Is Jesus In Favoring House?

Is Jesus In Favoring House?

Good Morning Friends,

When we invite Jesus to be in our midst in worship some amazing things will happen. Things like receiving new insights and knowledge and emotions. There is a bright and a dark side to the human condition that might guide us in needed new year’s resolutions here. For today’s scripture instructs us that it is God’s authority and redemption in our family homes and houses of worship we are to seek and that prayer in prompting a change in us is for a greater purpose. Is Jesus Favoring Your House?

Scripture: After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the Lord. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: “O Lord of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head.” As she continued praying before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, “How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.” But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.” And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your sight.” Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was sad no longer. They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I have asked him of the Lord.”

1 Samuel 1:9-20 (NRSV)

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Mark 1:21-28 (NRSV)

Message: Today we look at Jesus teaching in the synagogue and showing authority over demons and Hannah in desperation praying so that the restriction on her spirit and body might be lifted. This is about all in worship. Hannan goes to the LORD and says in effect, “Lord, I want a child. In fact, Lord I want a son to honor you. I want you to use me.” This prayer led to surrender and sacrifice. And that surrender and sacrifice led to celebration. The connection with the child Jesus and Mary is clear. Though Samuel was the child asked for by Hannah. The destiny of the faithful was wrapped up in the birth of another child that would grow up to set the captives free as Hannah’s spirit was set free. When Hannah was used by God for the purposes of God it allowed her to rejoice. So too when Jesus uses us and takes away the demons of sin we too can be used for a purpose greater than ourselves that glorifies God.

Pray we find God’s favor. Pray
Jesus is in the House and we are ready for God to save, sanctify, heal and free us. Pray we believe that the LORD wants to give us our deepest and purest desires. Pray we believe that God wants to bring new life into our lives, our homes, our churches and the places we live. Pray we have patience and realize that it might well take us getting desperate before change occurs. Pray we are fed up with the status quo. Pray we are willing to pray with emotion even if someone thinks we are crazy drunk. Pray we realize that it might take surrender and sacrifice to succeed. Pray we celebrate the casting out of demons. Pray we realize that demons know Jesus perhaps better than the person in the pew next to us. Pray we do something definite about those dark areas in our lives. Pray we let Jesus into our homes and hearts and churches, and let the light of Christ caste out the darkness in us so that we might truly worship God in the miracle of love. Pray in 2018 we spend more time praying and worshipping God than we do watching TV.

Blessings,

John Lawson