POST MIRACLE ORDERS

“But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat” (Mark 5:43 NKJV).

This statement was made by the Lord Jesus after raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Thus, we want to focus on the order and note three lessons from this order to feed her: the economy of miracles, the educating of the redeemed, and the enlisting into service.

Economy of miracles – the Lord Jesus could have fed this little girl with a miracle. But the Lord does not work miracles when it is not necessary. A miracle was necessary to bring the girl back to life, but a miracle was not necessary to feed her. Wanting miracles when we do not need them is not a demonstration of faith but is more likely a demonstration of laziness or carnality. We may think we need a miracle to heal our bodies; but in some cases, all that is needed is a visit to the doctor to get the medicine to heal our bodies. God does not work miracles to make us lazy or irresponsible.

Educating of the redeemed – The ordering of the girl to be fed is a good illustration of the need of the church to feed new converts spiritual food. Evangelism is not all there is to the work of the church. Once life has been given, the redeemed must be fed. Many churches have miserably failed in this duty. This has led to weak Christians who cannot overcome temptation and who are easily carried away by false doctrine.

Enlisting into service - This order enlisted others into service for the Lord. And the service was the simple task of feeding this little girl. Too often we think of service as some prestigious action in front of a big crowd. Not so. Here it was simply preparing a meal. If we wish to be employed in the service of the Lord, we need to be ready to do the lowly tasks. It may be sweeping the floor, running an errand, preparing a meal, or visiting the sick. We do not have to be in some high position at church in order to serve. Further, we do not have to be a missionary or pastor to serve. We can serve from right where we are.

(Adapted from Butler’s Sermon Starters Vol. 2)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The place God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet!”

Carl Frederick Buechner (1926 – 2022)

American Author, Presbyterian Minister and Theologian

Word Study

Exchanged

In Rom. 1:26 we read, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature” (NKJV).

Exchanged is the Greek word metallássō (μεταλλάσσω = met-al-las'-so). It is made up of two words: “metá” which means change of place or condition, and “allásso” which means to change. Thus, the word denotes the giving up of one thing in order to receive another. The word is also aorist tense and active voice indicating that the folks involved made a deliberate choice to exchange the natural for the unnatural. This idea of exchanging one thing for another is also seen in v. 25 where we are told that the ungodly “exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.” This word is used only here in these two verses in the New Testament.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land; a rumor shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler” (Jer. 51:46 KJV).

Did You Know…

God’s instruction regarding the fire on the altar in the tabernacle was that the fire should never go out (Lev. 6:13).

Bible Quiz

Why did God send a fire to devour the two sons of Aaron in the tabernacle?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: Who spoke of His desire to gather Jerusalem’s children as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings? The Lord Jesus (Matt. 23:37).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS”

"In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!” (Jer. 23:6 NKJV).

1. Meaning – LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS speaks of the Lord Jesus as the king from David’s line who will reign wisely and do what is just and right.

2. Insights – In contrast to the unrighteous kings Jeremiah had been describing, this King will be righteous and rule justly. He will not fail but live up to His name. The name of this King is “Jehovah Tsidkenu” – “The Lord our Righteousness.” According to 1 Cor. 1:30 and 2 Cor. 5:21, this exalted name applies only to the Lord Jesus Christ. By living a sinless life when He was on earth, the Lord secured perfect righteousness, the ideal righteousness, for us. When we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, His righteousness is put into our account, and we are declared righteous before God. This is called “being justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1). Thus, the Lord Jesus is the One who is the true Branch, the Messiah for all people.

Did You Know – Christian History

John Ralston Clements was born November 28, 1868, in Newry, Ireland. He was an Irish American educator and hymn writer.

Clements was just two years old when his family sailed to America and settled in Liberty, New York. As he grew older, Clements entered completely into the life of his adopted country. He worked at the age of thirteen as a retail grocery clerk and had a successful wholesale grocery business. He began writing poetry when he was young.

In 1885, Clements came to Binghamton, and it was there in the First Baptist Church on Chenango Street, during services conducted by Dwight L. Moody, the last week of 1886, that Clements was converted to Christ. During the next 60 years, Clements poured out his joy and concern for soul-winning by writing over 5,000 hymns. He was in close contact with nearly everyone involved with presenting the Gospel of Christ in the United States whether through sermon or song. One of them, Daniel B. Towner, the song leader for Moody’s meeting in Binghamton, set the music to Clements’ first hymn, “Man the Life-Boat,” in 1893. Since then, more than 70 other composers have set music to Clements’ poetry, creating hymns such as “No Night There,” “Lord send us Forth,” “Service Is Our Watchword,” and the popular “Somebody Did a Golden Deed.”

When Dr. John A. Davis incorporated his Practical Bible Training School in Lestershire (now Johnson City), New York, December 7, 1900, Clements was named president. He led the school from the time of its conception, in a simple classroom on 47 Harrison Street, until 1914, when the Bible-training school and evangelistic academy had found permanent residence in Johnson City, NY. He also directed Reuben A. Torrey’s Montrose Bible Conference. Clements was responsible for the first building of the school, on Harrison Street. When Clements died in 1946, his faith assured him that he was going to a land where there was no night. As he had written in his hymn “No Night There:”

A Little Humor

After starting a new diet, Mark altered his drive to work to avoid passing his favorite bakery. One morning, he accidentally drove by the bakery. As he approached, there in the window were a host of chocolates, donuts, and cheesecakes. He felt this was no accident, so he prayed … “Lord, it’s up to You. If You want me to have any of those delicious goodies, create a parking place for me directly in front of the bakery.” And sure enough, on the eighth time around the block, there it was! 

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Many buy cemetery lots in advance but do nothing about preparing for a home in heaven!”