Sunday, December 16, 2012

It’s a Miracle: それは奇跡です!


Simon Peter's mother-in-law    シモンの姑は病気です!(Luke 4:36-40 ルカ4:36-40)
-   36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power He gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding area.
-   38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So He bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
-   40 When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.

-       Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit  イエスが悪霊を追い出し
-       Jesus Heals Simon’s Mom-in-law イエスがサイモンの義理のお母さんを癒してくれる
-       Jesus Heals Many-イエスは多くを癒す while the sun was setting

-  Jesus is Available - イエスは助けになる
Again, when is He NOT available?  He is forever close.  Come close to Him and He will come close to you.
Christmas message: God with us!
-       Asked to Help Her- 彼女を助けるために頼んだ
Simple request.  Bold request.  Personal need. “Well, it is just a cold!”  “It is only cancer!”  “I don’t want to bother Him!”  “He would not care/do anything!”
-       Jesus Bent Over Her彼は彼女の上に身をかがめ
Mark 1:30-31
Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever.  He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up.  The fever left her, and she began to wait on them. 
マルコ1:30-31 ところが、シモンのしゅうとめが熱病で床に着いていたので、人々はさっそく彼女のことをイエスに知らせた。イエスは、彼女に近寄り、その手を取って起こされた。すると熱がひき、彼女は彼らをもてなした
Close to her.  Got ‘in her face’ yet sounds gentle.  
No words-to her--just His touch.  You need His touch today?  You need to ask for it.
     -       Rebuked the Fever 熱を叱責した
His action was to go all the way.  He had just dealt with evil spirits and death type illnesses and here Simon Peter’s mother-in-law had a high fever—maybe malaria, or whatever was around at the time.  Back then, a high fever meant death would be close. Jesus spoke to the problem.  By rebuking the fever, we can see that it was more to it than just an sickness.  It was a deep illness —maybe unto death.
He touched lepers who NO one would touch and they were healed.
Blessed children with a touch
A deaf man was touched by His finger and healing occurred.
He took the hand of Jairus’ dead daughter and she was brought back from the dead!
When Peter cut off the man’s ear in the Garden, Jesus touched the detached ear and he was healed.
But yet, He did not HAVE to touch anyone…His voice or even His thoughts were enough as with the Centurion’s servant: “Just say the word and because of Your Authority!”
His Father, during Creation, in Genesis 2:7 “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” 創世記 2: 7 神である主は土地のちりで人を形造り、その鼻にいのちの息を吹き込まれた。そこで人は生きものとなった。He touched the soil & Man was made.
God creates and He created Man from the dust and he became a walking being.
The point is that Jesus could do what He does because of Who He was. He was the Son of Creator God.  The Incarnate One-God in the Flesh.  Immanuel.  God with us.  Christmas story here…
God touched this world with His Own Son and had Him live among us.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
- Fever Left- 熱は去り
Nice work on Jesus' part.  The family got her back again.  It sounds like Peter had a good relationship with his in-law.  This was a good move on his part.  A good testimony to those outside the family and ESP those inside the family-unit who do not know God yet.  A good evidence of the Power of God!
How we treat our in-laws says a lot about how we value them.  They have worth. They are important.  And God loves them!
-       Got Up and Served- 起き上がって世話をした
Nothing was going to hold this woman down.  Do you know someone like her? “Got things to do…so move out of the way!” 
Once there was a God-Touched Life, there is service.  Have you been touched by God? By His Mercy?  What is your service?  Did it for a while but now it is some one else’s turn. Do we ‘owe’ God?
 Is it ぎり?  You do this for me and I’ll repay you back with good acts of mercy and then, I’m out of here.  Or is it: I was touched by God私は神に御手によりI owe Him everything!  I was once dead but He touched me and now I am alive.

     This passage continues with Jesus going outside, while the sun is still shining and He heals yet more people.  Today, the sun is NOT set.  He still does His touch on people’s lives—even your life!  You can look back over the years and you can see that He was there---touching you—directing you—helping you-keeping you. 
     We have been talking about being bold in our prayers.  We have been looking at the miracles and the parables of Jesus which all point to His Person as being the Son of God.  He is able to touch you and your situation—whatever it is.  We are asked to put on the full armor of the Faith as we live out life.  And there will be trouble.  There will be pain.  There will be the attacks of the evil one but we have Christ on our side and He is greater than any power there is.  So, …
Ephesians 6:11 & 13  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. … Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
エペソ人への手紙 6:11 悪魔の策略に対して立ち向かうことができるために、神のすべての武具を身に着けなさい。13ですから、邪悪な日に際して対抗できるように、また、いっさいを成し遂げて、堅く立つことができるように、神のすべての武具をとりなさい。
When faced with hardships, illness or injury, with bad news, with personal grief or sadness, with discouragements, rejections, we need to stop and check our armor.  Being suited up doesn't mean we avoid the encounter with the enemy, but we are prepared for it.  I appreciate how Paul tells us to be prepared, but then also encourages all of us to join together in being alert and to pray earnestly for one another. And then he asks for prayer to continue proclaiming the Gospel...even though he's in a restricted situation.
Earlier, Paul gives us a great encouragement in how to think:
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. 
エペソ人へ紙3:20 どうか、私たちのうちに働く力によって、私たちの願うところ、思うところのすべてを越えて豊かに施すことのできる方に、
     How good is your imagination?  It is time for us to think God Size thoughts and to pray along those lines and see what He has for us as a Church in the years to come.  This will not end when Faith and I return to the US.  His Church will continue and you will be part of what that looks like.  Able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.”  

 Reflective prayer time 祈りの時間