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still more G R A C E

Remember that book that I mentioned last time, that my wife gave me as a Christmas present ? Well, I finished it. And my wife is just reading it again for the third time!
DESTINED TO REIGN by Joseph Prince

He mentions some things that I would like to share and chew over, and expand,
especially a point on page 280

We most all know that without Faith it is impossible to please God Hebrews 11:6
and Scripture contains many examples of the many heroes of Faith. Hebrews 11 lists some of them.

But Jesus commended only 2 people for their great faith, and there is a most important reason for this !

The first instance was a Centurion whose servant was near death
Luke 7:1-10 Matthew 8:5 - 10
This Centurion sent a remarkable message through friends to Jesus
Lord trouble not yourself, for I am not worthy that you should enter my house, neither am I worthy to come to you, but say just a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man of authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to one 'Go' and he goes, and to another 'Come' and he comes, and to my servant 'Do this' and he does it. When Jesus heard these words. He marvelled at him, and turned and said to the people following him I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel". And they that were sent, returned to the house, and found the servant whole that had been sick Luke 7:1-10

This Centurion knew all about authority and recognised it in Jesus !
After all, he was high up in the military, so he would know all about ranking and the strata of authority very well indeed, and the power that went with it.

But the second instance was a Syrophenician woman, a home-maker with a family Matthew 15:21-28 Mark 7:24-30
A woman of Canaan came near and pleaded with him, saying, Have mercy on me. 0h Lord, son of David; my daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit.
But he ignored her. His disciples came and complained Send her away; for she keeps on bothering us. But Jesus answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
But he answered and said, It is not right to take the children's bread, and give it to dogs. (The Jews called Gentiles .. dogs )
She replied, True Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Then Jesus answered her; 0h woman, Great is your faith: be it done even as you ask. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

She was a woman, with a family, probably a home-maker, who knew nothing of the military as the Centurion did.
Yet Jesus commended them both with the same words of approval.
To him they had both exhibited. GREAT FAITH

So, what did these 2 people have in common ?
Think about it
One was a military man.. the other a woman with a child
From different areas and cultures, of different ages probably, with different outlooks, different viewpoints, differing in most areas of life.
Yet one thing in common GREAT FAITH according to Jesus

What was their one point of similarity ??
Rack your brains ! (Hardly anyone can pick it ! )

ANSWER They were both GENTILES
They were not Jews nor from Israel
One presumably was a Roman... the other a Greek
To me the essential point of difference is that.
As GENTILES. THEY HAD NO RELIGIOUS CLUTTER to hinder their faith

They recognised Jesus and his authority over sickness, his power to heal,
SIMPLY and honestly
and were not afraid to ASK him in his PERSON
solely from what they had heard about him and recognised in him
As GENTILES. THEY HAD NO RELIGIOUS CLUTTER to hinder their faith
Get it ??

As Gentiles, they had no knowledge
of the Law of Moses, or its precepts,
or Jewish tradition, or the 10 commandments,
or Pharisaical beliefs, or religious upbringing
or scripture knowledge or correct theology !

As Gentiles they were looked upon by the Jews as. DOGS
There was no area of race or culture or belief system that they could appeal to him from – to him racially they were scorned !

They each had a need (for another person - not themselves, notice)
with sufficient concerns that they sought Jesus out and asked him personally
all they knew was that he had power and authority to heal
and that his power and authority could be operated from a distance !

WOW
So anyone, even GENTILES. could have their needs met by Jesus

Religious beliefs and up-bringing, knowledge of religious traditions and customs, instead of being a benefit, actually were a hindrance in coming to Jesus, except for these 2 people
and exhibiting GREAT FAITH in so doing
AND FINDING his G R A C E to meet their needs !

G R A C E the undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour of God

W O W Astounding !

Lets consider another person
SAUL, a trained intellect, a convinced believer in Mosaism, and an ardent opposer of Christianity and Christians. a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, educated at the school of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the Mosaic law, zealous towards God Acts 22:3 a Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee Acts 23:6 Phillipians 3:5
but … a chosen vessel by God, to take Gods name to the Gentiles, and kings, and the. children of Israel (note the order) Acts 9:15

Chosen and called by God while traveling a country road, blinded, then his eyes later opened, Acts 9 and then later even his name changed … to Paul.

So, how does God get the Pharisee culture, attitudes, outlook and bigotry out of Saul, to show him the depth of GRACE, and the role and order of local churches ?

Not by enrollment and attendance at a local Theological seminary.
Not by meeting with the 11 remaining disciples who had been with Jesus
Not by reading, hearing teachers, the education system, or studying theology !

But by the same environment as for Moses – ( 40 years in a desert, tending sheep)
For Paul the Arabian desert.. for 3 years Galatians 1:17
presumably in meditation, quietness and earnest seeking, getting insight and revelation direct from the Holy Spirit. from which desert he returned in full possession of the Gospel explanation as set forth in Romans and Galatians and the unfolding of the doctrine of GRACE which was latent in the teachings of Jesus.

In solitude and silence just how did he support and feed himself I wonder ?
Perhaps like John the Baptist before him in the wilderness of Judea. on locusts and wild honey Matthew 3:1-4 (Some diet – let weight-watchers try this one!)

And later through 2 silent years in prison in Caesarea, between his arrest in the temple at Jerusalem and his deportation to Rome Acts 24:27

Gods 'university' is quite unlike mans no Fees, curriculum, professors, tutors, study guides, etc etc. it's totally free and available to us all
For Moses 40 years, a desert and a bunch of sheep to get prepared to lead 1 million people out of captivity through a barren desert to a promised land.
For Paul … 3 years in yet another desert, then 2 years in a filthy prison !
To learn about GRACE and get him released from his LAW upbringing
To get him purged from all his religious tradition and 'clutter'

And then to turn the world upside down Acts 17:6 with this new doctrine of GRACE
that brings freedom, realisation of ones own identity, and the release of ones personal potential
and the exhibition of FAITH even GREAT FAITH

I am the righteousness of God in Christ 2 Corinthians 5:21 Phillipians 3:9 Romans 3:21-28

I am F R E E. not to sin but free from the power of sin !

All my sins, past, present and future, are under the waterfall of forgiveness through Calvary

F R E E E E to be myself, to express my own personal calling in Him

W O W W W W

Help me also get free of this religious CLUTTER, pleaseeeee Lord

Again..
the moment you balance grace with Law, you neutralize it.
You cannot mix grace and law together