Sitting in Death

Matthew 4: 15: The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16: The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Matthew pointedly pricks at our sensibilities.  Over time, we find ourselves so insensible to the stench of death that we conclude we are okay.  The gospel writer talks to those sitting in the region and shadow of death.  He is speaking to tribes of people, who have had the great news of redemption spoken and promised to them by prophets and even the direct voice of God for centuries.  He speaks to those that should absolutely know better.  Like us, they have sat near light all their lives.  Like us they have sat in darkness all their lives.  They have become insensible to the difference, just like us.

 

So what is it that makes light push through our insensible natures?  Watching a movie recently with massive graphics and then comparing that to the simple picture sets of an old Star Trec show, it impressed me how insensible we become to change.  The change in graphic and sets is beyond description.  Yet, we would not allow a current show to use the old methods.  They are too simple.  We like to live in a land of death.  The death is the deception.  The ability of the show makers to deceive us has increased many times.  Simultaneously, we crave the deception.  We lost touch with reality many years ago.  What is in front of us is really deception.  It is not real; yet, we purchase it and take it for entertainment.  Reality shows have no reality in them at all, but we choose the death of deception over the real life next to us.

 

Jesus walks into this scene.  Jesus walks into the daily lies we accept as real.  Jesus walks into the deceptions of accepting dark for light and confusing the light with darkness.   He pulls back the curtains on the act and gets us to face reality.  Then He preaches, “Repent”.  His message screams for us to step out of the deception that we have chosen to mask our pain and accept life head on.  He speaks for us to give up our lies of abortion and unkindness and mixed sexualities and gossip and absorption in sexual pursuits and rebellious attitudes and vulgarity for comedy and dedication to drugs as a means of alleviating simple attention to life pressures.  We sit in death.  He shines a light.  There is no degree in deception of better or worse.  Deception is death.

 

ACT!  What lie have you purchased and decided to sit with?  Abortion is okay?  Gossip is okay?  Feeding yourself on sexual pursuits of others as a daily diet is okay?      Vulgarity is acceptable?  What have you bought?  Can you write it out?  Can you describe it?  Has it become so common you are insensible to it?

 

PRAY!  Father of Love, Light, and Joy, open my eyes.  There is a death that surrounds me.  There is a frivolity and ignoring of the kingdom that surrounds me.  I confess I choose to sit in that death and let it mask reality.  I confess it is easier to ignore what needs done and sit in comedic relief based on deception than to step forward and pray and act with kindness.  I confess, I have too become one of those sitting in the dark.  Bring light to me.  Spur me to action.  Spur me to fill my thoughts with truth instead of the deception of the world.

 

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Near At Hand

Matthew 4: 17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Meeting Jesus is so easy.  He is near at hand.  When Jesus declares the kingdom, it is His kingdom.  Access to Him and all He is is as close as your hand.  Your hand is attached.  His kingdom is attached.  Access to Him is attached to you.    He is not a distant God.  He is an ever-present, ever-available King.  Turn around.  He is near at hand.

 

Jesus is near at hand in us to others.  Brad was talking to his friend at work.  For many months this friend had been disconnected from fellowship in a congregation.  Sure, they went to church.  Sure, they talked to other Christians.  But they really were not in fellowship.  They were not in real communion heart to heart with other Christians.  Brad challenged the friend.  Brad encouraged them to reconnect with some kingdom friends.  Brad was being Jesus, declaring the love of the kingdom.

 

There needs to be repentance.  The word simply means a change of mental direction.  Looking to ourselves, we cannot see Him.  Though He is close at hand, He is invisible when we are looking to our own strength and endurance and possibility.  With a twist of vision, turning to Him, He is at hand instantly.  Repentance opens the eyes to see.

 

ACT!  What could be keeping you from meeting with Jesus?  Turn away from it.  Turn to Him.  He is exactly at hand.

 

PRAY!  Father, I turn from my way to Jesus' kingdom.  I turn from my thoughts to Jesus' kingdom.  I turn form my ideas to Jesus' kingdom.    Let Him be near at hand to me.  Work in me to remove any block to receiving Jesus' kingdom near to hand.  Let my friend get a close up glimpse.  Open the eyes to see Jesus, near at hand.

 

Great Light

Matthew 4: 14: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,  15: The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16: The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

 

Too many times in life we live in the shadow and region of death.  Darkness surrounds us in our minds in hearts.  Meeting with Jesus means meeting with light.  His light dispels the shadows and puts us in a bright place.

 

When Jesus is on the scene, there is a springing up of light.  That is active.  That is powerful.  Darkness causes us to sit and be inactive.  Jesus springs with activity and light to get us back into motion.  Death is brown.   It is the refraction of light that lets us see color.  His light brings back color.

 

The prayers of the saints for each other are wonderful.  Struggling with many trials can get old and cold.  When another saint sees and takes prayerful action, it is a blessing.  It brings light to a dark situation.  That happened to me recently.  As I worked through many items for others, other saints prayed for me.  The light of that prayer sustained me so I could sustain others in their hard moments.  It all works together. 

 

Interesting that in the last few weeks, many friends have called and taken time to visit.  From golf games at the lake to lunches in the Asian district to just visiting in the office to phone calls, it has been a few weeks of friends.  Wow it is so good to have light shone on my path.

  

ACT!  Describe a place of  hurt and pain to Jesus.  Imagine what it would be like in that spot with bright, brilliant light shining all over and colorful plants growing all around.

 

PRAY!  Father,  there are areas of my life that need light.  I have given up on anything other than death and despair in that room of my heart.  Give me the courage to let Jesus meet me in that room.  Surely, He will bring light and color back to my darkness.

 

Sorting

Matthew 4: 12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali

 

Bad news can put a hard spin on life.  Each of us has places to go and things to do.  Jesus is no different. 

 

John was Jesus’ cousin.  He was the first recorded to rejoice at the coming King.  He leapt in his mother’s womb when Mary approached for a visit.  No one knew Jesus was coming.  John knew.  That is an early praise.

 

John prepared people for the coming of Jesus.  He was ahead of Him getting the people ready.

 

News about John in prison was not good for Jesus.  Scripture doesn’t say why he went to Galilee.  Knowing the affinity Jesus had for John and the respect He had for him, it seems he needed time away to sort it out.  He went where it was quiet and familiar.  He went away.  He did not despair.  He did not become discouraged.  He met the news with an action plan.  He kept His confidence and went to people He knew.

 

This scripture came up in my daily study some years back on an interesting day.  All week I had been taking in bad news in multiple areas.  Family, friends, work, community, and other areas have been full of hard bad news.  At the same time, the coming week, I had a business trip planned many months before.  It took me to the ocean.  It was timely to go sort out the news and make plans.  God is faithful.  He gives us space.

 

ACT!  Bad news?  How did you respond?  Did you respond with faith and joy in Christ?  Do you need time to sort out the next steps?  Let Him give you a respite.  He is faithful.  It may only be a few minutes or a few hours, but He is faithful.  He will not push you beyond His ability in you.

 

PRAY!  Father, it is comforting to know You care so much for me.  In the middle of the tempest, You cover.  In the face of bad news, You allow a breath to come to take it in.  How can I thank You enough?  Help me to face every bad news with joy and confidence in Your provision.  Help me to absorb the punches of life with joy and family and friends.

 

Served

Matthew 4:9: And said to him, All these things will I give thee, if you will fall down and worship me. 10: Then Jesus said to him, Get away, Satan: for it is written, You will worship the Lord your God, and him only will you serve. 11: Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.

 

His Selection

Angels minister to Jesus, and so should we minister to Jesus with our worship.  In Paul's letter to the Romans he talks of a reasonable or rational service and worship done with presenting our bodies as living sacrifices.  This is our pleasure and our part.  Our worship of Jesus is to serve Him, to present ourselves totally to His selection for our life.  Satan had it backwards.  He forgot who was to serve whom.

 

Josue's Wander

Josue was determined to follow God this day.  Lately, he had been wandering from his relationship with Christ.  Over and over events just did not seem to go his way.  Something he had read before was now stirring in him.  There was something about praising God in everything.  He was ready to try it.  He was ready to try anything that would restore the warmth of the love of Jesus back in him.  As he lifted his voice in the quiet of his room late that night, something broke.  He began to weep.  He began to praise God out loud.  He began to know again the reassurance of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

 

ACT!  Where does Jesus need your active worship?  Take action this week on worshipping with real action where He needs you to serve another in the kingdom.

 

PRAY!  Father, Jesus is the center of my worshipful services.  Help me connect with the right actions for which You created me.  I was created in Jesus for good works of  worship done unto You.  Enable me, Father, to find those works for which You created me and act on them.

 

Double Jeopardy

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

 

Willing Exposure
Willingly, Jesus goes with the Devil to a high mountain.  This is the second time.  Here is Jesus isolated away from everyone except the Devil.  He is willingly taken into a place of testing and trial.  Going once was enough.  Now, He goes with this pure evil creature a second time.  It is isolation.  He is one on one with the strength of evil.  

The Devil has no authority over Jesus.  This is a choice of Jesus, Himself.  He is proving to us and to the Devil and to the entire world that will read this for centuries, that He is able to resist evil to the uttermost on behalf of mankind.  Amazing!

 

Extra Exhaustion

There are times God asks us to go the extra mile into exhaustion.  Think of how exhausting it must have been to put up with pure evil stretching against you.  There are times He asks us to do that.  We want to rest.  We want to quit for a season.  We want to lay down and cry in our pity.  God calls us to continue.  God calls us to do it again.  Jesus gave the example to follow.

 

Michael's Stretch

It was late for Michael.  Three times this week, he had stayed up late.  Each time a friend called and wanted to talk.  Then he would pray for an hour or more after the phone call.  The alarm in the morning was barely enough to cause him to wake.  He wondered how long he could keep doing this.  Wouldn’t that friend get to a point of surrender to Christ soon?  Must he talk to him every night?  He knew that was God’s plan.  He knew it was the right thing to do.  He knew he was the one person between Jack and a decision for Christ.  How long?

 

ACT:

Sometimes we fail.  Sometimes we give up and go on to something else.  Sometimes exhaustion takes us out instead of us moving forward.  Where have you failed and left a task undone exhausted?  Don't go back.  Go forward.  Let the old go.  Get your heart and mind ready for the next stretch.  Maybe it has already started.  Open yourself to being in this position as a directive of God to stretch you.  Put an extra hour into preparing yourself.  Get some extra sleep.  Read some extra bible.  Strengthen yourself.

 

 

PRAY:

Father, I am tired.  Yes, I am tired.  I would love to have the strength to go forward.  My own resolve tells me I could fail.  My own strength tells me I could fail.  Yet, I know You have placed me into this spot.  How do I stand?  How do I do more than stand?  How do I prevail instead of fail?  Strengthen me.  Give me the grace to keep moving forward.  I don't know how to prevail.  Only in your strength could I continue to stand.  I am in jeopardy of failing in the face of evil.  You have stood here many times in Your people in the strength of Jesus.  Stand with me.

 

Lord, God

Matthew 4:6 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. :7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Satan’s Troubler

Satan had trouble with meeting Jesus. His intent was to trick him and cause Him to slip. He met his match. He met the Lord, God.

Meeting Jesus means meeting the Lord, God. His is able and willing to deal with any situation. He is Lord.

 

Stuff tries to put us down.  Stuff tries to break our spirit.  Stuff tries to rob our joy.  

 

Jesus is joy.   His kingdom is righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.

 

Prince’s Defeat

With success after success, lately, Prince had defeat after defeat.  No one wanted to work with him.  They were envious and defeatist.  Somewhere from deep inside, he summoned up some joy.  

 

“Good gracious”, he declared aloud.  “If no one will walk with me, then I will walk alone.  They can follow, can’t they?” 

 

Those thoughts seemed good.  His smile came back.  He took charge of his life.  He began to work out issues and others joined with him.  Sometimes you just have to rob the joy back to get going.  Sometimes you need to give up trying one way, admit defeat, and take another route.

ACT! Bow to the Lord. Give up. Meet Him on terms of surrender.

PRAY! Father, I give myself to the Lord, Jesus. He is Lord. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I surrender to His love and mercy and Lordship.  I surrender to His joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.