By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:31-32 (NLT)
Excuses
Why didn’t the priest or the Levite stop to help the man? Some have conjectured they were concerned about defilement. A Jew would become “unclean” if he came into contact with a dead body. This would render him unable to worship. The man on the road may have appeared dead, so they did not want to risk defilement if there was nothing they could do. Or they had likely been serving God at the temple all week and were anxious to get home. They had places to go and people to see. Whatever the reason, they decided to bypass an opportunity to show love to a needy neighbor.
In the late 90’s, I was a young believer attending college at Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. I would ride the Marta train into the Five Points station and take a 5–10-minute walk to class. One morning, I encountered a man on the sidewalk who was asking those who walked by for money for food. I could have kept walking because I needed to get to class on time. Besides, what money did I have to spare? I was just a college student. Instead of making excuses, the Spirit tugged on my heart to stop. I asked the man to follow me to the KFC restaurant down the street. I bought his meal and presented him with the food. I don’t remember much from this encounter, but I know he was appreciative. I learned that day that when I remove excuses from my heart, there is more room for love for my neighbors. It’s easy to make excuses. It takes work to love our neighbor. Let’s stop making excuses, get our hands dirty and love the way Jesus loved us.
Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton. He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.
By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:31-32 (NLT)
Expectations
There are two shockers in this story. One is that the hated Samaritan cared enough to aid the hurt Jewish man on the side of the road. The second is that the Priests and Levites (Temple assistants) didn’t stop to help their countryman. Let’s focus on the latter today. A little background about these guys will help explain what I mean.
Priests and Levites had to have come from the tribe of Levi. The priests had to be not only Levites but also in the line of Aaron, Israel’s first high priest (Exodus 28:1–3). Priests and Levites had different jobs in and around the temple. Priests were authorized to perform the sacrifices. Levites were set apart to help the priests. They did the work of elders, servants, custodians, assistants, musicians, movers, and repairmen. Priests and Levites were supported by Israel’s tithes and by revenues from certain cities that had been given to them. Worship in the temple could not have taken place without the combined efforts of the priests and Levites. The bottom line is that they did significant work for the Lord.
The Old Testament law demanded that Jews do good deeds and care for those who were hurt. Jesus’ story highlights the shortcomings of the priest and the Levite because they were especially required to provide care. That they didn’t stop to help was jaw-dropping to those who heard this account.
As we think about those living around us who are skeptical about God, faith, and Christianity, they expect us to say one thing but live another. God, however, expects those who carry His name to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our hurting “neighbors.” Let’s live up to God’s expectations and not those of the skeptical world around us. Let’s give them a reason to believe there is a loving God who cares about them.
Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton. He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
SEIZE THE MOMENT
Last week I spent some time sitting in a hospital room with a loved one. One morning a hospital worker came in and we started talking. It was not about anything consequential, just filling the quietness of the moment. When she finished working, she said, “You look like a lady who will give me her opinion!” I chuckled and said, ‘You’re not wrong. What is going on?” We had not met before, so I was surprised when she began to tell me about a relationship she was in with a married man. She admitted it was wrong and that she knew God had someone for her. I just listened and waited for her to ask me a question. She finished her story and just stopped talking. There was no question, just quietness in the room. We locked eyes with gentle smiles on our faces and I said, “Jesus loves you and you do not need to settle for anything less than His best for you. You know this relationship is not it. Don’t settle.” She thanked me, we said our goodbyes and that was it. Not a moment I planned, certainly not one I expected and yet God knew it would happen. I am so grateful that I did not ignore her while she worked, and that God used me to encourage and challenge her.
As we have studied the story of Zacchaeus this week, I have often wondered why this particular moment was left for us in the Bible. It is not a parable Jesus is telling, but a real-life encounter between Him and Zacchaeus. Perhaps it is because Jesus knew what lay ahead for Him. Reading further in the book of Luke, we soon find Jesus entering Jerusalem with only a few days left of His earthly ministry as the Son of Man. He will be betrayed, arrested, and crucified. And yet, while in route to His destination, He calls down a notorious sinner, ignores the rumbling of the crowds and offers him salvation. One more person who will be with Him in heaven for eternity.
“You didn’t want heaven without us” is a line in my favorite worship song, “What A Beautiful Name.” This was true for Zacchaeus, and it is still true today. My prayer is that we will ask God to give us such a strong burden for the lost that we will do whatever it takes to not be in heaven without them and seize the moment to share the gospel.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
COME AS YOU ARE
I grew up in a small town, where we lived on about five acres of land surrounded by family. We lived in between my grandparents and an aunt and uncle, with their children on the other side. I spent my summers playing with my siblings and cousins, running in and out of each other’s homes. If we were hungry, we ate in whoever’s house we were in at the time. It was a very serene, communal way of life. Fast forward 35 years, and I live in a subdivision with neighbors on each side that I barely know. We would never consider going in and out of each other’s houses unannounced. Certainly, if anyone does ask to drop by, we frantically start cleaning and hiding things in closets!
During the time of Zacchaeus’ story, life was lived more like my childhood. Families lived in community, sharing the workloads, meals and caring for one another. In this week’s story Jesus tells Zacchaeus to come down from the tree so He can be a guest in his house. Zacchaeus immediately responds with excitement and joy! He is not concerned with what his home looks like, what mess they might find or what they would eat. The man Zacchaeus desperately wanted to see, is now coming home with him!
This encounter with Jesus changes Zacchaeus. Not only does he welcome Him into his home, but he instantly gives half of his wealth to the poor and offers to repay four times back to anyone he has cheated. Jesus doesn’t ask Zacchaeus to do this, but once he meets Jesus, his heart is moved to do the right thing. Remember, Zacchaeus was called a notorious sinner, the chief tax collector, able to take whatever he wants. The people are grumbling that Jesus would go to his house and yet Jesus says, ‘salvation has come to this home today.” Jesus has shown him what love and forgiveness looks like.
Too often we can think we need to change, to be cleaned up before we can come home to Jesus. The truth is there is no perfecting of our lives that makes Jesus love us more or makes us worthy to come to Him. Romans 3:22-24 teaches us, “The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Today if you have not accepted God’s grace and gift of salvation, I pray that you would stop and ask Him to come into your heart and be your Savior. For those of us who do know Jesus, may we bold to share God’s love and grace with those around us who need it.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
JESUS WAS INTENTIONAL
I am a visual learner, and for whatever reason, I have always pictured this scene as a dusty dirt path with a single tree, standing all alone beside the road. These thoughts were probably stirred up by the children’s song we talked about earlier this week! However, a quick internet search showed that Jericho is actually known as “the city of Palm Trees,” bordered with lush vegetation and natural springs. It is probably more accurate to picture Zacchaeus in a sycamore tree on a dirt path running through a small forest like setting.
It may seem insignificant at first, but let’s take a closer look at verse 5. It says, “when Jesus reached the spot, he looked up.” That is a very specific detail, given that we know there is a crowd following Him. The verse continues, “and (Jesus) said to him, Zacchaeus, come down immediately.” We know they have not met before, but Jesus calls him by name. It reminds me of a football game where a player scores a touchdown and gives the ball to a child in the end zone. The kids’ faces are always so shocked and excited. Being singled out among thousands of fans for a great souvenir – what a thrill! Zacchaeus probably felt that same way when he realized Jesus knew him. He was there to see the man he had heard about. Jesus was there to change his life. Amid the noise, the crowds and the trees, Jesus intentionally stops at the very spot Zacchaeus was located and gets personal.
The busyness and loudness of our lives can rob us of these personal moments with Christ if we let them. We must be intentional in pursuing a relationship with Jesus. Spending time with Him, asking Him to lead us as we seek to do whatever it takes. Our obedience to follow through, will depend greatly on our connection to Christ. Do we truly know Him? Are we committed to seeking Him daily? Do we have a “spot” that we meet with Christ, pray and study His Word? There is nothing more important and nothing that equips us more for this life than to be with Jesus.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF GOD IN THE FLESH
I am vertically challenged, or short, as some would say. I stand just a bit over 5 foot 3 inches, and in a crowd, I typically can’t see anyone or anything not right in front of me. Scripture tells us that Zacchaeus dealt with height issues as well, and in verse 4 that he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. Jesus was headed his way and he wanted to see who Jesus was. While I have not climbed any trees lately, I have stood on my chair or moved to higher ground to catch a glimpse of someone before. The curiosity to see what they look like, what is going on or what is being said can drive us to do whatever it takes.
What would make Zacchaeus so curious to see who Jesus was? He is a rich man – no doubt powerful, and yet he climbs a tree! Perhaps, he heard the stories of Jesus teaching and healing as He was making His way to Jerusalem. Luke 18:25-43 tells us that Jesus heals a blind man sitting by the road just as He enters Jericho, right where we find Zacchaeus in Luke 19. The blind man literally cannot see Jesus but is told Jesus is passing by. So, he begins to yell, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The crowds in front of him tell him to be quiet, but the blind man is persistent and keeps yelling. As Jesus gets close to him, He asks him what He can do for him. The man says, “Lord, I want to see.” Jesus replies, “Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.” Instantly the man could see and began to follow Jesus, glorifying God.
This is another moment where we see Jesus seeking out the lost, coming for those who need Him. In her book Rediscovering Israel, Kristi McLelland says, “From beginning to end, the biblical narrative communicates that God is coming for us!” In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God hovers over the waters and later we find God dwelling in the Tabernacle among His people in the desert. In the New Testament, God comes in flesh as Jesus and lives among us. Then in Acts, He sends the Holy Spirit to live within us. Finally, at His return, Christ will gather His bride and live with us forever. No moment exists in all creation where God does not pursue His people. It is who He is.
Today, as we pray and consider “whatever it takes,” ask God to give you the boldness to seek out those who are lost. Today may be the first time someone sees Jesus through you.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!” 9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:1-10 (NLT)
EL ROI: THE GOD WHO SEES
If you grew up in church, you may have learned a song that told the story of Zacchaeus. It went like this:
Zacchaeus was a wee, little man, And a wee, little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tree, For the Lord he wanted to see.
And as the Savior came that way, He looked up in the tree,
And he said, “Zacchaeus, you come down from that tree,”
For I’m going to your house today. For I’m going to your house today.
Zacchaeus was a wee little man But a happy man was he For he had seen the Lord that day And a happy man was he; And a very happy man was he.
Although it is a great way to learn the story of Zacchaeus, it leaves out some key points about who Zacchaeus was. Luke 19:2 tells us that he was a chief tax collector and was rich. In those days, the tax collectors worked for the Roman government and collected the taxes demanded, but they were also allowed to collect what they wanted for themselves. As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus would also get part of what other tax collectors had gathered. This structure set the stage for tax collectors to be immoral and highly disliked by the people. Zacchaeus was no exception, as verse 7 says the people called him a “notorious sinner.”
The story also tells us that Jesus sees Zacchaeus. He calls him by name – the notorious sinner, in a tree, separated from the crowd watching Him, as He travels through Jericho. From the very beginning, scripture reveals God as a seeker. After Adam and Eve sin, we see God calling out to Adam in Genesis 3:9, “Where are you?” Their sin is not deterring God from seeking them out. Later, in Genesis 16, we find Hagar running away from Abraham and Sarah, hiding in the wilderness, pregnant with Ishmael. An angel of the Lord finds her, and after that encounter she says, “You are the God who sees me.” (Genesis 3:13)
Jesus declares at the end of Zacchaeus’ story that He came to “seek and save the lost.” It takes intention to seek out those who don’t look like us, who don’t live or believe the way we do. It is much easier to gather and be around people that we know, that are like us, those we are comfortable with. Today, let’s ask God to show us who we need to seek out. Who needs to see a glimpse of Jesus through us? Ask God to open your eyes as you go about your day for the one person you can share His love with.
Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.
2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:1-12 (ESV)
WHATEVER IT TAKES
As we bring this week to a close… Let me ask you, who are you in the story? There are four people we can consider (excluding Jesus); the scribes, the homeowner, the friends, and the paralyzed man.
The Scribes. They loved to follow all the rules of religion. They loved to keep a close eye to make sure everyone stayed in line. They loved to question others’ actions and intentions. They were in the wrong here, but most likely it started from a place of love and concern. They wanted to keep the Law as perfectly as possible out of their love for God and they wanted others to do the same.
In our lives it is easy to fall into this same category. We have seen how good the Lord is and we want others to experience that, but there is a fine line between loving submission and legalistic obedience. If you have found yourself in this place recently, ask God to soften your heart to him, his word, and his working around you.
The Homeowner. Though they are not mentioned in the story, somebody owned this home. Whether they were in the room watching the scene play out or out of the house for ten minutes for a quick Publix run, their house was ruined. Was this a hot season and the sun was beating down through the gaping hole? Was rain on the horizon? We don’t know how they reacted, but there had to be some type of reaction.
This is the same for our lives. If the Lord is moving around us, we can control how we react. Are we filled with awe with what God has done, or filled with anger due to inconvenience? As NorthStar enters a new season, how will you react when confronted with inconvenience? Begin praying today that you will see the inconveniences as tangible evidence for the Lord moving.
The Friends. It’s interesting, we assume that these men are friends with the paralytic, but the text just calls them men. Imagine how burdened they must have been for this man to be willing to do all these things. They believed in the power of Jesus that much! Jesus even says so himself.
The real question we must wrestle with is do we have this much faith? Do you believe that Jesus can do for your friends, family members, and co-workers the same that he can do for the paralytic? I pray that these characters are where you find yourself today. If so, would you begin to create a prayer list for those around you who don’t know Jesus, and as you do, pray that God would do a miracle in their life in forgiving their sins?
The Paralyzed Man. We come to the final person in this story: the man who reaped all the benefits. He had very little to offer in this story. He didn’t bring himself to Jesus, the men did. His faith didn’t heal him, theirs did. We don’t even have any of his words recorded. All we see is his obedience to Jesus.
Friends, this is us. Before Christ, we were paralyzed by our sin without hope. Luckily, Jesus came so that we could be healed spiritually and all we must do is get up and walk. If you have trusted in Jesus before, remember this was you and that outside of the good news of Jesus you would still be there. If you have not trusted in Jesus before, today you choose to get up and walk. Follow the man who can do what we could not do: take our spiritual death and in turn give us spiritual life.
Honestly, we can go through different seasons as different characters, but we should always be reminded that we once were the paralyzed man. And because of that we should be the friends who are willing to do Whatever It Takes to get others to Jesus.
Sellers Hickman serves as College Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their one year old, Emery. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.
9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Mark 2:9-12 (ESV)
JESUS DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE – AGAIN!
In 2015 the world was taken by storm with the biggest question of the decade. Is the viral photo of the dress black and blue, or white and gold? You know you sat around the dinner table, turning the brightness up and down on your phone, debating your loved ones. It was incredibly controversial! What’s funny about the debate is that there was an actual answer. The photo was deceiving, but the dress was in reality black and blue (personally, I still see white and gold).
Knowing the hard-heartedness of the scribes, Jesus asked a controversial question in Mark 3. Which is easier, forgiving a man’s sins or making a paralyzed man walk? The scribes had already made their answer clear in verse 7. Only God can forgive sins. They most likely had seen other miracles, magic tricks, or faith healers in that day do some incredible things. Think back to Exodus. God is causing these ten plagues and using Moses to tell Pharaoh what was going to happen. Twice, magicians of that day were able to copy God to discredit Moses.
These scribes knew the harder option was to forgive the man’s sins. Jesus knew this too, but how can you prove somebody’s sins have been forgiven? Jesus tells them that he is going to heal the man so they can know that his sins have also been forgiven.
Immediately the paralyzed man gets up and walks out of the house. The text doesn’t necessarily say this, but I picture this paralyzed man dancing out of the room like the old man in the Six Flags commercials. Jesus was able to heal both the man physically and spiritually.
Isn’t it crazy that we can sometimes doubt God’s ability to work in our own lives? We read passages like this and get so excited watching the scene play out in our head, but then when difficulties in our lives come, we fold quickly. Friends, if Jesus has done the hardest task in forgiving your sin, he can also heal any mess that you are in. That does not mean that he will get rid of all of your problems, and you will live a pain-free life. If God cares for your biggest problem (sin) then he also cares for the difficulties you face in life.
What is the life circumstance that you are struggling to give to Jesus? Maybe it’s a past mistake that the shame of it still haunts you daily. Maybe it’s a current circumstance physically, relationally, or financially. I’m not sure what it is for you today, but God knows. He wants to see you through it, but only if you’ll freely give it to him. Jesus was willing to do Whatever It Takes for you to live in this freedom, so let’s walk in it!
Take a minute and pray to God, surrendering your circumstance. Allow him to work in that area of your life today! Doing that won’t absolve you of all responsibility, but it will free you to take steps toward what God has for you.
Sellers Hickman serves as College Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their one year old, Emery. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?
Mark 2:6-8 (ESV)
CYNICISM HARDENS HEARTS
Have you ever given your all to something, just for others to not approve? Maybe it was the group project in high school or the home renovation during lockdown. You put in hard work, sweat, tears, money… all for somebody to critique your work. It can be a dejecting feeling.
In this story the friends worked so hard to get this man to Jesus. Climbing the roof, tying rope to a stretcher, lifting him up, tearing off sticks, clay and straw, lowering him down (probably on top of other people), all for the scribes and religious leaders to question what Jesus had done. They had faith that Jesus could heal this man, but Jesus did the harder thing and forgave his sins.
This made the scribes angry and Jesus (being omniscient) knew that in their hearts they were questioning him… so he called them out. They accused Jesus of blasphemy. They saw the faith of others, but instead of encouraging them in their own belief, they questioned Jesus and his intentions.
It’s easy to read a story like this and want to assume the friend role. You may think “I’m willing to do Whatever It Takes to get my friends to Jesus,” but unfortunately most of us play the role of the scribes. When our family member who seems “too far gone” begins to trust in Jesus, do we cheer them on or call them out? When we know our co-worker had a crazy weekend making bad choices, but raises their hand or comes down front on a Sunday, do we see their past sin, or do we see the power of the Savior?
Today we are marked by cynicism. The world has made us hard. We choose to blame it on our personalities, our wiring, our enneagram number, or so many other things. I wonder if the biggest miracle that day didn’t happen. For Jesus, giving a man the ability to walk was easy. Forgiving the sins of a heart that was ready to receive God’s grace was easy. I wonder if the biggest miracle was missed that day: breaking through the cynical, hardened hearts of the scribes.
For you today, will you ask God to soften your heart? Whether it’s to the relationships around you, the circumstances you’re going through, or the way you view God himself… we need soft hearts to hear clearly from God.
Sellers Hickman serves as College Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their one year old, Emery. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.
Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton. He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.
