Tuesday, December 5, 2017

sonship and healing

John 10:31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"  33 "We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."  34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are "gods"'? 35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."

Previously, I assumed that Jesus was referring to all humans as "gods" because we are made in the image of God with the ability to be creative and rule over creation.  But in a sermon a couple of weeks ago, Pastor Mark of CityView in Lubbock explained that Jesus's reference to Psalm 82 was actually an indictment (Ps. 82:2) against the Pharisees because people in authority (Ps. 82:2,6-7) are supposed to represent God, which means that they should defend the weak and rescue the needy (Ps. 82:3-4).  Furthermore, in John 10:36-37, Jesus is basically saying that He is genuinely God's Son (and God Himself) because He accurately represented God by fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 35:

Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen the feeble hands,
    steady the knees that give way;
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
    "Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
    he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
    he will come to save you."
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
    and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
6 Then will the lame leap like a deer,
    and the mute tongue shout for joy.

Similarly, when John the Baptist send his followers to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah, Jesus answered that He was fulfilling Isaiah 35 and 61:

Matt. 11:2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" 4 Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me."

I believe that, as a son of God, I should be representing God to other people, and miraculous healing is a great way to do that.  It is interesting to me that in the book of Hebrews, in the context of humbly receiving discipline as God's children, the author references Isaiah 35:3-6:

Heb. 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

I think there is an aspect of the "now and not yet" mystery here.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus as your representative.  Jesus, thank you for taking our sins away, and thank you that by your stripes, we are healed.  Holy Spirit, help me live as an effective son of God today.  I love you.

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