Bible Voyagers: Disciple's Journey

As Jesus' ministry progressed, he began to attract a huge multitude of followers. At one point he found himself preaching to a crowd of over 5,000 men (and likely triple that number in women and children). Jesus' message was thrilling...his presence electrifying...and one evening when the large crowd had nowhere to go to eat for the night, Jesus performed one of only two miracles recorded in all four Gospels: He miraculously fed the huge crowd from a small amount of bread and fish. Later, Jesus makes one of the most significant and remarkable statements of his entire ministry: He claimed that many people casually followed him simply for short-sighted, short-term, material reasons: They wanted more miracles, they wanted more messages, and they wanted more bread to fill their bellies...all because they continued to rely on worldly things to satisfy their physical nature...they continued to crave perishable things that only satisfy for a short time before needing replenishment. 

Can God bless people who don't know him, or don't trust him, or who don't have a personal relationship with him? John 5 is a powerful example where Jesus does *exactly* that: he blesses and heals a disabled beggar who was initially clueless about Jesus' status as Messiah and son of God. In this passage, Jesus demonstrated his unlimited grace and mercy...indeed proving that God loves *all* people...but this was not simply a "random act of kindness": it was meant to stimulate true spiritual transformation in the man's life. Later, the man comes to realize Jesus' true nature and purpose, and Jesus sends him away with a powerful warning: "change your life and stop sinning so that you can avoid spiritual suffering and death, which are much worse than physical suffering and death!" 

Jesus demonstrates the proper way to share the Gospel with others: he is willing to talk to people who are very different from him who some consider "enemies"; he treats people with respect and dignity; he establishes a close personal relationship; he doesn't lead with condemnation or rebukes; he is tender, loving and patient, expressing a genuine hope of helping them; he expresses a willingness to first meet people's physical and emotional needs before addressing their spiritual needs...and when the time is right, he shares the truth of the "good news". 

This is it. This is the mountain-top. This is the point of the entire Bible: Whether you're a liar or a thief or a murderer...whether you're straight or gay or something else...whether you're a Jew or a Gentile or an atheist...God gave YOU his one-of-a-kind son Jesus so that you can live in eternal paradise. And all you have to do is believe in Jesus by *entrusting* him with your eternal soul. That's it! That's all! It's a free gift...So what are you waiting for? 

Jesus' first miracle may seem mundane at first glance, or worse, appear like some sort of "magic trick" meant to entertain guests at a wedding feast. But Jesus turning water into wine has much deeper theological significance. 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." Thus begins the Gospel According to John, an account of Jesus' life and ministry that differs in many ways from the other "synoptic" Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In contrast to those accounts, John's Gospel contains no parables, no exorcisms, no sermon on the mount, no Lord's Supper, no Lord's Prayer, and little talk of the coming "Kingdom of God." 

"In those days there was no king in Israel...all the people did what was right in their own eyes."The book of Judges concludes as the author illustrates the depths to which the Israelites have sunk without a Godly king on the throne: moral decay, social depravity, kidnapping, rape, murder, war and genocide. Civil war erupts between the people of Israel with one tribe (Benjamin) almost completely obliterated in an act of furious rage and revenge. Although the Israelites made one last attempt to seek God's council, they go far beyond what God expected and nearly destroyed the fragile alliance of tribes kept God's people together for almost 400 years. 

"...and he did not know the Lord had left him."Samson's great strength wasn't "magic": It didn't originate from his long hair and it wasn't automatically weakened by violating his Nazirite vows. Indeed, Samson had no control over his incredible strength: the great miracles Samson performed came from God...and God alone.Samson was an incredibly flawed man who God repeatedly chose to bless with great strength so that God's plans would be fulfilled (and Israel's enemies defeated). But Samson's most egregious sin occurred when he abandoned God and took credit for his own successes. He thought HE was in control of his miraculous strength, that all of his powers came from his OWN body and that the source of those powers laid in his "magic hair". Indeed, Samson became so disconnected from God that God finally removed his Spirit (and thus Samson's mighty strength) resulting in Samson's capture and mutilation. 

Samson struggled throughout his life to control his emotions. He made poor choices that often led to disastrous consequences. When challenged, Samson usually responded with impulsively violent outbursts that greatly harmed the people around him, often ending in death and destruction. Samson was a man living on the edge.*****As the period of the Judges ended, a cataclysmic apocalypse engulfed the entire Mediterranean and Near-East regions. Highly-advanced civilizations disappeared almost over-night: cities were suddenly depopulated and burned to the ground, economies collapsed, and writing disappeared. This "Late Bronze Age Collapse" was sudden, violent, and unprecedented...and partially the result of wars fought by the mysterious "Sea Peoples" who settled in Canaan and later became known as one of Israel's greatest enemies: The Philistines. 

The birth of Israel's most famous judge has many parallels with the birth of Christ: An angel announces his coming to a woman who has never born any other children; the angel makes an additional announcement to the woman's husband, the boy is destined to be a chosen leader of his people, and the Spirit of God was destined to work powerfully in his life. But unlike Jesus, Samson was a flawed human who repeatedly struggled to act righteously and follow God. But even though Samson was an imperfectly flawed sinner, GOD was able to make Samson righteous and work through him to fulfill his holy plans in the world. We can learn an important lesson from Samson by realizing that God can do amazing things through anyone...no matter how flawed or broken we are.