He's In the Midst

He's In the Midst - Luke 24:36

Sunday, January 20, 2019

12:37 AM

As I was thinking and meditating about the message for this morning I was drawn to this passage. Here we find an interesting transitional time between the crucifixion and the knowledge of the resurrection. The rumors have been flying, the women have been to the tomb it was empty, Mary saw Jesus and told them about it, the two from Emmaus came running back saying they saw Jesus.

My heart and mind was drawn especially to that word used in the KJV "midst". While they were talking the Word says, "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them."

Now this word is very interesting. In the Greek it can refer to time or place.

Jesus was in their midst in place - he stood "among" them as other version say. This is so true - I'm glad for Jesus being there among them.

God has often shown Himself in the "MIDST" of things -

At least 12 times Moses in the "Book of Remembering" Deuteronomy reminds the people that "The LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire"

He also reminded them in Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. God was in the midst with Moses out on the back side of the wilderness - no doubt alone, scared, running for his life Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. (Exod. 3:2 KJV)God was with the Camp of Israel when they went to pass over the Jordan river Joshua 4:5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: (Jos. 4:5 KJV)Got any mountains you think are imossible? Got any rivers you can't tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible! He can do what no other power can do.

But Jesus was also in their midst in time - This Greek word

μέσος

Transliteration: mesos

Is the same word used in

Matthew 25:6 (KJV)

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Jesus certainly came to the disciples in one of their midnights - Have you ever had a midnight?

I have - Dottie Rambo must have too when she wrote, "It's dark as a dungeon and the sun seldom shines and I question Lord why must this be…?"

There are lots of midnights or dark times in the Bible -

He is in the midst of our troubles -

KJV Psalm 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. (Ps. 138:7 KJV) Daniel reminds us five times that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could be, would be, and are cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. I don't think those words are just for effect. It was instant death - in fact it cost the lives of the men who through those three Hebrew children into the furnace. What I love is that verse 23 of Daniel chapter 3 simply states - "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into th emidst of the burning fiery furnace" The very next verse after he told them to forget about those who died by the heat of the furnace- look in there I though we only cast three men bound into the midst of the fire - Verse 25 is what is so powerful - "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the MIDST of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the fourth is like the Son of God. 1 Peter 4:12-13 (KJV)

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Now just because you are sent into the furnace it doesn't necessarily mean that you will come out unscathed like these men did - I read a story recently of some of the current increasing crackdown in China of the underground church.

We have reports that another 60 members (in addition to the 100+) of the underground Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, were arrested in the recent raid of the Protestant congregation and the intensifying and widespread crackdown on the church in China.

This time, the arrests took place at a riverside park where congregation members met for worship when they were banned from their church building. Reportedly, they were arrested and taken away during the gathering. Several other Christians who met at a separate location in the field of a nearby university were also taken by police.

A church member not wanting to be identified told BBC News that the lock on the church was broken, some of the churchgoers’ homes were ransacked, and a number of believers were “under house arrest or are followed all the time.” The church building is being guarded by police and plain-clothes officers, not allowing anyone to enter, the church member added.

Police have reportedly been attempting to force churchgoers to pledge to leave the church.

Throughout the widely publicized raid, deep statements of faith and conviction have emerged from both arrested Pastor Wang Yi (he wrote an open letter urging Christians to stand against persecution from the Chinese regime) and members who continue to post on social media. A recent prayer on Early Rain’s Facebook page reads:

“Lord, today we worship you in police cars. We worship you in police stations. We worship you in detention centers. We worship you in prisons. And we worship you in homes. We have no other goal except to worship you alone. We ride in buses heading to police stations as though riding down the road to Zion. For you tell us, Lord, that you are seeking worshipers who worship you in spirit and in truth.

“May you be pleased with our worship. We have nothing to offer you but our hearts. We offer them up sincerely to you now.

“Wherever I am, whatever I meet, I will follow your will forever.”

No matter what you are going through when God is in the middle of it with you

He is in the middle of your struggle; He is in the middle of your situation; He is in the middle of your storm.

From <https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/he-s-in-the-middle-of-it-dean-morgan-sermon-on-faith-general-208842?page=2&wc=800>

From <https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/he-s-in-the-middle-of-it-dean-morgan-sermon-on-faith-general-208842>

Mark Bishop wrote several years ago:

He’s in the midst of our storm

He’s in the valley we walk through

Where two or three are gathered in his name, He’ll be there too

When you feel so all alone

He is standing next to you.

He’s with us now, our Lord, He’s in the midst.

From <https://markbishopmusic.com/2016/03/09/lyrics-a-legacy-of-hits/>