ttob9

The Testimony of Believers

Lesson Nine: by turtle

The reality of Christ and His authority and His human nature often seems in contradiction with
the will of God, Yet the purpose of Christ coming was to redeeming all mankind of their sins.
Yet around the globe no one doubts Christ authority as a prophet, they only doubt His authority
or equality with God. As one looks at what believers perceive in the book of Luke of Christ
authority and power, and yet when they see Him spending time with sinners it seems in
complete opposition to what is taught about God. From the beginning we are taught God is Holy
and is without sin. Christ was without sin though he was in the presents of sinners. He was not
afraid to be around a dead body, or speak with authority to religious leaders, people that should
of understood what he was saying and trying to do. Yet somewhere along the way man got this
perceive notion that God was only for certain people or only if they were good, or fashionably
correct. Maybe it came from that verse where Noah was righteous in his generation. Maybe that
idea of perfection stems from the fact of the human concept of righteousness, or purity. When
Paul said in Romans 3 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God that included Noah and
Abraham. God honors faith, but at the same time, he does not honor self righteousness through
works. The devil honors his works by his deeds, liken them to be godlike, but the fact is the
devil even believes in God, but fails in the fact he exalts himself above God. Christ took the title
of prophet and yet he was more then a prophet, but it was what people were able to
understand. After men that came before Christ had power to heal and to pray for wind and rain
to come or to cease. Yet Christ came in His own authority, His authority given by God, but also
already His by authority that was and is by the word of God.

Let us examine Luke 7 and look at the authority Christ had and the authority man understood
Jesus to have, as well as how others perceived their own worthiness to be in the presents of
Jesus. The first story takes place with a centurions servant in need of healing. Yet the centurion
comes not to Jesus but shows his authority by sending his servants to ask Jesus to come to him.
The centurion of this town was showing the authority he had to bring Jesus to him, but then he
turns around and does the unexpected and sends more to Jesus to tell him to just speak the
word and it would be done. For the centurion was stating that he to was a man not only of
authority but under authority. He had the ability to tell this one to go and do, as well as being
told what to do. In this way he showed his faith that Jesus need not to appear but could speak
the word and it would be down according to what He said.

Luke 7:1-10 KJV
(1) Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into
Capernaum.
(2) And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
(3) And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that
he would come and heal his servant.
(4) And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for
whom he should do this:
(5) For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
(6) Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion
sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou
shouldest enter under my roof:
(7) Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my
servant shall be healed.
(8) For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go,
and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth
it.
(9) When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto
the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
(10) And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been
sick.

Jews obeyed the authority of the Roman Centurion, because he had built them a temple, a place
to worship their God. The request of the Roman Centurion seem not hard in obedience in
seeking Jesus out for a miracle, but it did one other thing it also testified to the Jews who Jesus
was. That at the least he was only a prophet of God. A woman of Nain was weeping because
she lost her only son. Jesus seen and had compassion on the woman and went near the
stretcher and said arise. The young man arose and began to speak to those carrying him. I
would of loved to seen the reaction to those carrying him. My one thought why did they not
drop him, but Jesus delivered him to his mother and we have no clue what the immediate
reaction was. However right then and their they recognized Jesus as being a prophet. The town
of Nain, was a town in Palestine, it was not in the country of Israel. People seeing the miracles
knew Jesus was at least a Great Prophet, and that God had visited His people. They glorified
God for the miracle that took place. And of course this news spread like wildfire.

The news spread so much that John the Baptist sent two of His disciples to ask Jesus if He was
the one to come. Now remember John a cousin of Jesus on his mother side. No doubt he had
heard the prophesy, and even witnessed the anointing of Jesus, so why would John need to ask
this question. Well on a little research I learned that Christ baptism was the same as it was for
all Jews of faith. The Holy Spirit not so much descendant but anointed each of the converts to
Judaism. The baptism itself was a symbol of faith. Yet there is more to the story. Jesus was a
son of God because he was Israelite by birth as well as demonstrating spiritual birth by allowing
John to baptize Him. John question was not so unusual, but for us on this side of Christianity
we understand that anointing also demonstrated that he was the chosen Son of God and had
authority of God in power through nature, miracles and forgiveness of sins. He was the Messiah
to come. Yet John questioned this. And so Jesus healed all of John’s disciples and sent them
back with a response to John. Let’s look at the passage.

Luke 7:18-23 KJV
(18) And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
(19) And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that
should come? or look we for another?
(20) When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee,
saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
(21) And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits;
and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
(22) Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have
seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,
the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
(23) And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Jesus sending John’s disciples to testify of his authority to heal was sending thes people to be
inspect of a priest. John was of the priestly line. If anyone was healed they had to present
themselves to the priest and the priest would verify if it was so. Jesus sent proof back to John
the only way John would believe based on evidence of a miracle.

Now Jesus made a comment about John the Baptist. John was a man needing evidence for
himself as well as others. Jesus was the Messiah sending proof so all might believe and then he
declares who John is. Stating John had not the faith as some and was considered least in the
kingdom. Why because he needed more evidence to believe. God desires to give us evidence of
who Christ is. He does not desire to hide the truth from us. In fact God had man write down
the evidence about Jesus so even following historical proof of even today one might believe. Let’
s look at what Jesus said about John.

Luke 7:24-28 KJV
(24) And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people
concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
(25) But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are
gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.
(26) But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a
prophet.
(27) This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which
shall prepare thy way before thee.
(28) For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet
than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

What does it take you to believe in Jesus as the Son of God or to know He was more and is
more then just a prophet. John was a part of prophesy and so was Christ, but Christ came to
save the world, John could save no one by himself. Jesus through His death and resurrection
would save all mankind. Let us go into the next passage of scripture.

Luke 7:29-35 KJV
(29) And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with
the baptism of John.
(30) But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not
baptized of him.
(31) And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what
are they like?
(32) They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and
saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye
have not wept.
(33) For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a
devil.
(34) The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a
winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
(35) But wisdom is justified of all her children.

For this reason many were baptized into John’s baptism, a baptism of repentance, yet lawyers
and doctors seen no need of repentance. They found themselves justified because of John’s
attire in the wilderness and Jesus conduct in public. They were use to the cleanness of the priest
and other religious leaders. Some perhaps even scoffed that Jesus did not heal all and so why
believe. Did not doctors heal some and not all. From a lawyers point of view it just made a bad
case all together.

One of the Pharisees not turned off by Jesus asked him to come dine with him. Yet when a
sinner came and approached Jesus weeping and anointing Jesus feet the Pharisee became angry
that Jesus did not tell her to leave because she was a sinner. Pharisees felt they were to holy to
be around sinners or the dead. Yet Jesus told a parable of two people that repented and which
was more deserving of repentance. Let us look at this story.

Luke 7:36-50 KJV
(36) And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the
Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
(37) And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at
meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
(38) And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did
wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
(39) Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying,
This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that
toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
(40) And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he
saith, Master, say on.
(41) There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence,
and the other fifty.
(42) And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore,
which of them will love him most?
(43) Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto
him, Thou hast rightly judged.
(44) And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into
thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and
wiped them with the hairs of her head.
(45) Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss
my feet.
(46) My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with
ointment.
(47) Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much:
but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
(48) And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
(49) And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that
forgiveth sins also?
(50) And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Forgiveness of the one that owed much debt seem more like to be thankful. Then Jesus ask did
you wash my feet, did you dry them, and did you kiss me as a form of welcoming me into your
home. Yet this sinner welcomed me. And to this Jesus told the woman your sins are forgiven.
The Pharisees wonder about all this.

Many wonder about the authority of Jesus and also about the things He did, but they
understood not because scripture told them they would be harden to the truth of who he is.
However how do you see Jesus, do you see him at the very least a man, or at the least a
prophet. That is the beginning of faith. Ask of God and He will show you who Christ truly is, so
that you might believe. We all need our own testimony of the things God can and will do in our
life and not just the testimony of those on the street corner, yet those testimonies help us to
have faith, yet it God that gives the increase to our faith.