♫Oh, I swear, just ain’t fair
Trouble, trouble everywhere
Oh, Lord come on down
Got to spread some love around.
Jennifer Tomkins who wrote this song, was born on a Sunday, Her daddy got drunk, and left home on Monday. Her mama died young when Jenny was seven. She grew up knowing about trouble. This is the response of our Lord and savior Jesus, concerning trouble…
For a time, Jesus was very popular with crowds. Many people came because they wanted Jesus to perform a miracle on them to FREE THEM from trouble. And Jesus did do this for many. He told people not to speak about this, but they did. The news about Him spread everywhere. There were many miracles. For example, He fed 5000 people by a miracle (John 6:5-14). Enormous crowds came because of this. Then the crowd wanted to make Jesus king BY FORCE. He had to escape from them. But although He was popular, they did not really obey Him. They did not want to change the way that they lived. Jesus said: “I tell you the truth. The reason why you are looking for me is not the miracles. You are looking for me because I gave you PLENTY OF BREAD to eat.” (John 6:26, 27) Jesus wanted to help but they just wanted more so finally he got to help someone really desperate.
Jesus said this to the thief hanging next to Him, “Truly I say to you, TODAY YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.” (Luke 23:43)
There are two responses to our own personal trouble WILL:
- WE CAN RAIL AGAINST GOD AND SAY, “If you are such a great and powerful and loving God, why am I in this dreadful mess?”
- OR WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE AND DON’T DESERVE ANY GOOD THING. Then cry out for mercy and help in our time of anxiety. The world is full of those who grumble against God in their self-righteousness and presume that the creator of the universe is obliged to make their life smooth. But there are only a few who own up to the fact that God OWES US NOTHING, and that any good to come our way will be due to HIS MERCY, not our merit.
“One of the criminals who hung there, hurled insults at Jesus…” (Luke 23:39)
The second sinner on the cross rebuked the complainer:
“Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? WE ARE PUNISHED JUSTLY, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done NOTHING WRONG.” Then he said, “Jesus, 1REMEMBER ME when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:40-42) 1mnaomai: recollect; by implication, to reward or punish. What this man was doing was repenting, my personal words of repentance were “I’m sorry!” Well, did Jesus forgive him? YES! He Said:
“TODAY you shall BE WITH ME in Paradise.”
Peace with God is only a repentance away… Join with me today with an “I’M SORRY!”
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham