Question to Ponder/Approach Question:
What is your impression of those who come to a place of worship?

Observations:
I asked myself who are involved in verses 23-28?

1. Man
2. Evil spirit
3. Jesus of Nazareth
4. People

Observations/Interpretations:
I asked myself what function do each play?

Point 1: Man

Observations/Interpretations/Application:
I asked myself why is it significant that ‘a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit’ is mentioned?
Reading about it really touched me because what came to my mind is that the synagogue was not just populated with people who had it all together for others to see. On the contrary, this synagogue where Jesus taught with authority was also populated with those who saw their life as shipwrecked or sinfully bad such as this man. This man may or may not have belonged to their synagogue but we do learn that he was there that day and that he was far from well. Instead, he was faced with a captivity that was beyond him.

I am reminded that the man only questions Jesus after Jesus teaches with authority in the synagogue and the people are amazed. It is possible that the man was dealing with this captivity for a long time but kept attending the synagogue and for the first time, he saw a way out. He did not give up.

The synagogue was not just for people who thought they had it all together but it was for people of different walks of life gathered there. Jesus used that opportunity to teach there and eventually address the issue this man was faced with.

This makes me realize that our churches should be focused on attracting those who do not have it all together. Our churches should be a place where the poor, downtrodden, skid-row, drunkards, those who feel they are in bondage to certain addictive sins, etc can feel free to come and listen to the teachings being taught by those anointed of the Lord. Those people should never feel that the church is not for them because they feel so sinful and yucky. On the contrary, the church is for them mostly than for those who think they have it together. I am reminded of Jesus saying to the Pharisees and teachers of the law who questioned Jesus' time with drunkards, tax-collectors, prostitutes, etc that 'It is the sick that need the doctor and not the healthy. I have come for those who see themselves as unrighteous than those who think they are righteous' when they remarked, "How can Jesus eat with such scum?"

We are so used to worshipping with people who sing like us, speak like us, do things that we like, etc that our defenses go up and our thoughts become similar to the Pharisees if we think thoughts like, "How could that person come to church dressed like that, don't they know this is a place of worship?", "How could they come being smelly in the presence of God?", "Why is this drunk person at church, that's not where he should be?", etc. We take it upon ourselves to make God's place holy by our actions without even realizing that our actions hurt the Lord than honor Him when we want to make the church an elite club for it's members that outsiders don't feel welcome.

I loved what Calvin, our small group leader shared with our Transformers small group this past Friday when he said something to the effect that Christian clubs are the only clubs in the world that exist solely for their non-members. In other words, if we see our churches or small groups as clubs, they should exist for the purpose of it's non-members who would feel comfortable stepping foot in a church or small group fellowship even if they don't feel they have anything in common with us.

Just as the demon-possessed man had the opportunity to be in the synagogue and hear Jesus speak with authority, which prompted an interaction with Jesus, when we make our churches a place for everyone to come and worship no matter where they are in life, the anointed teachings spoken through God's servants whether pastors, elders, missionaries, etc could touch that individual or individuals with God's power that they can have their lives changed around. For that to happen, we need to be a place where anyone feels welcome to step inside our doors.

This is not to say that the church will lose it's function to be a place for the gathering of believers for fellowship for that still can happen and growth can still happen through the teachings, etc. When we make our churches open to the lost, we provide an avenue for them to be found in Christ. This is evident as we look at point 2.

Point 2: Evil Spirit

The man cried out but the evil spirits seem to be doing the talking. There is a battle within the man. An evil spirit possesses the man and talks to Jesus through the man regarding 3 things:

I asked myself what is significant about these two questions?
I found it very significant that an evil spirit in the man felt that Jesus was interfering in the man’s life. The evil spirit wanted to destroy the man but now felt opposition and names the opposition to be Jesus of Nazareth. The evil spirit does not seem to be speaking just on his behalf but on the behalf of all his demons and seems to be claiming that the man belongs to them. This is evident by the phrases ‘with us’ and ‘destroy us’.

I asked myself what is significant of the declarative statement ‘I know who you are—the Holy One of God!’

This is such a powerful statement that the evil spirit makes after mentioning the name of Jesus because the evil spirit is admitting to Jesus being ‘the Holy One of God’. Let us remember that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan who sends out his evil spirits to do his dirty work but Jesus overcame the temptations of Satan by focusing on God and the Scriptures.

By admitting Jesus to be the ‘Holy One of God’, I get the feeling the evil spirit was telling Jesus not to bother with the man in their synagogue who is not holy. The evil spirit wants the man to be left to them. Yet, Jesus does not ignore the man’s plight. Knowing it is an evil spirit that is controlling the man and making him captive, Jesus intervenes after the teaching. Jesus is there for the sinner and for all of us who are sinners in sight of a Holy God. This is evidenced by point 3.

Point 3: Jesus of Nazareth
I asked myself what Jesus does?

1. Jesus commands the evil spirit sternly to ‘Be Quiet’!

2. Jesus commands the evil spirit sternly to ‘Come out of him’!

I asked myself the significance of these commands?
First, Jesus quiets the evil spirits from revealing more about Jesus. It is interesting how much the evil spirits seemed to know about Jesus. Now, Jesus performs a miracle by removing the evil spirit from the man by commanding it to come out of him. The evil spirit had to obey Jesus and came out of the man with hesitation. This is evidenced by the verse, ‘The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.’

Whatever the man was facing, Jesus healed him. This man was someone in their synagogue who was possessed and Jesus intervened. This causes a reaction among others in their synagogue which is evidenced by point 4. This also reminded me of what Calvin shared when he and others were on a missionary trip about a man who kept praying and praying but could not end the prayer 'In Jesus Name!' He could not say those words. After Calvin and others prayed for him, the demonic possession left him, and he was able to pray 'In Jesus Name'. Just as Calvin and others were amazed at God's healing touch in that man's life, the people are amazed of what happened to the demon-possessed man in their synagogue.

Point 4: People
I asked myself what happened after the healing took place?

1. The people were all so amazed.

2. They asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority!”

3. They announced that Jesus even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.

4. They spread the news about him over the whole region of Galilee.

What stuck out to me from these statements is the phrase ‘He even gives orders’. This tells me that they recognized the awesome teaching with authority that Jesus had given before performing the healing. Now they know that Jesus can even heal people possessed with evil spirits. More than that, I was amazed by what the people did spreading the news about Jesus over the whole region of Galilee. They could not keep it to themselves but share the exciting event they experienced.

Implications:
I asked myself what are the implications for my own life here?
As I depend upon the Lord, I should do my part to help the church I am part of and the small group I am part of to be as welcoming as possible to those who feel that church is not for them. I also learned that just because someone is at church or coming to fellowships, etc I should not assume that everything is ok in their lives. I should be involved in their lives to see if they are troubled and need help. I need to make myself available to others who may want to talk and need help. Jesus calls us to be His Ambassadors and His servants to carry out His work here on earth. Not all are given the same gifts but when we are faithful, available, and teachable having a heart to reach out with the love of Christ, He will use us in mighty ways for His Kingdom.

At one time,  it took me 33 days in a row to finish reading through the Bible as I spent a lot of time after and before work. One of the verses that stood out for me was in Acts 20:24 which has become my signature verse too!

I ask you now dear friend, 'why shouldn't sinners enter a place of worship?'
Dear friend, do you ever think to yourself that you should not go to church or fellowship because you are not like the rest of those you see there but on the contrary your habits and behaviors are such that a church and fellowship is not for you? If you have, I have great news for you from the Word of God. Jesus wants churches to be a place where those who don't feel like they have it all together can still come and be nurtured their by Him. Yes, friend, as I reflected on today's passage I realized how many times we have made a church like an elite club instead of a hospital. But the church is the best hospital for those who are wounded spiritually. Those wounds can come in different shapes and forms and become our captivities, especially the captivity of sin, the soul sickness as Andrea and Jason of Asian InterVarsity explain to their students.

Jesus Christ does not want you to remain in that captivity! So never think to yourself, "why shouldn't sinners enter a place of worship" but always think to yourself 'why should sinners enter a place of worship'! It is here that help, hope, and healing is found.

Friend, I do not know what captivity you are facing but Jesus Christ knows. The captivities we face are here to destroy us and to bring our hopes and dreams down. We do not have to allow them to take control of our lives. Yes, friend whatever you face or you know someone is facing, there is hope and the hope is in Jesus.

I do not assume anymore that if someone comes to church regularly that everything is okay in their lives and they are walking and growing strong in the Lord. This can be far from the truth. Many of them can be facing silent bondage that only the Master’s Hand can heal. But the Master uses His servants’ lots of time to bring His healing. At times the healing of Jesus comes directly. I am one of them who did not have it all together and still don't but I am resting in the Lord for His help :)

Captivities can come in many shapes and forms. They do not just have to be demon possession but they can be an unforgiving spirit, living in the past, having trouble to move on because of things that have happened, loss of hope and dreams, guilt, addictive sins that plague us, etc. If we dwell in them, they will control us but the Good News is that Jesus wants to reach you where you are friend. Yes, He does! That means you don't wait until everything is okay to come to Jesus and be part of His church. You come as you are in your weaknesses and sin, in your shortcomings and failures, in your feelings of guilt and shame. Come as you are and allow Him to come and work in your life. Allow Him to be the Lord of your life.

Don’t give up but keep holding on! If you know someone who seems to be in captivity to something, what they need is your understanding and love. This does not mean the action is condoned but allowing the person to share with you and working with the person to get help.

There are couple of awesome churches I know that have done that very well. I want to invite each and every one of you to Oakland International Fellowship that I am part of which meets on N. Dithridge Street in Oakland close to the University of Pittsburgh. Recently, I was telling Heather, pastor Hugo's wife that how much the Lord used both of them in my life when I wanted to leave the church in May 2009 because of things that happened in my life: my shortcomings and failures, etc but they ministered to me and encouraged me to stay. God has used Pastor Hugo,  Edwin, Marie, Kristen, Calvin, Pastor Bucknell and others from the church to work with me in my shortcomings and failures because they and others realize that the church is a place not just for saints to gather but those who have messed up badly. I thank the Lord for the different areas of healing, He has brought in my life and He continues to use people to mold me and transform me to how He wants me to be. I thank Jesus for showing me His grace and bringing me to a place that I did not expect to be. I still have a lot to grow and need the Lord's help each and every day.

All of us are sinners and not one of us can say we are righteous so basically everyone is in the same boat because sin is sin to God. Yet, we may put degrees on it and  make others feel they are worst than us to step into church even without realizing it. But we all are sinners in need of the Savior's touch who alone can sanctify us and transform us by His grace when we turn to Him, coming as we are.

I could not be writing this to you if the Lord Jesus did not deliver me from different types of captivities and continues to work in my life.  I pray our Lord gives each of you His strength to overcome what you face.

Whatever you are dealing with, allow Jesus to heal you and believe He will! He loves you friend. He will give you the strength and endurance to deal with these captivities. Yes, He will! His Blood was shed for you and can heal you where you are. Yes, He can! Don’t give up! Jesus wants to be the Lord of your past, the Lord of your present, and the Lord of your future. As Jesus works in your life, you can be the one to bring light into someone’s life with the Light of Jesus so those who feel broken, ashamed, can find that a church and fellowship is the right place for them to be at no matter what their sin is.

The people were amazed with Jesus not only because of His teaching but because He personally got involved in people’s lives and brought healing to them. The news of what Jesus did started spreading across Galilee. If churches and individuals do that, the news will spread that something is happening there. It is not for our glory but for the glory of Christ. My friends Brian, David, Al, and I talked about this passage this past summer too.

The purpose of today's devotional was for me to understand that it is very important to make the church and fellowship a place where those who see themselves as the worst sinners can feel they are welcome to come to church and fellowship to be ministered to by the Master's anointing through His servants.

May the Lord use us for those purposes to bring that type of healing and if you are the one that needs healing, Jesus will heal you as you wait upon Him! May you know the strength He gives you as you depend on Him to endure through the issues that you are facing! Amen!

"Sinning Is Notoriously Natural, Everyday Ruining Souls! (S.I.N.N.E.R.S)/"Why shouldn't S.I.N.N.E.R.S enter a place of worship?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I want to thank you so much for the healing you performed in the man’s life who was demon-possessed. You made a point to let us know that this all happened in the synagogue and your healing came in the synagogue. Even though you are Holy and the man was far from holy, you intervened in his life and healed him. You cared for Him in his weakness. You do that for us too! Thank you Jesus so much for what you have done and what you still do in our lives. Help us to remember to make our church and small groups a place of welcoming to those who feel they are messed up and don't belong in church, etc. A lot of people feel that way. Lord, you know that I felt that way too in my shortcomings and failures but instead of abandoning me, you used Pastor Hugo and others in my life to work through my shortcomings. How I still need your help in a lot of areas and I know you will provide it. I thank you Lord. Use us please for your honor and glory. Thank you that you came to give your life as a ransom for sinners like me so I can be saved by your love. Thank you so much Jesus. You know the captivities we all face. Help us Oh Lord.  I pray now for all those who are in captivity to different things in their life. Sometimes they feel they cannot go on and just want to give up but you Oh Lord are a God who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. You meet us where we are in our sin and we ask you for your healing in people’s lives that need your amazing love. We all do. Help us be the vessels you want us to be to carry out your work in this broken world. May our actions bring your Light into people’s dark and aching souls! Please be the Lord of their past, present, and future. Help us to be instruments of love and heal us in our own lives please Jesus. We want you to be lifted higher and higher. Help us to be sensitive to those around us and reach them with your love Jesus. Thank you so much Jesus for your help. Thank you for your healing power, for hearing and answering us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!