October 8
Matthew 9:27-34; Mark 6:1-6; Matthew 13:53-58; Matthew 9:35-38; Mark 6:7-13; Matthew 10:1-42; Luke 9:1-6
I was raised in the Episcopalian denomination. Though we were not regular church-goers it didn't take long for me to learn the repetitive prayers that were part of the liturgy, said week after week by heart. The same was true for many of the hymns and the words said surrounding communion. Though I didn't realize it, I was being inoculated by religion. Realize that in a traditional vaccine, such as polio or rubella, you are administered a dead form or a weakened form of the virus, so that when your body is faced with the real virus, you are not affected by it. Sadly, this is often the case with religion. Confronted on a repetitive schedule with a weakened or dead view of who God is, when we are actually exposed to the real thing we are not affected. The Holy Spirit is alive and well and able to pour into any heart that is ripe and willing. It doesn't matter which church you grew up in, our worship of Jesus, and our availability to Him must never be tired and lack the anticipation of something fresh. Reading Scripture now for over thirty years, I'm amazed how fresh His Words are day after day, year after year. The same words. but with the freshness of the Holy Spirit.
As we go through the gospel accounts, most people were literally being blown away by the freshness of Jesus' teaching. But there were exceptions to this. The religious leaders couldn't see Jesus for who He was because they were inoculated with the man-made components of their religion, and also they were concerned that they would lose status, being caught up with the power of their current positions. But we come across another group who could not receive His teachings and who He was, as we read in Mark 6:1-3, "Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him." Yes, this was "good old Jesus" to the people of his hometown. They knew Him, or at least they thought they knew Him. Jesus goes on in 6:4-6, "But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching." It was not that Jesus was any less powerful or able, it was that his hometown was so inoculated to Jesus, they couldn't see Him as Messiah, or receive His teachings.
Please don't point at other churches, other denominations, or other people, looking at the deadness of others. How about you? Have you been so inoculated that nothing can penetrate you? Do you think that you have already heard it all before? The Holy Spirit will not force Himself on you. He allows you to invite Him in. If you find yourself stunted, stale, then the problem is you, not God. We must approach Him with a spirit of excitement, with anticipation. There is absolutely nothing ho-hum about the God of the universe. If you are stale, change it up. Get into His Word daily. Change up your worship songs and your prayer rituals. Listen to fresh messages, etc. Your age doesn't matter, nor does your years in service to the Lord, keep it fresh.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: