Jesus’ fame spread like wildfire after he had cured the demoniac in the synagogue. It had spread so much that verse 33 says the whole city was gathered around the door. Some came for healing, some, I’m sure came just to see what might happen. They had no interest in being transformed by the power of God but wanted to see what it looked like for the spectacular and dramatic signs and wonders.

I am not here just to see a phenomenon
I am not here for experiential bliss
I simply come to the feet of the God I serve,
The one that I love

I am not here for the sake of the people’s praise
I have not come to see the thunder and rain
I simply come into courts of the King above
The one that I Praise

I want to find the way to his chambers
I want to be in the presence of the Lord
I am in need of his mercy and favor
Forever more

I am not here for the sake of a miracle
I am not here just to see the dead raised
Yes I believe in power supernatural
But that’s not why I’m saved

I’ve had enough of this life of a Pharisee
I want to know this Jesus who’s been loving me
I’m running into the temple just to see
The one that I love

I want to find the way to his chambers
I want to be in the presence of the Lord
I am in need of his mercy and favor
Forever more

I give my heart to the one they call Jesus
Seeking out first the very kingdom of God
You are the way and the truth I believe it
You are my phenomenon

You can move mountains whenever you want to
You can speak to the sea whenever it pleases you

Forgive me oh Lord if I’ve been a market place
Turn me upside down so I will seek your face
And if your presence comes into this place
So will the thunder and rain
Phenomenon – Rita Springer

From healing the demoniac, to curing Peter’s mother in law, to the mass healings in Galilee, it is easy and safer to focus on the phenomenon of Jesus. We can easily and safely say that we cannot do those kinds of works of power and so we get ourselves off the hook. But - "We are entrusted with a message too powerful to keep to ourselves, and we are part of a kingdom that can neither be defined by nor contained within boundaries." – GBOD 2/8/09.
In Jesus’ day, people looked to the community of faith for healing and wholeness. Do people look today to the church? No, they look anywhere but the church. The power of God is here, it is within us as we are transformed to live lives worthy of our call. To give a Gideon Bible is to pass on the powerful witness but it doesn’t and shouldn’t stop there. When we live lives that are indisputably changed by God, then we are living testaments and that is the phenomenon that God accomplishes everyday in us and through us. So this week, go out, live for God, live like Jesus taught us and know that the Holy Spirit is working in you to make it happen.