“A word with power”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Friday, September 23, 2022
Luke 4:31-37 (Forward, p. 56) CEV p. 1061
What amazed the local bystanders was not just that Jesus had the ability to perform miracles but that His words alone had the power to achieve great things. Of course, the Hebrew Scriptures were rife with examples of words alone achieving great things—like God’s word in creation (God said, and it was done) for example, or the words spoken over the dry bones in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1-14), but in each of these cases clearly it was God that wrought these things. But here was a ‘mere man’, or so they thought. So, no wonder they were amazed.
This, however, puts me in mind of our words, the words spoken today. Do we ever ‘dare’ to speak words of faith, as in healing or deliverance, or even in evangelism and an appeal to souls, and expect results? Rather, I think that we are often far too timid, hesitant, or quite frankly, too scared to step out in faith in these ways.
And what about the power of words in other ways. Our world today has sadly and regrettably, seen too much of their negative impacts. Just think of the words spoken in political rallies and gatherings, how they have stirred up negative passions. Or think of the nay sayings of the conveyers of ‘fake news’ allegations. Or, on a more mundane and personal level, the impact of ill-considered and totally random social media points or of words spoken without thought of consequences or impact among gatherings of friends or associates. Actually, we know all too well the impact and power of words, even if they aren’t Jesus’ words or the words of faith. Maybe we need to be like the psalmists of old time (Psalm 39:1 and Psalm 141:3) or Proverbs (Proverbs 13:5 and 21:23) who decided to put a lock on his lips that he might not say anything unwise or hurtful. Maybe this would be a good and wholesome exercise and habit for all of us. Amen.
Forward notes: “They were astounded at his teaching, because he spoke with authority” (verse 32).
“I have always wished I could sit at the feet of Jesus and hear him teach. I wonder what it was like being in Capernaum, hearing Jesus and seeing him up close. Would I have been ‘astounded’ too?
“I often have a fantasy while sitting in church of Jesus walking into the building and standing in front of the congregation. What would people do? How would they react? I once shared this fantasy with my Education for Ministry mentor. She flipped it back on me. She told me that Jesus has already walked into the church and stood in front of the congregation, that he is present in the people gathered there. All I have to do is look closely and pay attention. That was a real lesson for me.
“In my lifetime, the closest I can get to hearing Jesus teach in Capernaum is to read and study his teachings in the Bible. I have a long way to go to fully understand his teachings. But I can ask our redeemer to teach me more about him every day. And then I can share what I’ve learned with others and teach them about Jesus, too.”
Moving Forward: “Have you heard Jesus’s teachings in the lives of others?”