“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
The occasions when we witness the righteous anger of Jesus is when He is not happy with what is going on in His church.
The turning of the tables in the synagogue to oust out what did not represent God but the marketplace and the evil at work in the world.
The confrontation with the Pharisees and religious leaders contesting Him healing in the synagogue and providing on the Sabbath.
“Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.”
Annoyed at their religiosity instead of compassion for humanity.
He is angry in a saddened sense when He sees that we do not steward His power and misrepresent Him today.
Jesus became man to share in our humanity but also to role model the human we should become when we bear His name and image.
It is His desire that we reclaim and expect to walk in miracles and healing as He did and that He can restore that power when we are authentically walking out His way and order on earth.
When we misrepresent the reality of Jesus and instead are falsely bound by religiosity we look and act like those biblical Pharisees.
Like we are more interested in the wrappings and trappings of the fancy cake box than the quality and delicious reality of the cake that it holds inside.
Thus making the truth a disappointment seeming as fake to the real expectation we had.
A sales commodity not a necessity.
It overshadows the true beauty and aroma of the precious reality of Jesus.
The real significance not acknowledged or respected.
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’”
Jesus incarnate, the man, came not to be falsely displayed but to be there for the sick. The humanity of Jesus was the powerful part of Him when He was here on earth.
The fact that He role modelled the need to know His Father, to represent and to channel His power in His ministry.
He was being normal, authentic, real and from that place He demonstrated such power.
When we also accept the difficult parts of the gospel we see too that it is true we are not primarily here to be liked and indeed will instead be aware of persecution .
Our greatest miracles may well be evidenced when we stand in the most opposition, pain, despair, brokenness. The places of being the most faith filled for God’s glory to be revealed.
We are called to steward His power well. Jesus, incarnate on earth, was witness of what could be done when we were of a Christ like mind and clothed to be like Him.
He is now moving us from a place of the religious pretence to the real person of Jesus.
Our authenticity might well be more sensed when we break down in the reality of a situation and the desperation for the intervention of His power and authority than when we perform the eloquently worded service.
When we uncover our own weakness and confess. It is truth that changes the reality in scripture. It exposes and brings to light
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. “
Stepping into reality may require a confessing of our hidden false image. We may be required to lean on others and not be in complete self control as we reveal our weakness. Admit that perfect performance is not paramount .
The reality of that position will be where the power comes. Jesus does not need perfection. He comes for honest, for desperate, for real need.
“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
We reflect who we know.
If we worship a fake two dimensional image of Jesus who is not alive we will not embody the three dimensional, authentic real person of love, wisdom and power that He is. We will be misrepresentative of Him.
The illustration shows Jesus obscured by the package display of religiosity. The real light pushing back the darkness hidden by the false.
Five Scriptures that come to mind:
“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’”Matthew 11:17 ESV
“Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other.”Matthew 12:12-13 ESV
“Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.”Matthew 12:25 ESV
“And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””Mark 2:17 ESV
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”James 5:16 ESV
The song What a Beautiful Name Josie Buchanan and Peyton Allen https://youtu.be/Qbn3c0Dbu_M
Lessisgreater 