Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 11
Saturday


THE ART
OF COMMON
PEOPLE

READ:
Matthew 4:18-25
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I have not come to
call the righteous, but
sinners, to repentance.
__Luke 5:32
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The 16th-century Italian painter Caravaggio received scathing criticism in his day for depicting people of the Bible as common. His critics reflected a time when only members of royalty and aristocracy were considered appropriate subjects for the "immortality" of art. His commissioned canvas of St. Matthew and the Angel so offended church leaders that it had to be redone. They could not accept seeing Matthew with the physical features of an everyday laborer.

According to one biographer, what the church fathers did not understand was that "Caravaggio, in elevating this humble figure, was copying christ, who had Himself raised Matthew from the street.


Caravaggio was right about the people of the Bible. Jesus Himself grew up in the home of a laborer. When His time came to go public, He was announced by a weather-worn man of the wilderness known as John the Baptizer. His disciples were fishermen and common people.

Jesus lived, loved, and died for wealthy people too. But by befriending those who had been demon-possessed, lepers, fishermen, and even despised tax collectors, the teacher from Nazareth showed that no one is too poor, too sinful, or too insignificant to be His friend. __ Mart De Haan
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````````````````````What a friend we have in Jesus,```````````````
````````````````````All our sins and griefs to bear!````````````````
``````````````````````What a privilege to carry``````````````````
````````````````````Everything to God in prayer!`````````````````
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Jesus wants YOU for a friend.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 4:18-25************

18 And Jesus, walking by
the Sea of Galilee, saw two
brothers, Simon called Peter,
and Andrew his brother ,
casting a net into the sea; for
they were fishermen. 19 Then
He said to them, "Follow
Me, and I will make you
fishers of men." 20 They
immediately left their nets
and followed Him.

21 Going on from there, He
saw two other brothers,
James the son of Zebedee,
and Jon his brother, in the
boat with Zebedee their
father, mending their nets.
He called them, 22 and
immediately they left the
boat and their father, and
followed Him.

23 And Jesus went about all
Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the
gospel of the kingdom, and
healing all kinds of sickness
and all kinds of disease
among the people. 24 Then
His fame went throughout
all Syria; and they brought
to Him all sick people who
were afflicted with various
diseases and torments, and
those who were demon-
possessed, epileptics, and
paralytics; and He healed
them. 25 Great multitudes
followed Him--from
Galilee, and from Decapolis,
Jerusalem, Judea, and
beyond the Jordan.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

From the beginning of Christ's public ministry to its end, "The
common people heard Him gladly" (Mark 12:37). On the day of the
triumphal entry the Sanhedrin launched formal attacks to destroy
the influence of Jesus with the crowds. Despite this, many in the
crowd proclaimed Him as the promised Messiah, the hope of the
nation Israel. This interest in Christ was not just tin response to His
miracles but also His love and spiritual teaching. __Dennis Fisher