Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Jan 18 2020 - Luke 8:40-9:6 – Inexhaustible power

Jesus was on his way to the house of Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, to heal his daughter who was dying. Crowds surrounded Jesus and swarmed along with him. Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered with bleeding for twelve years. She had spent all that she had on doctors but none had been able to heal her. She remained "unclean" and unable to participate fully in society. She worked her way through the crowd until she was immediately behind Jesus. Then she touched the edge of his robe, and instantly she was healed. Jesus felt the power go out of him to heal this woman and asked, "Who touched me?" (Luke 8:45). The woman fell at Jesus' feet and told him her story. Jesus told her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace" (8:48). She can go in peace; untroubled by the guilt of having done some secret thing. She can go enjoying Shalom – wholeness within herself, with her society and with God.

Imagine the change in the life of this woman – the things she was now able to do that she could not do before; the places she was now able to go where she had not been able to go before. She would have experienced a wonderful sense of freedom – of new life. And imagine the difference it made also to those who knew her. They needed no longer to fear that contact with her would make them unclean. They could visit her and talk with her and share in the freedom that she had come to enjoy. Just a touch of the hem of Jesus' garment had done for her what all the skill of others and all her own resources could not accomplish; it had made her whole.

Faith is the hand that simply reaches out to touch the Saviour. Faith believes that he can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves and that no-one else can do for us; he can make us whole; he can make us again the people we were created to be; he is our Shalom – our peace.

And what I also find wonderful about this passage is that although Jesus felt power go out of him, there is no diminishing of the power left within him. When messengers come from Jairus’ house to tell him that his daughter has died, Jesus did not apologise that his power had left him and he can do nothing. He entered the ruler’s house and, with a word of command, raised the girl from the dead. Nor is this a power he feels that he must keep to himself for fear that sharing it might dilute it. Immediately after this incident, Luke records that Jesus gave power to his disciples that they might heal the sick and push back the boundaries of the kingdom of darkness.

Before his ascension into heaven, Jesus told his disciples that he possessed “all power in heaven and in earth”. There is no limit to his power. And because he possesses all power, he commands his disciples to bring the whole world under his authority – to make disciples of all nations. It’s a daunting task that seems quite beyond our power. And so it is. But it’s not beyond his power. And the hand that touches his robe draws on his inexhaustible power.

Lord Jesus Christ, I am glad that you possess all power in heaven and on earth. Power could not be in better hands. Help me Lord to stay close to you that I may know your power at work in my own life. Remove all that is unclean within me and give me the freedom that comes from a life made whole and new. Enable me also so to serve you in the power of your Spirit that the lives of those around me might be drawn into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Jan 18 2019 - Genesis 21:1-21 – Joyful and scornful laughter

In Genesis 17:17 we read that, after God had confirmed that Sarah would soon bear him a child, "Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, 'shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?'" We can imagine the scene with Abraham rolling around on the ground in a fit of helpless laughter at the preposterous suggestion that such a thing should be.

Later, in Genesis 18:9-15 we read of the Lord visiting Abraham and speaking with him as he sat outside his tent. Abraham was told that about this time next year Sarah would bear him a son. Sarah, who was listening from within the tent, laughed at this suggestion. It just seemed plain ridiculous. But the Lord repeated his promise, saying, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (18:14).

In chapter 21 we read of the birth of the promised and long-awaited child. He is called "Isaac", as the Lord had instructed in 17:19. The name means, "He laughed", or perhaps, "laughter". It is to be a reminder to Abraham and Sarah of their laughter of disbelief; but that is only half of the significance of the name. With the naming of the child, Sarah says, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me... Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? [The Lord had said it – several times!] Yet I have borne him a son in his old age" (21:6-7). His name is also expressive of the overflowing joy of his parents who not only have a son, but who also know that God can be trusted to do what he has promised.

The laughter of disbelief has been turned into the laughter of joy – and a joy that will be shared with everyone they meet. What seemed a ludicrous suggestion has become a reality because nothing is too hard for the Lord.

But there is more laughter to come.

When Isaac had finished being weaned, probably at about two or three years old, Abraham threw a party for him. By this time, Ishmael, the son that Sarah's servant Hagar had borne to Abraham, was about 16 years old. During the festivities, Sarah saw Ishmael laughing at Isaac – probably mocking the idea that this little child could be the subject of such great promises. Sarah demanded that Ishmael be sent away with his mother Hagar so that the son of a slave woman would not share the inheritance of Abraham along with her son Isaac. Reluctantly Abraham sent them off into the desert, but God looked after them and preserved their lives.

This rivalry between these two sons of Abraham will continue into rivalry between two nations or peoples – the Israelites, the descendants of Isaac, and Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael. Yet the majority of both these peoples remain united in mocking the promises of God that find their focus in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing but shared faith in Jesus Christ – a faith like that of Abraham – can heal this ancient division and turn the laughter of mockery into the laughter of overwhelming joy.

Almighty God, there are times when I doubt your word and am tempted to laugh with disbelief at some of your promises. Forgive my small views of you, Lord. Teach me to see that nothing is too difficult for you. Turn my doubting laughter into overflowing joy. And look upon the many who still mock the child who is heir to all of your promises, and so are excluded from your inheritance. Open the eyes of those who mock your Christ that they may see the water of life that is to be found in him. Unite them in faith and make them joint heirs with Christ to all the blessings of God.

Peter Misselbrook