Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Jesus commissioned His closest twelve disciples to go forth on what we might call a short-term missions trip (Mark 6:7-11). Jesus told them that many would not listen. Some, though, would: “And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils [demons], and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (verses 12-13). The use of “oil” should not be misunderstood. Some attach a superstitious or talismanic significance to anointing oil. This speculative approach ignores the clear statement in verse 7 that Jesus granted these men His “power.” In the hot and extremely dry climate of Israel, oil was used for grooming, providing relief for desiccated skin. Its usage was a thoughtful addition to the work of healing, not the means. Its employment provided a personal touch, both literally and figuratively. Today, when we anoint with oil those who ask (James 5:14-16), we are following in this Biblical tradition and pointing people to the power of Jesus Christ.