Also view us on FACEBOOK:

View us on FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/1Ps6aEG

Sunday 28 April 2013

'FEAR'

Rev. Canon George Sinclair
by Rev. Canon George Sinclair                           
 Pastor of the Church of the Messiah, Ottawa, ON.
 www.messiahchurch.ca

 _____________________________________________________________
(Podcast of CFRA broadcast on Sunday, April 28th, 2013)
  _____________________________________________________
Broadcast Notes:
*********************************************************
(Abridged notes covering discussion on   Luke8: 40-56 )
 
Fear’  

Did Jesus really not know something? Did He really ask a question He did not know the answer to?

1a. Jesus as a man asks an honest question.

Jesus was comfortable living under the sovereignty of God.

Look at verse 44 and after.

44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Jesus does not use His will to heal.

1b. Jesus is not just a man. He is Health itself, He is Life itself.

It is a stunning miracle!

If you read the Gospel, Jesus is not fractured, He is consistent and deep.

1c. Jesus is not fractured, He is one person.

This story makes the abstraction of the incarnation visible in story form.

A. Jesus knows I can be filled with fear but He invites me to be filled with faith in Him.

Jesus wants us to ask the Father to grow in us a humble trusting knowledge of the greatness of Jesus.

Two types of people and their view of whether their needs will be met. 

Continue reading from 49.

49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given to her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

2a. Jesus as a man walks and speaks and touches. 

The Bible shows Jesus as a man.

Princess Diana and the fact that death vanquishes all. Death vanquishes the rich and the powerful.

2b. Jesus is not just a man, He is stronger than death.

2c. Jesus is not fractured, He is one person.

It is a story that shows the incarnation.

A. Jesus knows I can be filled with fear, but He wants me to be filled with faith in Him.

What held Jesus to the cross? If He can vanquish with death, how could He die?

3. Only the redeeming sacrificial love of Jesus for me and you could hold Him to the cross.

B. Jesus knows I can be filled with fear but He invites us to be filled with a faith in Him and be saved and be well.

Prayer:

Dear God, please grow in me a humble, trusting knowledge of the greatness of Jesus to save me and make me well.

Rev. Canon George Sinclair

_____________________________________________
To listen to the above broadcast, click on the following link:
 

Sunday 21 April 2013

'DEMONS ARE REAL'

Rev. Canon George Sinclair
by Rev. Canon George Sinclair                           
 Pastor of the Church of the Messiah, Ottawa, ON.
 www.messiahchurch.ca 

 _____________________________________________________________
(Podcast of CFRA broadcast on Sunday, April 21st , 2013)
  _____________________________________________________
Broadcast Notes:
*********************************************************
(Abridged notes covering discussion on Luke8: 26-39)
 
Demons Are Real’ 



Read verses 30-35.

30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”, for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.


The pigs are really important in this story. The Bible in fact does make a distinction between demons and mental illness. But in this story, if someone is healed of mental illness it does not go into the pigs.

The Bible always teaches that Demons are real. This text just makes it clear. Demons are not a metaphor for something else.

1. The Bible teaches that Demons are real.

Demons are not humans after death.

If Demons are real, then the world is different than many in our culture things.

Purely material accounts of reality are wrong.

What about white magic? spirit guides? why only talk of demons?

Read verses 26-30.

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes,[a] which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus[b] had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”, for many demons had entered him.

Note what the demons do to the man.

2. Demons are evil and hostile.

Why 'love the sinner and hate the sin' does not apply to demons.

There are only two options: being a demon or being part of God's realm. There is no middle ground.

What are the criteria? If the spiritual being exalts Jesus and only points to Jesus, then it is of God, if not, it is a demon, even if it appears good.

To the social sciences, evil itself is a problem. The social sciences cannot prove or disprove demons.

The common Canadian problem is to ignore demons. The Bible gives a balanced view.

3. The Bible teaches that Jesus is more powerful than any and every demon and their doom is certain. Read 36-39.

36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed[c] man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

We should never oppress those involved with Demons. We go to Jesus to deal with demons.

The death of Jesus upon the cross is His ultimate defeat of sin and evil and all demons. The resurrection is the vindication of Jesus.

In spiritual conflict, the lowliest disciple of Jesus is fully protected by Him.

Let’s Pray,

Dear God, please grow in me, a humble trusting knowledge of the greatness of Jesus.



Rev. Canon George Sinclair
_____________________________________________
To listen to the above broadcast, click on the following link: