Title Preview and Main Feature
Preview and Main Feature
“As Jesus was entering Capernaum, a centurion came to him and begged him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in great pain.” He said, “I will go and heal you” (Matthew 8:5-7)
A trailer for a movie is called Preview in English. It means to taste the same as in Korean. Then, I think it would be correct to say that the whole movie should be full-view, but it is expressed as a main feature. It can be said that the meaning of the main part (本篇) rather than the first part (本篇).
The prophets, kings, and priests of the Old Testament typify Jesus. It's kind of like a preview for a movie. So, through the prophets, supernatural miracles that only God could do were revealed. Naturally, Jesus also performed the miracles that paired with the miracles of the Old Testament prophets.
However, the miracles of Jesus were an extension of the miracles of the Old Testament. It does not simply mean that the power of Jesus revealed in miracles was far greater in scale. It is not that it is not so, but that any great miracle was a piece of cake for Jesus, who is God Himself.
The Old Testament miracle is different from the movie trailer, which shows a part of the first part cut out. Although it was previewed, it was not the same as the main story and was only a signal that could be inferred in a similar way. In short, no matter how great miracles the prophets may have performed, they can never be the same as Jesus. In particular, the meaning of migration was different. Let's take a concrete example.
Elisha and Elisha, whom Elijah had adopted as his successor, crossed the Jordan River with fifty prophets standing in the distance and watching. “Elijah took his robe, rolled it up, and beat the water, and the water split to and fro, and the two crossed over the dry land” (2 Kings 2:8). I walked on the water to greet you.
What is the difference between these two transfers? Elijah is giving inspiration to Elisha by setting an example of miracles. But both are only following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Elisha received the same power as Elijah, no, double the power he had asked for from God.
On the other hand, Jesus was the very essence of God. No matter how many miracles Peter performed after Pentecost, he always prayed to Jesus and did it in His name. Even when I was walking on the water, when doubts and worries about my faith in the Lord penetrated me, I immediately fell into the water. Even Peter, who was ignorant of faith, was the only ground that could cause miracles to happen.
Also, in the case of Elijah, he crossed on dry land, including the miracles of the division of the Red Sea and the Jordan River in the Old Testament. On the other hand, Jesus walked on water. Again, I'm not comparing the sizes of abilities. As the people crossed only when the water receded and the land became dry, the miracle focused on God's power to save his people from suffering.
Jesus said you too, left the rough water and walked on it, but told Peter to do the same. Believers can participate in the Lord's work as much as they want even when suffering does not end, or even in the midst of suffering. The glory of the Lord can be heard more during the sufferings of the believer. In other words, the miracles of Jesus were more meaningful in helping believers grow in faith and participate as co-workers in the Lord's work rather than simply protecting them. Rather than God's one-sided salvation, the believer should grow up to accomplish God's work on his own.
The text goes one step further. The corresponding miracle in the Old Testament is the case in which Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria, was healed of leprosy by Elisha. In what ways are they a pair? Both of them got better through the arrangement of the people around them rather than the patient themselves. In Naaman, a Jewish maid recommended the prophet Elisha, and in the text, a Roman centurion arranged for his servant to be healed.
Having said this, don't you quickly get a sense of the difference between the two transfers? It is very easy for a maid to serve her master. No, serving itself is the main job of a servant. Also, if you serve well, you will be rewarded, so you will serve with more zeal.
On the other hand, it is never easy for a master to serve a servant. Even more so when a Roman army officer comes to a Jewish rural rabbi and asks for his own hand. Furthermore, the centurion was convinced that Jesus was old and could be healed if he preached the word without personally meeting the patient. Isn't that the complete contrast to Naaman's attitude of dissatisfaction and anger at Elisha, who told him not to lay his hands on his hands and only wash in the Jordan water?
The miracles of Jesus took place from the first being humbled, and with the purpose of changing that. It was the case where the superior died and the inferior lived. Just as Jesus, who is the very person of God, died on the cross for all our humble sins and poured out new life on those who believe in His grace.
In Naaman's healing, the great power of Jehovah God, which was not found in foreign gods, was mainly revealed. In the healing of the centurion's servant, the love of Jesus, who could not even dream of a foreign god, was willing to be humbled first and saved the lowly was evident. The power of Jesus followed when a believer first became like Him and humbled himself and tried to save the poorer than himself, even by killing himself.
In other words, when a believer's faith is strengthened in the gospel and his character is changed to be holy, and he can fully and willingly follow the road to Golgotha where the Lord has gone, he can do the work of the Lord, or even greater work than that of his promise. While the miracles of the Old Testament revealed the great power of Jehovah, the miracles of the New Testament only shined on the cross of Jesus.
In short, the incarnation and death of Jesus on the cross are the greatest miracles in the entire Bible. For believers, the greatest miracle is to fill up the rest of the sufferings of the Lord in one's body and to carry the cross daily and follow the narrow and strait road.
The Old Testament is just a preview. Although it is similar to the main story, it shows a different scene. This does not mean, however, that the New Testament is the only film we have seen. Only when the Old and New Testaments are put together becomes the main part and the first part. Believers today have not seen the trailer for Jesus, but have seen all the movies they have seen. In other words, someone who has seen the full movie should be different from someone who has only seen the trailer. You have to know the whole story and be able to pass it on to others.
It does not simply mean to be zealous for evangelism. It is not to ask for God of power only in the form of a great jackpot right now, but to hope for the miracle of Jesus on the cross. Also, we have to hold the hand of Jesus and walk after Him, not just hope. The high should humble themselves and break them, so that the lowly ones around them can receive the Lord's love and power through them. You must put your whole being in the rich realization of the divine life force of the Lord in your community. In short, we need to let others find Jesus in the believer.
Those who simply watch the Old and New Testaments, that is, the movie Jesus, as spectators are not believers. You have to work hard to become a real character. We must present our bodies as holy living sacrifices. By the way, have you not seen the trailer for the Jesus movie, let alone the main movie yet?
6/8/2010