issues – Ezek 36:26
13.
a.
lived in the tombs – so violent that no one could pass that way
b.
The demons identified Jesus for whom He is, the Son of God. They identified that there was an appointed time at which the demons would be tortured
c.
Asked to come with Jesus but Jeses did not let him and told him to stay and witness
d.
To leave – they loved their livelihood more than their lives. Swines over Salvation. Profit over Prophecy Fulfilled.
e.
“keep faith under wraps – it may offend someone and lose a sale” We don’t want our faith to interfere with our livelihood
The Notes are Good 