Takin’ Him To Rodeo Drive

May 6, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Jesus has sent us on-mission (which means we are missionaries) to every street. We don’t go in our power, but we are empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:46-49). 

Jesus said our missionary work would take us to every street, starting with Jerusalem—which we have called Main Street. These are people very similar to us. Then our mission will expand into all Judea (Acts 1:8). These are people that have less in common with us. Last week we talked about taking the message of Jesus to Lombard Street: Talking with people who have knowledge of the Bible, but tend to twist and turn with the popular traditions of the day. 

Remember that our mission is to be witnesses—share the Scripture and our personal story. It’s not our responsibility to try to open people’s minds so they can repent, but the Holy Spirit opens minds and calls people to repentance. 

The apostle Paul reminded us that, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Holy Spirit uses our witness as the catalyst to open minds. This clash of light and darkness creates acceptance and anger. Notice these contrasts in one short segment of Paul and Silas’ missionary journey in Acts 16:13-24 and 17:1-13:

  • Acceptance—Acts 16:13-15 
  • Anger—16:16-24 
  • Acceptance—17:1-4 
  • Anger—17:5-6 
  • Acceptance—17:10-12 
  • Anger—17:13 

The opposition in Philippi brought Paul and Silas to Thessalonica, and the opposition in Thessalonica brought them to Athens. 

Athens was named for the goddess Athena, and it has been called “the university city of the Roman world.” Philo (a Jewish historian) called the Athenians “keenest in intellect.” It was the center of art, literature, and philosophy 

I’m going to call Athens “Rodeo Drive.” 

Rodeo Drive is called “the intersection of luxury, fashion and entertainment.” Kay Monica Rose, the Rodeo Drive Committee President, said, “There is nothing in the world comparable to Rodeo Drive. The legendary street’s magic continues thanks to the exemplary craftsmanship from today’s greatest fashion houses and brands, the architect-designed boutique spaces, the spectacular window displays, artist collaborations and pop ups, and our unrivaled customer service. At the heart of my vision for Rodeo Drive is the preservation and advancement of an unmatched legacy.”  

A marketing professor once told me, “When advertising, you have to remember that everyone has radio station WIFM playing in their head—What’s in it for me?” The people on Rodeo Drive are self-focused and self-assured. 

How do we take the message of Jesus to those Judeans on Rodeo Drive? Let’s learn from Paul’s time there (Acts 17:16-34). 

  1. Control your anger. Even though Paul was “greatly distressed,” he didn’t let his anger control him, but he kept his distress under control. 
  2. Use measured words. Paul “reasoned” with the people there, which means he engaged in meaningful dialogue with them.  
  3. Don’t argue. Some to the Athenians “disputed with him [Paul]” but he didn’t dispute back. Instead he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 
  4. Start where they are. Paul noted that the Athenians were “very religious.”  He doesn’t condone their idolatry, but he simply uses it as a conversation starter. 
  5. Move to the eternal issue. He then proceeds to point them to Jesus as the “unknown god” that they are worshiping, bringing everything back to His resurrection from the dead.  
  6. Be ready for acceptance and anger. As in Philippi and Thessalonica, there were some who accepted the Gospel message and some who got angry when they heard it.  

Remember: We don’t change minds—the Holy Spirit does by using our words as a catalyst. 

If you’ve missed any of the other “Streets” we have discussed in this series, please click here to get caught up. 

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Takin’ Him To Lombard Street

April 29, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

As missionaries, we are people sent on a mission. We are sent to everyone everywhere. We are to take Him to every street where God sends us.

“Main Street” (or Jerusalem) is a great place to start, and probably a place where we will always have work to do. These will typically be the people that are most like us—people with whom we will have the most in common. 

There are others that need to hear the Good news of forgiveness that Jesus has made available. As our circle of witness widens, we may have less in common with those with whom we are interacting. This may take us out of our comfort zone, but since the Holy Spirit is in us we will never be out of our empowerment zone! 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea… (Acts 1:8). 

We need to ask two questions: 

  1. What did it mean then? Judea was still compromised of Jewish people, but it was the area slightly outside the neighborhood of Jerusalem. 
  2. What does it mean now? These are people very similar to people on Main Street, but we are starting to see more differences. These differences often become the source of controversies. 

I’m going to describe some people in our Judea as cultural Christians but not biblical Christians. In the time of Jesus we could think of the Pharisees: People who would call themselves godly because they have set their own standards. 

Lombard Street in San Francisco is a short, curvy street. This is a one-way street and motorists are only supposed to drive 5 mph, and still there are frequent controversies on the right-of-way between homeowners, motorists, work crews, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Everyone thinks their way is the right way. 

How do we take the message of Jesus to those on our “Lombard Street”?

(1) Distinguish the biblical from the non-biblical. 

Both the Pharisees that interacted with Jesus and today’s cultural Christians seem to quote more from their own traditions than they do from the Scripture, so we need to distinguish that the source of our beliefs is from God’s inspired Word. (I share more about the concept of biblical, unbiblical, and non-biblical in this post.) 

A great example for us is how Jesus answered two questions from an expert in the Mosaic law: How do I earn eternal life? Who is my neighbor? See Luke 10:25-37.

(2) Stick to Scripture and your personal story.  

Remember that the person with an experience is never at the mercy of the person with an argument. When the Sanhedrin questioned the legitimacy of the healing of a lame man, Luke wrote, “But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them [Peter and John], there was nothing they could say” (Acts 4:14)! 

Love the personal story of the healed blind man in John 9! 

Judea can be translated “he shall be praised.” We glorify Jesus not by arguing with those on Lombard Street, but by simply proclaiming biblical truth and our personal testimony. 

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. (1 Chronicles 16:23-24) 

As we stick with the Scripture and our personal testimony, the Holy Spirit will use our witness to open minds to the Good News of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18-4:5). 

Follow along with all of the streets we are looking at in our series Takin’ Him to the streets by clicking here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

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Takin’ Him To Main Street

April 22, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Just as assuredly as Jesus fulfilled God’s promise of His crucifixion and resurrection, we Christians are fulfilling God’s promise that we would take the message of forgiveness of sins to the whole world (Luke 24:45-48). We are taking Him to every street where God sends us. There is a song written by Michael McDonald called “Takin’ it to the streets.” One verse says—

Take this message to my brother 
You will find him everywhere 
Wherever people live together 
Tied in poverty’s despair


We know what the “it” is. He is a Savior, a God, a Redeemer, a Father who has made it possible for everyone everywhere to be in a personal relationship with Him for all of eternity! 


When anyone talks about taking the Good News of Jesus to people, our minds typically think “missionary.” 


What is a missionary? What comes to mind when you think of a missionary? 


Quite simply, a missionary is a person sent on a mission (see Luke 24:47; Matthew 28:19-20). 


(You can read all of the Scriptures I reference in this post by clicking here.)


We are not sent on our mission unprepared, but Jesus promised us both His authority and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-19; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). In both Luke and Acts, Jesus says that our witness is to begin in Jerusalem. 


I recently looked up a list of the most common street names in America. I found that the most common street name is “Main Street.” But Main Street is also used as a way for people to describe the average setting in the USA. 


Going to “Jerusalem” or “Main Street” first is foretold in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 3:4-5). We’re not first sent to people with an unknown language or obscure customs, but to people we know and understand. These are people to whom we can easily find common interests. 


There are two simple steps when we take Jesus to our Main Street.


    

  1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you today and every day. 
    2. 



You cannot give to others what you do not first have yourself, so you need to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to you first. Pray before reading the Bible to ask the Spirit to give you insight (Psalm 119:18).  


    

  1. Find a friend and tell them what was revealed to you.   
    2. 



After Jesus was revealed to Andrew, he found Peter and told him what he had discovered. And after Philip met Jesus, he found Nathanael and brought him to Jesus (John 1:35-46). 


Every person with whom you interact today is precious to God. Our mission is to help them realize that awesome truth. 


So get filled up with the wisdom from the Spirit and then find a friend on Main Street and bring them to Jesus! 


Follow along with all of the messages in this series Takin’ Him To The Streets by clicking here. 


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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The Catalyst Of Our Witness

April 15, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



Jesus fulfilled all of the jots and tittles of prophecy, showing that God is the Promise Maker is God the Promise Keeper. 


We need to be careful of overlooking details we think might be insignificant because we can easily think that our small lives are somehow insignificant. They are not! As Tom Kaastra reminded us last week, we are here on purpose and for a purpose; our lives are eternally significant.  


Immediately after His resurrection, the followers of Jesus struggled to wrap their minds around what they had just experienced. Just before His ascension, Jesus explained to them both what had happened already, and what was about to happen (Luke 24:44-49). 


Jesus said He had already fulfilled the promised about His crucifixion and resurrection. Luke writes that Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand” (v. 45). 


Notice two important things:


    

  1. The Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit—opens minds 
    2. 

  2. He opens minds to grasp the truth in Scripture 
    3. 



Jesus also says that we are still fulfilling the “what is written” (v. 46) in the the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are fulfilling the prophecy that says the message of Jesus will be preached everywhere to all peoples, so that they also can receive the forgiveness Jesus paid for and repent of their Godless ways. 


Who opens minds? The Holy Spirit. 


What does the Spirit use as a catalyst to open minds? Our witness. 


Who empowers our witness? The same Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:4-8). 


A witness is a truth-teller, who tells their firsthand story and who amplifies their verbal testimony by their Christ-honoring lifestyle. Jesus used two phrases to remind us that witnessing is not something we do, but it is who we are: 


    

  • you ARE witnesses (Luke 24:48) 
    • 

  • you will BE My witnesses (Acts 1:8) 
    • 



Holy Spirit-baptized Christians are empowered to take Jesus to every street. God has strategically and purposefully placed us on our “streets” to proclaim our witness. From Easy Street to Skid Row, and everywhere in between, we are to fulfill the prophecy of proclaiming this good news to all nations (see 1 Corinthians 9:20-22).


The Holy Spirit opens minds closed to God. He uses our witness as the catalyst for people to repent from their sin and receive the forgiveness that Jesus made available. 


So don’t stop at just receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, but also receive the empowering gift He promised—the baptism in the Holy Spirit! 


Please follow along with all of the messages in this series called Takin’ Him to the streets by clicking here. 


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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Purposeful, Present Power

April 7, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




My friend Tom Kaastra shared an encouraging message to our Calvary Assembly of God family today. 


Tom linked together the doxology in Ephesians 3 and the prayer in Ephesians 1, noting that the key word in both passages is power. He also reminded us that this is power in the present tense, so the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that is at work in you and me right now. 


This is power for us to work “far more abundantly” purposefully than we typically imagine. God’s power at work in us is so much more than we even dream of. Tom pointed out that Paul prays for the “eyes of your heart” to be opened. In other words, Paul wants us to have an experiential knowledge of God’s work in and through us. 


Have you ever wondered why you’re here, and not in heaven? You’re not there because God needs you here. He has a purpose for you right here and right now! 


I found myself saying, “Amen!” frequently throughout this encouraging message. I hope you will feel encouraged by this too. You have been created on purpose and for a purpose!






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So Good!

April 1, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



You may have heard it this last weekend. Someone says, “Jesus is risen,” and their friend responds, “He is risen indeed!” Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead is the greatest event ever! And yet some people just can’t seem to grasp how good this truly is.


We’ve been trained to believe if something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. So we are careful to be skeptical of any too-good-to-be-true claims that we may hear. Our heart might get excited at the possibilities, but then our logical mind begins to shout, “Wait!” 


Here’s what a logical argument looks like: P1 + P2 + P3 = C. 


The Ps are premises, and if we put true premises all together, then the C (conclusion) is true as well. All I have to do is invalidate one of the Ps and the whole argument falls apart. Then my logical mind can say, “See! I told you it was too good to be true!” 


People heard the teachings of Jesus, they saw His miracles, thousands of them had even tasted the bread and fish He miraculously multiplied. They had hoped He was the One they had been longing for—the Messiah that would deliver them. But then He was crucified and their excitement was extinguished. 


On the Sunday morning after His crucifixion, rumors began to swirl that Jesus had been resurrected back to life. Others said they had actually seen Him and talked with Him. Hearts began to swell with excitement again. But for many of them, their logical minds began to shout, “Wait! Don’t fall for another too-good-to-be-true story!” 


We meet a couple of men who felt like this in Luke 24:13-24. They so wanted it to be true that Jesus was the Messiah they had longed for, but I notice that they use the word “but” three times. That’s their logical mind trying to invalidate any one of the premises. 


Jesus was indeed resurrected from the dead. There is so much evidence that I don’t have time to go through today, but let me just share one item with you: Paul listed all of the people who had seen Jesus alive (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Facing persecution and even martyrdom, none of these eyewitnesses recanted their faith. 


Chuck Colson, who was at the center of the Watergate scandal and who was not a Christian at that time, said,  


“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because twelve men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled twelve of the most powerful men in the world and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me twelve apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”  


Remember our logical statement: P1 + P2 + P3 = C. 


Jesus gave one of His own in Luke 18:31-33. It would go something like this: 


    

  • ✔️ P1 (He was turned over to the Romans) 
    • 

  • ✔️ P2 (He mocked, flogged, killed) 
    • 

  • ✔️ P3 (He was raised from the dead)
    • 

  • ✔️ C (Jesus fulfills every promise of God) 
    • 



The disciples on their way to Emmaus used the word “but” three times, but Jesus counteracted that by using the word “all” three times (Luke 24:25-27), when He said all of the Scriptures point to Him and are fulfilled in Him! 


The Bible is packed with promises! Promises of courage, assurance, wisdom, healing, direction, provision. And they are all valid promised because of the resurrection of Jesus—


For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. … What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (2 Corinthians 1:20; Romans 8:31-32)


It may seem like these promises are too-good-to-be-true, but Jesus is so good that He makes all of the promises true! 


If you missed any of the messages in our series looking at how Jesus fulfilled the smallest of details of prophecy, check them out here. 


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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Right Remembering

March 30, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



Jesus hung on the Cross for about 6 hours. He was mostly silent during this time—His seven statements from the Cross would have taken less than a minute to say them all back-to-back. 


He hung silently and thoughtfully. I know He was thoughtful because John records, “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’” (John 19:28). 


Movie directors will often show a flashback scene where their character looks back to remember what came before. I think during this silent time on the Cross, Jesus reviewed His public ministry. He reviewed every jot and tittle of every promise His Father had made, and He knew that each and every one had been completed.  


This culminating event on the Cross was the fulfillment of the big picture that God had been painting all along. The system of sacrifices centered in the tabernacle or the temple had been trying to show us something. 


There were daily sacrifices and annual sacrifices; there were sacrifices for willful sins and sacrifices for unintentional sins; there were sacrifices for priests and for laypeople. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, decade after decade, century after century these sacrifices continued, never feeling like the work was finished. 


These practices were only a shadow, but a shadow that foretells the Reality—


The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. … The reality, however, is found in Christ. (Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2:17) 


(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)


Jesus knew that He had come as the Reality (John 13:1), but before this final event on the Cross that would fully reveal the Reality, Jesus had one last thing to do: He wanted to share a final meal with His friends (Luke 22:7-15). 


Jesus said that eagerly desired to eat the Passover meal with them. This Passover remembrance looked backwards to the deliverance from Egypt and was celebrated year after year, decade after decade, century after century. 


The events were so long ago that they may have seemed like fading shadows to those who were celebrating this meal over a millennia after the fact. Jesus brought Reality. 


Jesus knew He was the most powerful Person on earth, but He also knew that He had come to serve (Mark 10:45; John 13:3-5). To demonstrate His servanthood…


    

  • He washed the feet of His betrayer 
    • 

  • He washed the feet that would run away from Him in terror 
    • 

  • He prepared them for what was coming 
    • 



Peter boldly declared that he would never run away, and Matthew and Mark record that all of the other disciples declared the same thing—(Luke 22:33; Matthew 26:35; Mark 14:31). But Jesus knew the prophecy that said, “I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered (Matthew 26:31). 


So Jesus prepared them by praying for them, and He prepared them by showing them the Reality of all those daily, weekly, monthly, annual, and Passover sacrifices (Luke 22:17-20, 31-32). 


Jesus was the completion of this sacrifices (Hebrews 7:26-28, 9:11-14)! 


The prophecy God gave in Jeremiah was completed in Christ’s broken body and spilled blood on the Cross—“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:12). 


The purpose of this Last Supper—this meal that completes so many jots and tittles—is to remember. The devil wants you to remember what YOU did. Jesus wants you to remember what HE did. 


Good Friday and the celebration of Communion helps us remember correctly that Jesus paid in-full the penalty for our sins, so now our forgiven sins are forgotten sins. The moment we sin, there is already the remedy for our sins that has been paid for. We repent, ask forgiveness, and receive His immediate cleaning. 


Such amazing love! 


If you have missed any of the messages in this series looking at some of the jots and tittles of prophecy that are fulfilled in Jesus, you can check them all out by clicking here.  


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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Fearless Stewards

March 25, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



I’ve noticed over the years that some people get quite nervous—even fearful—with the thought of God coming close to then. Some people have told me, “I can’t go to church—the roof will fall in on me!” 


If I’m honest, I had a time in my life when I feared God’s approach. I didn’t want to pray, “God, use me however You want to” because I just knew He was going to send me somewhere I didn’t want to go, or ask me to give up something that was special to me. 


But from the the birth of Jesus until His ascension, the consistent message is: Fear not! and Rejoice! 


Today we celebrate what is now called Palm Sunday. This is the triumphal arrival of Jesus in the Holy City of Jerusalem, just a few days before His earthly ministry will reach its climax at His crucifixion. This is a story recounted by all four Gospel writers.


Matthew 21:4 says that Christ’s arrival on a donkey was “to fulfill” another one of the jots and tittles. And John adds, “Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, ‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt’” (John 12:14-15).  


Typically, conquerors came with a show of overwhelming force, not a show of humility. But Jesus came to Jerusalem with the same message repeated at His birth, “Fear not.” 


This is elaborated on in the original prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9-14, where the opening word is, “Rejoice!” We rejoice because He is coming to take away the instruments of war that the occupying forces used to keep the citizens in bondage. He is coming to bring freedom He is coming to announce hope and restoration. 


With all of these jot-and-tittle prophecies, we have been asking three questions. 


(1) What did it mean then? Quite simply, on that first Palm Sunday it meant that this was not the time for judgment. 


(2) What does it mean now? Since the final judgment has not taken place, it must mean it still is not a time of judgment, but a time of favor. God is still drawing people to Himself by His kindness (Romans 2:4). 


Zechariah 9:14 makes it clear that there will be a day of judgment. And Peter says that God’s not being slow about this, but He is demonstrating His patience so that none will have to perish without Him (2 Peter 3:9-10). 


(3) What does it mean for me? It means that I don’t have to fear the approach of God. 


First, there is no fear when God calls me to stand before Him because my sins have been forgiven (Romans 8:1). 


Second, there is no fear when God asks me to give something to Him because God has equipped me ahead of time to respond obediently. When Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him to bring back the donkey that He would ride into Jerusalem, Jesus must have already informed the donkey’s owners that this would be coming. The disciples were simply to say, “The Master needs the donkey now.” 


God has already prepared me to say, “Yes” to whatever He calls me to do (Psalm 139:16). 


Finally, there is no fear when God asks me to give something to Him because I’m only giving back to Him what is already His. You and I are just stewards of what God has given us. When the disciples talked to the steward of the donkey, they assured him, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly” (Mark 3:11). And the prophecy in Zechariah, God says, “Now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you” (Zechariah 9:12). Maybe not here on earth, but the rewards in Heaven will be incalculable for His faithful servants! 


Those who know Jesus as their Master can live as fearless stewards. 


We don’t fear the requests of our King, but we rejoice to allow Him access. We don’t fear the approach of our Judge, but we rejoice to stand before Him forgiven and rejoicing! 


If you’ve missed any of the other messages in this series, you can find them all here. 


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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A Christlike Response To Skeptics

March 18, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



God is precise in His promise making and promise keeping. He doesn’t just fulfill promises in a vague way or in “the spirit of the law,” but He attends to the jots and tittles of every single detail.  


Last week we saw the example of Jesus going into a dark place to bring the light of hope. It’s the same for us: God uses circumstances to direct our steps into dark places because people need to see the light. 


But people living in darkness sometimes don’t like the light. 


When we feel like our message of hope is being ignored or rejected (or we’re even being persecuted for sharing the truth) we have a natural emotional response that begins to bubble up. That emotion is anger. How do I know this? Because Jesus experienced this too. 


We can do two things with our anger: 


    

  1. We can blast skeptics with righteous judgment <or> 
    2. 

  2. We can follow the example of Jesus  
    3. 



In The Pilgrim’s Progress, Faithful told how a man came and beat him because he had broken the law. Even when Faithful begged for mercy the man said, “I don’t know how to show mercy to anyone.” This man was Moses the Lawgiver. Faithful explained what finally gave him relief: “He would have finished me off, but then One came by, and told Him to stop. I did not know Him at first, but as He went by, I saw the holes in His hands and in His side and I concluded that He was Jesus.” 


Moses had every right to be angry, and he expressed it a way that tried to finish off Faithful. 


Jesus also got angry, but let’s see what He did with it. 


(Check out all of the Scriptures I list below by clicking here.)


In Matthew 12:9-10 we see the motive of the skeptics: catch Jesus doing something wrong. This opposition came from the religionists—they weren’t interested in the truth, they were interested in proving themselves right and righteous. 


As they are asking their entrapping question, Luke tells us that “Jesus knew what they were thinking” (Luke 6:8). And Mark tells us that Jesus then asked a question of His own (Mark 3:4-5). These religionists refused to answer His question, and their stubborn hearts made Jesus deeply angry! 


So Jesus answered His own question, concluding that the Sabbath was the day that god intended for healing and helping. To prove this point, Jesus then healed the shriveled hand of the man who stood before Him (Matthew 12:11-14). In response to this, the Pharisees plotted with the Herodians on how to kill Jesus (Mark 3:6). 


Matthew then writes, “Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place (Matthew 12:15). He didn’t withdraw in fear, but in complete awareness of His Father’s plan. Part of that plan was not for Jesus to win argument, but for Him to win souls. 


Perhaps in His anger in the moment, Jesus would have spoken words that were too harsh. There is a time to speak, but it’s usually not in the heat of the moment. In fact, Laurence J. Peter rightly said, “Speak when you are angry, and you will make the best speech you’ll ever regret.” 


So in fulfillment of another prophetic word given in Isaiah 42, Jesus withdrew to continue His teaching and healing ministry (Matthew 12:17-21). 


What does this mean for us today? I think we can see five important responses in these prophetic words: 


    

  1. I am to serve others as Jesus did—even those who want to silence me.  
    2. 

  2. I can let the Holy Spirit use this opposition to bring greater fruitfulness out of my life (Galatians 5:19-26).  
    3. 

  3. I don’t need to win an argument with skeptics. 
    4. 

  4. I can be a peacemaker that points people to the Prince of Peace (1 Peter 2:8-12). 
    5. 

  5. I should live in the assurance of ultimate victory, just as Jesus did (1 Peter 2:23).  
    6. 



God gets the final word, the decisive word, and the best word, so I don’t have to try to win arguments with skeptics. Like Jesus, I can love and serve in a way that leaves them an unmistakable testimony. 


To check out the other messages in this series called Jots and Tittles: Why it matters that God is in the smallest of details, please click here. 


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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Walking Boldly In Dark Places

March 11, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



I was reading the results of a survey which said one of the top traits for exemplary leaders was: They keep their word. 


But don’t we really mean, “They keep their word most of the time”? After all, we do allow those who have a track record of integrity an “out” for unusual or unexpected circumstances. And we would still say that leader had honesty and integrity. 


God always keeps His word. He never needs an “out” because nothing is ever unexpected for Him! He is always the Promise Maker and the Promise Fulfiller (Isaiah 42:9, 46:10, 55:10-11; Jeremiah 1:12). 


I like the way Jesus sums up these statement from His Father: For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:18 NKJV). 


A  jot is the smallest Hebrew letter (yodh). In Greek the word is iota. This tells us that God is concerned about the smallest of details. 


A tittle is the precise difference between Hebrew letters like cheth and he, between daleth and resh, and between beth and kaph.  


All of these are fulfilled—brought to their perfect completion (Luke 1:37, 22:37)! 


When we see any of God’s promises made and kept, we need to ask ourselves three questions:


    

  1. What did it mean then? 
    2. 

  2. What does it mean now? 
    3. 

  3. What does it mean for me today? 
    4. 



For example, look at the promise that was made about people living in a very dark place seeing the Light of God. The prophecy is first made in Isaiah 8:19-9:7 that the people of Zebulun and Naphtali would get to see and experience the light of the Messiah. 


Matthew 4:11-17 tells us that after Jesus endured the temptation of the devil for 40 days, He went to Capernaum—the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. But before He arrived there, He was first rejected by the folks in His hometown of Nazareth (see Luke 4:14-31). 


Our God who knows the end from the beginning never makes a mistake; nothing is ever random or inconsequential. We should develop the habit of praying, “Now that this is happened, what would You have me do?” As Jesus was rejected by the people who should have been so excited to see His ministry flourish, He wasn’t dismayed or discouraged, but He directed His steps toward Capernaum. 


In my heart, I may plan a course for my life, but I must trust God to direct my steps. My life has a purpose. Just as the Holy Spirit directed the movements of Jesus, He is directing my steps. 


Even when God seems to have directed my steps into a dark place, He has sent me there as His light. I am sent on purpose. I walk a path Jesus has already walked, and a path that He is still walking with me—He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me (Psalm 23:3-4). 


I don’t walk into the darkness in my own strength or as a way to fulfill my own plans but instead I trust that “the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7)! 


Because Jesus is fulfilling every jot and every tittle, I can live confidently in Him! 


If you would like to follow along with all of the messages in this series called Jots and Tittles, you can find them all here. 


►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎








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