http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+12/
All in eleven verses, Jesus brings in some of the scariest warnings and greatest encouragements that I think I've read in the Bible. He warns against the way of the Pharisees because they are hypocrites. Jesus and the Pharisees never got along because while the Pharisees were religious leaders and outwardly did everything right, their hearts were focused on themselves and pleasing themselves, which is not right. The focus of worship is all about focusing on God. The Pharisees did not like being called out like this, so they condemned Jesus. In this passage, Jesus warns against their hypocrisy because He says that all hidden things will be revealed. You cannot hide what you say, do, or even think from Jesus. And on the day of Judgement, He will reveal all the things, good and bad, that you have done out in the open. Jesus knows even the things about us that we hid from ourselves. Taking it a step further, Jesus says there is no need to fear the people who can kill you; thus, destroying the body because Jesus has the power on Judgement Day to throw you into Hell after your body has been killed. Then, comes the encouragement. Jesus says that five sparrows cost two pennies, but God knows each of the sparrows, and that despite what He said before, we are worth more, individually, than many sparrows. It's importnat to note that sparrows were used in ancient Judaism as sacrifices to pay for sins. And Jesus says that God remembers each sparrow killed. He declares that God has numbered the hairs on our head. That is the intimacy to which He knows us. Then, there are some more warnings to heed. If you publicly acknowledge Jesus, then He will acknowledge you before the angels, but if you disown Him when you are out in public, no matter how devout you may claim to be at home or in church, Jesus will disown you. Additionally, if you speak a word against Jesus, you can receive forgiveness but not if you speak against the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the only one who can save but since He is no longer on Earth, He can only save through the Holy Spirit, who is on Earth. If you blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, He will be unable to help you repent, which is necessary to salvation. The final encouragement Jesus offers here is that we should not worry about how we will defend ourselves in the face of religious persecution because the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say when the time comes. This can be seen very clearly in Acts when Steven defends himself.
A man in the crowd shouted out that Jesus should tell the man's brother to divide the inheritance with him. After all, who wouldn't listen to the Son of God getting in your face with a crowd of people. In the man's mind, he probably thought Jesus would do it because it would show generosity but Jesus could see the greed in the man's heart that prompted this, so He told a parable. In the parable, a rich man receives a huge harvest one year, so he builds bigger barns and stores away for many years, but God comes to him that night and tells him his life will be demanded from him. Then, who gets all of the grain? If you focus on building riches for yourself in the world, you can't build up the riches in heaven that you will need. You can't take the treasures of this world with you, so why let greed for these things consume you?
Jesus then takes it a step further, as He often does, and tells the people that they should not worry about the riches of this world. The birds don't worry about what they will eat, and they survive, yet people are worth more than birds. Then, there's the flowers. They are more beautiful than any clothes ever made, and people are worth way more than flowers. Worrying is not worth the time, and it won't add time to your life. Even the pagans worry about the things of this world. God created humans, and He knows what we need. Leave it to Him to provide. God provides so well, in fact, that He will give us His entire kingdom, so we should sell our possessions and give to the poor. Make money for ourselves that will never expire or outlive its worth. It will be safe in Heaven where no thief can steal it and nothing can destroy it. Luke 12:34 is a hugely important verse. If you focus on building up a worldly treasure, that is what is most important in your life. Getting more makes you want even more, so it will eventually consume you. If you focus on storing things up in Heaven, then you will have a greater desire to keep doing so. Not only will this cleanse your heart, and improve your character, but it will even improve the world. Additionally, it will be harder for the things of this world to shake your faith because you will be so grounded in the things of God. The things of this world will have little value in your heart.
The next passage has a lot of good material. Jesus tells a sort of commanding parable that we should be ready with lamps on like servants waiting for their master after a party. The master will be home late, but He will have more to ask of the servants before they are dismissed. Furthermore, the master could come and tell the servants that He will serve them. They wouldn't want to miss that. The master will be very pleased if He finds the servants awaiting His return even if it is very late or even close to the next morning. Then, Jesus sort of changes parables for the same example. He says that if the owner of a house knew when the thief was coming, the thief would never have broken in. In the same way, we must always be prepared because we don't know when Jesus will return. He goes on to say that a master who puts a servant over all of the other servants will only be pleased if He returns to find the servant doing as he's been instructed; however, if the master is gone long, and the servant in charge begins beating the other servants, the master will severely punish him. Here is the key paragraph. If someone knows the will of the Master, and does not do what the master desires, He will be beaten with many blows. On the other hand, a servant who does not know the will and still does not do what is right, will only be beaten with few blows. The punishment for those who don't do what they know God wants them to do will be greater than those who do not know the will of God. We serve a God of mercy, and in this case He mercifully lightens the punishment He must serve to those sinners who never had the chance to know Him. There is a burden in God giving us much because the more He gives us, the more He will require from us. The more we have, the more He expects us to give of ourselves. The blessings God provides us with will not only help us but those whom we serve as well.
Jesus says that He did not come to the world to bring peace but to divide it. Just as He says that people will hate His followers because of Him. The world will divide between those who follow Jesus and those who don't. Because we must fight wholeheartedly for those who do not yet have salvation, we may also have to fight them for a time. We must put our duty to God before anything, even our own families.
Jesus says the people are hypocrites because while they know how to interpret the signs in the sky to predict the weather, they also go complaining to someone else to interpret what is right or wrong. God has given us everything we need to do this ourselves, especially through the Holy Spirit. We must make our own reconciliations when we do wrong against someone or we will have to pay the full price of what we have done. This is especially important for when we sin against God because the punishment we will have to serve is an eternity of damnation.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Luke 11
http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+11/
One day, while Jesus prayed, as He often did and as we should often do, Him disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, and this is where the Lord's prayer comes from. This can be used as a good template on how to pray. Give praise and thanks to God, then ask Him for what you NEED inb the Spirit, seek renewed forgiveness because we all know how much we always struggle with sin. Even as Jesus teaches the disciples to pray, He teaches them to forgive. God's forgiveness to us is not contingent on our forgiveness to others, but why should God cover us in the blood of His Son to forgive us and redeem us from death if we will not forgive other people when they sin against us? Jesus then moves on saying that if you went to a friend and asked him for bread at midnight because you have a visitor and nothing to feed him, your friend will surely get up and give you what you need because you have asked. What is unspoken here is the other side of that--if you do not ask, your friend cannot give to you because he does not know that you are in need. Even though God knows all, He still waits for us to ask for what we need. Then, Jesus asks the disciples if they had a son who asked for a fish, if they would give him a snake. And if we, as inherently evil people since the fall, can provide for our children the things of this world that they need, how much more can the Father provide for us? Jesus says aks and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. You have to put forth the effort, but God will richly provide for you once you do. We expect God to provide for us without communicating our needs to Him.
In the next story, Jesus drives a demon out of a mute man and says some pretty ridiculously crazy things when He's accused of being Beelzebul, or Satan. Jesus starts by poking holes in their logic--why would Satan drive out his own demons? Jesus uses their disbelief to encourage them because, as He says, if He drives demons out by the power of God then that means the presence of God is with the people. Jesus' example is that of the Devil, who truly is quite strong, can grasp control of the hearts of unbelievers and hold down their hearts, but someone stronger, Jesus, can come along and usurp the Devil from hearts and turn those hearts to Himself. Then, Jesus makes a very bold statement: whoever is not with Jesus is against Him. There is no middle ground. Your heart is either filled with the Holy Spirit of God or with a demon from Satan. You either have obtained your salvation or you will go to hell. Jesus then tells of what happens to a demon He expels from a person. It seeks a place in the desert, but it cannot find rest there, so it returns to the place it once called home. If it finds the place merely swept clean, meaning only some of the outward sins have ceased, but the Spirit does not dwell there to truly clean up the mess in the person's heart to change them for the better, then the demon will return with other, even stronger demons to reclaim its home, and the person is worse off than at the start. Let me rephrase: if Jesus stirs you in your heart towards Himself, but you refuse to move and repent to accept your Salvation, then there's nothing more He can do, and the devil, who claimed you before, will return to reclaim you with an even stronger grip. Jesus will reach out to you with your Salvation in your reach, but you have to receive it and accept it and use it, or nothing will improve. A woman in the crowd cries out blessed is the woman who birthed Jesus, and Jesus replies that instead, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.
Jesus condemns those who hear and do not listen. He says those are from a wicked generation. They require signs to believe. So many people up to today ask for signs that Jesus really is Lord. Jesus says they will receive the sign of Jonah because Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites. He was spit up on their shores by a great whale telling the people that they needed to repent or God would destroy the city, and they did so then and there. The next example Jesus gives is the Queen form the East who went to hear the wisdom that Solomon obtained from the Lord. Now, we have heard even greater wisdom. Then, looking back at Nineveh--if they repented because of what Jonah preached, shouldn't more people be more likely to repent with the Son of God preaching?
Jesus compares the eye to a lamp in a house, but for modern technology's sake, let's say a lightbulb. You don't screw in a lightbulb and put the fixture in a cabinet. Instead, you put it out where the light will fill the room. In the same way, the eye is like a lamp to our hearts. When your eyes are healthy, the body is full of light, and you can see clearly to fix your eyes upon Jesus. If your vision, however, is cloudy, like dirty windows, your heart will be full of darkness. Certain sins can distort our Spiritual vision such as jealousy and hatred because then your eyes are fixed on something other than Jesus, and outside of Jesus, who is the light, there is only darkness.
In the last story in this chapter, Jesus makes some powerful religious leaders quite angry with what He says. He goes to eat with a Pharisee who is surprised that Jesus did not wash up before the meal. Jesus begins condemning the Pharisees because they are so concerned with their outward appearances and how they look to others that they let their hearts harden, leading to evil and wickedness. These were the top religious leaders in Jesus' time. Jesus condemns them for giving for all the wrong reasons. The heart and should be generous when giving not hungry for attention. Finally, an expert of the Law speaks up and says that by insulting the Pharisees, Jesus is insulting the experts of the Law as well, so Jesus turns His attention to the experts of the Law. He condemns them for needlessly laying burdens on the people but offering no help on howe to lighten the load. He condemns them because they build tombs to the prophets for being such great speakers of what God spoke, yet they ho9nor their ancestors who killed the prophets. Jesus says that this generation will be responsible for the deaths of all of the prophets because when all the prophecies came true, the people refuse to believe it even to this day. This responsibility starts all the way back with the murder of Abel. He condemns the experts of the Law for learning what it takes to enter the kingdom of God and not only ignoring what they need to do but keeping other people from doing it as well. When Jesus finished saying all of this, He left, and the Pharisees along with the experts of the Law followed Him trying to trap Him in what He said, but they could not for two reasons. First, everything Jesus said was true because he knows the true state of every person's heart. Second, it was not time for JEsus to die yet, so the Pharisees could not kill Him.
One day, while Jesus prayed, as He often did and as we should often do, Him disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, and this is where the Lord's prayer comes from. This can be used as a good template on how to pray. Give praise and thanks to God, then ask Him for what you NEED inb the Spirit, seek renewed forgiveness because we all know how much we always struggle with sin. Even as Jesus teaches the disciples to pray, He teaches them to forgive. God's forgiveness to us is not contingent on our forgiveness to others, but why should God cover us in the blood of His Son to forgive us and redeem us from death if we will not forgive other people when they sin against us? Jesus then moves on saying that if you went to a friend and asked him for bread at midnight because you have a visitor and nothing to feed him, your friend will surely get up and give you what you need because you have asked. What is unspoken here is the other side of that--if you do not ask, your friend cannot give to you because he does not know that you are in need. Even though God knows all, He still waits for us to ask for what we need. Then, Jesus asks the disciples if they had a son who asked for a fish, if they would give him a snake. And if we, as inherently evil people since the fall, can provide for our children the things of this world that they need, how much more can the Father provide for us? Jesus says aks and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. You have to put forth the effort, but God will richly provide for you once you do. We expect God to provide for us without communicating our needs to Him.
In the next story, Jesus drives a demon out of a mute man and says some pretty ridiculously crazy things when He's accused of being Beelzebul, or Satan. Jesus starts by poking holes in their logic--why would Satan drive out his own demons? Jesus uses their disbelief to encourage them because, as He says, if He drives demons out by the power of God then that means the presence of God is with the people. Jesus' example is that of the Devil, who truly is quite strong, can grasp control of the hearts of unbelievers and hold down their hearts, but someone stronger, Jesus, can come along and usurp the Devil from hearts and turn those hearts to Himself. Then, Jesus makes a very bold statement: whoever is not with Jesus is against Him. There is no middle ground. Your heart is either filled with the Holy Spirit of God or with a demon from Satan. You either have obtained your salvation or you will go to hell. Jesus then tells of what happens to a demon He expels from a person. It seeks a place in the desert, but it cannot find rest there, so it returns to the place it once called home. If it finds the place merely swept clean, meaning only some of the outward sins have ceased, but the Spirit does not dwell there to truly clean up the mess in the person's heart to change them for the better, then the demon will return with other, even stronger demons to reclaim its home, and the person is worse off than at the start. Let me rephrase: if Jesus stirs you in your heart towards Himself, but you refuse to move and repent to accept your Salvation, then there's nothing more He can do, and the devil, who claimed you before, will return to reclaim you with an even stronger grip. Jesus will reach out to you with your Salvation in your reach, but you have to receive it and accept it and use it, or nothing will improve. A woman in the crowd cries out blessed is the woman who birthed Jesus, and Jesus replies that instead, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.
Jesus condemns those who hear and do not listen. He says those are from a wicked generation. They require signs to believe. So many people up to today ask for signs that Jesus really is Lord. Jesus says they will receive the sign of Jonah because Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites. He was spit up on their shores by a great whale telling the people that they needed to repent or God would destroy the city, and they did so then and there. The next example Jesus gives is the Queen form the East who went to hear the wisdom that Solomon obtained from the Lord. Now, we have heard even greater wisdom. Then, looking back at Nineveh--if they repented because of what Jonah preached, shouldn't more people be more likely to repent with the Son of God preaching?
Jesus compares the eye to a lamp in a house, but for modern technology's sake, let's say a lightbulb. You don't screw in a lightbulb and put the fixture in a cabinet. Instead, you put it out where the light will fill the room. In the same way, the eye is like a lamp to our hearts. When your eyes are healthy, the body is full of light, and you can see clearly to fix your eyes upon Jesus. If your vision, however, is cloudy, like dirty windows, your heart will be full of darkness. Certain sins can distort our Spiritual vision such as jealousy and hatred because then your eyes are fixed on something other than Jesus, and outside of Jesus, who is the light, there is only darkness.
In the last story in this chapter, Jesus makes some powerful religious leaders quite angry with what He says. He goes to eat with a Pharisee who is surprised that Jesus did not wash up before the meal. Jesus begins condemning the Pharisees because they are so concerned with their outward appearances and how they look to others that they let their hearts harden, leading to evil and wickedness. These were the top religious leaders in Jesus' time. Jesus condemns them for giving for all the wrong reasons. The heart and should be generous when giving not hungry for attention. Finally, an expert of the Law speaks up and says that by insulting the Pharisees, Jesus is insulting the experts of the Law as well, so Jesus turns His attention to the experts of the Law. He condemns them for needlessly laying burdens on the people but offering no help on howe to lighten the load. He condemns them because they build tombs to the prophets for being such great speakers of what God spoke, yet they ho9nor their ancestors who killed the prophets. Jesus says that this generation will be responsible for the deaths of all of the prophets because when all the prophecies came true, the people refuse to believe it even to this day. This responsibility starts all the way back with the murder of Abel. He condemns the experts of the Law for learning what it takes to enter the kingdom of God and not only ignoring what they need to do but keeping other people from doing it as well. When Jesus finished saying all of this, He left, and the Pharisees along with the experts of the Law followed Him trying to trap Him in what He said, but they could not for two reasons. First, everything Jesus said was true because he knows the true state of every person's heart. Second, it was not time for JEsus to die yet, so the Pharisees could not kill Him.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Luke 10
http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+10/
Jesus sent out seventy-two of His followers to nearby towns telling them that their is plenty to be harvested but few workers to harvest. There is an overwhelming number of people who do not know Christ and an unbelievable amount that have never even heard the name of Jesus. One of the reasons this continues is because the followers of Christ do not go forth proclaiming the name and wonders of Jesus. The seventy-two are to take nothing with them. Jesus gives them very specific instructions for when they go. He tells them to enter a town, and find a house to stay at. Once the enter, they should ask God for peace over the house, and if the people who live in the house accept peace, they will receive it from God, but if they reject it, the peace will go back to the giver. This principle goes back to both if you ask you shall receive and if you reject God, God will reject you. Jesus instructs them to take what is given to them as their wages but not to move from house to house. If the town accepts them, they should proclaim the gospel and heal the sick. If the town rejects them, they should declare that they are even shaking the dust of the town from their sandals as a warning because the Kingsom of God is coming. Jesus tells the people that these towns will be worse off than Sodom. These towns at least have a chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways. Jesus warns the towns that have seen miracles and still reject God. With assuring words, Jesus tells the seventy-two whoever listens to them listens to Jesus. Whoever rejects them rejects Jesus and by extension, God. It's not about you when you proclaim the Good News. It's all about Jesus. If the people you talk to accept what you say, glory be to Jesus. Don't take the glory for yourself. The seventy-two return to Jesus overjoyed because even the demons submitted to the name of Jesus. With great authority, Jesus replies that He has seen Satan fall and given power to those who follow Him that nothing shall stand against them. Yet they should not boast that they can tame the enemy but that their names are written in heaven. Remember what you are here for and what the eventual goal is. Then Jesus, overcome by the Spirit prays. He says that He is glad the Father has revealed His truths to the children of faith. Yet the wise have not seen them. Those who thought they knew all about God did not seek the truths. It is the children eager to learn who sought the character of God. Only the Son truly knows the Father and vice versa. There are so many mysteries that people on Earth still do not know about. Jesus tells His disciples privately that many great prophets and kings had wished to see what the disciples see, so they should not take it for granted.
A man who knew the law well tested Jesus by asking Him what people need to do to receive eternal life. Jesus responded as He often does by asking another question. He asked the expert of the law how he reads it. The man replies that it says love The Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus tells the man that is correct. To clarify, the man asks Jesus who His neighbors are. Jesus responds with a parable, which is a fictional story used to serve a purpose. In this parable, a Jewish man is walking along the road where he is robbed and beaten. Three men pass along the road. The first is a priest. The priest does not help the man but walks by on the other side of the road. Then, a Levite, another religious figure, comes and reacts in the same way. Finally, a Samaritan, the enemy race of the Jews, stops, and, moved by compassion, goes to the man to rescue him. He takes the man to an inn and covers all of the expenses and says if the man costs more, he will come back and make up for them. Jesus asks the expert of the law who the neighbor to the beaten man was, and the expert correctly responds that the Samaritan was. Jesus tells all listening to go and do accordingly. The priest and the Levite weren't bad people. They were very good, religious people, but they got so caught up in their next religios activity that they missed out on an opportunity that God set before them. The Samaritan had compassion, and since compassion requires action, went to the man to help.
Jesus goes to stay with Mary and Martha. Martha busies herself with the preparations needed for a guest, especially when the gust is the Messaiah. Mary, meanwhile, sits at Jesus' feet and listens to Him. After a time, Martha, upset at her sister, complains to Jesus and asks that He command Mary to help. Jesus responds that Martha is worried over many things, but the only thing needed is Jesus. Mary has chosen the better thing. Sometimes we get so caught up in making things nice for Jesus, that we leave Him out. We busy ourselves fretting over what He thinks of us but miss what He says to us. Sometimes, we need to take a breath and sit at His feet.
Jesus sent out seventy-two of His followers to nearby towns telling them that their is plenty to be harvested but few workers to harvest. There is an overwhelming number of people who do not know Christ and an unbelievable amount that have never even heard the name of Jesus. One of the reasons this continues is because the followers of Christ do not go forth proclaiming the name and wonders of Jesus. The seventy-two are to take nothing with them. Jesus gives them very specific instructions for when they go. He tells them to enter a town, and find a house to stay at. Once the enter, they should ask God for peace over the house, and if the people who live in the house accept peace, they will receive it from God, but if they reject it, the peace will go back to the giver. This principle goes back to both if you ask you shall receive and if you reject God, God will reject you. Jesus instructs them to take what is given to them as their wages but not to move from house to house. If the town accepts them, they should proclaim the gospel and heal the sick. If the town rejects them, they should declare that they are even shaking the dust of the town from their sandals as a warning because the Kingsom of God is coming. Jesus tells the people that these towns will be worse off than Sodom. These towns at least have a chance to repent and turn from their wicked ways. Jesus warns the towns that have seen miracles and still reject God. With assuring words, Jesus tells the seventy-two whoever listens to them listens to Jesus. Whoever rejects them rejects Jesus and by extension, God. It's not about you when you proclaim the Good News. It's all about Jesus. If the people you talk to accept what you say, glory be to Jesus. Don't take the glory for yourself. The seventy-two return to Jesus overjoyed because even the demons submitted to the name of Jesus. With great authority, Jesus replies that He has seen Satan fall and given power to those who follow Him that nothing shall stand against them. Yet they should not boast that they can tame the enemy but that their names are written in heaven. Remember what you are here for and what the eventual goal is. Then Jesus, overcome by the Spirit prays. He says that He is glad the Father has revealed His truths to the children of faith. Yet the wise have not seen them. Those who thought they knew all about God did not seek the truths. It is the children eager to learn who sought the character of God. Only the Son truly knows the Father and vice versa. There are so many mysteries that people on Earth still do not know about. Jesus tells His disciples privately that many great prophets and kings had wished to see what the disciples see, so they should not take it for granted.
A man who knew the law well tested Jesus by asking Him what people need to do to receive eternal life. Jesus responded as He often does by asking another question. He asked the expert of the law how he reads it. The man replies that it says love The Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus tells the man that is correct. To clarify, the man asks Jesus who His neighbors are. Jesus responds with a parable, which is a fictional story used to serve a purpose. In this parable, a Jewish man is walking along the road where he is robbed and beaten. Three men pass along the road. The first is a priest. The priest does not help the man but walks by on the other side of the road. Then, a Levite, another religious figure, comes and reacts in the same way. Finally, a Samaritan, the enemy race of the Jews, stops, and, moved by compassion, goes to the man to rescue him. He takes the man to an inn and covers all of the expenses and says if the man costs more, he will come back and make up for them. Jesus asks the expert of the law who the neighbor to the beaten man was, and the expert correctly responds that the Samaritan was. Jesus tells all listening to go and do accordingly. The priest and the Levite weren't bad people. They were very good, religious people, but they got so caught up in their next religios activity that they missed out on an opportunity that God set before them. The Samaritan had compassion, and since compassion requires action, went to the man to help.
Jesus goes to stay with Mary and Martha. Martha busies herself with the preparations needed for a guest, especially when the gust is the Messaiah. Mary, meanwhile, sits at Jesus' feet and listens to Him. After a time, Martha, upset at her sister, complains to Jesus and asks that He command Mary to help. Jesus responds that Martha is worried over many things, but the only thing needed is Jesus. Mary has chosen the better thing. Sometimes we get so caught up in making things nice for Jesus, that we leave Him out. We busy ourselves fretting over what He thinks of us but miss what He says to us. Sometimes, we need to take a breath and sit at His feet.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Luke 9
http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+9/
Jesus gives the disciples power and authority over all demons and power and authority to cure all diseases. He then sends them out in all directions with instructions not to take anything, not even a change of clothes. When they reach a town, they are to stay in someone's house until they are ready to leave, but if they are not welcome in the town, they should leave, shaking the dust off the sandals as a warning. The disciples did what Jesus said and travelled around curing illnesses. We are called to go out with nothing but the clothes on our backs to teach the gospel, and if the Holy Spirit has blessed us with the ability, to cast out demons and cure illnesses where we see them. Keep in mind we are not all called to this, and we are not called to live like this always. The disciples do this for a short time. Often, when people go on mission trips, especially to poor countries, they come back with less stuff than they set out with because God breaks their hearts for those people. In this way, the people are similarly going with just the clothes on their backs.
Herod, the ruler over the region at the time, heard all sorts of rumors about Jesus from the people. Some said He was John the Baptist come back to life. Others said He was the prophet Elijah, and still others said He was one of the other old prophets come back to life. When Herod heard all of this, shortly after he beheaded John the Baptist, he wanted to know who Jesus really was. Even when people hear some of the story, God can use that to spark an interest to learn more. While Herod rejects Jesus and His message, some in his courts might have believed because what they originally heard, though inaccurate, sparked an interest and caused them to want to know more.
The next story is very well known and can be found in all four gospels. In this story, Jesus feeds five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. When He had tried to escape the crowds to be alone with His disciples, the people still found Him, so He taught them all day. As it got late, the disciples told Jesus that He should let them go to the nearest town to buy food. Jesus said the disciples will provide food for all the men. That must have been pretty scary for them to think about because there were five thousand men (no count on women and children), and the disciples had almost no money. They told Jesus all they had was five loaves of bread and two fish, so He took the food from them, blessed it through prayer, and began passing it around. I really wish I could see this in action because they kept passing and passing until every person had their fill of food. Then, they collected the leftovers and had twelve baskets of food. Imagine the sight! God will always provide for those who believe in Him. He will take care of all your needs (wants is a different story). I still hear stories today of people who thought they were in a bind because they couldn't get something they needed, but God came through for them.
Jesus prays with His disciples privately one day and asks them who the people say He is. They answer that some say He is John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the other prophets brought back to life. When He asks them who they think He is, Peter answers that He is the Messiah. He instructs them not to tell anyone. People need to discover who Jesus is on their own. Our job is to proclaim the wonders that He has done, but only Jesus can have people accept Him as their savior. Only He has that power.
Jesus foretells His own death. He says that the Son of Man will be rejected by the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders. They will execute HIm, but He will come back to life on the third day.
Next, Jesus tells the disciples that in order to follow Him, they must reject what they want, pick up their crosses every day, and follow Him. It is an interesting choice for Jesus to use the word cross here because He will later be killed on the cross. Jesus doesn't give much instruction about how to be with Him except that the must follow Him. Once people begin to follow Jesus, they begin to see the difference that He makes in lives. When Jesus talks about taking up our crosses, He means that we must metaphorically die to ourselves everyday because in those days, the cross had only one meaning, death. We, ourselves, have desire for only the evil and sinful things. You can point out people who are not Christian who do a lot of good, but if you were to look at their desires, it would probably be for you to look at them doing the good things they do. He talks about how people who want to save their lives will lose them, but those who lose their lives will save them. What He means is that, again, you have to relinquish who you are and take up who Jesus is. Some people say they want to be who Jesus wants them to be, and that's good, but who Jesus really wants you to be is the person that is as close to Him in thoughts and acts as possible. What good is gaining the whole world if you lose your life? If people are ashamed of Jesus, Jesus says that He is ashamed of them. Jesus speaks of eternal life when He tells the disciples that some of them will not die until they see the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain where He goes to pray. The three disciples go to sleep, and Jesus prays. While He prays, His appearance changes, and His body begins to glow. Moses and Elijah appear, and the three of them discuss Jesus' coming death and the prophecies it will fulfill. The three disciples awaken while the others are talking, and Peter, not quite thinking clearly, says that he, James, and John will set up three tents: one for Jesus, one for Elijah, and one for Moses. He though this was a great opportunity to change some people's minds about Jesus, but he didn't understand that what he saw was for his benefit. A dark cloud comes over them, and a voice says, "This is my son whom I have chose. Listen to Him!" When the clouds lift, the three disciples see Jesus is standing alone.
The next story proves that their are some matters that only Jesus can take care of. As Jesus is coming down from the mountain, a man shouts to Him and begs Him to heal his son. A demon comes and makes the boy shriek, convulse, and foam at the mouth. The disciples have tried to heal him but can't. Jesus asks how long He must be with these unbelieving people. The boy comes towards Jesus, but the demon throws him to the ground. Jesus commands the demon to leave, and the boy is cured. All the people were amazed at the power of God.
Jesus tells the disciples that He will be betrayed and handed over to the people. He seems to be telling of His death in reverse order. The disciples do not know what He means because God has kept the meaning from them for the time being, and they are too afraid to ask Jesus what He means.
The disciples begin to bicker about who among them will be the greatest. Jesus know what they are talking about and takes a small child next to Him. He tells them that the one who welcomes the little child in Jesus' name will welcome in Jesus, and the one who welcomes in Jesus, welcomes God. Whoever is least among them, will become greatest. What He means is that whoever serves the case of those who are in need, in Jesus' day mainly children, the elderly, the crippled, etc., in Jesus' name welcome Jesus Himself because His heart goes out to those people. The last thing Jesus says means that the people who lower themselves in service, for example Mother Teresa, for Jesus will be greatest in Heaven because they are saving their reward for that time.
John tells Jesus that the disciples saw someone forcing demons out of people in Jesus' name, but the disciples tried to stop him because he was not one of the twelve. Jesus told them that whoever is not against them is for them. Jesus draws a very definite line. Either we are for Him or against Him. There is no middle ground.
Jesus decides He needs to go to Jerusalem before He dies, so as He and His disciples head that way, some of them go ahead to find a place for Jesus to stay, but the people reject Him because He is going to Jerusalem. The Samaritans and the Jews, who live mostly in Jerusalem, hated each other because of religious differences. When John and James heard this, they asked Jesus is He wanted them to call on fire to rain on the city. Jesus corrects them by saying that they don't know what spirit just overcame them. Jesus came to save lives, not destroy them. They then move on to another city.
This chapter ends with a story of three men who try to follow Jesus but don't have what it takes. The first asks to follow Him, and Jesus tells him foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head. Jesus asks a second man to follow Him, but he asks to go bury his father first, a common act of respect, but Jesus tells Him to let the dead take care of the dead. A third man says he will follow Jesus after he tells his family good bye. Jesus tells him that a person cannot begin the journey and look back.
Jesus gives the disciples power and authority over all demons and power and authority to cure all diseases. He then sends them out in all directions with instructions not to take anything, not even a change of clothes. When they reach a town, they are to stay in someone's house until they are ready to leave, but if they are not welcome in the town, they should leave, shaking the dust off the sandals as a warning. The disciples did what Jesus said and travelled around curing illnesses. We are called to go out with nothing but the clothes on our backs to teach the gospel, and if the Holy Spirit has blessed us with the ability, to cast out demons and cure illnesses where we see them. Keep in mind we are not all called to this, and we are not called to live like this always. The disciples do this for a short time. Often, when people go on mission trips, especially to poor countries, they come back with less stuff than they set out with because God breaks their hearts for those people. In this way, the people are similarly going with just the clothes on their backs.
Herod, the ruler over the region at the time, heard all sorts of rumors about Jesus from the people. Some said He was John the Baptist come back to life. Others said He was the prophet Elijah, and still others said He was one of the other old prophets come back to life. When Herod heard all of this, shortly after he beheaded John the Baptist, he wanted to know who Jesus really was. Even when people hear some of the story, God can use that to spark an interest to learn more. While Herod rejects Jesus and His message, some in his courts might have believed because what they originally heard, though inaccurate, sparked an interest and caused them to want to know more.
The next story is very well known and can be found in all four gospels. In this story, Jesus feeds five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish. When He had tried to escape the crowds to be alone with His disciples, the people still found Him, so He taught them all day. As it got late, the disciples told Jesus that He should let them go to the nearest town to buy food. Jesus said the disciples will provide food for all the men. That must have been pretty scary for them to think about because there were five thousand men (no count on women and children), and the disciples had almost no money. They told Jesus all they had was five loaves of bread and two fish, so He took the food from them, blessed it through prayer, and began passing it around. I really wish I could see this in action because they kept passing and passing until every person had their fill of food. Then, they collected the leftovers and had twelve baskets of food. Imagine the sight! God will always provide for those who believe in Him. He will take care of all your needs (wants is a different story). I still hear stories today of people who thought they were in a bind because they couldn't get something they needed, but God came through for them.
Jesus prays with His disciples privately one day and asks them who the people say He is. They answer that some say He is John the Baptist, Elijah, or one of the other prophets brought back to life. When He asks them who they think He is, Peter answers that He is the Messiah. He instructs them not to tell anyone. People need to discover who Jesus is on their own. Our job is to proclaim the wonders that He has done, but only Jesus can have people accept Him as their savior. Only He has that power.
Jesus foretells His own death. He says that the Son of Man will be rejected by the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders. They will execute HIm, but He will come back to life on the third day.
Next, Jesus tells the disciples that in order to follow Him, they must reject what they want, pick up their crosses every day, and follow Him. It is an interesting choice for Jesus to use the word cross here because He will later be killed on the cross. Jesus doesn't give much instruction about how to be with Him except that the must follow Him. Once people begin to follow Jesus, they begin to see the difference that He makes in lives. When Jesus talks about taking up our crosses, He means that we must metaphorically die to ourselves everyday because in those days, the cross had only one meaning, death. We, ourselves, have desire for only the evil and sinful things. You can point out people who are not Christian who do a lot of good, but if you were to look at their desires, it would probably be for you to look at them doing the good things they do. He talks about how people who want to save their lives will lose them, but those who lose their lives will save them. What He means is that, again, you have to relinquish who you are and take up who Jesus is. Some people say they want to be who Jesus wants them to be, and that's good, but who Jesus really wants you to be is the person that is as close to Him in thoughts and acts as possible. What good is gaining the whole world if you lose your life? If people are ashamed of Jesus, Jesus says that He is ashamed of them. Jesus speaks of eternal life when He tells the disciples that some of them will not die until they see the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain where He goes to pray. The three disciples go to sleep, and Jesus prays. While He prays, His appearance changes, and His body begins to glow. Moses and Elijah appear, and the three of them discuss Jesus' coming death and the prophecies it will fulfill. The three disciples awaken while the others are talking, and Peter, not quite thinking clearly, says that he, James, and John will set up three tents: one for Jesus, one for Elijah, and one for Moses. He though this was a great opportunity to change some people's minds about Jesus, but he didn't understand that what he saw was for his benefit. A dark cloud comes over them, and a voice says, "This is my son whom I have chose. Listen to Him!" When the clouds lift, the three disciples see Jesus is standing alone.
The next story proves that their are some matters that only Jesus can take care of. As Jesus is coming down from the mountain, a man shouts to Him and begs Him to heal his son. A demon comes and makes the boy shriek, convulse, and foam at the mouth. The disciples have tried to heal him but can't. Jesus asks how long He must be with these unbelieving people. The boy comes towards Jesus, but the demon throws him to the ground. Jesus commands the demon to leave, and the boy is cured. All the people were amazed at the power of God.
Jesus tells the disciples that He will be betrayed and handed over to the people. He seems to be telling of His death in reverse order. The disciples do not know what He means because God has kept the meaning from them for the time being, and they are too afraid to ask Jesus what He means.
The disciples begin to bicker about who among them will be the greatest. Jesus know what they are talking about and takes a small child next to Him. He tells them that the one who welcomes the little child in Jesus' name will welcome in Jesus, and the one who welcomes in Jesus, welcomes God. Whoever is least among them, will become greatest. What He means is that whoever serves the case of those who are in need, in Jesus' day mainly children, the elderly, the crippled, etc., in Jesus' name welcome Jesus Himself because His heart goes out to those people. The last thing Jesus says means that the people who lower themselves in service, for example Mother Teresa, for Jesus will be greatest in Heaven because they are saving their reward for that time.
John tells Jesus that the disciples saw someone forcing demons out of people in Jesus' name, but the disciples tried to stop him because he was not one of the twelve. Jesus told them that whoever is not against them is for them. Jesus draws a very definite line. Either we are for Him or against Him. There is no middle ground.
Jesus decides He needs to go to Jerusalem before He dies, so as He and His disciples head that way, some of them go ahead to find a place for Jesus to stay, but the people reject Him because He is going to Jerusalem. The Samaritans and the Jews, who live mostly in Jerusalem, hated each other because of religious differences. When John and James heard this, they asked Jesus is He wanted them to call on fire to rain on the city. Jesus corrects them by saying that they don't know what spirit just overcame them. Jesus came to save lives, not destroy them. They then move on to another city.
This chapter ends with a story of three men who try to follow Jesus but don't have what it takes. The first asks to follow Him, and Jesus tells him foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head. Jesus asks a second man to follow Him, but he asks to go bury his father first, a common act of respect, but Jesus tells Him to let the dead take care of the dead. A third man says he will follow Jesus after he tells his family good bye. Jesus tells him that a person cannot begin the journey and look back.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Luke 8
http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+8/
Jesus travels around with the twelve and many others. Among them, there are many women who Jesus has cured. Mary Magdalene; Joanna, the wife of Herod's manager, and Susanna, who has nothing else written about her. This is a big deal because women at the time had very low status, but everyone matters to Jesus because He looks first and foremost at the heart. Then, Jesus tells on of His parables. He talks of a farmer who throws seed. Some of it lands on the path where birds eat it, some of it lands in the rocks where it can't take root, some of it lands among weeds that choke it out, and some falls on good soil and reaps a hundred times what is sown. Jesus calls a lot of attention to this because He tells all who can hear with their ears to hear this. The disciples don't quite understand what Jesus is talking about in His parable, so He breaks it down for them. The seed is the word of God. The seed on the path represents those who hear the Word, but the devil comes and takes it away before they are saved. The seed in the rocks represents the people who hear the Word but take no root in Jesus , so when the testing comes, they fall away. The seed in the roots represents those who hear the Word and believe but let life's worries choke their faith away. The seed on the good soil represent those who hear the Word, retain it, and through perseverance produce a crop.
Jesus talks about putting a lamp on a stand to reveal what is hidden. He speaks of Judgement Day when everything will be revealed, no matter how well you hide it, Jesus knows where it is. We must be careful that our teaching are in the Truth. To have faith and neglect it is to lose it.
Jesus' mother and brothers come to see Him, but there is such a crowd around Jesus that they cannot see Him. Someone in the crowd tells Him, and He responds by saying anyone who takes His Word and puts it into practice is His mother or brother.
Jesus and His disciples cross a lake in a boat. Jesus falls asleep on the journey before a huge storm hits. The boat looks like it will be overtaken, and the disciples wake Jesus up because they are afraid. Jesus, and I like the wording Luke uses, rebukes the storm. Then, He turns to the disciples and asks where their faith is. They have seem to forgotten who they follow. Often times, we forget who we follow, and Jesus has to take control and ask us where our faith is. The disciples respond by asking each other who Jesus can be that even the winds obey Him. I think this is where they start to get the power of the one they serve. They seem to understand for the first time what all of Jesus' teachings apex to.
Jesus went to the town across the lake from Galilee. When He stepped out of the boat, a demon possessed man was waiting for Him. The man had not worn clothes or lived in a house for a long time. Instead, he lived in the tombs. His name as legion. The demons asked what Jesus, the Son of God, wanted with them. Even the demons know who Jesus is. Admitting who He is does not get you salvation. You have to place your sole faith in Him. Jesus commanded the demons to leave multiple times, but they seized the man, begging Jesus not to send them to the abyss. Sometimes, our sins or demons or habits resist Jesus, but He is stronger, and He has more power, so He will drive them away. They asked Him instead to go to the herd of pigs nearby. Jesus allowed them, and the herd ran into the lake and drowned. When the pig herders saw this, they told the towns people. The towns people found the formerly demon possessed man dressed and in his right mind sitting at Jesus' feet. The towns people feared Jesus because of this and sent Him away. So Jesus got in a boat and left. The people witnessed a miracle as demons were driven from a man, but instead of being pleased and finding hope in Jesus, they feared Him. There are times when some people fear change so much that they even reject the good change such as Jesus coming to heal them. The man wants to go a Ross the lake with Jesus, but Jesus sends him home to tell people about what God has done for him. God has a plan for how to use each of His followers, and sometimes His plan differs from ours.
A synagogue leader named Jairus came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter. As Jesus was on His way to Jairus's house, the crowds pressed tight against Him. Here, we have a story within a story. The original story gets interrupted for a few verses. In this way, God causes interruptions in our lives to do big things. Also, we can never be so much of an interruption to Jesus that His will is not done or that He misses out on an opportunity to do a good work. There is a woman in the crowd who has suffered chronic bleeding for twelve years. She reached out and touched the edge of Jesus' cloak and was healed. Jesus stopped in the middle of all of this and demanded to know who touched Him. The woman eventually realized she could not hide and stepped forward. She told what happened to her. No doctors could heal this woman. She was a reject from society because anyone who touched her would become dirty. Yet when she touched Jesus, He was clean enough for both of them. She brought her issue to Jesus even though it had been going on for twelve years. He instantly cured it. He was aware of the change. He this story ends and we pick the Jairus story back up. A servant comes from his house to tell him the daughter is dead. Jesus goes on anyway. He tells the mourners outside the house not to mourn for the girl because she is only asleep. The people laugh at Him. When He goes inside, He only allows Peter, John, James, and the girl's parents inside. He touches her hand and tells her to wake up, and she does. Jesus goes after what seems like a hopeless cause and brings back the hope and life. When He talks to the mourners, they think He's crazy because what He tells the doesn't make sense to them. So often Jesus tells us He can make a difference in our lives and we write Him off before we give Him a chance, and more often then not, He'll prove us wrong.
Jesus travels around with the twelve and many others. Among them, there are many women who Jesus has cured. Mary Magdalene; Joanna, the wife of Herod's manager, and Susanna, who has nothing else written about her. This is a big deal because women at the time had very low status, but everyone matters to Jesus because He looks first and foremost at the heart. Then, Jesus tells on of His parables. He talks of a farmer who throws seed. Some of it lands on the path where birds eat it, some of it lands in the rocks where it can't take root, some of it lands among weeds that choke it out, and some falls on good soil and reaps a hundred times what is sown. Jesus calls a lot of attention to this because He tells all who can hear with their ears to hear this. The disciples don't quite understand what Jesus is talking about in His parable, so He breaks it down for them. The seed is the word of God. The seed on the path represents those who hear the Word, but the devil comes and takes it away before they are saved. The seed in the rocks represents the people who hear the Word but take no root in Jesus , so when the testing comes, they fall away. The seed in the roots represents those who hear the Word and believe but let life's worries choke their faith away. The seed on the good soil represent those who hear the Word, retain it, and through perseverance produce a crop.
Jesus talks about putting a lamp on a stand to reveal what is hidden. He speaks of Judgement Day when everything will be revealed, no matter how well you hide it, Jesus knows where it is. We must be careful that our teaching are in the Truth. To have faith and neglect it is to lose it.
Jesus' mother and brothers come to see Him, but there is such a crowd around Jesus that they cannot see Him. Someone in the crowd tells Him, and He responds by saying anyone who takes His Word and puts it into practice is His mother or brother.
Jesus and His disciples cross a lake in a boat. Jesus falls asleep on the journey before a huge storm hits. The boat looks like it will be overtaken, and the disciples wake Jesus up because they are afraid. Jesus, and I like the wording Luke uses, rebukes the storm. Then, He turns to the disciples and asks where their faith is. They have seem to forgotten who they follow. Often times, we forget who we follow, and Jesus has to take control and ask us where our faith is. The disciples respond by asking each other who Jesus can be that even the winds obey Him. I think this is where they start to get the power of the one they serve. They seem to understand for the first time what all of Jesus' teachings apex to.
Jesus went to the town across the lake from Galilee. When He stepped out of the boat, a demon possessed man was waiting for Him. The man had not worn clothes or lived in a house for a long time. Instead, he lived in the tombs. His name as legion. The demons asked what Jesus, the Son of God, wanted with them. Even the demons know who Jesus is. Admitting who He is does not get you salvation. You have to place your sole faith in Him. Jesus commanded the demons to leave multiple times, but they seized the man, begging Jesus not to send them to the abyss. Sometimes, our sins or demons or habits resist Jesus, but He is stronger, and He has more power, so He will drive them away. They asked Him instead to go to the herd of pigs nearby. Jesus allowed them, and the herd ran into the lake and drowned. When the pig herders saw this, they told the towns people. The towns people found the formerly demon possessed man dressed and in his right mind sitting at Jesus' feet. The towns people feared Jesus because of this and sent Him away. So Jesus got in a boat and left. The people witnessed a miracle as demons were driven from a man, but instead of being pleased and finding hope in Jesus, they feared Him. There are times when some people fear change so much that they even reject the good change such as Jesus coming to heal them. The man wants to go a Ross the lake with Jesus, but Jesus sends him home to tell people about what God has done for him. God has a plan for how to use each of His followers, and sometimes His plan differs from ours.
A synagogue leader named Jairus came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter. As Jesus was on His way to Jairus's house, the crowds pressed tight against Him. Here, we have a story within a story. The original story gets interrupted for a few verses. In this way, God causes interruptions in our lives to do big things. Also, we can never be so much of an interruption to Jesus that His will is not done or that He misses out on an opportunity to do a good work. There is a woman in the crowd who has suffered chronic bleeding for twelve years. She reached out and touched the edge of Jesus' cloak and was healed. Jesus stopped in the middle of all of this and demanded to know who touched Him. The woman eventually realized she could not hide and stepped forward. She told what happened to her. No doctors could heal this woman. She was a reject from society because anyone who touched her would become dirty. Yet when she touched Jesus, He was clean enough for both of them. She brought her issue to Jesus even though it had been going on for twelve years. He instantly cured it. He was aware of the change. He this story ends and we pick the Jairus story back up. A servant comes from his house to tell him the daughter is dead. Jesus goes on anyway. He tells the mourners outside the house not to mourn for the girl because she is only asleep. The people laugh at Him. When He goes inside, He only allows Peter, John, James, and the girl's parents inside. He touches her hand and tells her to wake up, and she does. Jesus goes after what seems like a hopeless cause and brings back the hope and life. When He talks to the mourners, they think He's crazy because what He tells the doesn't make sense to them. So often Jesus tells us He can make a difference in our lives and we write Him off before we give Him a chance, and more often then not, He'll prove us wrong.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Luke 7
http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+7/
The next story is that of a centurion, whose favorite servant falls ill. He sends Jewish elders to Jesus to ask Him to save the man's life. They pleaded with Jesus because the man was wellcrespected in Israel. Jesus went back to the man's house, but before He got there, the man sent out more people. They delivered a message from the centurion saying that he is not worthy to have Jesus in His house. He is not even worthy to go to Him, which is why the centurion sent others to ask. The centurion says he also is under authority and commands soldiers. He tells them to come and go, and they listen. In the same way, the centurion knows that Jesus does not even need to go inside to heal the man. Jesus is amazed by the man's faith, and when He sends the others back to the centurion, they find the servant is well again. This man, who was not Jewish, knew that Jesus was Lord, and he knew he was undeserving of the Lord's healing, but he asked anyway because he had faith that Jesus would come through for him. Jesus was amazed by this faith and provided healing. None of us is worthy of the Lord's healing, but He heals us anyway if we just have faith enough in Him to ask.
As He was traveling with many followers, Jesus came across a funeral procession in which the only son of a widow had died. When Jesus saw this, He had compassion on her and stopped the procession to raise the boy to life and give him back to his mother. Sometimes, God does great miracles in our lives even without us asking. Most of the healing Jesus does is from people who ask Him, but this mother never asked. Jesus stopped this funeral procession already in motion to bring the boy back to life. Jesus does this all the time. People heading off to their graves already playing their funeral songs are interrupted by Jesus and brought back to life. And here again Jesus sets an example of compassion for us to follow. He has compassion and goes to the woman. He doesn't stay on the other side of the street. Compassion requires action. When we see someone, and our hearts go out to them, we need to take compassion through an action.
John the Baptist heard about all the thigs Jesus has done, so he sent to of his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the Messaiah. Jesus healed many people in their prescence and told the servants to tell John to report what they had seen. The blind see, deaf hear, lame walk, dead live, and good news proclaimed to the poor. After they had left, Jesus spoke about John the Baptist. He said that John is the greatest man who has ever lived, yet even the least in Heaven is greater than Him. Jesus says that John the Baptist is more than a prophet. He has been prophesied about as the messenger who comes before Jesus. Many people there believed in Jesus then because they had been baptized by John, but the Pharisees still maintained their unbelief because they had not been baptized by John. Jesus told them that John came neither eating nor drinking, and they called him possessed, and Jesus came eating and drinking and they called Him a glutton and a drunkard who hung out with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus compares them to children because God has offered them so much, and they have rejected it all.
Jesus goes to eat a a Pharisee's house. A sinful woman hears of this and takes her bottle of perfume to go see Him. She washes Jesus' feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair. Then, she pours the perfume on them. The Pharisee thinks to himself that Jesus would not be so pleased if He knew who the woman was and what she'd done. Jesus, knowing this, tells the Pharisee a story of a moneylender who had two men owe him money. One owed five hundred and the other fifty. The moneylender forgave both debts. Then Jesus asked the Phariseemwhich person loved the moneylender more. The Pharisee correctly guesses the one with the bigger debt. Jesus then says that the Phariseemgave Jesus no water for His feet, but the woman washed them with her tears and hair. He did not pour perfume on His head, but the woman poured it on His feet. The Pharisee did not kiss Jesus, but the woman repeatedly kissed His feet. Jesus tells the woman that because of her great love for Jesus, her sins are forgiven. The people are amazed and ask Amon themselves who Jesus could be to even forgive sins.
The next story is that of a centurion, whose favorite servant falls ill. He sends Jewish elders to Jesus to ask Him to save the man's life. They pleaded with Jesus because the man was wellcrespected in Israel. Jesus went back to the man's house, but before He got there, the man sent out more people. They delivered a message from the centurion saying that he is not worthy to have Jesus in His house. He is not even worthy to go to Him, which is why the centurion sent others to ask. The centurion says he also is under authority and commands soldiers. He tells them to come and go, and they listen. In the same way, the centurion knows that Jesus does not even need to go inside to heal the man. Jesus is amazed by the man's faith, and when He sends the others back to the centurion, they find the servant is well again. This man, who was not Jewish, knew that Jesus was Lord, and he knew he was undeserving of the Lord's healing, but he asked anyway because he had faith that Jesus would come through for him. Jesus was amazed by this faith and provided healing. None of us is worthy of the Lord's healing, but He heals us anyway if we just have faith enough in Him to ask.
As He was traveling with many followers, Jesus came across a funeral procession in which the only son of a widow had died. When Jesus saw this, He had compassion on her and stopped the procession to raise the boy to life and give him back to his mother. Sometimes, God does great miracles in our lives even without us asking. Most of the healing Jesus does is from people who ask Him, but this mother never asked. Jesus stopped this funeral procession already in motion to bring the boy back to life. Jesus does this all the time. People heading off to their graves already playing their funeral songs are interrupted by Jesus and brought back to life. And here again Jesus sets an example of compassion for us to follow. He has compassion and goes to the woman. He doesn't stay on the other side of the street. Compassion requires action. When we see someone, and our hearts go out to them, we need to take compassion through an action.
John the Baptist heard about all the thigs Jesus has done, so he sent to of his disciples to ask Jesus if He is the Messaiah. Jesus healed many people in their prescence and told the servants to tell John to report what they had seen. The blind see, deaf hear, lame walk, dead live, and good news proclaimed to the poor. After they had left, Jesus spoke about John the Baptist. He said that John is the greatest man who has ever lived, yet even the least in Heaven is greater than Him. Jesus says that John the Baptist is more than a prophet. He has been prophesied about as the messenger who comes before Jesus. Many people there believed in Jesus then because they had been baptized by John, but the Pharisees still maintained their unbelief because they had not been baptized by John. Jesus told them that John came neither eating nor drinking, and they called him possessed, and Jesus came eating and drinking and they called Him a glutton and a drunkard who hung out with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus compares them to children because God has offered them so much, and they have rejected it all.
Jesus goes to eat a a Pharisee's house. A sinful woman hears of this and takes her bottle of perfume to go see Him. She washes Jesus' feet with her tears and wipes them with her hair. Then, she pours the perfume on them. The Pharisee thinks to himself that Jesus would not be so pleased if He knew who the woman was and what she'd done. Jesus, knowing this, tells the Pharisee a story of a moneylender who had two men owe him money. One owed five hundred and the other fifty. The moneylender forgave both debts. Then Jesus asked the Phariseemwhich person loved the moneylender more. The Pharisee correctly guesses the one with the bigger debt. Jesus then says that the Phariseemgave Jesus no water for His feet, but the woman washed them with her tears and hair. He did not pour perfume on His head, but the woman poured it on His feet. The Pharisee did not kiss Jesus, but the woman repeatedly kissed His feet. Jesus tells the woman that because of her great love for Jesus, her sins are forgiven. The people are amazed and ask Amon themselves who Jesus could be to even forgive sins.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Luke 6
www.esvbible.org/Luke+6/
The disciples go through a field on a sabbath plucking wads of grain and eating them. The Pharisees see them doing this and ask Jesus why they do this because there is supposed to be no sort of work on the sabbath, and they consider plucking grain to be work. Jesus recounts a story from scripture in which King David and his men go into the temple and eat the bread reserved for the priest. This is the man after God's own heart. He did so out of necessity, just as the disciples now eat. Then, Jesus tells them the the Son of Man is The Lord of the Sabbath. It is a statement that serves dual purposes. First, Jesus states (albeit a little shroudedly) that He is the Son of Man, and second, He reminds the Pharisees that the sabbath is not about just simply following rules as they had been a accustomed to using it for, but the true purpose, which they had lost sight of, is actually to worship and be mindful of God.
The Pharisees try to catch Jesus doing wrong again on another sabbath day. Jesus taught at a synagogue where a man with a paralyzed right hand worshipped. The Pharisees wanted to see if Jesus would heal the man so they could accuse Him of doing something wrong. Jesus, however, knew what they were trying to do, so He called them out. He brought the man to the center of the synagogue and asked all the people what the sabbath should be used for: doing good or doing evil, giving a man health or destroying him. Then, He healed the man. Again, the Pharisees did not recognize what the sabbath is truly for because they were obsessed with making people follow the rules. Jesus points out that it is important more important to do a good deed on the sabbath when God presents the opportunity than it is to do evil by ignoring it under the guise of honoring the sabbath.
Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and when He came down, He chose twelve of His disciples and called them apostles. It is important to note that Jesus consulted with God about His choice of disciples. We cannot forget to listen to God when we make desicions. The twelve apostles Jesus chose we're: Simon, his brother Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Simon the Zealot, Judas, and Judas Iscariot (the traitor).
When Jesus and the twelve came down, there was a huge crowd from all over waiting for Him. They wanted to hear Him teach and be cured. They all tried to touch Him because the power radiated from Him. An interesting observance is that only people who want to be healed are healed. People go up and ask or touch Jesus and that is when they are cured. In doing this, these people are first admitting that they need to be cured. Jesus says the sick need a doctor, not the healthy. Only people who know they are sick and will admit it go to the doctor. This is true in the people that come to Jesus, bits those who need physical healing and those who come to receive their salvation.
Jesus teaches His disciples of the way things will be in Heaven. He says blessed are the people who are poor in this world because they will be rich. And He warns the rich because He says they have had their comfort in this world. This isn't to say that everyone who has a lot of money will go to hell. But it talks more of generosity. Are you using your wealth generously, or are you living in excess? He says the hunger are blessed and they will be we'll fed, but the well fed will be hunger. This means that we must rely on the Lord, and be thankful for what He provides us. Finally, He says blessed are you when people insult you because you follow the Son of Man and warns you when everyone has only nice things to say about you. You must be unashamed of what Jesus has done for you. You must speak boldly about Him and His gospel. Otherwise, your heart is not really in it, and Jesus is after the heart.
Jesus teaches a hard lesson. He tells us we must love our enemies, be kind to those who hate us, bless those who insult us, etc. This is where He teaches us to turn the other cheek. He tells us if someone takes our coat, we should offer them our shirt. Give to everyone who asks for something and expect nothing back. Do for other people what you would want them to do for you. After all, how great is it if you only love those who love you? Anyone can do that. Anyone can lend to those from whom they expect something in return or help those who have helped them. There's no honor or reward in that. If you love, help, and lend to your enemies without expecting anything back, you will be rewarded, and God will call you His child. After all, God loves those who are evil and unkind, and a child does what the parents do by example. Be merciful as the Father is merciful.
God uses the standards to treat you that you use to treat others, so if you forgive, you will be forgiven; if you stop judging, you won't be judged; if you don't condemn others, you will never be condemned. Jesus gives the illustration of the blind leading the blind. Both will fall into the same pit. If you send out evil thoughts towards others, it will come back to get you in the same way. No student can be better than the teacher, but a good student who tries will learn to be like the teacher. How can you say to another be,I ever that he has a piece of sawdust in his eye when you have a wood beam in your eye. First you must remove the wood beam in your eye so that you can clearly see the sawdust in your friend's eye. Don't go around pointing out the sins of others because you are not sin free. Just by pointing out the sins of others while you ignore your own sin is sinning. First, clear up your problem with God, then you may help your friend with their problem. Also, when we see the sawdust, we are only seeing and judging based on a small problem because we are distant from it. We are quite close to our own problems, so they are even bibgger to us and blinding.
Jesus uses an illustration of a tree. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. In this way, a good person will do the good things in them while the evil person will do the evil within them. What people say comes from inside them. If someone speaks of good, they are good, but if someone speaks of evil, there is evil inside them.
Jesus asked why the people listen to Him but do not do what He says. He tells them that those who listen and obey Him ate like the man who built his house on the bedrock. When the flood came, the house stood strong. The person who hears but does not obey, however, is like the man who built his house on the sand. When the flood came, it collapsed the house.
The disciples go through a field on a sabbath plucking wads of grain and eating them. The Pharisees see them doing this and ask Jesus why they do this because there is supposed to be no sort of work on the sabbath, and they consider plucking grain to be work. Jesus recounts a story from scripture in which King David and his men go into the temple and eat the bread reserved for the priest. This is the man after God's own heart. He did so out of necessity, just as the disciples now eat. Then, Jesus tells them the the Son of Man is The Lord of the Sabbath. It is a statement that serves dual purposes. First, Jesus states (albeit a little shroudedly) that He is the Son of Man, and second, He reminds the Pharisees that the sabbath is not about just simply following rules as they had been a accustomed to using it for, but the true purpose, which they had lost sight of, is actually to worship and be mindful of God.
The Pharisees try to catch Jesus doing wrong again on another sabbath day. Jesus taught at a synagogue where a man with a paralyzed right hand worshipped. The Pharisees wanted to see if Jesus would heal the man so they could accuse Him of doing something wrong. Jesus, however, knew what they were trying to do, so He called them out. He brought the man to the center of the synagogue and asked all the people what the sabbath should be used for: doing good or doing evil, giving a man health or destroying him. Then, He healed the man. Again, the Pharisees did not recognize what the sabbath is truly for because they were obsessed with making people follow the rules. Jesus points out that it is important more important to do a good deed on the sabbath when God presents the opportunity than it is to do evil by ignoring it under the guise of honoring the sabbath.
Jesus went to a mountain to pray, and when He came down, He chose twelve of His disciples and called them apostles. It is important to note that Jesus consulted with God about His choice of disciples. We cannot forget to listen to God when we make desicions. The twelve apostles Jesus chose we're: Simon, his brother Andrew, James, John, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Simon the Zealot, Judas, and Judas Iscariot (the traitor).
When Jesus and the twelve came down, there was a huge crowd from all over waiting for Him. They wanted to hear Him teach and be cured. They all tried to touch Him because the power radiated from Him. An interesting observance is that only people who want to be healed are healed. People go up and ask or touch Jesus and that is when they are cured. In doing this, these people are first admitting that they need to be cured. Jesus says the sick need a doctor, not the healthy. Only people who know they are sick and will admit it go to the doctor. This is true in the people that come to Jesus, bits those who need physical healing and those who come to receive their salvation.
Jesus teaches His disciples of the way things will be in Heaven. He says blessed are the people who are poor in this world because they will be rich. And He warns the rich because He says they have had their comfort in this world. This isn't to say that everyone who has a lot of money will go to hell. But it talks more of generosity. Are you using your wealth generously, or are you living in excess? He says the hunger are blessed and they will be we'll fed, but the well fed will be hunger. This means that we must rely on the Lord, and be thankful for what He provides us. Finally, He says blessed are you when people insult you because you follow the Son of Man and warns you when everyone has only nice things to say about you. You must be unashamed of what Jesus has done for you. You must speak boldly about Him and His gospel. Otherwise, your heart is not really in it, and Jesus is after the heart.
Jesus teaches a hard lesson. He tells us we must love our enemies, be kind to those who hate us, bless those who insult us, etc. This is where He teaches us to turn the other cheek. He tells us if someone takes our coat, we should offer them our shirt. Give to everyone who asks for something and expect nothing back. Do for other people what you would want them to do for you. After all, how great is it if you only love those who love you? Anyone can do that. Anyone can lend to those from whom they expect something in return or help those who have helped them. There's no honor or reward in that. If you love, help, and lend to your enemies without expecting anything back, you will be rewarded, and God will call you His child. After all, God loves those who are evil and unkind, and a child does what the parents do by example. Be merciful as the Father is merciful.
God uses the standards to treat you that you use to treat others, so if you forgive, you will be forgiven; if you stop judging, you won't be judged; if you don't condemn others, you will never be condemned. Jesus gives the illustration of the blind leading the blind. Both will fall into the same pit. If you send out evil thoughts towards others, it will come back to get you in the same way. No student can be better than the teacher, but a good student who tries will learn to be like the teacher. How can you say to another be,I ever that he has a piece of sawdust in his eye when you have a wood beam in your eye. First you must remove the wood beam in your eye so that you can clearly see the sawdust in your friend's eye. Don't go around pointing out the sins of others because you are not sin free. Just by pointing out the sins of others while you ignore your own sin is sinning. First, clear up your problem with God, then you may help your friend with their problem. Also, when we see the sawdust, we are only seeing and judging based on a small problem because we are distant from it. We are quite close to our own problems, so they are even bibgger to us and blinding.
Jesus uses an illustration of a tree. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. In this way, a good person will do the good things in them while the evil person will do the evil within them. What people say comes from inside them. If someone speaks of good, they are good, but if someone speaks of evil, there is evil inside them.
Jesus asked why the people listen to Him but do not do what He says. He tells them that those who listen and obey Him ate like the man who built his house on the bedrock. When the flood came, the house stood strong. The person who hears but does not obey, however, is like the man who built his house on the sand. When the flood came, it collapsed the house.
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