Subscription Lists
Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
In Luke 4:31, having been rejected in Nazareth, Jesus Christ has arrived in Capernaum, by the Lake of Galilee and on the Sabbath day Jesus is again teaching. Teach means ‘to point out’ or ‘indicate’. Those who heard him were amazed at his authority.
There is a note of reality here. His Message rang true. It wasn’t just words, but there was power behind the words which His hearers could not explain. Jesus imparted Life – and his teaching was meaningful and relevant. He gripped them and held their attention. His words must have been like earthquakes in people's minds. They had never heard anything like this, and of course, they had never met anyone like Jesus.
People need to hear and meet the real Jesus. I am convinced that many would like to, but so often the Church has hidden and occluded the reality of Christ the Saviour and Lord.
v 33In the service - in the religious place – a man with an evil spirit cried out. All kinds of very needy people come to services.
“Have you come to destroy us?” He interrupts, and draws attention to himself. The devil knows who Jesus is. “Be quiet. Hold your tongue. Shut up!” Demonised people need this said to them. “Come out of him!” Quite a scene follows. Jesus could be sensitive and stern - tender and tough - caring and courageous. How long had he been going to these services without getting help? Jesus exposed what had been hidden. Light showed up darkness! The authoritative commanding word had been released.
Verse 36. They began to speak among themselves. Sound familiar?! When God begins to move and work, it set tongues wagging.
Verse 38. Jesus walked the 100 yards to the home of Simon Peter, where his mother-in-law has a raging fever. Peter was a married man. Those in Rome need to recognize that and seek to follow that pattern.
They ASK for help. We see that time and time again. People ask for help. Jesus never went running around healing all the sick, and ministering indiscriminately to every need, but when invited, HE responded. She is healed and cured - toSERVE. Now there’s an important lesson.
This is all happening on the Sabbath Day. Sun is setting. At the end of the Sabbath, people were now free to travel. Can you imagine that scene as the suffering, sick, ill, paralysed, pained and tormented folk are brought for healing and Jesus healed them ALL.
v 41Jesus would not allow them to speak, even though what they were saying was true.
People can say the right things without the Spirit of God, and say all the right things for the wrong reasons. Jesus is firm when confronted with evil.
Jesus needs a break. The physical man is drained and exhausted, but people seek Him out. They want Him to stay with them, but He has to minister in other places too! That is the Father’s Will. His ministry must reach a wider circle. Jesus would not do what HE wanted to do - nor what the people wanted - but what God the Father wanted. Jesus was a Father-pleaser.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Word from Scotland" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.