Mustard Seed of Implanted Faith

Luke 13:18-19   
18 Then He said, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.”

God's word grows in us to make us like Christ over our new lives, but it also brings good news to change others around us.  So God's kingdom is built one soul at a time until we all who are called out as body and bride are before Him in the new heaven and earth, standing in His presence apart from our sin and the fallen world we brought about by it.  What wonder this kingdom will grow into until that day!  And what glorious wonders with Him...

Freed to Rest in Christ's Work

Luke 13:14-17 
14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

Resting from our works to do God's.  The sabbath was made for us; we were not made for it, so it does not rule over doing good and giving Him glory.  When we do such good and forego our rest, it should put to shame those who attack or judge...

Fruit of Changed Life

Luke 13:6-9 
6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”

God looks for fruit of repentance and of a changed life.  We receive many chances as He draws us to Himself over the years, but there must be tended to in order to grow deep enough to come to fruition.  Likewise, once His we need to rely on grace by faith to feed and cultivate those things that allow fruit bearing.  Do we?

Sinners, Repent or Perish

Luke 13:2-5   
2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

We are all sinners, none born good nor capable of doing good to the level we were made to be.  If we suffer catastrophe or live a relatively quiet life, the one thing we have in common is the need to repent, to turn from our sin and turn to the one who took our sentence of guilt and paid our legal price of a death sentence - Jesus Christ. No attempts of good deeds or church membership can help us.  We all come short in our eternal crimes and need this mediator to be set free and live.

Reconciliation

Luke 12:57-59 
57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

Not only do we fail to judge the times, we miss the judgment to come as we judge each other even in lawsuits instead of working out the problems with each other.  If we do this with each other, how much more do we need reconciliation with the God we have wronged?  Settling with our Father through His Son is the only way to avoid eternal imprisonment, and settling with each other is also needed for the kingdom.

Discerning the Times

Luke 12:54-56 
54 Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, “There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

Why do many seem to be weather prediction experts, yet fail to see the times around us?  There are signs of increasing lawlessness and declining morality and civility, but no grand speeches explaining what will happen tomorrow or next week.  Global warming fuels discussions, but God's right to rule and judge His creation and the consequences of sin we reap daily do not.  Nor do these times seem to allow speaking of the cure for the global heart cooling - good news of a deliver in Jesus.

House Divided

Luke 12:51-53   
51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

When people come to Christ, often their families do not all do so, causing division. The peace Jesus brought is not a world where everyone gets along, but peace between individuals and the God they are reconciled with; then some peace with others who have been also made new in Christ (there is a unity among true believers, but it is not perfect).  So we find peace with God. 

Accountability

Luke 12:45-48 
45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

We are accountable for all God gives, and especially how we use our gifts for others.  If we do not love others in action we do not love God, and will answer for it.  As this parable says, it depends on if we willingly sin against others or knew and just neglected to do what is right, or if we really did not know fully and still did wrong.  God sees our hearts and actions, and rewards accordingly.  We are not the judge who sentences, but must also know grace and mercy that delivers us, yet understand accountability is written in each of our books.

Watch and Be Ready!

Luke 12:38-40 
38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Are you ready?  Jesus told us to constantly watch while we do the things we should, protecting the house - much like protecting this house we are as a body and as individuals.  By being holy as He is, by telling of the hope in us, so we please the bridegroom and deter thieves. We do not know when the Lord will be back, but the real motivation should be to please Him every day out of love and thankfulness for buying us at such a great price!

Watchful Servants

Luke 12:35-37   
35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

As the bride of Jesus Christ we must be ready for His return, just as this wedding ceremony had the servants wait expectantly and ready. They watched, waited, and ended up being served and fed by their master as a reward for their devotion. So must we be until Christ returns for us - except we are both servants and His bride, the body of changed believers.  Are we ready?

Treasure Reveals Our Heart

Luke 12:32-34   
32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God wants to give us the eternal kingdom in His presence forevermore.  So why hold so tightly to riches that we cannot take with us?  Our hearts should be aimed at Jesus Christ to serve and run after God's prize of the upward calling in Christ by the gospel that cannot be stolen and never falls apart over time, let alone in eternity.

Trusting, Not Anxious

Luke 12:29
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

Don't worry, be content.  By faith we find joy above transitory happiness, knowing God will provide our daily needs - He knows what we require.  What this frees us to do is to seek His kingdom, to put our mind, life, and strength into seeking what He told us is good and right, and to do those things that last through the grave into eternity.  By ceasing worry and living by faith we find continued peace with and provision of God. 

Worry or Faith?

Luke 12:25-28 
25 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

Being anxious by worrying about having what we need cannot make us grow, only feel a wanting for more.  By seeing God's hand to care for all this world around us we can rest fully in that care for us made in His image.  So, we trust, using faith He gives with assurance of His grace and it's contentment because of who He is and who we are in Christ.  We are so much more than birds and plants. 

He Values Us Highly

Luke 12:22-24   
22 Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

Do we trust fully in a sovereign God who works for good in those He has called?  If so, why be anxious for the next meal or even clothes to wear?  Jesus pointed to the birds that He provides for - they don't work to plant and harvest, only having to expend effort to get the food provided already.  That must be Faith's mindset and outworking in us even more, for we are made in His image - to be called, chosen, and faithful. 

Bigger Barns or Eternal Riches?

Luke 12:16-21 
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’   21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Storing up treasures in heaven is eternal investment.  Gaining more and neglecting your soul has eternal penalties.  So we must be rich toward God above our own collections in storage for temporal benefits.  What lasts is loving God and others, collecting grace in showing mercy and love with good news of that which lasts.

Wanting Things

Luke 12:13-15   
13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

We should not fight over and focus on what we will get when our parents die, but on what we will get when we each die.  Our lives are not in the visible, but the intangible - the things Jesus spoke of as the kingdom.  Do we love God first and in our words and actions love others as we love ourselves?  Do we deal with each other by the golden rule, or do we seek only to get more for ourselves at any cost?  God tells us to watch out and to count the cost.

Given Words for Defense

Luke 12:11-12   
11 “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Since we are not to deny the God who bought us at the price of His Son because of fear, so should we also not fear what to say or how we will find the words when bearing witness to the truth of this good news to rulers as well as to adversaries.  God lives within us; that presence is what has made us renewed in the first place.  So we trust in the sovereign Lord to move our mind and tongue and not rely on our own wisdom.

Confession and Blasphemy

Luke 12:8-10 
8 “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 9 But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.  10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven.

If we are His, we admit it by telling others; if we deny Jesus, we face that before God.  If we say God's work is not by His work and Spirit, we slander God in His work as these did by not only saying evil against Jesus, but by the power and authority of God in the man.  Even after being delivered and made new, we must give God the credit - honor and glory for His work in Christ and in us.  But we must also test what is said to be His Spirit and discern what is man in disguise.

Fear and Rest

Luke 12:4-7 
4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!   6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

We are to fear God because our lives are in His hands, not men or the devil.  But because God offers a certain hope in Jesus Christ, we who are in Him need no longer fear eternal and just punishment, but know we are never forgotten.  He knows us and crews for us, so our fear of Him now is awe and trembling in that holy presence, but not for hell anymore.  This is our concrete hope.

Hypocritical Yeast

Luke 12:1-3   
1 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

When the accusers were done, Jesus warned His followers to watch out for hypocrisy in their own lives.  He warned them that in the end they cannot hide the thoughts and intents of their hearts, which God's word reveals now and the rest when we die and stand before Him.  What words we say and deeds we do will all be seen for what they are - so we must live rightly and transparently before God and man. 

Opposition to Christ

Luke 11:53-54   
53 And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54 lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.

People set against God still pursue ways to try to second guess what God says in order to find what may be made into a fault.  They seek to accuse God because He accuses them by His words into their conscience with the sheer fact of their guilt.  So they blame God and deny Christ, lying in wait to find fault as they ignore their own that is the real issue.  So is fallen man.  We who know Him must not lose sight of the trustworthiness and holiness of God.

Ignorance and Disobedience

Luke 11:45-46, 52   
45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.” 46 And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. .. 52 “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

Experts in religious law, somewhat like today's theology professors or church denomination leaders, here were accused of mandating others do what they themselves felt above lifting a finger to do.  They were also accused of keeping people ignorant to keep others from God along with themselves because of their own religious rules that were not even God's.  History shows that has continued.  We must not.  To worship and serve in spirit and in truth by God's standards, not our made up ones, we must rightly cut God's word!   

Looking for the Best Seat

Luke 11:42-44   
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

In what we call worship and religious acts to please God, how easy it is to fall in this trap of missing the mark by injustice or lack of love shown to others.  We can look for the best place and greet the right (or "wrong") people for appearances.   Jesus said this is hypocrisy, like spiritual dead men walking - so dead to God that others may pass over your grave unaware.  God wants justice tempered by mercy, and love for God and others in spirit and truth.

Ceremonial Washing

Luke 11:38-41   
38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.

How easily ceremony and tradition wash away the thoughts and intents of the heart!  Let us not make the same mistake of looking only at the externals at the expense of where we stand with God and man - in that order.  Loving others by meeting needs with the right motive of loving others as ourselves leads to a clean heart and true religion as James says.  If we love God, we love others in deed and not for our own acclaim or reward.

Light and Darkness

Luke 11:33-36   
33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”

If the goodness of God in the face of Jesus Christ is in is, then we cannot hide it from others - they will see the difference as does God.  So we are by God's work in us to put off works of darkness and put on those pleasing to Him, of light.  So we shine as stars and are used to bring the light of righteousness to others (Daniel 12:3).  Is our eye good, with light behind it?

Wisdom and Repentance

Luke 11:31-32   
31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

When seeking wisdom, how many look to men instead of God?  When hearing of God's final judgment, how many turn from sin to Him?  Jesus made it clear that God came to men as one of us to tell us these things personally.  Even though we listen to the wisest men who ever lived (more than our geniuses, scientists, or philosophers), Jesus is far greater.  Even corrupt and immoral Nineveh repented.  Yet men still scoff at and argue with their creator and master.

Evil Sign Seeking

Luke 11:29-30 
29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

Instead of looking for the miracles Jesus could do, the people should have been listening to the words of repentance and faith that lead to never ending life in the Son of God and man.  The sign then given was like Jonah for repentance, except the 3 days with Jesus were in the grave (not a fish) before coming to life again. The just will live by faith - not only find eternal life, but live in a daily walk by that same grace by faith with daily repentance (1 John 1:9).

Blessed Who Hear and Do

Luke 11:27-28   
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”  28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

It is not the highest honor we owe to our families, but to have ears to hear and eyes to see from the heart all God tells us - with a mindset of obedience out of love to the one who bought us at such a price.  We honor God (without leaving lesser honors undone) and that makes us blessed.  We worship God in Christ and not His mother or ours; obeying God trumps all. 

Put Off, Put On!

Luke 11:24-26   
24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

If we are not with God in Christ, then we are overpowered and overtaken by unseen evil; our fleeting good works cannot secure us from the evil one if we are apart from Jesus.  If we are in Christ then we must still put on godliness after putting off sinful habits in word, deed, and thoughts. For if we only stop doing wrong and neglect to fill the void with good, we are overtaken by sin yet again. 

With the Finger of God

Luke 11:20-23   
20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

When Jesus did impossible things to show the kingdom of God was there in Himself, He was accused of doing the devil's work.  Jesus explained that He had taken away the given authority of Satan because He did God's work - and action was required to stand with Him against the evil.  Inaction of belief is opposition to Jesus and the kingdom of God, and scatters the ones not in union with Him. 

Ask, Seek, Knock (A.S.K.)

Luke 11:9-13   
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Persistence in prayer leads ultimately to being reborn, renewed with God living in us as a new heart was told of by Ezekiel.  Persistence leads us to an open door, grace received, and what we look for to be found.  So we continue to ask, seek, and knock for each day's grace as well.  God is a good Father, and does not answer with lesser gifts. 

Persistence

Luke 11:5-8   
5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, “Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Friendship may not motivate us to inconvenience ourselves to help, but persistence can influence us to help as we see the need must be real and pressing.  So God teaches us to persist in prayer, asking and not giving up.  If the need is real, He knows, and answers when seeing our persistent pleading relies on His grace for fulfillment.

Ask and Trust God

Luke 11:3-4   
3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”

We should both ask and trust God to provide what we really need (essentials) every day.  And before we begin asking forgiveness from Him, we need to clear the slate with others, not holding grudges or retaliating in words or actions.  How do we want God to deal with us?  And we pray for guidance away from what tempts us, yet do our part to avoid the obvious traps set by our adversary.  So should we pray.

Pattern of Prayer that Glorifies

Luke 11:2 
So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Prayer is to our Father in heaven - we must know Him through the Son first to have the required relationship to have a listening ear.  We who are His should begin with acknowledging His holiness and glorify Him.  Then we should ask for His will, not our desires, to come to pass.  Then His sovereign reign and coming kingdom where sin is punished and grace is given in a renewed creation. 

Teach Us To Pray, Lord

Luke 11:1 
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

How did John teach his disciples to pray?  There is no record of it, but what John taught was to point others to Jesus.  So John may have taught them to pray for forgiveness in a repentant spirit and to be ready for the Messiah.  But Jesus then taught them to address God as their Father as well, and to honor and glorify Him in trust and obedience out of love.  This was not as John taught, yet it was a fulfillment of all Scripture and what John looked forward to.  So Jesus taught us how (not the exact words of 'what') to speak with God.

Choose to Hear God

Luke 10:39-42   
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Do we take time to build on what lasts forever, hearing and taking heed to all God says?  Or are we caught up in doing good for works' sake alone or in part?  We serve God first by knowing Him and then what we should do and how we must live - from His word.  The daily sitting at our Lord's feet while we read, study, memorize, and meditate on all He told us is the foundation of our eternity. 

Who is My Neighbor?

Luke 10:29-37   
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Our example here is to love our neighbor by action, helping those in need.  We do not need to justify inaction by judgement or prejudice, but see the real need and do what we are able in order to show mercy and grace.  This is especially true of victims as in this passage.  May God help us to go and do likewise, and not avoid by walking hurriedly away from a safe distance on the other side of the road of life.

Do This and Live

Luke 10:25-28   
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

These two commands would lead to eternal life if it was possible to love both God and man completely.  Unfortunately, we all are born with sin running in our veins that has been passed down like spiritual DNA, and so all fall short of God's standard of perfection.  But Jesus Christ did live perfectly and did love absolutely because He was God and man.  Thus He took our sentence for sin and was tried and put to death on our behalf - and rose from death to life. By accepting these truths we come to Him for new and eternal life. This is Easter's good news.

Regenerating Faith is Gift

Luke 10:21-24   
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 22 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” 23 Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; 24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”

The things revealed in a new birth are like a new set of eyes; our wisdom and learning always fall short, and as little children eager to hear we come through God's Son to see His face. God chose the foolishness of the cross to put our sin to death and give us life now and forever with His very presence within - so we see what rulers and religious leaders alike long to glimpse.  This is grace in mercy, acquitted and given a gift undeserved with punishment taken for us - the good news.

Names Written in Heaven

Luke 10:17-20   
17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Rejoicing in Christ is being eternally grateful for our reconciliation to our Father through the unwarranted and undeserved punishment to death of His Son for us.  Because my name is written in His book, I rejoice, no matter what things I am able to do in His strength and in His name here.

Salvation Only Through Christ

Luke 10:13-16 
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

Many will hear or see what God can do as Christ, yet still reject Him, choosing their own faulty reasoning and desires over their creator.  Many are called, few chosen, and the heart of man without God's work in the heart will remain set on self accomplishment and self reliance.  Until we rely on God and trust He has done it all, we cannot and will not find reconciliation with Him and peace in our eternal souls. 

Wipe off Dust of Rejection

Luke 10:9-12 
9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ 12 But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

This may not be our approach to those who refuse to listen to the gospel, but important principles apply.  There is a point at which their refusal leads us to move on to those who have an ear to hear, for we cannot force the truth where no work of God is active in the listener.  They individually are held accountable on the day they stand before our God, and our responsibility is to bear witness of the truth and allow God to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. 

Lambs among Wolves

Luke 10:3-6   
3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.

We should not be out for gain from the gospel, but trust God to use others to meet our needs as Paul also wrote about.  If they will not feed and shelter the ones bringing life's sustenance in spiritual things, whether traveling or in one then will peace be among them?  This is not a mandate, but a good example to follow. 

Laborers in Great Harvest

Luke 10:1-2 
1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

After Jesus told those who wanted to follow Him to first count the cost of it, He sent out the disciples to labor in the fields with the news of the kingdom.  They were told a rich harvest needed men to venture forth into the people to begin reaping.  We now have the gospel since Jesus fulfilled all and it has been laid out more fully to know and make Him known.  So we pray for workers to plant, water, and harvest, and do so ourselves. 

Don't Look Back!

Luke 9:61-62   
61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Another aspect of following Christ is that we must always look forward, not back at either past failures or successes, except to be humbled by and learn from them.  Once we begin God's work in following to be conformed to Christ, we cannot but move forward.  That is where we aim toward and walk or run on to, His kingdom.  This one thing I do...

Go and Preach the Gospel!

Luke 9:57-60   
57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

When we are drawn to follow Jesus, are we ready for the possibility of not having a house over our head or a permanent address? Could we be so about God's work that we miss taking care of elderly parents or even being unable to attend a funeral?  We may not face these choices, but if we did, would we choose Jesus over comfort or family as many missionaries have over the years?  Do we follow with that mindset? 

To Save, Not Destroy

Luke 9:54-56   
54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

When people reject Jesus and the gospel, we must not think they should get God's judgment immediately upon their heads.  No, since we all are under His judgement already, we should care enough to let God continue to work in them to save them from that state and know His love in the mercy of the work done on the cross.  Jesus came to bring life out of death, not death. 

Face Set Like a Flint

Luke 9:51-53   
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.

Jesus had a plan to fulfill, so even the decision of a Samaritan town to reject Him was so He could keep moving to Jerusalem.  He did not stop because there was a different destination, not because He was rejected.  When God has a purpose, His sovereign will simply makes it happen no matter how we reason otherwise.  As we follow Him, we must keep our face set to run that race to the goal while trusting Him for every twist and turn on the course.

Many On God's Side

Luke 9:49-50   
49 Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”

Just because someone does not attend the same church that we do, as long as they are following Jesus Christ in sound teaching and from a repentant and regenerated heart, we must not speak against the work they do for Him.  Many of our different church bodies perform similar but different roles - as long as essential doctrines of God, Christ, the Spirit, man, and salvation align with the Bible, we work together.

Greatness in Receiving the Lowly

Luke 9:46-48   
46 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

Greatness in God's eyes is not about self, but serving others and their importance.  Just as children were insignificant in Jesus' time, so He said to show them as valuable was to see His value.  We serve God in serving others, seeing their value as God does.  This servant humility is true greatness, not accolades from others.

Hidden and Revealed Majesty

Luke 9:43-45   
43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, 44 “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

God's work can cause astonishment, but the hard parts are easy to gloss over as we either refuse to hear, or because some are beyond our growth (sanctification) at the time and may be missed.  The disciples were told plainly that Jesus was about to be betrayed as the people around marveled at His work.  How could this crowd do such things?  So they could not grasp what they were told.  Do we not grasp our own call to suffer and be rejected as His, focusing on the wonders He does in our lives instead? 

Faithless?

Luke 9:38-42 
38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. 40 So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.

God took time to heal a man's only son when nobody could or believed it could be done.  They did not have trusting belief, faith, that Jesus could - but the father did.  So the Heavenly Father gave up and then raised up His only Son when we did not believe - and now opens our eyes to believe, trust His word and work, and be given new life in Christ.  We are faithless but He is faithful!

Beholding His Glory

Luke 9:29-32   
29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. 30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.

While praying with three trusted disciples, Jesus showed some of God's glory while they slept and He talked with dead prophets about His own death coming soon on a cross.  When the disciples awoke, they fearfully spoke of setting up shrines to worship Him or commemorate the event. They missed the part of His suffering and death in our place.  It is not the miracles or wonders of what Christ did, but in His glory what He did in our place on the cross, dying in our place to bring us to God and giving life in place of and out of death.

Lose Your Life to Find it

Luke 9:24-27   
24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

What is more important to gain than finding life unending in God's Son?  How can we count our life and goals more important than the one who gives life to us?  So we who are His can never be ashamed of that good news, never keeping quiet over what God said, and waiting in forgiven hope for Him to come back.  Some disciples saw Jesus after this on the mountain, and they saw him rise from death.  There was no shame after He gave them life and began living in them (as He now does with all who are reborn now). 

Rejected and Raised to Follow

Luke 9:21-23   
21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”  23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Being the Christ, the Messiah, Jesus said He would suffer, be rejected by religious leaders, be killed (on a cross), and then come back to life from death.  If we are to follow Him, we go where He went.  This means we suffer and are rejected for the truth as we head toward willing sacrificial death for His sake - but also partake of life unending beginning now and into eternity.  Truly the sufferings of the present are as nothing than the far greater to come.  So we deny satisfying what we want from life to lay it down for Him and others to know. 

Who Do You Say I Am?

Luke 9:18-20   
18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” 20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”

What matters above all else is that we have to see clearly who Jesus is.  If He is just a prophet as Islam says, or just a good man or teacher as many others would like to believe, then we are still in God's justice to be judged and fairly sentenced.  If however we see Him as the one from God among us, chosen before time to call us out as only God can, then we can find the certain hope for reconciliation in unearned mercy, forgiveness, and hope forever.

Give Them Something To Eat from Him

Luke 9:12-17 
12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” 13 But He said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17 So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

The long day of ministry wound down, and there was not enough food, so Jesus told His followers to feed the crowd anyway.  He had to provide for them to feed the others in a way that only God who created the world they stood on could.  Then there was enough to eat with more left over than they started with.  So He gives more grace and ability to we who are His to serve others in His name, for He lives within us...

All They Had Done

Luke 9:10-11 
10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

After laboring in the gospel to many, the followers of Jesus came back to Him.  He took them to a quiet place to speak with them, but soon many heard and followed also.  So the retreat became teaching and ministry to those hungry for truth from God and in need.  So we must never retreat from opportunity that arises, putting our rest or reflection times above needs of eternal matters that may arise.  Religious activity must never be a roadblock to Jesus Christ.

Who Is This Jesus?

Luke 9:7-9   
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, 8 and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. 9 Herod said, “John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?” So he sought to see Him.

People did not listen to hear Jesus say who He is.  Even now some will say Jesus is just a prophet, just a good man, or someone sent from God - but not as God in the man, not as the Messiah and deliverer from God's just anger from our sin that ever falls short of God's standards.  He is more than a man, and we will also seek to know and see Him until we know God has visited us as He spoke all along.  Now He speaks as the Son of God and man...

Preaching and Provision

Luke 9:3-6   
3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. 4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Jesus sent His ambassadors out with total reliance on His provision - they were to go with the shirt on their back and no food or supplies.  This made them lean on Him as they proclaimed the good news and helped others.  Whatever we do now in His name must have that same reliance on God's grace and daily provision in Christ wherever we go.  Where we are welcome, we share more; where rejected, we shake it off and move on to those He is calling and have ears to hear.

Power and Authority to Preach

Luke 9:1-2   
1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Jesus sent His followers with the authority and power of God to tell others of His kingdom ("repent, for the kingdom is at hand," parables, beatitudes, and other teaching of Jesus) and to heal sick people.  This showed that they came in His name by doing what only He could do, and so they did.  They told of the good news by repentance and faith (though not the full story since Jesus did not die and rise yet) and proved it by making people well physically also.

Alive Again!

Luke 8:52-56   
52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

The God who created us can give life to the dead.  With a word the living word of God spoke all into being, and so also speaks life to us who are dead to Him in our separating estrangement of sin.  But His love in mercy is infinitely greater, promising life through and past the grave.  This is the sure hope that hears, "arise" and obeys by faith. 

Touching Jesus

Luke 8:45-48 
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Who touched Jesus?  This woman had faith that touching just the mere edge of His clothing would be enough to make her well.  And so she did. And so by faith she received what God allowed.  Jesus gave deliverance and peace in response to her heart.  So He delivers those drawn to Him who respond in God given faith with soul healing and peace with God. 

Tell What God Has Done

Luke 8:38-39 
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

When God changes a man, the man must tell of or bear witness to the great things Jesus has done to set him free and forever change him from the inside out.  Like the one here, do we then tell the whole city the great things done for us in His grace, mercy, and complete reconciling forgiveness? 

Every Knee Will Bow

Luke 8:34-37 
34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.

Jesus showed all created creatures, including demons taking over people, had to bow to His ultimate authority.  When this man was set free, people told everyone and were so afraid of God and His work in front of them that they asked Him to leave - not to stay or to bow or Jesus, but to go away so they would not feel their sin in His glory.  Jesus left, for He does not force Himself on us, but leaves us to ourselves (a bad choice for us, John 3:17-20). 

Where is Your Faith?

Luke 8:23-25 
23 But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”

When we are in trouble, do we cry out for help to God?  Or do we hear what He says and know what He can do, trusting with faith that acts and relies on Him?  Jesus saved them from the storm, but then asked where their faith was.  So we see that He is God, able to control all elements that He spoke into existence and which He can change with a word any time.  We must trust in God as Jesus by His Spirit agreeing with that inside us.  Faith is real trust.

Hear and Do God's Word

Luke 8:19-21   
19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.” 21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

If we are about our Father's business, following Jesus Christ and serving others with the words and deeds of the gospel, the we know what being His sons and daughters really means.  We hear and do our best to do what He told us.  Our natural families are important, yet being part of God's family endures past the grave.  We must desire to see Him more than they desire to see us in the final analysis as Jesus showed us here with His own family.

Lift Your Light High

Luke 8:16-18   
16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

We are given the light to expose and replace darkness, but this cannot be done while covered.  What we have heard inside our souls by God's revealing, this must be shone forth to let the world see what is truth in Christ alone.  God gives the gifts and ability to do these things - unless we cover or dim it. 

Seed is Word of God

Luke 8:11-15   
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

God's word either grows fruitfully to a changed life, or is pushed out by self seeking, or only sounds good and is quickly forgotten, or never is even considered due to hard hearts led elsewhere to begin with.  But when we heed this seed honestly and with good desire, then it grows to salvation and peace with God.  Our ears must be open and hearts receptive and obedient. 

Purpose of Parables

Luke 8:9-10 
9 Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?” 10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

God shows us what the Bible means; without Him opening our eyes with faith to perceive what is hidden in plain view there, we remain blind.  Likewise, we cannot hear Him call us unless He gives understanding to what He is telling us.  We remain deaf and blind unless He calls us and enables us - yet when He does, we must take heed and understand His good news in our free forgiveness and offer of reconciliation in Jesus Christ which we cannot earn or even find by ourselves.

Hear the Sower Parable

Luke 8:5-8   
5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. 8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Jesus told stories that echoed truth, but required a mind and heart tuned spiritually to hear the real story.  Here He talks of seed falling and being taken away, seed on rocky ground not taking hold, plants choked out by thorns, and some on good ground growing and producing different amounts of harvest.  If you hear, what does this say to you?

Glad Tidings of the Kingdom

Luke 8:1-3   
1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

The love of God moved His followers to show love back, thankful for what they were delivered from and the kingdom within and to come.  So they responded in loving giving to meet Jesus and the disciples' needs such as food.  They gave freely as they had been freely given.  So ought we to love God and His people. 

Awareness of Forgiveness

Luke 7:41-43, 47-50   
41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”   47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” 48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Those aware of their sin and how short they fall from God's righteousness are ever more thankful forth the forgiveness in Christ.  It is not necessarily that they were worse persons, but that they felt their need and debt to God more - so when the debt is paid in full, so the heart by faith is given more.  Jesus forgives to the uttermost, and by faith in Him alone (not our efforts) we have peace with Him.  And so we love much and follow with this ever in mind...

Wisdom Not Justified by Expectations

Luke 7:32-35   
32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:  ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

How often we want Jesus to do what we expect, and some even go further to reject and attack those speaking truth and doing as God says instead of what others expect or demand.  But wisdom comes from those who follow God and not men (unless they are following and giving the right example).  So when we follow the principles and examples in Scripture by the sound understanding of all of it in context and uncolored by personal or popular interpretation, we follow as children ought.

John Prepared the Way

Luke 7:26-28   
26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Prophets reached their pinnacle in John the Baptist, for he cleared a path of repentance for Jesus' coming ministry.  Yet we of His kingdom are said to be ''greater'."  We have God's reconciliation and redemption fully in Christ's death and resurrection, God himself living in us to reveal His word in a way which only prophets could previously.  In that sense we know the greatness of our position and have insight into the things of this kingdom more.

The Coming One

Luke 7:18-23 
18 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things. 19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” 22 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 23 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Jesus did all those things God told beforehand would be done by His Messiah, the Christ.  So when John's followers asked Jesus if He was that one, Jesus demonstrated proof by miraculous actions spelled out from Isaiah 29 and 35.  He made the blind see beyond what was in front of them and opened ears to hear what He had to say so they heard the good news and saw who Jesus was.  So we need not be offended, but rejoice in knowing Him.

Do Not Weep for the Dead

Luke 7:13-16 
13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother. 16 Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.”

People spread the miraculous news when Jesus raised a widow's son from death to life, but did they speak of the miracle alone, or also the compassion Jesus showed and felt for her?  So the witnesses were awestruck and some knew God had come to them as the only giver of life to the dead. So He calls us to new life within as well, having Himself died for us and who raised Himself from death to life as a forerunner for us.  God among us offers life with Himself.

Grace as Faith's Object

Luke 7:7-10   
7 Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

Faith sees the owner as undeserving (grace) and yet knows God can do anything if He only says a word to make it so, just as when He created the universe.  The military discipline of the Roman here was based on training and fear to give an order and know it would happen; with God we do not ask from fear of punishment, but awe and trust in One who never fails.  So Jesus calls this absolute trust 'great faith.'  We must so trust and serve Him in reliance.

Solid Foundation

Luke 6:46-49   
46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Only the foundation of Jesus Christ can hold up what we build on Him.  Of course, wood and hay will burn and precious metals will remain, but we are forever His when He is what we build on, whatever we build with.  So we do not say empty words of 'Lord,' but have Him so in our hearts because we are saved by grace and faith on Christ alone, our foundation and cornerstone!  So we weather the storm of judgment for eternity.  Repent, believe, and follow- this is building on rock.

Fruit Speaks From the Heart

Luke 6:43-45   
43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Fruit comes from the heart, even when we trip and fall - if Jesus lives in us, if God's Spirit is allowed to control as we yield, then we bear more fruit.  Most, not all, of what we say reveals what lies within.  It is too easy to judge based on failure when the majority of the life practices what is good to God (not what pleases self imposed rules).  If anyone continually practices sin (the bad tree), he is not His as 1 John tells us.  But 1 Corinthians 3 tells us we suffer loss but are saved, bringing in the good with us.

Specks and Planks

Luke 6:41-42   
41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

A tree bearing good fruit is never reaches perfection, but aims at it as the goal.  So judging others harshly when we have the bigger logjam in our own vision gets in the way.  Jesus told us to first cut down the forest of our own looming faults before helping others to dust off their small problems to clear their sight. 

Trained to be Like Christ

Luke 6:39-40 
39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

We should not listen to teachers who do not see what God has said as recorded in His word. If we do not use this word as the gauge of vision, we are following one who cannot show us anything they cannot see themselves.  So many are led to hurt or ruin. We need instead to become more like Jesus from those who themselves are looking to His truth to see the way to walk on the level and narrow road.

Measured Judgment

Luke 6:37-38   
37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

How and what we give to others is how we receive it back, whether directly from God or through others.  So when people judge or condemn us, we should examine ourselves to see if we are passing sentence or mercy on others.  When we are not reconciled with those who hold unforgiving grudges, do we look to see if we have not forgiven someone?  God saved us by grace, forgiving and releasing us from eternal judgment; how can we not do likewise?

Love Your Enemies in Mercy

Luke 6:35-36   
35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Instead of looking for a return on love, good deeds, and lending (which all are self seeking when done just to get something out of it), we are told to selflessly love, to do good for the other's sake, and to give to meet needs, not as investments with profit.  This is the mercy God shows us in Christ, not giving us what we deserve as sinners, and showing grace of giving gifts freely and not what we owe.

Pray for the Spiteful

Luke 6:27-31 
27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

Loving our enemies really means that we treat and respond to them as we want our enemies to do with us.  So we are to bless, do good, and pray for them as they offend or steal from us.  We are not to hold back from meeting their needs nor retaliate for the evil they do to us.  This is a difficult thing, but if we begin by putting ourselves in their place and pray as we do right and even bless them, God is honored.

Seek Lasting Rewards

Luke 6:24-26   
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

When we seek only what we can get for ourselves and not for God or our brother, we have nothing more after death nor for eternity.  When we hunger and mourn and are slandered for doing good, the world is angry we do not do the same things they do or seek what they seek.  If others always speak well of us, it may be we are not faithful and true to live and speak as Jesus would in our place...

Rejoice When Hated for Christ

Luke 6:22-23   
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

When we identify with Christ in living and telling (bearing witness to) the gospel, we cannot and should not expect everyone to love what we say and who we are ambassadors for.  For the world denies and fights against accountability to God and refuses reconciliation through Jesus - for then they must admit they all fall short and are unable to earn His favor and heaven with Him.  So men have fought God from Eden to now.  Only humility to admit sin and turning from it to Him will stop the hate, exclusion, and attacks on His people...and Him in them.

Blessed are Poor, Hungry, and Sad

Luke 6:20-21 
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

What did Jesus start teaching?  He spoke of the poor and hungry and sad finding true riches and satisfaction and joy.  All these are found seeking God, aiming at Him with all the heart.  He spoke of God's kingdom within us, not forced by external keeping of rules, but with a changed heart and His presence within us to motivate and enable us to follow Him.  This is grace. 

Prayerful Choosing

Luke 6:12-13, 17   
12 Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,

Jesus gave a pattern for choosing leaders in His church, beginning with much prayer before choosing and calling them to the work.  Then He brought them to the work to be there for the ministry of word and work.  Though the twelve were unique in history, God always teaches us by examples to lead our steps.

Choose to Do Good or Evil?

Luke 6:7-11 
7 So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Arise and stand here.” And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?” 11 But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

When religious rule following is made into a witch hunt, devoid of mercy and love, it is actually an accusation against the judges, not the violator.  Jesus did good when man's rules said good was evil; those living with rules alone were driven by rage and vengeful murder, not love as the two greatest commandments that overrule all others say... We must live by grace, guided by His word.

Lord of the Sabbath

Luke 6:2-5 
2 And some of the Pharisees said to them, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” 3 But Jesus answering them said, “Have you not even read this, what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: 4 how he went into the house of God, took and ate the showbread, and also gave some to those with him, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?” 5 And He said to them, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

God created a day of rest to remind us of His rest after creating the universe and us, as well as to train is to rest ourselves.  Even Hebrews reminds us in chapter 4'that the rest we must enter into is Christ's work in place of ours to earn salvation and to walk with Him afterwards.  So when we "break" the Sabbath by our work, is it ritual of legalistic necessity or rest in Christ we follow?

New Understanding for New Covenant

Luke 5:36-39   
36 Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. 37 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. 39 And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better.’ ”

The religious leaders wanted the status quo way of doing things; Jesus told them it was to be beyond rituals and to be matters of the heart that pleased God.  So here He showed how old worn out patches of rote religious rituals cannot contain the real heart of God's intent in our serving and living for Him and others.  But many are stuck on the old, believing it better, and so miss what the gospel of the New Covenant brings...

Sinners are Called to Repent

Luke 5:32 
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

This sums up the need for the Gospel; we are all sinners, coming short of God's righteousness by our lack of complete perfection to His (nor our) standards.  The good news is that Jesus came for we who all all spiritually sick and desperately in need of healing by the heavenly Doctor. This is why Jesus came to save, to deliver, to reconcile us with God by taking our illness of soul and its punishment on Himself and paying the price of death to give life in the treatment.

Sick Need the Physician

Luke 5:29-31   
29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

Jesus calls us to follow, no matter where we come from - despised or loved, rich or poor, mighty or powerless.  He does not wait for us to be sinless before saving us from His judgment, but died for us while we are deep in it.  He associates with is to make us well in our souls with the healing balm of reconciling grace and mercy through His suffering, death, and resurrection.  The great soul Physician truly is the only way, the only truth, and only life eternal...

Power to Forgive Sin

Luke 5:22-26   
22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”   26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”

Unexpected paradoxical (strange) things were seen when God received the glory for how He not only healed a paralyzed man, but actually forgave hi sins before God!  They began to see that it was God among them, His finger reaching down as a man to them as Jesus knew what they thought and acted as only the Divine can.  They felt the fear, the awe of God.

God Alone Forgives Sin

Luke 5:19-21   
19 And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus. 20 When He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Jesus answers faith with mercy and grace. He forgives sins as only God has the authority to do, and here proved it further by also healing a paralyzed man.  He gave the man the ability to walk so he could follow Jesus in both body and spirit.  Our faith given by God responds with action to Christ and results in grace and mercy. 

Pray Alone with God

Luke 5:16 
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Jesus gave us this example to follow - when serving others, we need to take time alone with our Father in long times of listening and talking with Him.  Alone.  By doing so, we can be more attentive to His guidance, understanding of His word and will, and draw closer to knowing and worshipping in love, humility, and willing obedience.  If Jesus did this in the middle of ministering to so many, how can we neglect doing this for even one? 

Healing as a Testimony

Luke 5:13-16   
13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.” 15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. 16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Many came for Jesus' miracles to heal their sick bodies, but they also came to hear Him speak of the kingdom of God.  The healing of their souls was a more powerful draw to eternity than the immediate needs, yet in this present time some still seek the immediate gratification of physical over spiritual.  The physical is a testimony to Him, but that of the soul is the deeper and lasting need for us all.

Knowing Sin Seeing Grace

Luke 5:8-11   
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

In our efforts we are like Peter, James, and John; they fished by their wisdom and came up empty handed, but when following Jesus' direction, caught more than ever. Their boat then began to sink under His provision.  So we must not only forsake all to follow, but also forsake our ability in fishing for men. God gives the increase under His mighty hand, whereas our efforts apart from Him are fruitless. 

Quiet Time to Hear Word of God

Luke 5:1-3 
1 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

As Jesus went and made disciples, He taught them from wherever they were as they came to Him.  Here they had a need to urgently come near Him to hear, and so Jesus got into a boat there so as to be better heard by the crowd.  Sitting.  He made sure they could hear, and made them at ease by sitting.  Do we follow His example, plainly take advantage of circumstances to clearly speak and teach those wanting to hear God's word? 

Son of God Sent to Preach

Luke 4:41-43   
41 And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ. 42 Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; 43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

Jesus set many free who were possessed and healed some of conditions or diseases, but He often had to go to a quiet place away from the masses seeking healing.  This He did to pray, and He plainly said His overriding purpose was to tell the good news of deliverance from sin's due penalty, freeing souls for eternity (not just bodies).  So we now must focus on salvation, deliverance from judgement, not just being physically well or in comfort. That is eternal.

Word with Authority and Power

Luke 4:31-37   
31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. ... 36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” 37 And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Jesus taught with absolute and divine authority.  Even the demons had to listen and vacate those they possessed - when the Holy One, the Son of God, spoke they had no choice but to obey.  So the witnesses to these things told it everywhere, and so we read about it now in wonder and awe in the fear of God.   He has the power over death and life with His word as well, assuring that He can raise us up in new life.  Nothing is too difficult for Him. 

Grace Filled Words of Christ

Luke 4:22-24   
22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph's son?” 23 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ”24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

Not only did the religious want to throw Jesus off a cliff for claiming He was God's answer, the Messiah, but also because He knew and told them they did not believe.  Yet He told them in the past others not of God heard and were made well.  These here now we're angry to hear the truth of those not "worthy" were those God hears and heals.  Pride, self importance, and denial keep many from Him today as well.

Gospel's Liberty to Captives of Sin

Luke 4:18-21 
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives. And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”   20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

After Jesus was tempted by the devil in every way, he began to teach in the synagogues where those who knew the Scriptures were.  So He began with Isaiah speaking of Himself - salvation for us in a time acceptable to God in His timing (2 Cor. 6:2).  He told them plainly this prophecy had come to pass, hinting at Himself being the Messiah, the Christ.  Instead of joy, they angrily tried to throw Jesus off a cliff.  Even now men will hear this good news and get angry as they throw Him out of their sight...but some have ears to hear.

Tempted Without Sin

Luke 4:13-15   
13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. 14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Jesus was tempted and stood to God's words till Satan left "until an opportune time."  The attacks came at the cross, but until then God's Son moved by God's Spirit taught and offered the good news of repentance and faith leading to grace and forgiveness in mercy.  So Jesus was glorified and the hope proven when risen from the grave.  Even now Satan tempts us, attacking at opportune times as a roaring lion on the prowl - but He in us is greater.

Written Not to Tempt God

Luke 4:9-12 
9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ 11 and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Blindly trusting God by purposefully doing dangerous things is really just tempting Him.  Even though God promises to protect us, it is by His will and not ours, so we do not create circumstances and expect Him to intervene.  This is what Satan tried to lure Jesus into doing.  So he lures us with such devices as well if we do not know and understand His word.

Worship and Serve God Alone

Luke 4:5-8 
5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Power over all countries from the beginning till the end of time cannot compare to God's kingdom with His very presence!  The temptation to rule over others was countered by Jesus in His word and example to be a servant of all.  Worship is for God alone, not any power or the ones who offer it.  Do we then run after gain at His expense, or after Him?

Live by Every Word of God

Luke 4:1-4. 
1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

Before Jesus began His work, He was led through an empty, isolated wilderness without food for over a month.  Then the devil tried to tempt Him as he does us - but Jesus never wavered, even when starving after all the time.  He answered the temptation to prove Himself by pointing out we live by God's word, not our desires first of all. 

Well Pleasing Begotten Son

Luke 3:21-22 
21 When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Psalms 2:7-12 
7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.  12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Jesus was told by the Father that He is His Son so that all could hear and think back to Psalm 2, where the Son is to be trusted (faith in Him) and held to to escape God's wrath.  So Jesus as the Son of God and man paved the way for our repentance and salvation - God as Spirit both identified Jesus as the Son and enabled Him as a man.

Threshing Floor

Luke 3:16-17 
16 John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

We are immersed or baptized in God as Spirit when delivered and reborn in Him, escaping the just punishment of final judgment with fire.  Those not heeding and believing who Jesus is and what He did in our place to reconcile us to the Father will be as the leftover shells of wheat that have no life and are burned up at harvest time.  This is why Jesus and John told us to repent (turn from sin to Him) and trust fully in His work, not ours to be saved from our sentence. 

Fruits of Repentance

Luke 3:10-14 
10 So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” 11 He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Fruits worthy of repentance - some marked changes - include giving to others in need, be fair in business dealings, and be content with all you have. By starting here, we then are ready for  the realization that we ultimately fail in our own effort and need to be changed by God to be able and willing to keep on choosing well and bearing fruit for the rest of our lives.  The good news talks of repentance and faith; the repentance is turning to do good for God, and faith is the trust in Jesus Christ's work in our place to make right where our own efforts always fall short. 

Make His Way Straight!

Luke 3:3-4, 8   
3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.  8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

John prepared the way for Jesus by calling for people to turn away from sin and toward Him.  But he also warned that it must be real - fear of God's due justice enacted, not just to check a box of a religious rule.  God 's people are from God's work, not our birthright, position, wealth, or any work we can drum up.  So now all must be by Christ alone through faith alone.

Jesus Wisdom, Growth, and Favor

Luke 2:51-52 
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Again Jesus grew as a man, giving us an example to follow - to add to our wisdom as we learn from God by His word, and to show that in a life changing to be honoring to all.  This is as part of His body, the unseen universal church, whose head is Christ (not any man or organization in place of Christ).

About My Father's Business

Luke 2:48-50 
48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Jesus had a unique position as God's Son, doing what we could not as mere men - but He also gave us examples to follow in His steps.  Here we can study to know the Bible to be approved workers of the Gospel, as well as to be about our Father's business as we follow in trusting obedience.  let this year and every one be in this race - anytime, anywhere, any cost, bar nothing...