You may read the above title and think that this article is about bodily exercise, but actually these words are a few of the many startling statements made by Jesus throughout His earthly ministry.
Some feel like Jesus gives impossible commands today. And perhaps they are impossible under our own power, wisdom, and might. However, the Christian must always remember that it is the power of Christ that makes the difference. Therefore let us “Get Up” and serve (Mark 1:31), “Take Up” our cross (Luke 9:23), “Go” into all the world (Mark 16:15-16), “Stretch Out” our hands to those in need (Acts 3:7), and “Walk” worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1-3). For it is not by our power alone that we accomplish these things. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)
- Jesus told a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” (John 5:8, “pick up”, NASB; cf. 5:5-6;)
- Jesus commanded a man with a withered (shriveled, NIV) hand to “Stretch out your hand.” (Matthew 12:13; cf. 12:10).
- To the ten lepers who sought to be healed, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests” (Luke 17:14). This command was given before they received cleansing. It must have seemed an impossible thing to gain audience with any priest in their current state, yet the Bible says, “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” (17:14).
- In Luke chapter five Jesus encounters a group of professional fisherman (Peter, Andrew, James, and John) who had fished all night, but in spite of their wisdom and experience, had caught nothing (5:5). Jesus said to them, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (5:4). The result was an astonishing catch of fish (5:6-9).
- A man who had been blind from birth gave testimony that “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
- To Lazarus, who had been dead four days, He commanded, “with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.” (John 11:43-44)
Some feel like Jesus gives impossible commands today. And perhaps they are impossible under our own power, wisdom, and might. However, the Christian must always remember that it is the power of Christ that makes the difference. Therefore let us “Get Up” and serve (Mark 1:31), “Take Up” our cross (Luke 9:23), “Go” into all the world (Mark 16:15-16), “Stretch Out” our hands to those in need (Acts 3:7), and “Walk” worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1-3). For it is not by our power alone that we accomplish these things. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)
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