47.2 He Is The Judge Of The Living And The Dead

Acts 10:34-43

Peter began to speak:  "I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.  Whoever fears in him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what race he belongs to.  You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.  You know of the great event that took place throughout the land of Israel, beginning in Galilee after John preached his message of baptism. You know about Jesus of Nazareth and how God poured out on him the Holy Spirit and power. He went everywhere, doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, for God was with him.  We are witnesses of everything that he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Then they put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God raised him from death three days later and caused him to appear, not to everyone but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen, that is, to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from death. And he commanded us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets spoke about him, saying that everyone who believes in him will have his sins forgiven through the power of his name." 

47.1 He Will Come To Judge

Malachi 3:1-5

The Lord Almighty answers, "I will send my messenger to prepare the way for me.  Then the Lord you are looking for will suddenly come to his Temple.  The messenger you long to see will come and proclaim my covenant."

But who will be able to endure the day when he comes? Who will be able to survive when he appears? He will be like strong soap, like a fire that refines metal. He will come to judge like one who refines and purifies silver. As a metal-worker refines silver and gold, so the Lord's messenger will purify the priests, so that they will bring to the Lord the right kind of offerings.  Then the offerings which the people of Judah and Jerusalem bring to the Lord will be pleasing to him, as they used to be in the past.

The Lord Almighty says, "I will appear among you to judge, and I will testify at once against those who practice magic, against adulterers, against those who give false testimony, those who cheat employees out of their wages, and those take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners--against all who do not respect me.

46.5 Praise The Lord, He Is Holy

Psalm 99

The Lord is King, and the people tremble.
He sits on his throne above the winged creatures, and the earth shakes.
The Lord is mighty in Zion; he is supreme over all the nations.
Everyone will praise his great and majestic name.
Holy is he!

Mighty king, you love what is right;
you have established justice in Israel;
you have brought righteousness and fairness.
Praise the Lord our God;
worship before his throne! Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were his priests,
and Samuel was one who prayed to him:
they called to the Lord, and he answered them.
He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud:
they obeyed the laws and commands that he gave them.

O Lord, our God, you answered your people;
you showed them that you are a God who forgives,
even though you punished them for their sins.
Praise the Lord our God,
and worship at his sacred hill!
The Lord our God is holy.

Jesus and Beelzebul

MARK 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said [of Jesus], ''He is possessed by Beelzebul,'' and ''By the prince of demons He drives out demons.'' Summoning them, [Jesus] began to speak to them in parables, ''How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.'' For they had said, ''He has an unclean spirit.'' By the prince of demons He drives out demons.

This is the scribes' verdict on Jesus' power of exorcism. The truth, however, is just the opposite: Jesus drives out demons because he is against demons! His love for people makes him expel the demons that possess men and women. It is about loving the sinner but hating the sin. But can we really differentiate the two? Can we keep them apart? Well, Jesus does! He is able to see the victim and the victimizer. He identifies the wrong and the wronged. He holds the bedeviled and drives away the demon. There is a whole world of difference, and to be able to see the difference is to define our actions. It will put compassion in our crusades, love in our fists, and heart in our fights. 

Beginning of Jesus' Galilean ministry

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen." From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." As He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed Him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed Him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. Great crowds followed Him Many people come to Jesus. 

They follow Him and listen to Him. Why? He brings a message of hope - there is hope, we can change, we can alter our attitudes and our situations. Jesus also proclaims a message of healing. We are forgiven. We can forgive. We can find meaning in our sufferings. We can share bread and kindness and live. Jesus gives us His Father. We have a loving Father who cares for us and awaits us. He knows us and is near to us. He is Father of us all. Even in a society where apathy, cynicism, and indifference reign, the message of hope, healing, and faith can still be relevant.