The disciples are blind to Jesus and the nature of his kingdom, and so blind to follow Jesus in the way of service to all. Instead a blind beggar truly sees and follows Jesus on the way.
Jesus disciples see He is more than a prophet but fail to see he is Christ the suffering king, and so fail to understand that following Jesus means walking in his steps – in suffering, service, and sacrifice for the kingdom.
We can have courage and peace in the midst of a chaotic and fearful world because, in Jesus, we see God the Creator come to deliver us, by bringing the chaos of the world under his rule.
Jesus is revealed as the king who is more powerful than sickness and death, and he meets with those who are distressed and desperate, people who know their need, to give new life to those who put their faith in him.
Jesus shows his powerful authority by liberating people from the fruits of evil in all its manifestations – physical, spiritual, and even the evil within each person.
The good news is proclaimed, and Jesus is revealed as the Christ – the long-promised king. But Jesus is also revealed as the suffering servant. The salvation he brings and the victory he wins will come through suffering and defeat.
In 1 Timothy the Lord gives us descriptions of how to recognise Church leader’s after God’s own heart.
The gospel shows us that God alone has the power to give salvation through the work of Jesus.
Recent research into poverty confirms what the Bible has taught all along. The emphasis of Psalms and Proverbs is on how the poor are treated rather than what they don’t have. How does the Bible describe the plight of the poor and how should we respond? Does the answer lie in just giving stuff or is it something else?
Jesus isn’t the shiny, happy “Mr Nice Guy” our world makes him out to be. He’s the Man of Sorrows, who suffered greatly to heal us of our sorrows.
Living Church is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland
PO Box 554, Carina Q 4152
07 3398 4333 | hello@livingchurch.org.au
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