Daily Scripture: Matthew 4:23-25 From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme—that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.
11:28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Reflection Questions:Jesus was always healing. Pastor Myron Augsburger wrote, “The man who preached radical change, who announced the kingdom, was performing deeds of mercy. He healed and restored common people to wholeness and elevated them to a sense of worth....His ministry overcame ignorance, religious formalism, disease, and demonic attacks; it was a ministry designed to liberate and enable people to be their best in the grace of God.”1 He didn’t limit his actions, or his call in Matthew 11, to any one type of human affliction—he offered everyone divine rest and healing.
- Certainly Jesus' words about a “light burden” and giving us “rest” spoke to people who found themselves weighed down by a rule-bound, guilt-producing idea of what it means to serve God. But they also spoke to people whose lives were made heavy and difficult by the power and results of evil forces. In what ways is it most true of you that you are “are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads”? Hear Jesus speak to those painful, heavy realities in your life, whatever they are: “You will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.” Allow Jesus' power to lighten your burden(s) today.
Lord Jesus, you already know the places where I struggle and carry a heavy load. By your grace and your power, help me to move forward with the glow of your hope and grace lightening my load(s). Amen.
Family Activity:
Gather old newspaper or scrap paper and a large plastic container. Invite your family to use the paper to make some kind of flying object—a ball, airplane or whatever they can imagine. After everyone has created a flying object, take turns trying to throw your objects so they land in the container. Cheer and celebrate when objects land in the container. Then allow everyone to take a “second chance” to make something different or throw again until their object lands in the container. As you are taking turns, talk about how God gives us “second chances” to do things right when we make mistakes. After everyone has gotten their object in the container, end by praying, “Thank you, God, for second chances. Amen.”
1 Myron S. Augsburger, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew. Lloyd John Ogilvie, general editor. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1984, comment on Matthew 4:23-25. Insights from Jane Fowler
Jane Fowler serves as Group Life Program Director at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. In that capacity, she encourages our congregation to be a part of the Journey of Knowing, Loving and Serving God and others by being in authentic community and growing in your love and knowledge of Christ.
As I re-read our text today, I identified four powerful concepts in Pastor Myron Augsburger’s quote:
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
As I re-read our text today, I identified four powerful concepts in Pastor Myron Augsburger’s quote:
- He healed and restored common people to wholeness.
- He elevated them to a sense of worth.
- Our worth and Legion’s worth comes from God, not from man.
- His ministry overcame ignorance, religious formalism, disease, and demonic attacks.
- Jesus’ power is not bound by earthly things.
- It was a ministry designed to liberate and enable people to be their best in the grace of God.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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