On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. ³⁸ Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. ³⁹ Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he^[j] shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” ⁴¹ Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” ⁴² While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And all were astounded at the greatness of God.” Luke 9:37-43

When we are healed from a disease or sickness, is it proper for us to consider our healing to be an act from G-d? That is a legitimate question. After all, when we believe that G-d gives us all kinds of gifts, some for preaching, some for teaching, and some for the medical arts, then those who work as doctors and nurses are using the gifts G-d has given them. Our secularized world has progressed in science and technology so far that the thought of G-d providing a miraculous healing rather than it being produced by humans, well many would consider that to be absurd. Yet, we believe that G-d works through the hands of doctors and scientists in the discovery of cures and the miracles of science. Is our current generation so faithless and unbelieving that we are unwilling to be astounded by the greatness of G-d?  As Christians we believe that everything is from G-d and everything was created by G-d. Look, if we believe that Jesus  heals us daily of our sins – shouldn’t we also believe that includes healings and miracles?

Pastor Dave       

He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, ²² saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” ²³ Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? ²⁶ Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷ But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:21-27

We often come upon the crosses of others – people we know, and strangers we meet in our lives – and we do not quite know what to do when they ask us to bear their crosses. Though we are not expected to heap crosses, or suffering upon our own heads, yet, when they are laid out in front of us, we have decisions to make. Should we take them up, and carry them in the name of Christ? Or should we just pass them by? One of the commentaries I read about this text from Luke asks just this question. You see, often we encounter the crosses of others along the way of life. It is our choice what we should do about them as we look to serve the risen Lord. But, we must also be careful not to purposely bring crosses upon ourselves in the service of Christ. Crosses are tricky things. When a cross is laid upon us, to bear ourselves, or to carry for others, we are called to do so willingly with Christ leading the way. But, how many crosses can we carry at one time?

Pastor Dave