The Answer is Jesus (3)

Happy Sunday! St. Patrick’s day for many around the world.

Two weeks ago we looked at Jesus beginning ministry…beginning his mission. What he came here for.

And we began with Jesus being baptized, giving us a picture of what he was going to be doing…and giving us a picture of what we would be called to do…die to ourselves…so we can be made new. And therein is the context of what Jesus began to do.

He was beginning to make all things new

He was beginning to recreate everything. He was beginning to bring all of us hope.

And he started in the wilderness. Where Adam and Eve needed to go after they sinned…they left God’s perfect presence in the garden in Eden.

Jesus starts his ministry there in the wilderness that came about as an effect of sin…Satan met him there, tempted him, but Jesus held to God’s word and God’s way…to His mission…and didn’t fall.

In reality, he was beginning to crush satan’s head. Just as God said he would in Genesis 3:15.

Last week we began to look at things that Jesus said and did. The guess was, if Jesus’ whole mission was to begin to bring us back…then everything he did and said would be in that context. And we saw that within just a few examples we read…that Jesus’ goal was to let us know that the end was beginning. Recreation was starting. The Kingdom was coming.

And not only those things, but he was showing the way there. Showing the way…which is through him. And it is a sometimes difficult road. Because what we found was that we, as jesus did, we need to walk the road of giving up ourselves…everything about us.

And thinking through that…it just makes sense. In this world…we often think about us. If you look at the 10 commandments…Everyone of them is about giving up thinking about yourself first…acting for yourself first.

It’s almost like Jesus is saying, I know it doesn’t make sense, but if you let me think about you…you won’t need to. In fact…giving up everything to me allows you to be recreated by me fully…like you would have been in the garden…before the fall.

Jesus is telling us…believe this. Believe in Him. That’s he’s here to reverse the power of what sin does in our lives. To even die for that.

What he said pointed us to what was happening and who he was and is. To the truth. The truth about everything.

What he did pointed in the same direction. If you go through the Gospels you’ll find so many things he did. The authors of the gospels wanted us to not only hear what he said but to also see what he did when God…in human for (immanuel -God with us) came to be with us.

And it matches. I think we would all expect him to be doing things differently than most regular humans. What he did would be different. Focused. If what he said was true…it would show up in his actions too.

And that’s what we find.

I started reading through the 4 gospels quickly just to list the things Jesus did. And we see some categories. And most of us, when thinking about what Jesus did, would think about the things we might categorize as miracles.

This was a common theme most everywhere he traveled.

And we see this out of the gate as recorded by our friend Matthew:

Matthew 4:23–25 CSB

23 Now Jesus began to go all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 Then the news about him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And he healed them. 25 Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

We see this over and over…most everyplace that he went…he was doing miracles.

A theologian I began to follow when working on my masters was a guy Craig Evans. He did a ton of work of the words and actions of Jesus.

Here’s what he said about Jesus teachings....and actions…what we’re considering today.

“Jesus healings and exorcisms were an intrinsic part of his proclamation of the kingdom (or rule) of God. The mighty deeds and the proclamation must go together; neither can be understood without the other.” Craig Evans

Ok so think about this on a very different but similar storyline. Many of you are Cleveland sports fans. Guardians, Cavaliers, Browns…and of course please let me remind you we’re only using this as a reference. These are people…humans.

Ok…so if one of these teams goes searching for a star player…they’ll likely interview them, talk to them, here what they have to say.

And I’m assuming many times these athletes will tell of what they know about the game. Their ideas about teamwork. How they feel about being coached or maybe even coached in a different way than before. You want to hear what they know…their knowledge base about the game.

After that you want to know something else too.

Just recently the NFL had their combine. This is where potential players come to show off their …not only their knowledge…but their play too.

Someone can say they’re all that…and they might know a lot about the philosphy of the game. The play of the game. Drawing up plays…they might read offenses and defenses well and talk a good talk about assuming what’s going to happen based on how people are lined up or where they’re going or what might happen next when this batter is facing this particular pitcher.

But it counts when they are the batter. And the pitcher stands there…it counts as to how the player plays…reacts…hits throws bats blocks shoots guards...

His actions on the court or field count don’t they.

Jesus could have said a lot of things. But we as humans, we, I think naturally, try to match actions with words don’t we? We do this without thinking.

We would expect someone who is beginning to talk about this coming Kingdom of God…speaking with authority even…we might expect this person to be different…be…meaning to walk and talk differently. Do things differently than the neighbor down the street.

If the kingdom is coming…let’s see it. If Heaven is coming back to earth through you, let’s see it. Let’s see something.

Now…Jesus just doesn’t do magic shows.

It’s not like there’s a band to the side playing some music and Jesus there preaching and then all of the sudden he disappears and then reapears …not standing there on the big limb in the tree nearby.

I mean that would be cool and all. That would be great! Applause and music…it would be a great show.

What Jesus would need to do is to show us how the words and actions match.

If the Kingdom of Heaven is coming…we would assume we would see some Heaven.

…and so Jesus begins by healing.

And what we read out of Matthew becomes Jesus common approach…teach and announce…proclaim the Kingdom…then show that it is true…and that it is happening through Him.

People are healed. They are beginning to put their faith in Him. That he is who is said he is…that God is with Him…God has sent Him…

And so we see healings…but if you think about what a healing is…it helps us see Jesus fighting back the wilderness…fighting back pushing back the results of sin right?

A body healed might very well give us an idea of a body without the effect of sin…a picture of what was before the fall and what will be when the kingdom is fully here.

Not only do we see healings…but we see something else as well.

This is something you don’t normally hear about on the evening news…exorcisms.

Now…with the presence of evil…a result of mankind’s sin…we might expect the presence of evil spiritual beings. I mean that doesn’t seem far off right?

So …with the entrance of the Kingdom…that is pushing back the wilderness…that is bringing recreation…renewal…we might expect that if someone talked about that we might see some evidence of that.

And what do we see? We see evil begin to be pushed out…evil spirits begin to recognize Jesus and are called out by Him and commanded to leave people.

So we have words and deeds that match. Just what we might expect. Logical. If the kingdom is coming with power…it would be a power that would best the power of this world. That would be more powerful…pushing out disease and pushing out evil.

and…this is what we see.

If your’e taking that challenge, to read through the gospels..the good news…then you’ll see that there is over and over examples of this first one we just read. Over and over and over....miracles.

Jesus at one point when being confronted by the pharisees…John records this in John 10, they make the claim that he is blespheming the name of God by considering himself the son of God.

He makes a plea for them to match up his words and actions…they want to kill him on the spot...

He says this and challenges them in a way...., John 10:37-38

John 10:37–38 CSB

37 If I am not doing my Father’s works, don’t believe me. 38 But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”

What else do we see?

Miracles that we might say impact nature…or the chaos we might see in nature.

We see Jesus walking on water. We talked about this a few weeks ago when focusing on Peter.

Jesus walks…over a mile…on the water to see the guys on the boat...

Whoa! They are like …that’s not normal. And Jesus seems to be showing us something more than just a neat trick. Peter says if its really you tell me to come out of the boat. So Jesus says come…and Peter for a bit walks toward Jesus…but then as Jesus says…his faith weakens and he sinks. But we would include this in with what he’s saying…things are changing.

He’s trying to get us to change our minds…our perspectives…when it comes to normal life. He’s trying to get us to begin thinking through Kingdom minds. Transformed minds…transformed lives.

I don’t know…maybe Adam and Eve were able to both swim in and walk on water and Jesus is just saying…I’m bringing back what you all lost.

The storm on the lake....Luke 8:22-25

Luke 8:22–25 CSB

22 One day he and his disciples got into a boat, and he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they were sailing he fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger. 24 They came and woke him up, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to die!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him!”

They obey him. That kind of matches a “I’m the son of God” title right?

What about the feeding of the 5000 and the 4000....these miracles are nearly back to back...

The crowds that have been listening to Jesus teach for a good part of the day and then…they’re getting hungry. Jesus looks at the disciples and says…hey you all feed these people. They’re like…we don’t have those kind of resources....one of the disciples says…Um…we’ve got this boy’s lunch…the boy is probably like…give me back my lunch. Or he’s offering it to Jesus.

Anyways…Jesus thanks God for the food…and they disciples start passing this small lunch around…and it ends up being enough with baskets left over.

Does this look like someone who is different. Or has something different....maybe has the spirit of God in Him. Does this match Kingdom activity? Hunger to satisfied. At the hand of Jesus.

At one point there was a ruler…it says ruler so I’m guessing either religious leader or a community leader…someone with recognized authority.

Matthew 9:18–26 CSB

18 As he was telling them these things, suddenly one of the leaders came and knelt down before him, saying, “My daughter just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 So Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. 20 Just then, a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years approached from behind and touched the end of his robe, 21 for she said to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I’ll be made well.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Have courage, daughter,” he said. “Your faith has saved you.” And the woman was made well from that moment. 23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house, he saw the flute players and a crowd lamenting loudly. 24 “Leave,” he said, “because the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26 Then news of this spread throughout that whole area.

Wow…now this kind of matches doesn’t it? Death to life at the touch of a hand.

You might be thinking about Lazarus here too. Back to life just after Jesus says Lazarus come out.

If this is the guy saying…I’m bringing the Kingdom marked by chaos, evil, sadness and death…it would be good to show that this Kingdom is coming. And He does, over and over and over and over....

John the baptist was in jail for preaching truth…and while in jail, he sends his disciples to Jesus to verify what’s happening.

Luke 7:21–22 NIV

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.

Jesus is saying the Kingdom is here and moving forward.

His actions are showing a few things:

He is who he said he is - I’m the one you’ve been waiting for. The one from God. I’m the son of God.

I have authority - over all things...

The Kingdom is coming…The wilderness is being pushed back. I am beginning to take care of evil and all it has done.

Other things he did…and we’ll just quickly mention some other things that match what we’re seeing -

He would go at times to “solitary” places to talk with the Father. We might say…for his personal devotion time…I think it was a bit bigger than that. It was his time with the father away from the noise and the crowds.

He would also spend time in the crowds…sometimes going to houses of people who were called “sinners.” He was called out on this and said why would you do this…spending time with tax collectors and prostitutes?

He said..the sick need a doctor. The healthy don’t…but the sick do.

He spent time with people who needed Him and what He was bringing.

There’s an idea here too that we see in all of this. When Jesus came he didn’t come as a God who needed the sacrifice of his people…he came to serve…to give himself.

“other “g”ods of that time would have come and demanded honor and people to bow before them and for people to do everything for them...”

Jesus came to serve. To literally save us. He was bringing the Kingdom…and the way to enter it.

We know a couple of other things he did…we’ll be focusing more on those in a couple of weeks. We might say that they are the culmination of everything he did and said. The cross and empty tomb.

Very quickly …just to bring them into this conversation…we can definitely say though that they match this idea of the