Reaction to Jesus

2ndAmendment

Just a forgiven sinner
PREMO Member
Our reaction to Jesus is according to our faith, our ability to accept even when we don't undertand. Even His disciples didn't understand His power or who He is. Many, when they don't understand, choose to reject.
Matthew 8:18-34

<sup id="en-NASB-23364">18</sup>Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. <sup id="en-NASB-23365">19</sup>Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."

<sup id="en-NASB-23366">20</sup>Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."

<sup id="en-NASB-23367">21</sup>Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

<sup id="en-NASB-23368">22</sup>But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."

<sup id="en-NASB-23369">23</sup>When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.

<sup id="en-NASB-23370">24</sup>And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.

<sup id="en-NASB-23371">25</sup>And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!"

<sup id="en-NASB-23372">26</sup>He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

<sup id="en-NASB-23373">27</sup>The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"

Jesus Casts Out Demons

<sup id="en-NASB-23374">28</sup>When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. <sup id="en-NASB-23375">29</sup>And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

<sup id="en-NASB-23376">30</sup>Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.

<sup id="en-NASB-23377">31</sup>The demons began to entreat Him, saying, "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."

<sup id="en-NASB-23378">32</sup>And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.

<sup id="en-NASB-23379">33</sup>The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.

<sup id="en-NASB-23380">34</sup>And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.
There are other lessons in these passages. Anyone?
 

Railroad

Routinely Derailed
It appears that overall, there are two kinds of reactions to Christ, and they are polar opposites: either one embraces Him, or one rejects Him. In the passage quoted above, some of the people in one area believed in Him and went with Him, leaving their earthly lives behind; and on the far side of the Sea of Galilee, seeing the same kind of miracles being performed, the people were afraid because they didn't understand (and didn't want to understand), and they asked Him to leave.

The people who asked Jesus to leave did, in a sense, the right thing; rather than arguing with Him exhaustively in an attempt to fend off the prospect of changing their lives, they asked Him to leave (saving His time for more valuable pursuits).
 

2ndAmendment

Just a forgiven sinner
PREMO Member
:yeahthat: How about this?

<sup id="en-NASB-23364">18</sup>Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. <sup id="en-NASB-23365">19</sup>Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."

<sup id="en-NASB-23366">20</sup>Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
There is no time to let up proclaiming the Gospel regardless of comfort level (or red karma :lmao:).

Or this:
<sup id="en-NASB-23367">21</sup>Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father."

<sup id="en-NASB-23368">22</sup>But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
God must be first in our lives ahead of even family.

And this:
<sup id="en-NASB-23374">28</sup>When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. <sup id="en-NASB-23375">29</sup>And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"

<sup id="en-NASB-23376">30</sup>Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them.

<sup id="en-NASB-23377">31</sup>The demons began to entreat Him, saying, "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."

<sup id="en-NASB-23378">32</sup>And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.
Demons and satan are real. Satan affects and demon are in people around us all the time. The demons affect the people's actions; the people will run headlong into Spiritual and physical harm without regard for the consequences.
 
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