November 2, 2008

         Generational Curses & Blessings 

            Mark 6:1-56 & Luke 6:43-49        

Mark 6 Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?"3 Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary* and the brother of James, Joseph,* Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.   4 Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.7 And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil* spirits.8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler's bag, no money.*9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.   10 "Wherever you go," he said, "stay in the same house until you leave town.11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate."   12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil.   The Death of John the Baptist 14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying,* "This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles."15 Others said, "He's the prophet Elijah." Still others said, "He's a prophet like the other great prophets of the past."   16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead."   17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip's wife, but Herod had married her.18 John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry your brother's wife."19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod's approval she was powerless,20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.   21 Herodias's chance finally came on Herod's birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee.22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias,* came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. "Ask me for anything you like," the king said to the girl, "and I will give it to you."23 He even vowed, "I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!"   24 She went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?"   Her mother told her, "Ask for the head of John the Baptist!"   25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, "I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!"   26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn't refuse her.27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison,28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother.29 When John's disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. Jesus Feeds Five Thousand 30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught.31 Then Jesus said, "Let's go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile." He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn't even have time to eat.   32 So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.33 But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them.34 Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.   35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late.36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat."   37 But Jesus said, "You feed them."   "With what?" they asked. "We'd have to work for months to earn enough money* to buy food for all these people!"   38 "How much bread do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out."   They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish."   39 Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass.40 So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.   41 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share.42 They all ate as much as they wanted,43 and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.44 A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves! Jesus Walks on Water 45 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home.46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.   47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land.48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o'clock in the morning* Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them,49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost.50 They were all terrified when they saw him.   But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage! I am here!*"51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,52 for they still didn't understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.   53 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore54 and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once,55 and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was.56 Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.      Luke 6 The Tree and Its Fruit 43 "A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes.45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. Building on a Solid Foundation 46 "So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?47 I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built.49 But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins."

 Thoughts....

It would seem that I have given you a lot to think about and read.  Today, there is a lot more.  In every family there are thoughts and behaviors and experiential learnings that are handed down from one generation to the next.  We learned from the cave man perhaps to eat meat.  We learned from our parents to wash our hands.  We learned how to love and we learned how to hate.  Who are family was/is helped to shape us...for the good or the bad.  No one would want to change all the inherent goodness in each of us (we hope), but, we should and must consider changing what is 'bad' in us.  Those things that we believe or do that does not produce good fruit.  That keeps us from having a firm foundation with our Lord.

In the scriptures above, we read about the good and the bad, so to speak.  Jesus was associated with Joseph the Carpenter, his Father.  But that was not bad.  It just didn't make for a miracle worker, as far as the world was concerned, or a man of wisdom.  I think a person who can build a house is pretty wise, but a miracle worker....ehhh...that would be far fetched even in this day and age.  So you see that point.  

Herod offered his daughter anything and she went to her Mother who said to have John the Baptist's head removed.  Even in this day and age....do you see how that might start a history of negative choice making?  In some neighborhoods, it's the beginning of another gang war on our streets.

And then, Jesus taught about faith and belief and giving out of virtually nothing and how that adds up...the gift it was to so many.  Look how many he taught that to...shared that with...5000.  Do you think a good majority of those people will pass those wonderful lessons on to more?   Love is infectious.  So is hate.

Look at the foundations Jesus taught next.  After meeting with people of the world, he went off to pray to gain strength from God.  He taught belief in him, by just a simple act...he simply told them to not be afraid...the response was a choice TO believe.  Their faith and trust in him was strengthened because he went to them and he calmed the storm.  He can do that for us every day, if we but believe and have faith.  Trust.  Many recognized who he was and he healed the sick.  He taught love, belief, faith, trust, and healed.  Those experiences have been handed down generation after generation.  Those are foundations of blessings.  Of being one with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.

In Luke 6, it is summed up.  Good produces good and bad produces bad.  Now we know that bad can show us how not to be, allowing us to choose a better path, and good has shown people how to retaliate, if they have generational curses of bitterness, anger, jealousy and hatred, etc.  But foundationally in Christ, we have a pattern to follow....good begets good.

The basis of our foundation is TO believe, have faith, trust, study about who he is, beyond that he is, and learn how wonderful he is...I say he...when I mean the Trinity in the entirety, for how can we JUST believe in Jesus, when it was God who gave him to us and gave us our life and the world.  And how can we not believe in Holy Spirit when he was Jesus gift to us when he left the world?  We have a three in one God.  The Trinity.  God, Jesus and Holy Spirit.  Each seperate, but each acting as one in Spirit for us.  That is our foundation.  It is our responsibility to build the rest of the house WITH them.  We bring belief, faith, trust, oneness with them through study and worship and praise.  They provide the roof...the promise and fulfillment of what is and what is to come.  Our foundation is built on rock...The Rock...of Rock...the Cornerstone.  IF we have built firmly, nothing can seperate us.  IF not, cracks will form and winds will blow and our house will be torn down and destroyed and we will have no future, no inheritance.  

What will you teach the people around you and your...our...future generations?  Will you be a blessing to them or a curse to them?  Will you choose the Lord to build your house?  Will you build a firm foundation?  I hope you will...so does the Trinity.  They so want to love you and give you a new life with them.  Won't you ask them in to your heart today...or if you have already done so, won't you remind them that you are here and bless them today, by learning more about who they are that they are and how wonderful he are?  And by sharing them with others.  You don't need a soap box.  You don't even need to know how to speak or speak effectively.  But if you SHOW others how you are living with them, they will grow to understand a new you, a strengthened you and want to know more.  Then you can tell them about our Lord and hand them a New Testament or even just a copy of a Gospel....Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.  Their gospels are told with a different viewpoint, so different people can relate accordingly, but it is the same story of Jesus.  Like all of us, we see different things and remember things differently, but the same thing happened and the four give credibility that indeed it DID happen.  Jesus' story wasn't a fable.  He was a real man who walked our real earth giving promise.  Hope had already come through God and Jesus fulfilled his promise of a Savior born.  Holy Spirit is our gift of a new tomorrow.   Receive them and embrace them today! 

 ***

Let Us Pray

 Dear Heavenly Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.  Help me along life's way.  Forgive me of my sins and forgive the sins of my whole family, so that I may be freed generationally from anything that is not of you.  Break the negative bonds that tie me to anything not of you and please God, Jesus and Holy Sprit, and reinforce the positive gifts you have given me and that of my family.  Thank you for putting your hand into my heart and holding onto the blessings.  Embrace me always, Lord and teach me to know all I can about you, to love you more, and, be able to trust you enough to allow you fully into my life, so I can be all I can be for you, for my self and for everyone around me.   Grant me your miracle saving power in all ways.  I love you.  Always.  Amen.

 ***

 Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have examined my heart

  and know everything about me.

2 You know when I sit down or stand up.

  You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

3 You see me when I travel

  and when I rest at home.

  You know everything I do.

4 You know what I am going to say

  even before I say it, LORD.

5 You go before me and follow me.

  You place your hand of blessing on my head.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

  too great for me to understand!



7 I can never escape from your Spirit!

  I can never get away from your presence!

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;

  if I go down to the grave,* you are there.

9 If I ride the wings of the morning,

  if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

  and your strength will support me.

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me

  and the light around me to become night—

12   but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

  Darkness and light are the same to you.



13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

  and knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

  as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16 You saw me before I was born.

  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

  before a single day had passed.



17 How precious are your thoughts about me,* O God.

  They cannot be numbered!

18 I can't even count them;

  they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up,

  you are still with me!



19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!

  Get out of my life, you murderers!

20 They blaspheme you;

  your enemies misuse your name.

21 O LORD, shouldn't I hate those who hate you?

  Shouldn't I despise those who oppose you?

22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,

  for your enemies are my enemies.



23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

  test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 Point out anything in me that offends you,

  and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

 Psalm 130

1 From the depths of despair, O LORD,

  I call for your help.

2 Hear my cry, O Lord.

  Pay attention to my prayer.



3 LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,

  who, O Lord, could ever survive?

4 But you offer forgiveness,

  that we might learn to fear you.



5 I am counting on the LORD;

  yes, I am counting on him.

  I have put my hope in his word.

6 I long for the Lord

  more than sentries long for the dawn,

  yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.



7 O Israel, hope in the LORD;

  for with the LORD there is unfailing love.

  His redemption overflows.

8 He himself will redeem Israel

  from every kind of sin.

 ***