A Word about the Master of the Table

Today I want to share a word about the Master of the Table as I comment on verses from Luke 22. Let’s begin by reading Luke 22:7-13,

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed.And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

One day a State Trooper was pulling off an expressway near Chicago. When he turned onto the street at the end of the ramp, he noticed someone at a chicken restaurant getting into his car.  The driver placed the bucket of chicken on roof of his car, got in and drove off with the bucket still on top of his car. 

The trooper decides to pull him over and perform a community service by giving the driver his chicken. So, he pulled him over, walked up to the car, took the bucket of chicken off the roof, and offered it to the driver. The driver looked at the trooper and says, "No thanks, I just bought some."

We all have our favorite meals, whether it might be Thanksgiving dinner, or a grilled steak, or even fried chicken.  As we continue to see Jesus as Master and Commander, today we will see a meal that Jesus anticipated greatly, a meal that showed that He was Master of the Table.

THE MASTER PREPARED THE TABLE:

From the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus was in control. He came to Earth on a mission to save sinful humanity and He did what He wanted to do and went where He wanted to go to fulfill that mission. Nothing He did was an accident. Everything was intentional, as was the way He prepared for this Passover meal.

Jesus prepared this table in a unique way! A the very least, this was at least a prophecy and a true one, but I believe this was really a miracle. He or the Spirit, had gone before and prepared the way. He did this to show the Disciples Hos true nature: He is God, and He is in control. In John 14, Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father,” and "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.” This was a work of Jesus that showed His Divinity! His use of a meal to make this point shows His mastery of everything!

Next, let’s read verses 14-18:

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

THE MASTER ENJOYED THE TABLE:

From this passage we can see that Jesus enjoyed this Passover meal in at least three ways. First, He enjoyed the fellowship He found at this table. In Jewish culture, breaking bread was an act of intimate friends and sharing the Passover was an act of family. He loved these men, and they loved Him.

We also can see that He enjoyed the thought that His mission soon would be complete. Jesus wanted this fellowship to be extended to all people. He had come to seek and save that which was lost and He knew that He had to suffer and bleed and died for this to be realized.  He was glad that this was finally to come about and that His earthly mission would be completed.

Finally, He enjoyed the prospect of being at the table for eternity in Heaven with these men whom He loved. He knew that the Jewish authorities were going to kill this “man” if it was the last thing they did. While that would be painful, it would prepare a table in Heaven where, one day in the future, there will be a real party in heaven and Jesus will celebrate with Christians there. He is eagerly anticipating eating this meal His Disciple and also with us.  Will you be there?

Let’s continue by reading verses 17-23:

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!  And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

THE MASTER EXPLAINED THE TABLE:

The Gospel has mystery, but it is not mysterious. From the beginning, God wanted Israel to understand truth. He would not want anyone to act merely from routine or as ritual without understanding what it means. In Psalm 47:7, God’s people are instructed to, “sing praises with understanding.” In 1 Corinthians 15:14, Paul said, 

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

Indeed, salvation comes from understanding our need of it, and also understanding how we can find it as Paul taught in Romans 10:14, 

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Fortunately, it is not too hard to understand since we all come to Jesus like little children!

Again, Jesus showed His mastery in revealing the meaning of the table. The Passover did include traditional explanations, but Jesus was not going to be bound by mere traditions. He was going to use this meal for His own, sovereign, purposes. He revealed to us that:

• Jesus’ body was broken for our sin.
• Jesus’ blood was shed for our sin!
• Only His sacrifice is effective for saving us!

Finally, Let’s read verses 23-38:

And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;  That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.  And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.  And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.  Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.  For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.  And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

THE MASTER RULED THE TABLE:

No family is without problems, and such is the case here. Like in families, we can see rivalries and pecking orders present among the Disciples in verses 23 and 24. We can also see that some of the Disciples, like some children, thought that they were more mature than they actually were (see verses 31-34). In verses 35-38, we can see that, some of the Disciples were acting like children who don’t trust their parents.

Without a doubt, parents should be in charge at the family table:

• Inmates shouldn’t run asylums.
• Students shouldn’t run schools.
• Prisoners shouldn’t run prisons.
• Children shouldn’t run a family.

Is there any doubt who was in charge here? Jesus was, and He should have been. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is righteous, and holy, and powerful, and sovereign. And He remains so today.

CONCLUSION:

Whenever we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, or even just sit down for a meal with our family, we need to remember: 

• Jesus prepared this table for us!
• Jesus loves to fellowship with us!
• Jesus wants us to remember what He did for us!
• Jesus wants us to remember that He’s our King! 

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master of the Dawning

Today I want to share a word about the Master of the Dawning, as I comment on Luke 24:1-12. This passage reads:

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

Somebody has well said there are only two kinds of people in the world.  There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."  For those of us who aren’t morning people, here’s a good story:

The Bear family is just waking up. Baby Bear goes downstairs and sits in his small chair at the table. He looks into his small bowl, and he sees that it is empty. “Who's been eating my porridge?” he squeaks.

Daddy Bear arrives at the table and sits in his big chair. He looks into his big bowl. It is also empty! “Who's been eating my porridge?” he roars, as big bears often do.

Momma Bear puts her head through the serving hatch from the kitchen and yells, “For Pete's sake, how many times do we have to go through this?!”

“It was Momma Bear who got up first. It was Momma Bear who woke up everybody else in the house.  It was Momma Bear who unloaded the dishwasher from last night and put everything away.”

“It was Momma Bear who went out into the cold early morning air to fetch the newspaper and the wood for the fire. It was Momma Bear who set the table.  It was Momma Bear who put the cat out, cleaned the litter box and filled the cat's water and food bowls.”

“And now that you've decided to come downstairs and grace me with your presence ... listen good because I'm only going to say this one more time ...” She yells, “I haven't made the stupid porridge yet!!”

Early on the first Lord’s Day, some women got up to do a very important task.  They learned that Jesus is the Master of the Dawning.

A DISAGREEABLE TASK:

Down through the centuries, women have often been given disagreeable tasks, like:

• Cleaning the house.
• Washing dishes and clothes.
• Taking care of the needs of children.
• Responding when at accident happens at home.

In this vein, we see that these women came to do a necessary, but disagreeable, task. On Good Friday, there had been no time to anoint the dead body of Jesus. Now that the Sabbath was over, they had the chance and they arose early to do this, possibly to avoid trouble.

This simple act of decency and compassion tells us more than meets the eye at first glance. These women came prepared to anoint a dead body, so they believed that Jesus was really dead. They had not yet understood what He intended to do and so they loved Him enough to do this dangerous, disagreeable task. Because of their love and bravery, God allowed them to see the truth first!

A DISMAYING DISCOVERY:

When the women arrived. they were shocked! The tomb was open, and the body wasn’t there. Then, strangers appeared nearby. Naturally, the women were frightened and upset. So, who were these men? 

They had the characteristics of angels: They appeared out of nowhere. They shined and glowed and they came with a message.

Their message was a critical one. What if they had said “Jesus’s body was stolen?” What if they had said “The man was a fraud, and He never died? What if they had said, “Foolish women, He was a devil?”

This was a key moment in the story of first Easter. What did these men say?

A DYNAMIC MESSAGE:

Blessedly for us, the message of the angels was none of those above. Jesus was not there because He is not dead, though He had died. Jesus was not there because He is risen because He had done just what He said He would do. Though the women didn’t understand before, but they would, now.

This message is the kernel of the Gospel: Jesus died for our sins. Jesus rose again, defeating death and Hell. Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God today, making intercession for us! To discard these facts of our faith would be like discarding a car’s engine.

What an astonishing turn of events! What an astonishing message! Could this be real? Could the women believe their ears? One indicator that they did believe was to note what they did after they received this message. They immediately ran to tell others. Unlike Peter who wanted to build houses on Mount of Transfiguration, they didn’t keep this joyous news to themselves. They told all to those who needed to know!

THE DISBELIEVING DISCIPLES:

The Disciples had been so excited about having Passover in Jerusalem, it was like a dream come true. But, then they had been shocked by Judas’ betrayal of Jesus and then they had been frightened by Jesus’ arrest and trial. They were shattered by Jesus’ death on the cross among thieves. They were totally defeated and demoralized.

The Disciples naturally did not believe what the women told them. They “knew” that the world as they knew it was over. They needed more than wild stories and rumors and, besides, in those days, women were not trusted with important news. They just wouldn’t believe unless they saw themselves.

Even when Peter saw the scene in the tomb with his own eyes, he didn’t understand what had happened. He was as perplexed as the women. He would need a special messenger to teach him also. As it is often said, the ground is level at the foot of the Cross.

CONCLUSION:

Today, we know everything that the women knew, and even more, now that we have the benefit of the full canon of Scripture. Based on what God has revealed to us, at the dawning of each day, whether the dawn is anticipated, or it is dreaded, we need to remember that Jesus us the Master of the Dawning. If we make Him our Master, He will master our dawning as well, whatever it might bring our way!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master of Death

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Death, as I comment on passages from John 11. Let’s begin with John 11:1-7: 

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

Death is something that, if the Lord tarries, we all will face.  People almost universally fear death, and, in fact, there is very little difference in the way that believers and nonbelievers feel emotionally about death.  It is almost always a dreaded thing and most of us would also fight tooth and nail to keep our life.  A good example of this is a woman by the name of Jennifer Grunbeck, who’s story was told in the book, Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds, written by Gary M. Pomerantz. 

She was a passenger in Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 which crashed in rural Carroll County, GA. in 1995.  She was burned over ninety percent of her body.  By all estimates, she had no chance at all to survive, but she did.  She spent 106 days in a burn unit in Chattanooga, undergoing some of the most painful treatments known to medicine. After she returned home to Massachusetts, she had to endure six hours of physical and occupational therapy a day.  She fought to live and continued to do so.  Even what she endured was not as fearsome as the prospect of death.

The good news for us is that we have someone to turn to who is the Master of Death.  If we know Him, we should have confidence in His care for us, even in the most difficult of times. Let us look at the work of this master as we consider the events of John Chapter 11.

A MASTER WITH A PURPOSE: 

“A certain man” became ill. As we saw in yesterday’s devotional, this is a common occurrence in the world. It is common in the developed world, and it is common in the developing world. It was also common in the New Testament world. 

Also, when a person is sick, it is common to call on loved ones to help, and it was also common for people to call upon Jesus to heal them. Again, as we saw yesterday, Jesus did not come just to heal, but He could, would, and did heal.

This was not just any man, however. Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary. This was a family that Jesus had much contact with, and they were a family that Jesus loved. It would be reasonable to expect Jesus to rush over and save Lazarus, but Jesus is someone that you should expect the unexpected from. In fact, Jesus did not respond immediately, but in fact He delayed for some time.

Jesus was nothing if not in intentional in His ministry, and He deliberately delayed. He had good reason; He was not neglecting His friends, but He wanted to honor them. He wanted to use this event for a special miracle. When He was ready, and no sooner, Jesus decided to go to Bethany. How did his followers react to that decision? Let’s read John 11:8-16:

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

A MASTER WITH DETERMINATION: 

In these verses we see that the Disciples were astounded at the idea of going to Judea They knew that there was great resistance to Jesus there and they were afraid that the resistance was too strong for Jesus. They believed that Jesus would be killed, and they did not think that Lazarus’ illness was worth the risk. The bottom line for them is that they were afraid of death, and they didn’t think Jesus was able to do anything about that.

Jesus, however, persisted. He was on a mission; He knew what He was doing. He also knew what He could do. He would not give in to doomsayers. Paul was echoing this ethos when he told young Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Jesus was fully confident in His purpose and abilities, even if His closest followers were not.

A lesson for us in this is that we must have confidence in Jesus if we are to follow Him.  We get scared, just like the Disciples. We want to run the other direction, just like the Disciples. We do this, even with entire Canon of Scripture available to us and when we do follow Jesus, we often do it like Thomas, with our hearts in our mouths, rather than like Paul, with a full-hearted confidence. 

So, in His timing, and despite the protests of the Disciples, Jesus went to Bethany. How was He received when He got there? We will find out as we look further in John 11:17-27:

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

John 11:32-37 is also revealing:

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

A MASTER WITH COMPASSION: 

 Naturally, Martha and Mary (and some of their neighbors, too) were upset with Jesus.  Martha stormed out to confront Jesus, while Mary stayed home and sulked. Both of them blamed Jesus for Lazarus’ death. This blame was misplaced, however.

Human sin in the Garden of Eden brought illness and death into the world, not God. Lazarus, like all people, was a sinner and, like all of us, deserved death and Hell for falling short of the glory of God. Jesus did not owe them, or us, anything. We all need to come to God as beggars, with our hats in our hands.

Jesus reacted with patience to Martha and Mary. This is the classic reaction of God. We deserve judgment and punishment, but He shows us compassion, like a good parent does with an angry child. God will do what is right, not out of anger, but out of love. This patience comes out of confidence, and confidence out of competence. And Jesus was, and is, certainly competent to address the needs of fallen humanity!

Jesus was calm and confident, and verses 38-45 showed His ultimate level of competence:

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

A MASTER WITH POWER: 

 Jesus demonstrated His compassion by His power, but it is instructive think what would have happened had Lazarus not come forth? 

• Jesus would have hurt Martha and Mary beyond measure. 
• He would have risked His life and those of His disciples for nothing. 
• In Judea, the center of Jewish power and politics, He would have been a laughingstock. 
• His life and His ministry would have been in shreds.

Knowing this, many of us might have shied away from trying to raise Lazarus in the public eye the Jesus did. In fact, Jesus, acted in the opposite by crying out with a loud voice! Jesus did it this way on purpose so that He could show His power without any doubt. He knew that Lazarus had been dead four days, bound in grave clothes and placed in a tomb. Martha knew Lazarus was dead and didn’t want to smell the evidence. Yet, Jesus simply spoke, and Lazarus was revived!  No one knows who said it first, but many preachers have said that it is good that Jesus called Lazarus’ name or else everyone in the sound of His voice would have come forth!

Jesus marched into the midst of those who hated Him, risking death the hatred of His loved ones to show His power. Yet, this was no risk because the power was His to exercise and Jesus is still exercising this type of mastery today. This power is available to us today because He doesn’t change. He loves us and offers us access to this power even now!

CONCLUSION: 

 Jesus demonstrated He is the Master of Death and if this is the case, what is there that He can’t control? What is there in your life that He cannot master? Turn to Him and you will experience His power in your life!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master of Disease

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master of Disease as I comment on verses from John 9. Let’s begin by reading John 9:1-7: 

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

We all get sick, and in many ways, it is amazing that we aren’t ill more often.  For example:

Little Johnny sat playing in the garden. When his mother came out to collect him, she saw that he was slowly eating a worm. She turned pale.  "No, Johnny! Stop! That's horrible! You can't eat worms!" 

Trying to convince him further she noted, "Now the mother worm is looking all over for her nice baby worm." 

"No, she isn't," said Johnny. "How do you know she's not?" said the mother. "Because I ate her first!" answered Little Johnny. 

Of course, after we do get sick, we rely on doctors and nurses and other medical professionals to help us get well.  On the other hand, these good folks are only people, too.  Here are some actual sentences found in patients' hospital charts:

• Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
• On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.
• The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.
• Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.
• The patient refused autopsy.
• She is numb from her toes down. 
• The skin was moist and dry.
• Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.
• Patient was alert and unresponsive.
• Skin: somewhat pale but present.
• Patient was seen in consultation by Dr. Blank, who felt we should sit on the abdomen, and I agree.
• Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

We do fall ill, and we do know that while doctors treat us, there is only one true source of healing.  That source is the Great Physician, the Master of Disease, who we will see today in John 9.

THE WILL TO HEAL:

Many have questioned why illness happens. They ask question like, “If God is good why does pain exist?” Or “When you get sick is God getting even with you?” And “Why does God allow diseases like cancer exist?” Even “Why doesn’t God heal?” This is a serious issue, and it has existed from the beginning.

Some would answer these questions in ways that are not true to Scripture, such as, “God doesn’t care or, or God is evil.” Other, like those who hold to a theology of Deism. believe God is simply not engaged with the world.

We must remember that Jesus did not come to be a doctor. He came to save us from our sins by redeeming a lost and dying world and to defeat death and hell. All though His ministry the Gospel was His focus. In fact, the Scriptures reveal that Jesus would eventually leave a place where the people only wanted Him to do physical miracles, because He had more important work to perform.

Jesus, however, is God and He loves us, and He wants to bless us. He wants to give us abundant life and give us all good things. Therefore, He was willing to heal, and He did so regularly. He never withheld healing when it was sought.

Let’s continue by reading verses 8-12:

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

THE ABILITY TO HEAL:

Having the willingness to heal is not the same as having the ability to heal. Many people think that God can’t act. They say He is too weak to prevent death and disease. This means that God is good, but hapless which would be comparing God to Barney Fife! Jesus is no Barney Fife!  

From other passages in the Bible, we know that He resisted temptation and brushed off Satan’s best shot. He stilled the wind and waves, and He delivered the demoniac from his demons. He did many other things that we haven’t considered yet, as John 21:25 tells us, 

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

Of course, Jesus could heal! He healed this man, and He healed the woman with the issue of blood. He healed the Centurion’s servant, and He healed the ear of the High Priest’s servant in Gethsemane. When you have done it, why do you have to prove you can do it?  This is like the teacher asked why she hasn’t taken a particular standardized test for educators.  Her reply was, “I’m a certified teacher. I have been teaching for over a decade. Why do I need to take a test to prove what I show I can do every day school is in session?”

The fact the Jesus could heal should not surprise us, but neither is the fact that His acts were misunderstood. We can see that in verses 13-17 and 28-34:

They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet . . .

Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.  Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.  They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF HEALING:

Some of us have gained the wrong idea about disease, thinking that disease or disaster is the direct result of sin. I once knew a man who thought God was punishing him for his sin when child became ill. Yes, harmful health habits can lead to disease, but this does not explain all cases, like the young girl I knew who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

While we usually cannot trace individual diseases or other such tragedies to personal actions or sins, disease did come into the world by the way of human sin. The world was crested to be perfect, without disease or death. After Adam and Eve sinned, the world was changed and after sin came into the world, so did death and disease. If a building’s foundation is damaged, it will eventually fall and likewise is the effect of human sin on our lives and health.

The subject of divine healing has also generated significant misunderstanding as well. Some think it doesn’t happen ever while some think that it should always happen. There was a lot of misunderstanding going on in this event as well so, as we close, let’s see how Jesus viewed healing from verses 35-41,

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

THE DEPTH OF HEALING:

Jesus more important concerns than physical disease. He was more concerned with eternal health than physical. He was more concerned with spiritual health than physical health. He also was more concerned with the global root cause of disease than the symptoms experienced by individuals.

Though He proved to be willing and capable of physical healing, Jesus came to give us eternal health. The key to this eternal health offered by Jesus is to know and trust the Great Physician. If we believe in the Son of God, He will open our spiritual eyes. He will help us to escape the judgment and we will be well spiritually well forever!

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is the Master of Disease. He can and does heal your body, but more importantly He can and will heal your soul. Turn to Him and you will be made well, well for eternity

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Master of New Life

 

Today I want to share a word about the Master of New Life as I comment on verses from John 3. Let’s begin by reading John 3:1-8:

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

In my younger days I had the privilege of serving my country in the US Army and also in the National Guard.  From time to time I had the opportunity to fly in helicopters which I thought was quite exciting and actually safer than flying in fixed wing airplanes.  After all, helicopters don’t have to charge down a runway at over 100 miles an hour just to get off the ground.  Of course, that does not mean there is no risk involved in riding in a helicopter.  One risk that I learned about is what pilots call the “Jesus Nut.”

The fuselage of a helicopter basically hangs from its rotors.  On smaller helicopters, these rotors are attached to the helicopter by a single, very large nut. The slang name for this nut is the “Jesus Nut,” because, it that nut came loose, or gave way, everyone in that bird could find themselves meeting Jesus before they were expecting to.  

Of course, under those circumstances you might find that you would be surprised at what you discovered!

Nicodemus was a prominent member of Hebrew society who also met Jesus.  When he did so, he also got surprised at what he discovered. Let’s begin by looking at John 3:1-8, above.

JESUS SAID WE NEED NEW LIFE:

Jesus associated with all kinds of people:

• Poor and rich. 

• Sick and well.

• Powerful and humble.

Unlike a politician who sticks his finger in the wind to see which way it was blowing, He told them all what they needed to hear, not just what they wanted to hear.

Nicodemus was a powerful leader in Israel and a prominent member of Jewish society. He was a member of the “right” religious party, and he was hosting Jesus in his own home. All of these would lead him to believe Jesus might cater to him, and he probably expected Jesus to approve of his life and himself.

Jesus, however, told him Nicodemus the honest truth. He said that his life was empty, rotten, and useless. He said that the Spirit of God went where it wanted to go, but it didn’t want to go into the life Nicodemus had. He said he needed to abandon it and get a new one. As one of my former pastors said, “He didn’t need to turn over a new leaf, he needed a new life!”

Next let’s look at verses 14-18:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

JESUS SAID THAT WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED NEW LIFE:

Jesus, who said that He had come to seek and save that which was lost, wanted Nicodemus to have new life. He wanted to give him what Nicodemus could not do for himself. God has been doing this since Adam and Eve first sinned. For example, when the Israelites rebelled on the way to the Promised Land, God sent snakes to kill them, but he gave them a way out, by simply looking at a bronze snake lifted on a pole. Jesus now was offering more than physical life.  He was giving eternal life.   

One important fact that Jesus told Nicodemus is that this world is already condemned. The Scriptures are clear about that. Everyone all sinned, and we have gone our own way. We have all rejected God’s way, and we have all decided to take the path to destruction.

There is hope for us today, however, the same hope that Nicodemus was being offered. New life comes through Jesus: It comes by a person, not a program. It comes by a sacrifice, not a system of belief. It comes by believing, not by our behavior. It come though the personal work of Jesus!

Finally, let’s consider verses 17-21:

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

JESUS SAID THAT WE MUST CHOOSE NEW LIFE: 

The choice in the matter belonged to Nicodemus:

• He could choose God and God’s way or another way.
• He could choose to be freed from condemnation or to remain in it.
• He could choose light, or he could choose darkness.
• He could choose truth or evil.

To believe means to choose and we choose by believing in Jesus as the source of our new life. To believe means to trust in Jesus for your salvation. To believe is to rely on Jesus only for your salvation. To believe is have no “Plan B”.

In the example from the Old Testament above, the Israelites who looked upon the snake lived, those who didn’t, died.  In the same way, those who trust only in Jesus receive eternal life, and those who don’t die eternally.

We, too, must choose. We will either choose for or against Jesus. We will choose either for or against grace. We will choose either eternal life or eternal death.We must chose before it is too late!

CONCLUSION:

Jesus is the Master of New Life. The only way we can have the new life we need is for Jesus to give it to us. The only way Jesus will give it to us is for us to trust in Him alone. Have you chosen Jesus today?

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt