and to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 13:8
Can't you just hear that??? Can't you hear the authority, the Holy power in that statement, "Before Abraham was, I am?" I don't believe there was so little as a tiny hint of arrogance. I don't believe He even raised His voice. He didn't have to. It was truly A Voice Like No Other, with an authority that shook them to their very core.
The religious leaders of that day may have scorned His words and disregarded the authority with which He spoke. However, I'd like you to visit with me, if you will, some of those times when that voice, A Voice Like No Other, spoke and it wasn't ignored:
Voice Of Salvation
The woman brought before Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees had been "taken in adultery". Quoting "the law", they tried to trick Him. Jesus merely stooped down and began to write on the ground with His finger. When they insisted that He answer them, Jesus stood up and did: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Then He stooped once more and resumed writing on the ground with His finger. The woman's accusers left. When Jesus stood back up, He asked her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?" She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. John 8:11.
When Jesus went to the house of a Pharisee to eat with him, a woman came in with an alabaster box. She stood at Jesus' feet and began to weep. Kneeling before Him, she washed His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head, then kissed His feet and anointed them with ointment from the box. The Pharisee thought that Jesus, if He was really a prophet, should have known the woman was a sinner. Jesus knew his thoughts and said, "You didn't give me any water for my feet, but she has washed my feet with tears and dried them with her hair. You didn't give me a kiss, but she hasn't stopped kissing my feet. You didn't anoint my head with oil, but she did with her ointment. Wherefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. Luke 7:48.
Many people had found out that Jesus was in Capernaum. It didn't take long for a crowd to gather; so many, in fact, that there was no room to receive them. As Jesus preached to this tightly-packed crowd, four men came bearing a bed with a palsy victim on it. Desperate needs call for desperate measures: they went up on the roof and broke through it, to let the man down to Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (The account starts in Mark 2:5.)
Voice of Healing
A woman with an issue of blood for twelve years had spent all her money on doctors; none had been able to cure her. When she pushed through the crowd around Jesus, came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment, the issue of blood stopped, immediately. Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" It was not the press of the crowd that Jesus had felt: "Somebody has touched me: for I felt virtue go out of me." The woman fell down before Him, explaining why she had touched His garment and how she had been instantly healed. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. Luke 8:48.
There was a man in the synagogue who had a withered hand. The Pharisees, wanting to be able to accuse Jesus of wrongdoing, asked if it was lawful for Jesus to heal on the sabbath days. Jesus answered by asking them if a man’s sheep fell into a pit on the sabbath day, would they wait to rescue it from the pit? Wasn’t a person better than a sheep? He told them it was lawful to do well on the sabbath day. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Matthew 12:13.
Once again, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. He saw a woman in the crowd who was bent over and could not straighten up (she had been that way for eighteen long years). And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. Luke 13:12,13.
Voice of Comfort
Mary Magdalene had found the tomb of Jesus empty. She went after Peter and John, but after they confirmed her find, they had left her there at the sepulchre, alone. Two angels appeared and asked her why she was crying--as she turned to leave, she met a man. She thought he was the gardener, and begged him to tell her where the body of Jesus had been taken. Then, an exchange of only two words: Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. John 20:16.
Jesus and His disciples boarded a ship to cross to the other side of the sea. Jesus laid down and fell asleep. A storm arose; the disciples woke Him, asking, "Don't you care that we are about to perish?" And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39.
The [more than] five thousand had been fed. Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the sea to await Him, while He went up into the mountain to pray. Later that night, a storm arose and the ship was caught in it. As Jesus walked ON the sea toward the ship, the disciples saw Him. They cried out in fear, thinking they were seeing a "spirit". But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. Matthew 14:27.
Voice of Life
As Jesus went into the city of Nain, He met a funeral procession. A widow woman was about to bury her only son. Jesus knew what the loss of this son would mean to her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. Luke 7:13-15.
Jairus was desperate--his only daughter, twelve years of age, was dying. He begged Jesus to come to his house and heal her. Jesus was delayed by the crowd and if you recall, the woman who was healed of the hemorrhage she had suffered for twelve years. Someone arrived to tell Jairus that his daughter had died. As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. When He got there, Jesus asked why everyone was grieving when the child was only sleeping. They laughed Him to scorn. Nevertheless, Jesus put them all out, save the parents and Peter, James and John who He took with Him into the room where the child lay. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked... Mark 5:36, 41,42.
Mary and Martha sent urgent word to Jesus that their brother, Lazarus was gravely ill. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days. Jesus asked to be taken to the cave where his body had been placed. When He got there, Jesus said, "Take away the stone". Then He lifted up his eyes and prayed, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me." And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. John 11:43,44.
Voice of Forgiveness
Turn with me in your Bibles to the 23rd Chapter of Luke, verse 34: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Oh, such a voice--to forgive those who had done, were doing such awful things to a man Who left the perfection of Heaven to bring salvation to a lost and dying world!
Weep Not
Be Not Afraid
Peace, Be Still
Thy Sins Are Forgiven
Neither Do I Condemn Thee
Loose Him And Let Him Go
Go And Sin No More
We still have that voice today--it reaches out of the pages of God's Word and into our very souls. A voice of understanding that says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." A voice of authority that says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." A voice of eternal assurance: "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life."
Eternally, it shall be,
"A Voice Like No Other" Copyright © 2000 by Patricia Sikes.
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