Sharing the Good News

“As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him. Jesus did not let him but told him, ‘Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.’ So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

I was a band nerd in high school. A proud one at that. And this was a good thing too. The community in the band was remarkable. This was mostly thanks to our absolutely outstanding director. Every year there were some excellent senior leaders whose departure left all the underclassmen weepy for weeks. This was especially true my sophomore year. That particular class of seniors that year was just special. We all wanted nothing so much as to see them stay for another year. But they couldn’t. When Jesus was preparing to leave the place where He had healed the demon-possessed man, he begged Him to stay, but He couldn’t. What He left him to do instead is a reminder for us of what we’re supposed to be doing as well.

Read the rest…

“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Understanding that by “Gentiles,” Paul is talking about people who are not followers of Jesus, this is an uncomfortable verse. It’s not so bad that Paul calls us not to do life as they do. The uncomfortable part–especially given our culture’s embrace of pluralism and a particular understanding of tolerance–is what comes next. Paul describes them as futile of mind, darkened in understanding, alienated from God, ignorant, and having hardened hearts. Try tweeting that out sometime. Read the rest…