Tag Archives: Pharisees

Sunday Scriptures – Praise Him

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In Luke’s account of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, he mentioned something Jesus told the Pharisees which I’ve always found interesting.

Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of the group to secure a colt for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem. He told the disciples if anyone should ask why they were taking the donkey to tell them simply, “The Lord needs it.” No other explanation was necessary.

The two did just as they were told and returned with the colt, threw their cloaks on it, and put Jesus on the animal. As he went along the road, people spread their own cloaks on the road and joyfully shouted praise to God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen Jesus perform.

This praising disturbed the Pharisees. A lot of things concerning Jesus disturbed the Pharisees, actually, but at this particular point in time, the people’s praise bothered them greatly. They told Jesus to quiet his followers.

And here’s the part I love best …

In reply to their request, Jesus simply told the Pharisees even if his followers were quiet, the rocks and stones themselves would cry out their praises to him.

Jesus the Son was with God the Father and the Holy Spirit when the earth was created. Those rocks and stones which lined the road into Jerusalem KNEW who Jesus was. The Creator. The only one worthy of praise. He was the King who came in the name of the Lord. And if the humans who lined the road refused to shout their praise to the Lord, the rocks would. Creation will praise its Creator.

Do we look for God’s hand in the world around us and praise him? Do we see each sunrise and sunset as the work of the Master and praise him? Do we ache to shout our praises to the Lord for everything he has done, is doing, and will do in our lives?

Don’t you think if the rocks and stones know enough to praise Jesus, we should as well?

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When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:37-40 (NIV)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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I Once Was Blind

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By Sandy Kirby Quandt

There is a story told in the Bible in the book of John Chapter 9 about the healing of a blind man by Jesus. The man had been blind since birth and at that time in history, people falsely believed sin had caused the blindness.

For the sake of my illustration, I’m going to call the man Simon.

Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with the spittle, placed it on Simon’s eyes, and told him to go wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam.

So Simon went, washed, and came back seeing.

Simple as that.

When Simon’s neighbors and those who knew him as a beggar saw he was no longer blind, they questioned if it was indeed Simon, or someone who just looked like him.

“This can’t be Simon. He’s blind. Always has been. Always will be.”

“It is me! I can see!” Simon probably shouted.

“How’d you get your sight?”

Simon told them all about what Jesus had done.

The custom of the day was to present yourself before the religious leaders when healed. So Simon’s neighbors took him before the Pharisees.

“How’d you get your sight?” they asked.

Simon told his story again.  “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.”

Because Jesus healed Simon on the Sabbath the Pharisees were livid. They weren’t excited and happy for the miraculous healing. Nope. They were upset because it occurred on a day they said healing could not take place.

Are there ever times when we question whether someone we’ve know for a long time could possibly change for the better, the way Simon’s friends questioned that he wasn’t the blind beggar they’d always known?

Do we want to define them as who they were? Not who they have become once in contact with Jesus? Do we only remember them for the times they failed, constantly reminding them of their failures, and refuse to believe they could succeed? Are we unwilling to accept they have changed?

Jesus redeemed Simon from a life of blindness. Not only did Jesus restore Simon’s physical sight, but upon Simon’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah, he received spiritual sight, as well.

Jesus came into this world to pay the price to redeem each of us from our sins … from our spiritual blindness. When we follow Jesus as our LORD and Savior, he gives us spiritual sight. As a result, we become new creations in him.

Jesus told the man who was born blind to go wash, and he did. His healing came after he was obedient. Same with us. Our healing also comes after obedience.

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“Yes, Lord,” the man said, “I believe!” And he worshiped Jesus.

Then Jesus told him, “I have come into the world to give sight to those who are spiritually blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

The Pharisees who were standing there asked, “Are you saying we are blind?”

 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But your guilt remains because you claim to know what you are doing.  John 9:38-41 (TLB)

I wish you well.

Sandy

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