Archive for the ‘Luke’ Category

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Day 127: Like 19:11-27 — God Reigns!

Friday, May 7th, 2010

In Luke 19:11-27, we have the parable of the ten minas. Luke has two components in his parable. He focuses on talents and a king’s vengeance on those who oppose him. Luke wants us to consider a role of God’s kingdom that we don’t like to focus on. God opposes those who do not accept His sovereignty.

In Jesus’ day many kingdoms were corrupt, greedy, and violent. In many ways things are still the same today. There appears to be a growing mistrust of our government, as we see corruption in almost every aspect of our leaders. The beauty that we often miss is the contrast that Luke is putting forward. The value system of Jesus’ kingdom is diametrically opposed to that of the kingdoms of Jesus’ day and our governments today. On the other hand, the law of retribution still applies, for those who serve God faithfully will be rewarded, and those who resist God’s kingly rule will perish.

The kingdom will not appear immediately (Luke 19:11). We as disciples are called to be trustworthy while we wait for the coming of the king. We are to advance God’s interests and if there are those who may oppose God’s interests and do not want Him to reign over them, rest assured, He will deal with them in His own time (Luke 19:27). Our job is to continue to advance the Kingdom of God because GOD REIGNS!

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Day 126: Luke 18:35-19:10 — Interruptions

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Don’t you just hate it when there is an interruption? Seems just as the show gets really interesting, here comes a commercial. In today’s world those commercial breaks have been extended from the old two minutes to sometimes as much as five minutes. Sure makes it hard to follow the flow of the show, doesn’t it?

Every once in a while those who decided where chapter breaks in the Bible should be, kind of interrupted the flow. It seems we automatically think that chapter numbers means the subject has changed, yet many times that is not the case. In Luke 18:35-19:10 there is one of these unfortunate breaks.

Luke 18:35 starts the narration of a blind man who doesn’t know what is going on so he asks. Upon hearing the answer he begins to yell louder and louder trying to get the attention of Jesus. He is asked to hush to no avail- he just keeps yelling. Jesus hears him and asks for him to be brought forward and asks him what he wants. The man, knowing exactly what he wants, has no hesitation, he immediately asks for his sight.

Then there is this break for the words Chapter 19 but it is actually the same time frame. Entering Jericho we read of a man who was “short” Luke 19:3 (NASB95) – Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. His disadvantage in height did not stop his desire to see Jesus so he climbed a tree. Oh, he saw Jesus, and Jesus saw him.

Two different stories of the same thing. Two men who sought Jesus and would not let circumstances stop their quest. Both got what they wanted and more. One not only saw Jesus; he was able to see everything. The other also wanted to see Jesus and he did, but he never expected to become His host for the day.

Dear ones, when we honestly seek Jesus, pushing aside obstacles, we will still find Him today and what we get for our efforts always far exceeds our expectations.

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Day 125: Luke 18:1-8 — “An Unjust Judge”

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

In Luke 18:1-8, A widow cries for vindication and deliverance. Yet right before the cries, Luke announces the thrust of the coming parable as encouragement to persist in prayer to God. He does not say it in so many words, but it is clear from the context that this prayer is about the end-time resolution of the problems of the present and not simply about answered prayer in the normal sense. Luke describes the judge that undermines all confidence that one could look to him for justice. He is exactly the opposite of what a judge should be. He answers to no one, not God or the needs of those around him. When the widow is introduced, we have to remember she has absolutely no leverage at all in society. Luke sets us up for a complete failure of justice. However, the widow persists in her request for the protection of the law.

How much more can God be relied upon to provide vindication than can the wicked judge of our story who, despite his wickedness, when he faces the prospect of public embarrassment will change his mind to deliver justice? How much more should we continue to trust in God, seek His guidance, and ask for vindication and deliverance from an unjust world? Will we continue to ask until the end? Will we be faithful when Jesus returns? How much more will the justice of our God be than the wicked judge?

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Day 123: 1 Samuel 15:1-16:23; Luke 17:11-37 — God does not see as man sees

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Saul. Impatient. Impetuous. A man of action. His own action. Some might say these are marks of a leader. He thought so. Defeat and destroy Amalek, leave nothing alive, destroy it all: the “cherem” sentence, everything and everyone must be taken from this realm and delivered directly to the Creator for and as judgment. “Yes we did, we did it all!” Then the sheep bleat. Saul, you have done your will, not that of the One who made you king. Obedience trumps your sacrifices, Saul. Rebellion, looking to yourself not Me, is like looking to the spiritists for answers. Presumptive thinking about what I would want, “You said ‘this’ but really meant ‘that’, didn’t You, God?”, becomes worship and sacrifice to another god, as if there is another.

Now for a new king, the one whose heart is like God’s, 1 Sam. 13:14. This one? Tall, brave, smart looking. You want this one to be king, right? Now comes Samuel’s turn to wonder what God sees, and so the Lord tells him. “You do not see what I see. You don’t go deep enough.” And so they call in David, a shepherd boy, to become the leader, the beginning of a dynasty whose Descendant truly rules in heaven and earth.

People see the one leper who returns to thank Jesus. Jesus sees the gratitude and acknowledges the man, but still says, “Where are the nine?” People know that a grand kingdom will appear. Where? When? How? Jesus sees what they do not. “…the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” Jesus begins to speak of the end of Jerusalem. The End? of the great city of Israel? Yes. God sees what man does not.

Seeing only three dimensions and being rushed through the fourth, we dash around in each day. When I look at the world, at the people, what do I see? When my life takes turns I do not expect and I need to make decisions in things that perplex me, and that do not make sense, whom do I trust, or blame? or thank? What does God see in that person I could have encouraged for only 10 seconds? What great beginnings wait in the words that I hesitate to speak? What great good does God have in store for others through my life when I see one of His doors of opportunity and say to myself, “You have GOT to be kidding!”

Prayer: Oh, Lord God of Heaven and Earth, Creator of all, Holy, truly All Seeing, All Knowing, Gracious Father, Help me to see with Your eyes, to hear with Your ears, love with Your heart, to move or stay still at Your call, to lay down my life in the flowing streams of Your plan of life in this day.

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Day 122: Luke 16:19-17:10 — A Rude Awakening

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010

Over the course of my life I have had some interesting conversations with people about their beliefs regarding their take on what happens when we die. We talk about the judgment day, Jesus returning, forgiveness of our sins, etc. There have been many times I’ve walked away from those conversations encouraged. Sometimes I walk away very concerned for that person.

LazarusOpen up your Bible to Luke 16:19-31 This is a story you are all familiar with. Lazarus is a beggar that lives at a rich man’s gate. Lazarus is in very bad shape and deep into the grip of poverty. Then both Lazarus and the rich man die. The rich man is in hell and sees Abraham and Lazarus far away. Continue reading and you’ll see that Abraham basically tells him that there is nothing he can do to help him and that it’s too late.

I’ve known people that have waited to give their lives to the Lord. I know people who don’t believe in God but choose to only acknowledge “a higher power”. I know people who believe in God but do very little to acknowledge him or to worship him. So many people, and I’m sure you know some of them too, believe that they can put off God until they are ready. The problem is that a) they never get around to it, and b) we never know when life will be over for us.

Turn a few pages back to Luke 13:22-30 and it deals with a very similar subject. When I read that passage it sends chills up my spine. To me it reads almost like so many people I know — “Lord, we went to church from time to time. My parents are Godly people! Save me!” In very clear terms, Jesus explained that he will not know you nor welcome you.

It is our job to continue to help those people to understand (and sometimes ourselves) that the hour of our departure is not known. Judgment day is too late to give yourself to Him. The hour is now. If not, what awaits is far more than just a rude awakening.

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Day 121: Luke 16:1-15 — Character doesn’t matter

Saturday, May 1st, 2010

We’ve heard that. We don’t agree with it. Neither did Jesus. The Parable of the Shrewd Manager, found only in Luke, can be confusing because it seems Jesus is commending dishonesty. He’s not, of course, but it may be difficult to grasp what exactly he is saying.

What I find most difficult about this passage is verse 9:

I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9

Jesus’ meaning actually isn’t all that difficult when taken in the context of the parable. What did the shrewd manager do? He made friends by means of worldly wealth. Granted, the wealth was not his own, but he used what had been entrusted to him to make friends.

Likewise, we are to use for the good of others what God has entrusted to us. By so doing, people will “see [our] good deeds and praise [our] Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Some will be brought to Christ, and these in turn will “receive [us] into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9 ESV).

We are to make the most of the time and opportunities and wealth that has been entrusted to us — however many or few they be, these riches are the Lord’s.

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Day 119: Luke 15 — “Lost Sheep”

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

My wife and I were scheduled to teach at Kids For Christ (a Sunday night children’s program). The Saturday before, we went to Target and found all of Target’s Easter stuff was 90% off. Cathy found these little plastic sheep eggs that she decided would be perfect for our lesson in Kids For Christ. For the next two days, we traveled between every Target store from Georgetown to San Marcos looking for those sheep eggs. We were literally looking for every lost sheep that could be bought for 9 cents. On Sunday, we told the story of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7) to our kids and went out on the playground and they hunted for the 100 Target plastic sheep eggs. They found 99 and we counted them over and over. One kid kept asking me if we had counted correctly. He was sure that we hadn’t. Another kid was getting a little worried about that lost sheep and when we suggested that we just give up, he fervently objected. We kept hunting and hunting and finally one of our young boys found the lost sheep and began jumping up and down. I think they got the point of the lesson.

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Day 115 Luke 12:41-59 A List of Reasons

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

My dear Mother instilled in us something that stayed with me to this day. She would always say to me and my sisters – “To whom much is given…” anytime we objected to pretty much anything. For years I either a.) didn’t understand it or, b.) chose not to understand it. How in the world could a family of very modest means ever be able to say, “To whom much is given…”? When I looked around my house back then, it sure didn’t make sense.

Turn with me to Luke 12:42-48 and read along. Jesus is making some very pointed comments and he wasn’t mincing words. I know that you are all smart enough to know what he is talking about. But for me, as a kid, I only understood this in terms of monetary value. I knew we lived in a modest home. I knew that our cars were always a liability. I knew that Christmas meant to just be thankful for what we had. I knew that picking up beer cans along country back roads and selling them for cash wasn’t just for recreation.

However, as I look back on my childhood, Momma was right. We had been given so much. We were expected to do something with it.

  1. We had two loving parents that did all they could for us. Now I understand how fortunate I was to have that. I realize how many children have no one to call Momma and Daddy. I cannot and will not ever turn away from needy children.
  2. My sisters and I were blessed with no shortage of physical and mental talents. All three of my sisters are incredibly intelligent, savvy, loving, considerate, athletic, beautiful and Godly women. I am ugly but strong. So thankful for football scholarships!
  3. My parents made our home a Christian home. The greatest blessing my parents would ever bring to our home. I have never known what it was like to not have God in my life.

That is just a very short list of reasons I now know to be why my Mother would say, “To whom much is given…” It had absolutely nothing to do with money. It had everything to do with my spirit, my mind and my body. I am expected to give all of them to the Lord and use them to glorify Him.

God bless you and keep you this week and beyond…

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Day 111: Luke 11:14-36 — Kaleidoscope of Images

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

I have always enjoyed looking in a kaleidoscope.  The different arrangements of objects enables the mind to think.  Each of us may see something different or focus on one aspect of the picture while others see something else.  Yet, we are all looking at the same thing.  The bible is a kaleidoscope of images that reveal the ultimate of rule of God’s Kingdom in Jesus Christ. In Luke 11:14-36, the controversy begins when some in the crowd react to Jesus’ exorcism of a deaf and mute person. Jesus was helping a person in need and fulfilling a line from the prophet Isaiah, yet, there were those who criticized him for what he did. It is frustrating to do something good and be attacked for it. For Jesus, these attacks expose the enmity of Satan to the kingdom of God. Jesus names the evil powers for what they are and defined the meaning of his own work as the kingdom of God (Luke 11:20).

In this passage, we see the kaleidoscope of images that this controversy dialogue spins before the reader: a divided kingdom, demons and exorcists, the finger of God, the strong man’s castle and the one who takes his armor, waterless regions, a house swept clean, the womb and breasts that nourish, Jonah and the Ninevites, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, a lamp and a lampstand, a clear eye and a darkened eye. In the struggle between good and evil, change does not come without conflict.  As the Kingdom of God enters the dark realm of our world, there will be opposition from others, both internally and externally.  To heal, Jesus had to expel the demon from the man. The images of Beelzebul, divided kingdoms, and overcoming the strong man in his fortress are metaphors of combat. What do we when the kaleidoscope of God’s word and the love of Christ shines into our soul and reveals Satan’s darkness? Do we close our eyes and oppose it or do we open our eyes and change?

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Day 109: Judges 6:36-8:35; Luke 10:17-37 — The battle belongs to the Lord

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Monday, ugh. Hard day, long day. Hard problems to work out. Unhappy people to “face” with bad news. Perhaps a little good news to pass on. So here I stand/sit/walk/run/ride/drive to the place/office/field/”cloud”–if you work in the internet.  Shaking my head I pick up my mouse/pen/hammer/keyboard/rake/implement of daily battle against the chaos before me.  Who will help me, of the thousands that stand ready to work out the difficulties of the day? Anyone want to go home, take the day off?  22,000 go home.    What do I do now?  and the Lord says He wants only 300 to work with me against thousands upon thousands? And we will use rams’ horns, not as weapons but as trumpets? and lamps, not to set fire to the enemy camp but to light up the rim of the hills?

A mixture of myself and Gideon, some days. Show me the fleece, again, please? Let me hear the dream told once more about how I win, please?  Then the impossible.  “We” win.   The battle belongs to the Lord.

Meanwhile, some some 1200 years in the future, a Galilean carpenter takes a force of 70 simple folk and goes about to defeat the evil, ignorance, hurts, and chaos of man. They come away from the battle, “Even the demons are subject to us!”  I know some demons I would like to get rid of.  Then Jesus blesses them. They the few, the simple, the dedicated, have done wonders unimaginable to themselves.  The battle belongs to the Lord.

Ah, then turning again to another battle. “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  What great unimaginable task must I do to walk in the blissful heavenlies with the great, faithful, immortals of all time and eternity? Defeat the Midianites with a lamp and trumpet? Take the power of heaven to cast out demons?

“What is written in the law? How does it read to you?”   Doctrine doctrine doctrine . . .  read read read. So droll, so dry, so not glorious!  “Do this and you shall live.” Luke 10:25-28. Who is my neighbor? this person to love and help and treat with respect and dignity?  “Whomever you meet that needs what you can supply.”  What an oddity, in helping others I help myself? Jesus asks such strange things of me, at times.

Raging, inglorious battle all around, weapons drawn, hearts pounding, rending, people saved or destroyed.  Where?  In my life. In my day. In the paths I take today.  How do I win? Who is the enemy?  Sometimes the enemy is I, or more colloquially, it is me.  How do I fight me?  How do I win the day? Often I know the answer, more often than I like to admit.  Jesus says, “Do this and you shall live.”   The battle belongs to the Lord.

Question: Who will win today?

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