Devotions

Luke Chapter 9 is a long chapter. It has 62 verses. Luke Chapter 9 is also a “wow” chapter. It contains some of the best-known events in the life of Christ Jesus and the Disciples. It begins with Jesus sending the disciples out with “power and authority over all the demons, and power to heal diseases … to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” [vs 1-2 HCSB]

It moves on from there to the feeding of the 5000, Peter’s Confession of Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus’ command that His disciples “must deny [themselves], take up [their] cross daily and follow Me,” as well as the account of the Transfiguration.

It is the event following the Transfiguration that engaged my thinking this morning. Coming down from the mountain, Jesus is confronted by a father with his son, his only child. The father tells Jesus that “a spirit seizes” the boy, convulsing and wounding him. He had begged for help from the disciples, but they were unable to do anything. Jesus “rebuked the unclean spirit, cured the boy, and gave him back to his father.” [vs39-42 HCSB]

The crowd’s reaction was immediate … “they were all astonished at the greatness of God.” [vs43a HCSB]

It is what happens next that truly speaks of the greatness of our God. “While everyone was amazed at all the things He was doing, He told His disciples, ‘Let these words sink in, the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.’” [vs43b-44 HCSB]

Jesus without delay turns the focus of His followers. “Let these words sink in ….”

The greatness of God will never be more glorious than when the Son of God surrenders to a cross to bring about the salvation of mankind.

One of the beautiful qualities of the Apostle Paul is that he invested his life in young people. “To Timothy, my true son in the faith,” and “To Titus, my true son in our common faith,” begin two letters of his mentoring the future leaders of the church. [1 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, HCSB]

In the past few years, I have been fortunate to meet a number of young men and women whom God has called to shepherd His church. In the past weeks, I have been fortunate to get to know a few more.

Recently, I was reminded what a blessing it is to be an “old” saint who has been given the privilege to see that the future of the church is in good hands.

The young men and women God is calling into leadership are on fire for Him. They are crying out for souls to come to Christ Jesus. They are wrapping their arms around people struggling with all manner of addictions. They are reaching into all kinds of prisons and administering grace and more grace to the hurting. They preach truth. They do it with courage and strength.

The church is coming out of a bit of a slumber and these young men and women are leading the way. No longer is the attitude one of “going to church.” They are changing it dynamically. They are calling people to “be the church.”

I am so blessed to see it happening. I am so privileged to be called to pray for them.

“For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.”  [Philippians 3:18-21 HCSB]

 A portion of the above passage was in my email the other morning.

Philippians 3 begins with the marvelous passage of Paul’s credentials as a Jew. It moves on to his greater emphasis for knowing Christ and being found in Him. The last portion of Chapter 3 centers on reaching forward to take hold of the “prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” [vs14]

There were three things in that final passage that caught my attention. One, the phrase “they [the enemies of the cross] are focused on earthly things,” two, “our citizenship is in heaven,” and three, “He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body.”

The enemies of the cross of Christ are focused on earthly things. That really made me think. Am I focused on earthly things more than heavenly ones?  We certainly need to be aware of the things of this world. We need to be prepared for the things of this world. But our primary focus should be on heavenly (eternal) things.

After all, our citizenship is in heaven. We are subjects of the King of Kings and LORD of Lords. We serve Him first and foremost.

And that most wonderful reward!!! One day this dusty, deteriorating, shrinking, vulnerable body that is subject to the things of this earth now will be transformed into a body which will last for eternity! Hallelujah! AMEN!