Sunday, August 21st - Part Two

Notes from Genesis 2: God puts his hands on things and gets his hands a little dirty. God wants a relationship. He gives Man responsibility so the can understnad each other (God and man). And God is willing to touch and be touched.

Matthew8:1-3, 14-15, 9:20-21, 23-25, 27-30
1 When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

14 When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

Chapter 9
20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

23 When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24 he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"
28 When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they replied.
29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; 30 and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this."

Note: He blessed the Sabbath so we would have a day to not only work, but to worship him. The day was given for us to focus our attention to God and family.

Hebrews 10:19-25
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Note: What is my response to a Holy God?

Johnny's response: I had such a great response the first time I typed this... but alas, it would appear this would be a test of my heart to see if it was just words or reality. My response it to simply respond as a child. So many times, I can get much like a teenager where I say one thing are act out another. I used to teach in the 2nd grade class. The kids and I were all buddy - buddy up until something went wrong. They took it too far. I would place them in time out and they would be convicted, at least on some level. Once they would be able to come back to the activity at hand, we would be buddy - buddy again. Then the worst part would come - the parents. The father would discipline them right there. The kids would be so fearful when I said "parents" because they knew what would be coming. Did they think the parents would not love them? NO! But the kids knew there was a fearful expectation of what was to come. How different is it with our relationship with God? Does he love me? YES! Should I be afraid of his discipline? YES! Are we still buddy - buddy? YES! God, our FATHER, loves me just like a earthly dad does, actually even more. My response is to be like a child and not a rebelious teenager. Johnny Out.