Preaching Of The Cross Campus Ministry

Word for Every Day, June 24, 2026

And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that He entered into the Synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered (Lk. 6:6).

What a blessing it must have been to have heard Jesus teach! And yet, those whose hearts were not right with God found no substance in His Words of Life, just as those presently! That's why Jesus was constantly saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Lk. 8:8).

There was a man in the Synagogue "whose right hand was withered." This portrays the entirety of the human race, spiritually withered as a result of the Fall, especially the "right hand." Considering that the man, as are most, was right-handed, his activities, of necessity, would have been greatly curtailed. This pictures the entirety of the human race, which is in the same condition.

Concerning this, Paul said, “For the flesh (in this case, evil desires) lusts against the Spirit (is the opposite of the Holy Spirit), and the Spirit against the flesh (it is the Holy Spirit Alone, Who can subdue the flesh; He does so, as we have repeatedly stated, by our Faith being placed exclusively in the Cross): and these are contrary one to the other (these two can never harmonize; as Paul has stated, the old nature must be cast out, which the Holy Spirit Alone can do): so that you cannot do the things that you would. (Without the Holy Spirit, Who works by the Cross, the Believer cannot live a Holy life [Gal. 5:17].)

It must be remembered that Paul is speaking here to Believers. He is simply telling us that, due to the "withered hand," we simply cannot function as we ought to, even though we are saved and are new creations in Christ Jesus (II Cor. 5:17). Consequently, we must function according to the pattern laid down by Christ.

Unfortunately, the Scribes and the Pharisees greatly opposed His healing the man. They were more concerned about their petty rules, which, incidentally, were man made, than about the restoration of this man. That is a perfect picture of religion.

Despite their opposition, the Christ of Glory told the man to stand up in obvious view of the entirety of the crowd, and then told Him, "Stretch forth your hand." The man did so, "and his hand was restored whole as the other." That is the only cure for the fallen sons of Adam's lost race. The Church, at least for the most part, however, has unfortunately adopted the ways of the world, and I speak of humanistic psychology, in trying to meet this problem. There is no help from that source, even as there cannot be any help from that source.

Let all know and realize:

No matter how badly withered is the right hand, Jesus can restore it. That's His business!

The Expositor's Word for Every Day. Baton Rouge, LA: World Evangelism Press, 2005

Word for Every Day, June 21, 2026

And they came to Jericho: and as He went out of Jericho with His Disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging (Mk. 10:46).

The healing of blind Bartimaeus presents one of the greatest recorded miracles found in the Bible.

There is no evidence that Jesus had been to Jericho before this. In fact, it was only a few days before the Crucifixion. He had come from Galilee, and had come the long way around, and did so by crossing the Jordan and coming down on the east side. He would have crossed back to the west side at Jericho, hence Him going through the city.

I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit had Jesus to go through Jericho in order that Zacchaeus be saved and Bartimaeus be healed and saved. There is a good possibility that both of these men had earnestly sought the Lord that Jesus would come this way. If they had, their prayer was now answered.

Upon ascertaining that it was Jesus, Bartimaeus began to cry out, saying, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me." He was, in effect, publicly confessing that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the Lord of Glory, He asked for mercy.

Let it ever be said:

No one has ever asked mercy of the Lord but that they received it!

Many tried to stop Bartimaeus from shouting out Jesus, but he only shouted the louder. Sadly, there isn't much of a helping hand, as it regards people coming to the Lord. There should be, but there isn't!

The more they told Bartimaeus to shut up, the louder he cried.

The Scripture then says, "Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called." This was Bartimaeus' day.

In a sense, the Lord, at this very moment, is commanding certain people to be called.

Are you ready for that call? Will you respond favorably?

The Scripture says, “Casting away his garment, he rose and came to Jesus." This was a garment carried by beggars, which would be used as a receptacle to catch a few coins during the day, and as a garment to ward off the chill at night. Bartimaeus threw it away because he knew that he would no longer need it. In other words, in just a few, moments, he would no longer be blind and he would no longer be a beggar.

The way his name is given in the Sacred Text insinuates that he may have once come from a well-to-do family.

If that was the case, fortune had not shined on him too well, and now he is reduced to begging. But his day is about to change.

Jesus said to him, "What will you that I should do unto you?

What a question!

The answer was immediate, "Lord, that I might receive my sight."

He was immediately healed and followed Jesus. Tradition says that he became a stalwart in the Church in Jerusalem and remained so until the day of his death.

The lesson is clear. Jesus can change things!

The Expositor's Word for Every Day. Baton Rouge, LA: World Evangelism Press, 2005

Word for Every Day, June 16, 2026

While yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him (Mat.17:5).

The transfiguration presents a portrayal of the glory of Christ. The glory did not shine upon Jesus, but shone out from Him through Him raiment. When Moses and Elijah appeared on the mountain with Him, Moses did so as a portrayal of the Law, while Elijah did so as a portrayal of Grace.

The gist of the conversation of Jesus with these two men, one who had been dead for about 1 500 years, and the other who had been translated that he did not see death, is interesting indeed! They spoke with Him of His atoning death (Lk. 9:31). This tells us that this Doctrine, the Atonement, is the great theme of Heaven (Rev. 1:5; 5:6, 9; 7:14).

Peter made a foolish statement about building three tabernacles, “one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." However, the answer from above was quick in coming. God will not have even the greatest Saints associated with His Beloved Son in worship or teaching. Both Moses and Elijah were, in fact, immediately withdrawn and the Divine Voice said, "Hear Him, and Him Alone!"

This means that all prayers to Saints, even prayers to the Virgin Mary, will avail nothing. The Command from God the Father is stark, crisp, and to the point, "Hear ye Him!"

The Expositor's Word for Every Day. Baton Rouge, LA: World Evangelism Press, 2005