Week 43
Luke 10:1-11:36
Among the followers of Jesus, He appointed 70 to go out and preach in the cities of Israel, telling of the coming of God’s kingdom, and He gave them power to heal the sick, and cast out demons. They came back amazed at what was done, but Jesus told them to be amazed that God accepted them.
Jesus tells an expert in the law the story of the good Samaritan, who seemed to understand the requirements of God’s laws (love God and love others), but wanted to know who qualifies as his brother (others). The hated Samaritan was the one who showed mercy, and Jesus told the lawyer to go and do the same.
Jesus gives the disciples an outline for prayer, which echoed what He taught in Matthew 6:9-15, but then emphasizes the importance of persistence in praying. Pray without giving up, and the Lord will answer in a way that is consistent with His love for us.
Jesus then teaches about the domain of demons, and how it is only by the authority of God that they are exercised. But, someone who has been cleansed of demons must fill their life with God’s love and Word, or they are in danger of being repossessed even worse.
Luke 11:37-13:21
Jesus spoke harsh words to the Pharisees and lawyers (experts in the law of Moses), condemning them for their hypocrisy, and for the excessive burdens they placed on common people.
He tells His disciples to beware the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and that none of them should fear the wicked rulers in the land, but they should rather fear God, Who loves and cares for those who are His.
Jesus warns the people against having hearts of greed, and he tells the story of the rich man who saved up much, without realizing that his death was coming that very night. It is far better to store up spiritual riches in heaven, rather than trusting in temporary things on earth. It is far better to rely on the Providence of God, Who will take care of everyone who trusts in Him. Live life in anticipation of the Lord’s return, like strangers in a foreign country, rather than worrying about position or power or wealth in this world.
Jesus told His disciples that the service of His servants will be recognized and rewarded after He returns, which will be based upon what each one did for Him as His servants on the earth.
Jesus then tells some people that there is a great need for repentance in Israel, and likens them to a fig tree that refuses to bear fruit for 3 years, and has only a short time remaining before it will be cut off. He heals a women that was bent over like a folded taco shell on the Sabbath, but the self-righteous Jews were mad that it was done on the Sabbath. Jesus was in turn angry over their hypocrisy, and their lack of compassion for the woman.
John 9-10
Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth, which was one of the miracles that He did, which had never been done by anyone throughout history. This man would have had no education, and would have been among the least qualified to become a messenger of the gospel, yet he confounded the experts of the law with nothing more than his testimony, and the logical conclusions that came from what Jesus did. Like this man, we may not be trained in theology, and we may not know how to find verses in the Bible, yet we each have a testimony of what God did for us, which no one can take away, or dispute.
Jesus then declares Himself to be the Door (to the sheepfold), and also that He is The Good Shepherd. In old times the shepherd would sleep across the opening of the sheepfold, so that nothing could go in or out without going through him, which is the picture we get from this statement of Jesus. He was the promised descendant of king David, who was the first shepherd king, and who famously wrote psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd…), and that is who Jesus says He is - The Good Shepherd. Unlike someone who was hired to watch the sheep, the Good Shepherd is the owner, Who will give His life to protect the sheep.
The Jews again try to stone Jesus for calling Himself the Son of God, but that didn’t work out.
Luke 13:22-15:32
After three years of ministering in the northern region of Galilee, Jesus begins an extended journey towards Jerusalem, where He has an appointment with the cross. This is reported in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where Jesus gradually makes His way towards Jerusalem, preaching in many cities has they go, but He again tells people that it is there that He will be killed.
In one such town Jesus is invited to dinner at the house of a prominent Pharisee on the Sabbath, and He heals a man who was severely afflicted. He proves to them that it is right to do good things on the Sabbath, and the Pharisees there were unable to answer Him. Jesus also observed how people were jockeying for the better seats at the dinner, and He said that it is better for us to not self-promote, but to let others promote us from a lower place. He also told everyone to do good, and invite people who cannot repay the kindness, unlike most of the people He was observing at the dinner. Jesus then told a parable of a great man who threw a huge dinner party, and invited many people, but all of those people disrespected him by being too busy to attend. That man, or king, then invited anyone from the streets who would come, and this story represented the invitation of God to His people, who uniformly rejected Him.
Jesus tells many different stories, which all relate to the Kingdom of God, and then tells the familiar story of the Prodigal Son. This story provides a great picture of the Father’s love for all of His sons, and how He is quick to forgive and restore any who return to Him in repentance. God is the same, Who is always willing to forgive, and give many chances for repentance to those who walked away from Him.
Luke 16:1-17:10 and John 11:1-54
Jesus tells the story of the unrighteous steward, or business manager, who is going to get fired for wasting his master’s resources. Before he is fired, he goes to those who owe his master rents, and negotiates better terms for them, so as to set himself up favorably with them after he is out of a job. Jesus uses this story to make a point, which is for us to use the resources of this world to prepare for our future in eternity, which echoes what He said elsewhere - “store up for yourselves riches in heaven”. The Pharisees ridiculed Jesus for this story, because they loved money, but Jesus told them anything they regard as important is an abomination before God. He tells them the story of Lazarus and the rich man, who regrets his poor decisions in life, but Abraham tells him that even if someone came back from the dead to warn the man’s family, they still wouldn’t believe. This was demonstrated when another Lazarus was raised from the dead, and when Jesus was raised - unbelievers persisted in not believing.
In response to a request from the disciples to increase their faith, Jesus tells them a story about the proper role of servants, and how servants should have no personal expectations, other than to serve the master. With this attitude, servants also have no concerns, as the master will be responsible for everything they need.
Jesus raises their friend Lazarus from the dead after being in the grave for 4 days. He could have healed Lazarus before he died, but God received far greater glory in the way He chose to respond in that situation. Of course, the Pharisees hated seeing him alive, and plotted to kill him because he was a living demonstration of the power of Jesus Christ.
Luke 17:11-18:17, Matthew 19:1-15, and Mark 10:1-16
Jesus continues his slow walk towards Jerusalem, teaching and healing in every city that He goes through. In one village He heals 10 lepers, but only one of them returns to thank Him, and give Him praise, and he was a Samaritan. It’s amazing how many people Jesus healed, who did not turn and follow Him. Prior to Jesus, leprosy in Israel was incurable, but He healed many lepers, and each one was required to show themselves to the priests (according to the law in Leviticus), which would have been an amazing thing for all of the priests to suddenly see happening, yet it changed few hearts.
Jesus talks about the last days, and how His coming judgement in the end will be sudden, just like it was in the days of Noah and Lot.
He also answered questions about divorce and remarriage, saying that it was never God’s intent in the beginning for married couples to divorce, but the law of Moses allowed for it only in cases of infidelity. Even today, God hates divorce, but it is not the unpardonable sin, and He will forgive every one who comes to Him in repentance.
Matthew 19:16-20:28, Mark 10:17-45, and Luke 18:18-34
Jesus tells a rich young man that he can gain much if he sells all and follows Him, with rewards to be had in heaven, but this was a hard thing, and he went away sad. Jesus comments on how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, but also that nothing is impossible with God.
Jesus continues in talking about the kingdom of God, and how the economy of God is different, and how the first will be last, and the last will be first when He rewards those who have worded for Him.
Jesus tells His disciples about his imminent death and resurrection, but they do not really hear what He is saying, and they are focused on which of them will be greater in the His kingdom. The mother of James and John tries to get them promoted to the Lord’s right and left hand, but they don’t understand what that will cost, and Jesus tells them it is only the the Province of the Father to determine who will be in those places in the kingdom. It is he who is servant of all that will be greatest in God’s kingdom, and that description fits first with Jesus Himself!