A Crusade on a Mountain

Luke 6:17-19 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him because power was coming from him and healing them all.
 
THIS account of Jesus’ teaching is generally considered to be the same sermon in Matthew 5-7, known as the “Sermon on the Mount” Some think it is a sermon with the same message in a different place. No matter. Jesus is preaching and performing kingdom essentials; it is vital we are attentive to hear the Living Word. We’ll examine his sermon points in the next lessons.
    But first, let’s focus on God’s power at work. We would say that Jesus is on a crusade to call people to repentance. How exciting to know a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases! Jews and Gentiles walked miles and days to Capernaum’s rural areas. They came from foreign countries and far away from within Judea to hear the Lord and to experience his mercy.
    Jesus began something extraordinary here. These kinds of gatherings became the seeds of the kingdom of God growing and expanding. We can consider the multitudes in Acts 2 when Jews were in Jerusalem from many provinces. Three thousand who heard Peter’s first sermon committed their lives to Jesus and were baptized that day. Eager crowds continued to come to the apostles and evangelists. This has never stopped. Eager crowds have come to countless Spirit-anointed evangelists for 2,000 years. God’s true Word is a powerful magnet to collect those who hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness.
    Even more, each Christian has an opportunity to gather with others at least once a week, to experience Jesus’ true preaching and healing mercies. God’s power was not reserved only for those Jesus met during his incarnation. He is here right now welcoming you to know him the same way that crowd on the level place knew him that day. We pray this is your experience.
   
Prayer: Lord, I want to hear your truth and know your mercy. Amen.