Anyone who has raised a family knows full well what the inside of a doctor's office looks like. Whether or not it is your desire, you're going to see a doctor at some point in your life. While some take great pride in never having gone to a doctor, others will see a doctor quite often. Physically, we are different when it comes to health issues. Spiritually, we are the same.
In Luke 4:23 it is written, "And he said to them, "'No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me'", 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well'" (NASB). Jesus goes on to say that no prophet is welcome in his own home town. Strange as it seems, when people know you they don't often give you the same respect or courtesy they might give to someone else. You would think with Jesus it would be different, but it wasn't. Jesus had been talking about the healing He was about to perform, as the Scriptures of the Old Testament recorded would happen, and Jesus said the passage quoted from Isaiah (61:1), was now fulfilled in their hearing (vs. 16-21). Obviously, the people He spoke to had their doubts.
People are strange. They can go to the doctor and listen to the diagnosis, take the prescription he (or she) hands out, and leave, sometimes giving no attention to what was said or having the prescription filled. Perhaps not so strange is the fact we do the same thing on a spiritual level as we do on the physical.
In writing to the young man Timothy, Paul tells him to "prescribe and teach these things." The 'things' refer specifically to what was mentioned previously in the context of the letter. Paul talks about the falling away of some from the faith (4:1) because of deceitful spirits (teachers) and doctrines of demons (false teachings). After listing some the false teachings, Paul tells Timothy to point these things out to the brethren (vs. 6) by sharing the sound doctrine he was following.
When Timothy is told to 'prescribe' these things, it is literally meant to keep commanding these teachings. The prescription is not just something Timothy or Paul have devised, it is the teaching of God we are to be following. Concerning interaction with older people and widows, Paul tells Timothy to prescribe these teachings as well. God's commandments go beyond what we like to refer to as doctrinal issues, to our everyday life and how we are to conduct ourselves toward others (5:1ff).
While it is true that some doctors may over prescribe, the Great Physician knows just what we need. So if we would simply follow the prescription set forth by Jesus in His word, and then apply what we are taking in, we would find ourselves a lot healthier spiritually. That in turn, would go a long way in helping a feel better physically. If we long to be the mirror image of our Savior so as to reflect the glory of the Father, let us follow Jesus and act not on our own initiative, but on what the Father reveals in His word. So the next time you sit down and open your Bible and begin to take in what God would have you to know, remember you are in reality filling the prescription God has provided you. When followed correctly, you will find that prescription is just what the doctor ordered. Rodger
In Luke 4:23 it is written, "And he said to them, "'No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me'", 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well'" (NASB). Jesus goes on to say that no prophet is welcome in his own home town. Strange as it seems, when people know you they don't often give you the same respect or courtesy they might give to someone else. You would think with Jesus it would be different, but it wasn't. Jesus had been talking about the healing He was about to perform, as the Scriptures of the Old Testament recorded would happen, and Jesus said the passage quoted from Isaiah (61:1), was now fulfilled in their hearing (vs. 16-21). Obviously, the people He spoke to had their doubts.
People are strange. They can go to the doctor and listen to the diagnosis, take the prescription he (or she) hands out, and leave, sometimes giving no attention to what was said or having the prescription filled. Perhaps not so strange is the fact we do the same thing on a spiritual level as we do on the physical.
In writing to the young man Timothy, Paul tells him to "prescribe and teach these things." The 'things' refer specifically to what was mentioned previously in the context of the letter. Paul talks about the falling away of some from the faith (4:1) because of deceitful spirits (teachers) and doctrines of demons (false teachings). After listing some the false teachings, Paul tells Timothy to point these things out to the brethren (vs. 6) by sharing the sound doctrine he was following.
When Timothy is told to 'prescribe' these things, it is literally meant to keep commanding these teachings. The prescription is not just something Timothy or Paul have devised, it is the teaching of God we are to be following. Concerning interaction with older people and widows, Paul tells Timothy to prescribe these teachings as well. God's commandments go beyond what we like to refer to as doctrinal issues, to our everyday life and how we are to conduct ourselves toward others (5:1ff).
While it is true that some doctors may over prescribe, the Great Physician knows just what we need. So if we would simply follow the prescription set forth by Jesus in His word, and then apply what we are taking in, we would find ourselves a lot healthier spiritually. That in turn, would go a long way in helping a feel better physically. If we long to be the mirror image of our Savior so as to reflect the glory of the Father, let us follow Jesus and act not on our own initiative, but on what the Father reveals in His word. So the next time you sit down and open your Bible and begin to take in what God would have you to know, remember you are in reality filling the prescription God has provided you. When followed correctly, you will find that prescription is just what the doctor ordered. Rodger
No comments:
Post a Comment