JESUS ONLY!
Don Hawley
The other day when I read the following text (it had to do with the response by religious leaders to Christ's miraculous healing work), I sensed a new meaning.
All his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing. Luke 13:17.
At a Promise Keeper's meeting, Max Lucado came up with an exercise that vividly demonstrated the truth of this text. After speaking about the divisiveness of denominationalism, he suggested that at the count of three each one in attendance shout out the name of his denomination. The result, of course, was mass confusion with no distinct message of any kind. Next he asked them on the count of three to forget about denominationalism and shout the name of Jesus. What a difference with 40,000 men all proclaiming only Him! Now a message came through loud and clear that sent chills through everyone present.
It's time for us to center on Jesus only! Our Lord did so many beautiful things with his signs and wonders. How many were blessed with his healings and the casting out of demons. The record says that "the people were delighted." But the leaders were filled with intense and murderous hatred, because they saw, rightly, in Jesus a threat to their control over the people.
Today, once again, the people are "delighted." They come by the hundreds of thousands from all over the earth to see the signs and wonders connected with the present move of the Holy Spirit. We know that the physical manifestations are not the truly important component, but still that is what gets the people there for starters. Just as it was in the time of Christ. He had huge crowds to share truth with because they came to see his fascinating works.
We're living in similar times. More often than not, denominational leaders are primarily interested in power and control. They see the world renewal as something beyond their control, and they don't like it. That is why the Toronto renewal congregation was cast out of a denomination. As this worldwide renewal intensifies, we can anticipate that the most vigorous opposition will come from denominational leaders.