This particular version of Mervin Graber’s message was preached at the Shelby County Mennonite Fellowship in Timpson, Texas, on April 15, 2018. Read it all
In His Gethsemane experience, Jesus left eight of His disciples in one spot in the garden, going with Peter, James, and John to another place. Telling them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death” (Mark 14:34), Jesus left the three there. “Watch with me” (Matthew 26:38), He told them as He went on by Himself to a third location about a stone’s throw away.
Alone, God’s Passover Lamb seemed to alternate between kneeling and lying prostrate on the ground (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35; Luke 22:41). He begged the Father to consider the possibility of avoiding that cup and hour (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35). “Nevertheless,” He said, “not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36).
His disciples slept. The Son of man was left without any man’s support. Three times Jesus prayed and agonized. Each time He went to check on James, John, and Peter, they were sound asleep. He urged them, “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation” (Mark 14:38). To no avail. They just dropped off to sleep again. Read it all
Nazareth — where He should have been received with honor. But they knew Him. And had known Him for a long time. He had grown up among them…and they’d had no idea about Him. Such wisdom and such miracles! But the hindrance of unbelief wreaked havoc among them and within them.
How nice it would have been had they accepted Him as their “favorite son.” But they didn’t — because He was of them and well-known to them. Having grown up with Jesus, perhaps there is the danger that He is somehow too familiar to me to impress me as I ought to be impressed. I hope not!
Notice they didn’t deny His wisdom and miracle-working power. But they did wonder where He got these things. Up until then, through all the years they had known Him, He had never shown such wisdom and power. No wonder they were taken aback and astonished! I expect I would have been too.
And yet, despite acknowledging His obvious wisdom and power, they rejected Him. I would say that response is not particularly unique to them. I think we all have at least somewhat of a tendency to dismiss unexpected wisdom and gifts in someone with whom we are quite familiar, especially if what he says makes us too uncomfortable Read it all
Life has a way of tossing us about, threatening to overwhelm us. We experience conflicts and misunderstandings in some relationships. We find ourselves with obligations we can hardly meet. We can’t seem to rise to our own expectations as well as those of others. We face decisions that confound our ability to discern the right answers. We go through times of defeat and discouragement. We get a traffic ticket, damage a borrowed item, and have a fender bender in the parking lot…all in the same morning. We seem unable to overcome a persistent illness. We lose our job or flunk a course of study or learn our affection has been refused.
You don’t need me to continue in that vein. You already know myriad ways in which the winds and waves of life threaten to swamp our puny little boats. And in it all we can begin to feel as though not a single person cares or understands, not even God.
What assurance do I have that Jesus cares that my life has become so tumultuous? How do you know that He cares when you are nigh to sinking and perishing? Our best answer to these questions lies in His own Word to us. So as the thunder crashes and the waves roll, as the wind blasts our tattered clothes around us and the lightning flashes so close we smell the ozone, let’s strengthen our hearts in His calming presence and love.Read it all
God never lags behind neither does He ever act with ill-advised haste. He always knows what He’s doing and the timing of His doing is absolutely precise and perfect.
At just the right moment, John was put in prison. At just the right moment, Jesus began to preach. The time was fulfilled! The kingdom of God was at hand! After “squandering” most of His earthly life in obscurity away from His mission, the time came for Jesus “get going.” After using a brief portion of his life for his mission, the time came for John to “be gone.” In neither case did God waste life or potential by erring in His timing.
And God has not lost His touch over the years. He still knows what to do and when to do it…even in your life.
Jesus didn’t teach to entertain or impress. Rather, He had this goal: move hearers to repentance and faith. We too must present our message so that it will be heard in the heart, not just in the ears. Read it all