Wind, Water, Fire, and Quake

There is much concern about “carbon footprints” today. Others speak more broadly of “man’s footprint” on the planet. The point: mankind is stomping on the environment. I respect the concern even though a lot of power seeking and cash flow opportunities make me ill at ease with regard to what information is accurate.

The reason I respect the concern has to do with the fact that Scripture is very frank about the devastating impact of mankind’s footprint on environment, neighborhood, and human souls. That is why I have spoken in these articles of another footprint. The one God gave people in order to recognize the King who will one day set things right. His footprint speaks of care for those who have been squashed by mankind’s boots. His miracles, which reflect the same care. They also demonstrate his authentic and all encompassing authority, and they underscore his - including the forgiveness of sins. 

It must be remembered that the miracles were not precedents. They were authorizations for godly caring. Now, before the King returns, his citizens are to imitate his footprint in a world that hates him. This brings me to one more pre-Calvary demonstration of his authority.

Western philosophy has generally thought of four basic forces in the cosmos. They are built around the four basic threats they impose: earthquake, wind, fire, and flood. On two occasions Jesus actually demonstrated his authority over two of those forces. He stilled the wind and calmed the sea. 
The response was slack-jawed awe.

Who is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?

and

Truly you are the Son of God.

Of special importance, however, is that he did not give examples of authority over earthquake and fire even though some of the disciples were keen on the idea. I believe it relates to that part of his footprint which rankles most.

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The Author's Heart

Jesus’ lordship over the Sabbath has a bearing on the church age in which we have lived since Pentecost. Sin is still sin and each individual is responsible for his response to the message of conscience and Scripture to seek God’s mercy. Beyond that we are not under the Mosaic governmental regulations. They provide categories for any nation, but the narrative of Scripture shows they will only be justly administered when the King himself reigns. The Church was given a message, not a political mandate.

More importantly, though, holy days, holy foods, and holy places have no legal or sacramental power for the believer in Christ. They were foreshadowings of the King himself. He is the sacrificed lamb, the redemptive tabernacle, the great high priest,  and, the believer’s Sabbath.

In Hebrews chapter four, we are reminded that Israel's entrance into the promised land did not fulfill the rest God promised his people. That meant another rest (Sabbath) remained to be fulfilled by Jesus and it is directly related to the forgiveness of sins.

Faith now looks beyond the Law Book to the Law Giver and finds him willing and able to give forgiveness rest. It does not change the identity of sin. It changes the identity of the sin-bearer. He himself fulfilled the righteousness and the penalty of God’s Law for each who would yield to him in faith. Freed from the impossible task of bearing the sin-penalty, the believer declares war on his old ways in an atmosphere of grace and develops new ways in Jesus’ resurrection strength. At the same time he becomes a joyful doer of good works out of gratitude. Life becomes a perpetual Sabbath of rest in redemption, and ministry to the glory of God. 

Jesus described this rest/serve Sabbath succinctly in Matthew 11:28-29 and in so doing described his heartbeat both for this age and the age to come. If you would live in the future reign of such a King, you must surrender to him now in a world that hates him.

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Open Hand / Clenched Fists

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Some things ought to be too big to miss. However, when political control is the issue the biggest things can be forgotten, or dismissed. The path to power becomes the Devil's playground, multiplying details and dismissing Truth. When Jesus plunged his light saber into the hearts of the Pharisees he forced them to face the forgotten obvious. The point of his question was:

Is God’s intention in his Law to ignore the needs of others on the Sabbath?

Any thinking Pharisee should have remembered these words:

Love God…Love your neighbor.

In fact, the Ten Commandments summarize those categories. Many laws, including the Sabbath laws, involved humane treatment for both mankind and animals. 

At this point some of those present should have made a connection with the strangeness of Jesus’ earlier remark about David’s men eating the priest’s bread. They may have struggled with the “inconsistency” between that event and an instance when God struck down a man who touched the Ark of the Covenant to keep it from falling. What Jesus revealed about his Sabbath intention exposed the difference. God overlooked the misuse of ceremonial bread to meet the hunger needs of men fleeing from their enemy - and his. However, he did not overlook the consequences of mishandling a situation which violated clearly stated protocol and involved no human need.

Whether anyone saw it or not, there it was! The Lord of the Sabbath identified his heart with regard to the keeping of the Sabbath. He expected his people to do the right thing and, sometimes the right thing had to do with doing good when good needed to be done and could be done. To meet a neighbor's real need was well within the scope of the day of rest. Indeed, it brought rest. 

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So, he healed the withered hand; and the Pharisees clenched their fists.

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The Saber Finds Its Mark!

Lightsaber Wallpapers

For our epic movie buffs, shifting our analogy from Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, it did not take long after Jesus unsheathed the light saber of his lordship over the Sabbath for him to strike a blow at the pretenders to power. He could count on the Pharisees to create the opportunity. Another Sabbath, another synagogue, and, well well, what have we here, a man with a withered hand. 

Jesus did not wait for them to throw down the challenge. He brandished the saber of his authority with a canny question.

Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?

It was “canny” in two ways. First, he did not give them a third (do-nothing) option. (A foreshadowing of James 2:16.)  
Second, because of the word “lawful.” The Pharisees themselves used the word concerning the grain field incident. Having introduced the issue of his authority over the Sabbath, Jesus returned the word "lawful" to its core significance. It is a form of (exousia); and, corresponds to our word "authorized." It reminds us of a command's known source whose intention can be searched out. It stands in contrast to our tendency to look at “lawfulness” as having to do with faceless orders on dusty books at the courthouse.

I think the Pharisees understood what Jesus just did. The question was rhetorical. It was a tacit dismissal of the Pharisees from their seats of power; and it may have plunged the light of his sword into what remained of a conscience in these men who would suddenly remember a very important fact about the Law.

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Nazareth Was Not A Primary

In the two times Luke gave us Jesus’ list of the identifying features of his footprint the list is not exactly the same. We would not expect it to be. He is not hawking a catchy, mnemonic campaign platform. However, there is a statement found both times. When Jesus read from Isaiah it appeared first in the list; but in his message to John, he put it last. It is important and would play an important role in the course Jesus took to claim his authority.

The poor have the gospel preached to them.

I think the remark is misunderstood by some. I know it rankles many. For the moment, though, I will set it aside. What interests me here is Jesus' homily which included a jarring accusation and turned the amazed audience into a vicious mob.

Basically, he said, “I am who I am. I’m not here for your vote. This is not a primary, and I’m not running for office.” 

• You are going to try to discredit me with slogans.
• You want packaging… a road show.
• You will fulfill the truth that a prophet is not honored in his own country.
• And, although you are Israelites, you will be left out in the cold.
• Elijah ministered to a gentile woman, not any of the Israelite women, during a famine.
• Elisha ministered to a gentile soldier with leprosy, not to any Israelite lepers during his prophetic tenure.

These were the words of a man who assumed considerable authority, and they had the same impact on the Nazarene congregation as they have had on pagans and hypocrites, and sometimes even devoted disciples down to this day. They invite resistance. In Nazareth, the people tried to throw him over a cliff.

From this point on Luke recorded significant features of Jesus’ demonstration that his claim was not an idle one, and that his footprint would bear it out.

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