“17 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured,19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.” Luke 6.17-19
Think mid-60s rock star. When Beatlemania hit the United States, the people went wild. The most popular band ever, the Beatles, caused quite a stir. John, Paul, George, and Ringo were the talk of the town. People pressed to see them. At the expense of their own health and wealth, people were obsessed with these rock stars.
Now, transition back in time to Jesus. Everywhere he went, people were obsessed with getting close to him, touching him, hearing him. He was the only rescue in the midst of the storm because “power was coming from him and healing them all.” Imagine that—anyone who even got close to Jesus was healed. And people were desperate for relief. Jesus was their only answer.
Yet the difference between what the Beatles offered and what Jesus offered was light years apart. Jesus came first and offered not only physical healing but salvation as well. The Beatles offered entertainment and a false hope that they could make life better through their music. One was a band and one was the Savior of the World.
But isn’t it funny how we put our hope in fleeting fads rather than lasting faith? We do this with so many other things as well—money, sex, relationships, alcohol, work, power, etc. But the only thing that will last is Jesus. People have been talking about him for 2,000 years; the Beatles’ fame lasted several decades, but now you will find it difficult just to hear their music on the radio.
God offers lasting solutions to our temporary problems. He is the calm in the storm, the strength in our weakness, the candle in the dark. And he’s offering everything he has to you. Will you call upon him today? Will you seek his love, his grace, his salvation? Allow Jesus, who is alive now as he was then, to redeem your heart and give your life meaning.
“O Lord God, you are good and faithful. I thank you for the work you have called me to do—to find solace in your word, to create something out of nothing, to find favor in your name. Come now, Holy Spirit, fill me with your power and love. Help me know the truth of the Gospel and to live by faith. I love you, Lord, and praise your name. For you are good and your love endures forever.” Amen