FIRSTLY, IN A LITERALLY MANNER: THAT IS, USED FOR EMPHASIS OR TO EXPRESS STRONG FEELING WHILE NOT BEING LITERALLY TRUE.
SECONDLY, IN A HUMANLY MANNER: THAT IS, FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, IN A HUMANLY MANNER, BY HUMAN MEANS; WITHIN ABILITY; WITH HUMAN FEELING OR KINDNESS.
THIRDLY, IN A SPIRITUALLY MANNER: THAT IS, IN A WAY THAT RELATES TO OR AFFECTS THE HUMAN SPIRIT OR, SOUL AS OPPOSED TO MATERIAL OR PHYSICAL THINGS.
FINALLY, IN AN UNSPIRITUAL MANNER: THAT IS, NOT SPIRITUAL. BUT SECULAR AND WORLDLY.
EACH ONE OF US, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN GIVEN HIS OWN SHARE OF GRACE, GIVEN AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ALLOTTED IT. IT WAS SAID THAT HE WOULD:
WHEN HE ASCENDED TO THE HEIGHT, HE CAPTURED PRISONERS,
HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.
WHEN IT SAYS, 'HE ASCENDED,' WHAT CAN IT MEAN IF NOT THAT HE DESCENDED RIGHT DOWN TO THE LOWER REGIONS OF THE EARTH? THE ONE WHO ROSE HIGHER THAN ALL THE HEAVENS TO FILL ALL THINGS IS NONE OTHER THAN THE ONE WHO DESCENDED.
AND TO SOME, HIS GIFT WAS THAT THEY SHOULD BE APOSTLES; TO SOME, PROPHETS; TO SOME, EVANGELISTS; TO SOME, PASTORS AND TEACHERS; SO THAT THE SAINTS TOGETHER MAKE A UNITY IN THE WORK OF SERVICE, BUILDING UP THE BODY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
IN THIS WAY WE ARE ALL TO COME TO UNITY IN OUR FAITH AND IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF GOD, UNTIL WE BECOME THE PERFECT MAN, FULLY MATURE WITH THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST HIMSELF.
THEN WE SHALL NOT BE CHILDREN ANY LONGER, OR TOSSED ONE WAY AND ANOTHER AND CARRIED ALONG BY EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, AT THE MERCY OF ALL THE TRICKS MEN PLAY AND THEY CLEVERNESS IN PRACTISING DECEIT.
IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE. - EPHESIANS 4:7-16 -
The Lord Jesus Christ, promised to us that our mission on this earth is really and utmost important for our own salvation.
'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'
Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He is like a man who when he built his house dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built.
But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!' - Luke 6:46-49 -
The true kinsmen of Jesus [ Luke has taken this passage out of its context in Mark 3:31-35 to serve as a conclusion to this small section on the parables, hence he modifies verse 21 (cf. Mark 3:35) to match verse 15.]
His mother and his brothers came looking for him, they could not get to him because of the crowd. Jesus was told, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.' But Jesus said in answer, 'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.'
The calming of the storm
One day, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.' So they put to sea, and as they sailed he fall asleep. When a squall came down on the lake the boat started taking in water and they found themselves in danger. So they went to rouse Jesus saying, 'Master! Master! We are going down!' Then Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind and the rough water; and they subsided and it was calm again. Jesus said to them, 'Where is your faith?' They were awestruck and astonished and said to one another, 'Who can this be, that gives orders even to winds and waves and they obey him?' - Luke 8:19-25 -
The Gerasene demoniac
They came to land in the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. Jesus was stepping ashore when a man from the town who was possessed by devils came towards him; for a long time the man had worn no clothes, nor did he live in a house, but in the tombs.
Catching sight of Jesus he gave a shout, fell and cried out at the top of his voice, 'What to you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I implore you, do not torture me.' - For Jesus had been telling the unclean spirit to come out of the man. It was a devil that had seized on him a great many times, and then they used to secure him with chains and fetters to restrain him, but he would always break the fastenings, and the devil would drive him out into the wilds. 'What is your name?' jesus asked. 'Legion' he said - because many devils had gone into him. And these pleaded with him not to order them to depart into the Abyss. [ In a place of Mark's 'send them out of the district.' -Mark 5:10 - The demons beseech Jesus not to send them back to the depths of the earth, their usual dwelling place and ultimate home. - Revelation 9:1,2,11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3 -]
Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding there on the mountain, and the devils pleaded with Jesus to let them go into these. So Jesus gave them leave. The devils came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd charged down the cliff into the lake and were drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened they ran off and told their story in the town and in the country round about; and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus they found the man from whom the devils had gone out sitting at the feet of Jesus, [ As a disciple sits, 8:38; cf.10:39; Acts 22:3. Luke alone adds this detail.] clothed and in full senses; and they were afraid. Those who had witnessed it told them how the man who had possessed came to be healed. The entire population of the Gerasene territory was in a state of panic and asked Jesus to leave them. So he got into the boat and went back.
The man from whom the devils had gone out asked to be allowed to stay with Jesus, but he sent him away. 'Go back home,' Jesus said 'and report all that God has done for you.' So the man went off and spread throughout the town all that Jesus had done for him. - Luke 8:26-39 -
Cure of the woman with a haemorrhage. Jairus' daughter raised to life
On his return Jesus was welcomed by the crowd, for they were all there waiting for him. And now there came a man named Jairus, who was an official of the synagogue. He felt at Jesus' feet and pleaded with him to come to his house, because he had an only daughter about twelve years old, who was dying. And the crowds were almost stifling Jesus as he went.
Now there was a woman suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, whom no one had been able to cure. [ Var. 'a woman who, having spent all she had on doctors, could be cured by no one.' cf. Mark 5:26 -] She came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his cloak; and the haemorrhage stopped at that instant. Jesus said, 'Who touched me?' When the all denied that they had, Peter and his companions said, 'Master, it is the crowds round you, pushing.' But Jesus said, 'Somebody touched me. I felt that power had gone out from me.'
Seeing herself discovered, the woman came forward trembling, and falling at Jesus feet explained in front of all the people why she had touched Jesus and how she had been cured at that very moment. 'My daughter,' Jesus said 'your faith has restored you to health; go in peace.'
While Jesus was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the synagogue official to say, 'Your daughter has died. Do not trouble the Master any further.' But Jesus had heard this, and he spoke to the man, 'Do not be afraid, only have faith and she will be safe.' When Jesus came to the house he allowed no one to go in with him except Peter and John and James, [ Cf. Mark 5:37+. Here, however, as in 9:28; Acts 1:13, John is named immediately after Peter. This coupling of John with Peter is common to Luke 22:8; Acts 3:1, 3,11; 4:13-19; 8:14, and the fourth gospel, John 13:23-26; 18:15-16; 20:3-9; 21:7,20-23.] and the child's father and mother.
They were all weeping and mourning for her, but Jesus said, 'Stop crying; she is not dead, but asleep.' But they laughed at Jesus, knowing she was dead. But taking her by the hand Jesus called to her, 'Child, get up.' And her spirit returned and she got up at once. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. - Luke 8:40-56 -
The mission of the Twelve
Jesus called the Twelve [ Add. 'apostles.'] together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and Jesus sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Jesus said to them, 'Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.' So they set out and went from village to villages proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere. - Luke 9:1-6 -
Herod and Jesus
Page 16
Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless.
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Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
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Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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