Make Room For Christ, by Repentance 

Luke 3:2-6 “…the word of God came unto John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

                     And he came into all the country about Jordon,  preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

                     As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying,   The voice of one crying in the wilderness,  Prepare ye the way of the Lord,  make his paths straight.

                     Every valley shall be filled,  and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;  and the crooked shall be made straight,  and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 

                     And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Baptism was done to proselytes (Gentiles who wanted to be admitted into the worship of God).   Then they could go into the Temple. (There was a court of the Gentiles)

But here, John the Baptist comes to Israel, God’s chosen people;  and preaches repentance from their sins, as he was told to do.

Prepare yourselves:  for the Lord is coming.  

If you want to be in the kingdom of God, prepare your hearts by repentance, and bring forth fruit in your life that shows that you have repented.

Luke 3:8-9 “Bring forth therefore fruits of repentance,  and begin not to say within yourselves,   We have Abraham to our father:  for I say unto you,  That  God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

                      And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the tree:  every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn (cut) down,  and cast into the fire.”

“Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”     But how?

Luke 3:10-11 “And the people asked him,  saying,  What shall we do then?

                         He answereth and saith unto them,   He that hath two coats,  let him impart to him that hath none;  and he that hath meat,  let him do likewise.”

These were simple things which were written in the Law.  But the poor state of most of the people,  had caused them to think only of themselves.  

Luke 3:12-13 “Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him,   Master,  what shall we do?

                        And he said unto them,  Exact no more then that which is appointed you.”

Publicans were tax collectors, and were most often cheats.  They demanded extra taxes to be paid, and kept the extra.   The people could not say anything about it, for they were usually accompanied by Roman soldiers.

Luke 3:14 “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him,  saying,  And what shall we do?     And he said unto them,   Do violence to no man,  neither accuse any falsely;  and be content with your wages.”

Again, these would have been things which were written in the Law.  Things which they should have already been doing.

But everyone had stopped paying any attention to God’s Word:  going, instead, after their own way, or the way of the times (everyone else is doing it, so I can too.).

The valleys to be filled, were those who had given up: depressed, despondent; they were to be given joy in the Lord.

The mountains and hills to be “brought low”,  were the proud and rich, with the attitude of piling up riches, to gain power or influence.   Not caring about their responsibility in caring for their brethren.   They were to come to a new understanding about mercy. (Matthew 9:11-13)

The crooked were the flagrant sinners;  those who everyone knew to be sinners.

They were to be saved and “sin no more”. (John 8:11)

The rough ways were the practices of the scribes and Pharisees, which instructed the people in the traditions;  yet did not practice them, themselves.

All needed repentance.  To change their hearts and lives.  To live according to the Word they had already received.   To make room for Christ.

Isaiah said, “…make straight in the desert a highway for our God….And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh see it together ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

A highway is a road built up;  set up above the ground around.  It is a road that all can see, for it is higher then the fields and streams.

John the Baptist came building up a way that all could see and follow.

It would be straight;  and all who would repent and come,  could walk in it.

Isaiah 35:8 “And a highway shall be there,  and a way,  and it shall be called the way of holiness;   the unclean shall not pass over it;    but it shall be for those:  the wayfaring men, though fools,  shall not err therein.”

“Wayfaring men” are those whose whole lives are moving from one thing to another.   Yet even though they are just passing by,  they will know God’s Will for them.

John the Baptist came preaching and baptizing all who wanted to have the reality of true worship of the Lord.

The people who knew they were not right, and wanted to be.  Maybe they were called the “down-and-out”.  

Maybe they were so far from God, they thought they would never be able to come back.

But John preached to all:  and whosoever will, may come.

Then Jesus came.   

“And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John 1:29 “The next day John seeing Jesus coming unto him,  and saith,  Behold the Lamb of God,  which taketh away the sin of the world!”

Matthew 3:16-17 “And Jesus,  when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:  and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him,  and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove,  and lightening upon Him:

                                And lo a voice from heaven,  saying,  This is My beloved Son,  in whom I am well pleased.”

He was the Son of God, having come to take away the sins of the world.

And the message to all His disciples was:

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

                                   Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you alway,  even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

May I ask you:  what will we do with His Word?

The  Centurion’s Faith

Matthew 8:5-7 “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion,  beseeching  him.

                            And saying,  Lord,  my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy,  grievously tormented.   

                            And Jesus saith unto him,  I will come and heal him.”

(In Luke, it says that he sent the elders of the city,  and then friends, which represented him to Jesus. Luke 7:1-10. He thought himself unworthy of the Lord coming to his house, for he was a gentile.       This representation was, as if he came himself)

Jesus has said he would come and heal the centurion’s servant.

And this draws a statement of faith from him,  which marveled, or pleased the Lord a lot.   So much so;  that He speaks of it to the crowd.

Matthew 8:8-10 “The centurion answered and said,   Lord,  I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:  but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

                              For I am a man under authority,  having soldiers under me:  and I say unto this man,  Go,  and he goeth;  and to another,  Come, and he cometh;  and to my servant,  Do this, and he doeth it.

                               When Jesus heard it,  he marveled,  and said to them that followed,  Verily I say unto you,  I have not found so great faith,  no,  not in Israel.”

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith took hold in this centurion’s heart, when he heard of all that Jesus was doing, both in Capernaum, and other places.  

(Capernaum was the place Jesus lived, after leaving Nazareth.   It was the place he did many miracles.

Luke 4:31-32 “And came down to Capernaum,  a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

                         And they were astonished at his doctrine:  for his word was with power.”

Luke 4:36-37 “And they were all amazed,  and spake among themselves, saying,   What a word is this!   For with authority and power he commanded the unclean spirits,  and they come out.

                          And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.”)

When this centurion heard of these things,  he must have thought they were wonderful, for he loved Israel.   

But,  until he needed Jesus’ power for himself (for his sick servant, who was dear to him),  it was just information.

Good news, but it had not touched him.

Then, his servant got sick, grievously tormented, and ready to die.

Suddenly, those things he had heard about Jesus, were for him.  

(How many times we are the same:  we have heard Bible lessons for years, even, and they are good news,  but then something happens that affects us,  and “Wham”,  that good news hits us where we live.   

We can have this!  This is real!  This is for me.)

Faith has made the information real from the first.  We believe it.

Then faith evidences that information within us, because we have a need that is only met by Christ Jesus.

The centurion also knew, by faith, that if Jesus heard of the need,  He could meet it.

Faith reached out, through the elders, and friends, to Jesus;  and stated the need.

When Jesus said He would come,  the centurion’s faith reached out further by the evidence of Jesus’ coming;  and said:

“Speak the word, only”

Why? Was he testing Jesus?

No.   But he felt unworthy that Jesus should come into his house.

And why did he feel Jesus could do this?   Was it just because of what he had heard?

No.

It was from his own experience.  He was a voice of Rome, as a centurion (he had one hundred men under him).

Under all the authority of Rome,  he spoke and told men what to do.  And they did it.

So he knew that Jesus, who was the voice of God and had the authority to speak,  and make things happen,  because He spoke.

He could heal, because He was the Son of God.

This was the centurion’s faith.   Wow!

Matthew 8:13 “And Jesus said unto the centurion,   Go thy way;  and as thou hast believed,  so be it done unto thee.      And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”

Believe is the action of faith.  And as he believed Jesus could heal by his word, only;  so it was.

What of us?   We say we have faith in God.  We say we believe what Jesus has said, and done for us.

Are we using this faith with God, and having the evidence of His authority and power in our lives?

And for the lives of people we pray for?

The Lord honors true faith in Himself. (Not presumption, or to ask of Him, what we know is not His will).  But real faith, reaches out to Him, that He will do what He wills.   

Jesus’ will was to heal the sick;  both sin-sick and many illnesses, while He was here on earth; as He preached that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand.

He did this to meet the need of the people, that the chief priests and scribes had discounted; and for the most part, had abandoned.

But God never abandon’s His people.   Those that come unto Him, He will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)

But it takes humbling of our hearts, to come. (As this centurion did)

John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me,  that everyone that seeth the Son,  and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life.  And I will raise him up at the last day.”

The centurion’s faith was real.  He had heard.   And he came, humbly to Jesus to ask that He speak a word of healing.  The centurion honored Him, and believed.

What is our faith doing?

This is the Way

Isaiah 30:21 “And thine ear shall hear a word behind thee,  saying,   This is the way, walk ye in it,  when ye turn to the right hand,  or when ye turn to the left.”

To “walk” sets forth the fact of everyday living.

And we are to walk with Christ Jesus in our every day lives.

We often look for special days;  when spiritual reality for us, must come down to today, tomorrow, and the next day.   Each day in it’s time.

There is where we need to be found faithful to Jesus.

There are so many people we come into contact with which have a need, that the Lord has placed you around, at that time.  

You may say, I can do nothing for them.   But…

You can shine your light of Jesus Christ,  that all that see it,  may glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men,  that they may see your good works,  and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

A word in due season:

Proverbs 15:23 “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth:  and a word spoken in due season,  how good is it!”

This is a simple testimony, or verse, or explanation why you pray over your food,  or why you say, Praise God.

A word,  but in the right season, to bring forth fruit in that person’s life.

A word of prayer.  We can pray, when we can do nothing else.

Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing;  but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:  and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you,  with meekness and fear:”

We should be ready to speak about the Lord Jesus anytime.   That He is our Lord,    and what He has done for us.

This is the way,  walk ye in it.    We are not to run, or hide.   Simply walk with Him, and talk of Him with any we are told to.

He will guide us to turn to the left hand or to the right hand:  to speak, pray, or witness of our Lord Jesus Christ;  for He is right there with us.

The Garden of our Souls

Genesis 2:8 “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden,  and there He put the man whom He had formed.”

At the beginning of man’s history, we see a garden that was made especially for us.

Man was placed there to keep it.   When Adam sinned,  he was thrown out of Eden, into a world where, instead of beauty,  thorns and briers grew.

But man was then given another garden:  the garden of our souls, to keep for God.

And it is by the keeping of this garden for the Lord,  that we give Him joy.  

Have we kept our “garden” for Him?  Have we fruit to offer Him?

Song of Solomon 4:12-13 “A garden enclosed is my sister my spouse;  a spring shut up,  and fountain sealed.

                                              Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates,  with pleasant fruits;  camphire with spikenard,”

A garden is planted.   It is for cultivated plants.  Whether for food or beauty.

Our garden is for the enjoyment of our Lord.

There is a spring there,  bubbling up: a picture of the Holy Spirit’s living waters within us.  

There is a fountain there:  a picture of the effectual cleansing blood of Christ.(Zechariah 13:1)

We are to be “enclosed” or walled about,  so we will be separated from the world outside, unto the Lord. 

(2 Corinthians 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them,  and be ye separate, saith the Lord,  and touch not the unclean thing;  and I will receive you.”   The separate here is “to set off by a boundary”)

Song of Solomon 4:16 “Awake, O north wind;  and come, thou south wind;  blow upon My garden,  that the spices thereof may flow out.   Let my Beloved come into His garden,  and eat His pleasant fruits.”

The north wind is chilly,  frost is in it.

The south wind is mild, gentle and warming.

These are the circumstances which come upon “gardens”, our souls, for each and every one of us.

They are adverse circumstances (whether persecution, slander, or trials) which seek to destroy our fruit bearing.

And there are encouraging circumstances which seek to increase fruit bearing. 

They are both part of God’s Plan, to help us let go of circumstances;  good or bad.

We need to get to the place in our experience with God, that we are so enclosed to Him, that whether circumstances are favorable or not;   we will not be troubled about them.   We will not let go of our peace in Jesus.

Paul said,  

Philippians 4:11-12 “Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned,  in whatsoever state I am,  therewith to be content.

                                    I know both how to be abased,  and I know how to abound:  everywhere and in all things I am both to be full and to be hungry,  both to abound and to suffer need.”

We, too, can come to the place of confidence in Christ Jesus, and know the fullness of the provision for our “garden”:   the spring of the Holy Spirit is there, and the fountain of Christ’s cleansing blood is there.

So that there will not be much difficulty in adjusting to the circumstances which come to us.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Wow! What a statement.   We would think he would be walking around with a halo shining brightly.  

But no,  Paul was very conscious of his weakness.  And of his need.

He had simply learned his lessons of dependency on his God.

He had learned, not to lean upon his own resources:  

Strength (he was relatively a young man when he began his ministry Acts 7:58)

Intelligence (he was brilliant,  speaking in many languages, having education)

Eloquence (he was a great speaker)

But he had learned to lean wholly upon God,  and to do all the things He sent him to do.

He was looking to the Holy Spirit to accomplish His Work, within him and through every good and bad circumstance.

Song of Solomon 4:16 “Awake O north wind;  come thou south;  blow upon my garden,  that the spices thereof may flow out.   Let my Beloved come into His garden,  and eat His pleasant fruits.”

Here, “my garden” is changed to “His garden”.   It is a unconditional dedication of our life to Jesus Christ.

We are to keep the garden of our souls for Him.   Giving Him joy in all we become, and do.

We will be what we will to be:

Romans 6:16 “Know ye not,  that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,  his servants ye are to whom ye obey;  whither of sin unto death,  or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Will is our whole being active.  Our minds are in it, our emotions are there, and our wills are the force within each person, which says,  “I will do this.”

In this verse,  “yield” is the action word. 

Here, in Romans (Romans 6:13,16,19) it means:  “to be at hand or ready to aid”.

It is a picture of a servant who is at the side of the master, ready to assist in any way.

For as Christians,  we have our blessed new nature which was placed within us at new birth.   But we also have our old nature which would led us away from God.   That makes the struggle (Galatians 5:16-17) we often feel within ourselves.

We forget, sometimes, that we are servants. (Some people think that they can rule their own destiny,  but it is a false premise.)

We are all ruled by something, or Someone.    For Christians,  we should be ruled by Jesus Christ: His Will and His Word.

And this is what Paul is setting forth here:

We are servants of sin, choose some sort of sin, and are under the power of that sin.    

                                      Or,

We are servants of righteousness, choosing to be obedient to the new life, Christ’s life within.

And the way to choose His life, or righteousness is:  to yield.

We yield to obedience.

We must ask ourselves:  Is Jesus Christ really necessary to me?   Or could I get along without Him in my life?

Jesus Christ could change anything!  But He desires most to change us into His likeness, and character.

He has given us our wills,  and He has chosen that we must “yield” or will with Him.

He would have us to be His servants and become the persons He will mold us into.   

He wants heart-servants.  Those that love Him.  

Those that love to be with Him,   in fellowship and in the work. (For He has a work of witness for all of us).

And to do this,  we must exercise our wills, and yield.

God’s Purpose for Us

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:

                                 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

                                 For we are His workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus unto good works,  which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

The Book of Ephesians is written to describe Who saved us;  How we are saved;  and the Purpose for which we are saved.

It is a book of great mysteries,  made known,  so that we can experience in our day to day life, the Inheritance we have in Christ Jesus.

To briefly explain (Yes, there could be a lengthy exposition on these verses, they are so full of promise!):

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

Here we meet our Father God,  Who through the work of Christ Jesus, blesses us with “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ”

These blessings are, but not limited to:  Forgiveness, Joy, Peace, Hope, Love, Patience, Power over sin, and Fellowship with Him.

If you have a spiritual need;  He has a blessing for it.

They are in Christ Jesus who is now in heavenly places.

 

So how do we get these blessings down here to us, today, where we need them?

They are brought down to us, as we yield to Him, making Him, King of our lives:  

Matthew 6:10. “Thy kingdom come.   Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.” 

God will not bless one who refuses His Presence, for they are in Christ Jesus. 

If you just want the blessings He has, and not Him,  then your faith is flawed;  for it is faith in things, and not Jesus Christ.

 

Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together,  and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

We are “raised up”, when we are born again;  and made to sit in Christ Jesus.

He is there, representing us; and we are in Him.

We are here, representing Him,  and He is in us.

And how is He in us?

 

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted,  after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:  in whom also,  after that ye believed,  ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,  

                                   Which is the earnest (down payment) of our inheritance until the redemption of the the purchased possession,  unto the praise of His glory.”

The Holy Spirit is given to abide with us.  By Him we are sealed.  (His Presence identifies us as His.   Romans 8:15-16)

When we have the Holy Spirit within,  we are given a portion of our inheritance: that is Him.  He is an Almighty Helper, and we are given grace (the unmerited power to do) by Him, for our lives.    He works within us both to will and to do God’s Will. (Philippians 2:13)

Now we know God’s Provision in Christ Jesus,  and how God is always with us, and how His power is given unto us;  what is the purpose for our salvation?

 

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:

                                 Not of works, lest any man should boast:

                                 For we are His workmanship,  created in Christ Jesus unto good works,  which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We are created in Christ Jesus.  The idea suggested here in the Greek is:  to mold into the likeness of Christ Jesus. 

The Purpose of God for each individual believer, is: Walking in those good works which God hath prepared for us.

“Ordained” means that God has made all the provision for. 

He has seen beforehand what we will need, and sets aside exactly what we need.

So when God gives us a “good work” to do,  He prepares the blessing to be given to us, to carry it out.

 

What is the Purpose of God for us?   

To walk along with Him,  conscious of the Presence of the Holy Spirit within us. 

Walking along, receiving Him, and the blessings He gives;   doing the good works He places before us. (Whether in word or deed)

Walking along with Him,  yielding to His kingdom come with in us.

Confident that our King has provided the blessing for us, knowing His Presence and power in every area of our lives.

The Temptation of Christ Jesus 

Matthew 4:1 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

Jesus was “led up of the Spirit”.   This temptation, then, was God’s Plan and Purpose for His Son.

He was in all points tempted, like as we are, the writer to the Hebrews revealed. (Hebrews 4:15)

So this temptation shows us how to act when we, too, are tempted.

First, notice that our hardest temptations come after we have gotten more Spiritual power and grace.   

Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist, and the Holy Spirit had come down upon Him without measure,  as He came up from the water.  A Voice had announced that Jesus was  God’s Beloved Son!  And that He was well pleasing in God’s sight!

But then He was tempted.

Matthew 4:2-4 “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights,  he was afterward an hungered.

And when the tempter came to him,  he said,  If thou  be the Son of God,  command these stones to be made bread.

But he answered and said,    It is written,  Man shall not live be bread alone,  but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Jesus was hungry.  He had been fasting for forty days, and nights;  so when He could, He wanted to break the fast by food.

But when tempted by the devil to change stones into bread, so He could satisfy His hunger,  and prove that He was the Son of God;  Jesus refused.

But He did not just say “No”,  but rebuked the suggestion by quoting “It is written”.

What the Scriptures say,  help us to live aright.

The suggestion of the devil, was that because Jesus was the Son of God, He could do what ever He wanted,  have whatever He wanted,  whenever He wanted, by simply  commanding it to be so. 

Of course Jesus could,  but that was not why He became man.  It was ever to do the Father’s Will, that He came, and that was what He lived and died by.

So should we do the Father’s Will for us.  It puts us in the wonderful position of being able to stand back from suggestions and plans,  and seeking His Will in everything.

That puts temptations in a new light.  It is not:  “You want this, it is not too awful, why not do it?”

It is:  “Is this what the Lord would have me to do, now?”

Notice this first temptation was for bodily wants.

Matthew 4:5-7 “And the devil taketh him up into the holy city,  and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple.  

And saith unto him,  If thou be the Son of God,  cast thyself down:  for it is written,  He shall give his angels charge concerning thee:  and in their hands they shall bear thee up,  lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Jesus said unto him,  It is written again,  Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Jesus had quoted Scripture, so now the devil quotes it.  Again he says, “If thou be the Son of God”.

Here the temptation is for public announcement.  Cast yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple.  What a better way to prove the fact that You are the Son of God!  

And it is said in the Scriptures,   so God will have to do it.

Sneaky.  

For God would certainly do it, and those that saw it, might have been awed into following Jesus for awhile, because of it.  

But that is not true believing.  It would have been useless, for the heart will only follow what it loves.   

And awe is not love.

But Jesus refused it, for it was not the Father’s Way of announcement.  His Way was for Jesus to go about preaching, “the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.  He was to do good to all. (Matthew 4:17)

Certainly it was not as exciting as angels catching Him.   But it was what God wanted.

The devil’s suggestion was just tempting God; and Jesus refused it and quoted that Scripture:  “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”  

(To tempt God is to make  God prove Himself or His Word,  by demanding that He do something for us,  now.    Do this,  or we won’t trust You.)

This second temptation had been for Fame, and prestige.   He would be Famous,  everyone would know He was the Son of God!

How often we get trapped into “seeking” these.

Matthew 4:8-10 “Again,  the devil taketh him up unto an exceeding high mountain,  and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world,  and the glory of them:

And saith unto him;  All these things will I give thee,  if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

The saith Jesus unto him,  Get thee hence, Satan:  for it is written,   Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,  and him only shalt thou serve.”

The temptation here is:  Forget the path to the cross.   If You will fall down and worship me, You can have all the kingdoms and the power of them…now;  without the suffering and  shameful death of the cross.

This was the devil’s attempt to destroy Who Jesus was:   “I will  give you all I have, to make God finally submit to me, in the person of His Son.”

Of course Jesus would refuse this:

But after this final suggestion,  Jesus commands the devil to depart; quoting the verse, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Jesus would do all the Father’s Will.   And He was confident that those kingdoms would be His,  God’s Way; and that was through the suffering of the cross, to resurrection and glory.

The third temptation was for personal power, and glory; without suffering.

And does not the devil tempt us in the same ways:

1)See to your needs  first.  Yes, your a Christian, but God has not “forbidden” you to do this,  so He probably doesn’t care.

2)If you are going to have a ministry for God,  make it flashy.   People will remember you.  They will admire you.  They will think you are great!  (There is a whole lot of “you” in that “ministry”)

3)If you  will just go along with the world,  you could skip a whole lot of trouble.   Sure, you can look like a Christian, but you don’t have to walk in that “narrow”way.  

In other words, “Go ahead, lose your Christ’s Life, to have your self life”. (Matthew 16:25)

These, and others like them, are the things the devil tempts us with (For he tempted our Lord the same way.)

Looking to the Father’s Will, Jesus went through these temptations, standing on the Word of God.  Jesus left the place of temptation by placing Himself in the Father’s hands by the Word of God.   

He did all the work the Father had for Him, and finished it.

So we need to look to Jesus, and go through all He has purposed for us,  with Him.  

He will empower us, to the measure of our devotion and obedience, by the Holy Spirit to know and to do His Will.

Mary Magdalene 

We first meet her, by name, among the women who were ministering to Jesus of their wealth.    In fact many women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities ministered unto Him from their wealth.

Luke 8:2-3 “And certain women,  which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene,  out of whom went seven devils, 

                     And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others,  which ministered unto Him of their substance.”

Seven demons had been cast out of her.  She had been saved from great darkness, and despair.

Some believe that Mary Magdalene was the woman in the chapter right before.

Luke 7:37-38 “And, behold, a woman in the city,  which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the  Pharisee’s house,  brought an alabaster box of ointment,

                         And stood at His feet behind Him weeping,  and began to wash His feet with tears,  and did wipe them with the hairs of her head,  and kissed His feet,  and anointed them with the ointment.”

Now whether she was this woman spoken of here or not,  it does not say. 

But the principle laid down at Simon the Pharisee’s house, is universal:

Luke 7:47 “Wherefore I say unto thee,  her sins,  which are many,  are forgiven;  for she loved much:  but to whom little is forgiven,  the save loveth little.” 

Mary Magdalene had been forgiven and healed from an horrible existence.

So she loved Jesus very much.

She was a zealous disciple of the Lord, following Him, hearing Him;  and when He was tried and crucified;  she did not desert Him,  but was there.

(Matthew 27:50,55-56.   Mark 15:40-41.  Luke 23:49 ,John 19:25)

In every gospel,  Mary Magdalene is seen below the cross.  (In Luke she is not named,  but spoken of as part of the women that ministered to Jesus.)

John 19:25 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus   His mother,  and His mother’s sister,  Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.”

Jesus, after He arose from the dead,  appears to her first.    Was it her fearless love which gave her this privilege?

She had come early with other women to anoint Him.   Finding the tomb open and His body gone, she ran to tell the disciples. 

She must have thought that they would help her find the body, for she returns to the tomb right away.    But when they leave;  she looks again into the tomb.

There she sees angels;  but not Jesus.  She barely cares about angels, it is Jesus she is seeking.

She is certain that if she could just find the body,  she could take care of it. (It would have been too heavy for her)

John 20:11-13 “And Mary stood without the sepulcher weeping:  and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulcher.

                           And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet,  where the body of Jesus had lain.

                            And they say unto her,   Woman,  why weepest thou?    She saith unto them,  Because they have taken away my Lord,  and I know not where they have laid Him.”

She turns from them and she sees, what she thinks is a gardener,  till He speaks to her:   “Mary”.

John 20:15-16 “Jesus saith unto her,  Woman, why weepest thou?  Whom seekest thou?  She supposing Him to be the gardener,  saith unto Him,  Sir, if thou hast borne Him hence, tell me, where thou hast laid Him,  and I will take Him away.

                           Jesus saith unto her,   Mary.    She turned herself, and saith unto Him,  Rabboni;   Which is to say,  Master.”

That voice which called her out of darkness into light.

That voice that told her she was free from these evil spirits,  and forgiven.

That voice:  she instantly recognizes when He says her name.

“My Father and your Father,  My God and your God.”   What a wonderful word of comfort she was given:

John 20:17 “Jesus saith unto her,  Touch me not;  for I am not yet ascended to My Father:  but go to My brethren,  and say unto them,   I ascend unto My Father,  and your Father;  and to My God,  and your God.”

And a message was also given to her to pass on:  “Go, and say”.  Which she did.

You do not hear her name specifically, again.  

But I am sure she was in the gathering waiting at Jerusalem, as they had been told.

Waiting till the day of Pentecost,  with the disciples and other women:  I see Mary Magdalene.

Acts 1:13-14 “And when they were come in,  they went up into an upper room,  where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew,  Philip, and Thomas,  Bartholomew, and Matthew, and James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

                       These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,  with the women,  and Mary the mother of Jesus,  and with His brethren.”

Waiting for the Holy Spirit to be given.  To be empowered to do what she was called to:  to further the cause of her beloved Lord.

Mary Magdalene was given the greatest gift:  life with Jesus.   After that, she never wavered in her love of the Son of God who saved her.

Luke 7:47 “Wherefore I say unto thee,  her sins, which are many,  are forgiven;  for she loved much:  but to whom little is forgiven,  the same loveth little.”

She was forgiven much,  therefore she loved much.

What of us?

Launch out into the Deep

Luke 5:4 “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon,  Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”

Here the Lord is  getting surrounded about with people , who want to hear more of the word of God, by the lake of Gennesaret.

Two fishing ships were at hand, although the men were out of them, so Jesus enters into one of them and asked the owner, named Simon, to:

Luke 5:3 “And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.  And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.”

There was some effort to this favor for Jesus, and now Jesus is going to do Simon a favor.

“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nests for a draught.”

Simon, here, was trying to be polite; and gently tells Jesus that they had already done everything they could to get a catch of fishes.

Luke 5:5 “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing:  Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”

But he also added, “But at thy word ”

Here is obedience.   Peter might not have agreed with the plan.   Might not have thought it would work;  but would do it anyway, to honor Jesus.

Jesus had “borrowed”  Peter’s ship, and now He would “pay” him for the use of it.

Luke 5:6-7″ And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them.  And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.”

A net full of fishes, to the breaking point, was what He gave!

“Pressed down and running over”.   (Luke 6:38).  He spoke this word, and He gave to Peter, here.

But now, with the “payment” given;  Peter realizes  this Jesus was who John the Baptist testified;  “The Lamb of God”. (John 1:35-41).  That He was indeed the Christ.

Peter then fell down (probably a most unusual position for the energetic fisherman)

And cried:

Luke 5:8-9 “When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,  Depart from me;  for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes that they had taken:”

“Lord” is the right title for Jesus.  And knowing Him this way, led to leaving all and following Jesus.

Luke 5:10-11 “And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said unto Simon,  Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him.”

They forsook all and followed Him, leaving their father in the ship with the hired servants. (Mark 1:20)

Here they received the best gift–to be called to follow Jesus.

Launch out into the deep.   A simple command,  simply followed;  which led to becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus also calls us to “Launch out” with Him in our everyday lives,  to be obedient to Him.

We may not “agree” with the command;  or think we have already done all we could;

but if we will obey Him, He will bless.

“They forsook all”;  they had known Jesus before (as John 1:35-41 shows), but now their lives were at Jesus’ command.

What about us?   Do we know Jesus, yet have not “launched out” with Him into true discipleship?

He calls,  will we follow?

We may never “forsake all” in the same way as Peter, James, and John did here….but we are always called to place Him first.

And with Him first,  everything else is seen to.

Matthew 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The Holy Spirit’s Work

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter,  that He may abide with you forever;”

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes within our spirits to live there.   He is the Paraclete;  which means, “to come under, to support”.   He is our Comforter.

He places us in the family of God. 

Galatians 4:5-7 “To redeem them that were under the law,  that we might receive the adoptions of sons.

                               And because ye are sons,  God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father.

                               Wherefore thou art no more servants,  but a son;  and if a son,  then an heir of God through Christ.”

This He does, by giving us faith: the substance of things things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Plainly, by faith, the Holy Spirit makes God real to us, in our everyday life.

Ephesians 1:13, 17  “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,  the gospel of your salvation: in whom also,  after that ye have believed,  you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

                                    that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,  the Father of glory,  may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:”

                                                                       

He is in our spirits, and turns the light on within us, so we can see the truth, and do it.

John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,  even the Spirit of truth,  which proceedeth from the Father,  He shall testify of Me.”

1 Peter 1:22 “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren,  see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”

 

He speaks to us through the Word of God, and by working in us the knowledge of God’s Will for us. 

John 14:26 “But the Comforter,  which is the Holy Ghost,  whom the Father will send in My name,  He shall teach you all things,  and bring all things to your remembrance,  whatsoever I have said unto you.”

 

He empowers us,  sanctifying us to God.

Ephesians 3:16”That He would grant you,  according to the riches of His glory,  to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;”

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you,  brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”

 

He gives us the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith,

                                  Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.”

And as we yield to the Holy Spirit within,  He works through us.   (People will see a change;  not in word only,  but in our manner of life.)

Romans 8:13-14 “For if ye live after the flesh,  ye shall die:  but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,  ye shall live.

                               For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,  they are the sons of God.”

1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only,  but also in power,  and in the Holy Ghost,  and in much assurance;  as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes.”

 

When we sin,  the Holy Spirit stays after us,  showing it to us again and again.

If we grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30),   He does not leave us, though He may withdraw the comforting feeling of His Presence;  till we have sought forgiveness and cleansing. 

1 John 1:7,9 “But if we walk in the light,  as He is in the light,  we have fellowship one with another,  and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

                       If we confess our sins,  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

                         

He teaches us to rejoice and give thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 “In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  

                                             Quench not the Spirit.”  (Don’t put out the fire of God burning within you by the Holy Spirit)

 

He teaches us how to pray.

Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:  for we know not what we should pray for as we ought;  but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered.”

Jude 20 “But ye beloved,  building up yourselves on your most holy faith,  praying in the Holy Ghost,”

 

As the Holy Spirit is in us,  we have fellowship with other believers.  The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, and we are to love one another, as He loves us.

2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,  and the love of God,  and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”

1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

 

And we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, having the power of His influence within us (as as a man is under the influence of wine).

Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine,  wherein is excess;  but be filled with the Spirit;”

(We are filled by the Holy Spirit, to the degree we are empty of self-seeking.

Galatians 5:25-26.    Matthew 16:24-25)

The Holy Spirit was given us, that we will never be alone:    Not spiritual orphans.    

He comes to us,  to hold us up, giving us joy and peace;   and He supports us in God’s Will, giving us the faith to overcome.