Category: Gospels
The sign of Jonah!
Scripture reading for April 5th: Luke 11:14-36
Jesus’ ministry was marked by supernatural power. He was a man of prayer who sought God for instructions each day and then walked out what God showed Him to do. He did not play to the crowd, doing miraculous signs just to please those who watched. He wasn’t into popularity or fame, but instead was solely focused on His Father’s will.
There were those who were sceptical of Jesus’ spiritual power to cast out demons. After the miraculous deliverance of a mute man, some accused Him of casting out these devils by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Still others wanted to see more signs and the crowds grew in anticipation of a greater show of power. (Luke 11:14-16) “As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.” ” (Luke 11:29-30)
Jesus did not take the popular approach and perform some more miracles for these skeptical people. He gave them a word picture from the Scriptures about one of their prophets, Jonah, who was running from God and His purpose for his life. A great storm came upon the boat as he fled and the result was Jonah thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish. (Jonah 2:14-17) Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of that fish before being vomited out on the shores of Nineveh. The Ninevites repented at his preaching and were spared disaster. (Jonah 3:4-10) (Matthew 12:39-41)
The major sign Jesus would give these skeptical people was His own death, burial, and resurrection. On the third day He would rise from the dead and His resurrection would proclaim He was a greater prophet than Jonah. These people would be judged for their rejection of His message of repentance. “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.” (Luke 11:32)
Be careful of seeking more signs that Jesus is Messiah. Believe the grand sign, Jesus Christ alive from the dead after three days! His death and resurrection prove His power and declare He is the Son of God! (Romans 1:4)
Persistence pays in prayer!
Scripture reading for April 4th: Luke 10:38-11:13
“Persistence breaks down resistance.” This little saying turns out to be similar to a teaching of Jesus about the importance of praying with persistence. The resistance isn’t on God’s part, however. God loves to answer prayers and to give good gifts to His children. Persistence is an exercise of faith that keeps our hearts focused on God for the answer to our prayers in impossible situations.
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus responded by teaching them a short prayer that would help them approach God with a right heart and perspective. First, God was their ‘Father’ and was holy and to be approached with reverence. He had a plan and His followers should always line their requests up with His kingdom and will. They were always to recognized their dependence on God for daily sustenance and forgiveness of sins. Only God could deliver them from temptation and the evil one, Satan. His followers must ask God to do that. (Luke 11:2-4)
Then Jesus told them a story about a friend who had a need in the middle of the night. He went to his friend’s house and began to knock on the door. The friend was at first unwilling to get up and give him what he needed. But because of persistence, this friend got up and gave the man what he needed. This applies to prayer as well. We are to ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking. The one who by faith persists will find the answer.
True faith trusts the character and word of God. It is unwilling to give up at the first adversity. Faith is the result of hearing God’s word and choosing to believe and wait for the answer. Faith is anchored in God and His faithfulness to what He has promised. Prayer is an act of love and conversation with the object of that love that builds faith and trust. God talks to us and we talk to Him. Each party listens and responds. The asking, seeking, and knocking end up in answers, finding, and opened doors! Develop a daily time of persistent prayer with the One who loves you! Use the pattern Jesus taught and be faithful!
Be a neighbor!
Scripture reading for April 3rd: Luke 10:13-37
Jesus was tested by a teacher of the Law with a question. “Teacher,” he asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” He replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you strength and with all your mind’, and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Luke 10:25-27) This teacher had done a good job of distilling the Law of God into a concise statement of love and relationship. However, he had one more question for Jesus: Who was his neighbor?
Have you ever thought about that question? Is our neighbor simply the man or woman next door? Could my neighbor be someone I may not even know or like? It is one thing to know the command to love our neighbor but quite another to put it into practice consistently.
Because of sin we are centered on ourselves. We love ourselves pretty consistently by giving ‘self’ what it wants or feels it needs. God used the statement ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ because everyone would understand the love of self. Now to define a neighbor, Jesus told a story of a man who was robbed and beaten, laying beside the road naked and half-dead. Passing him by was a priest and Levite. A Samaritan happened by and took time to bind up his wounds and care for the man. Jesus asked the teacher of the Law which one of the three proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man. He responded with the obvious answer. (Luke 10:30-37) Jesus told the law expert to go and do likewise.
Being a neighbor where ever you are to those around you is what Jesus taught. The law of loving your neighbor involves doing to others what you would like them to do to you if you were in need. It shows no respect for persons and is not prejudiced. This love seeks to do what is best for the person in need near us. It comes from the heart of God and fulfills these great commandments of Scripture: Love God and love your neighbor! Be careful to be a good neighbor today!
Demands of following Jesus!
Scripture reading for April 2nd: Luke 9:51-10:12
“As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) Jesus was a man on a mission who had a goal in mind. The end of this goal was death by crucifixion, a resurrection and return to His home in heaven. He knew that He must prepare His followers to carry on the mission here on earth of reaching the entire world with the good news of repentance and faith. These disciples must be fully committed and follow His instructions implicitly.
When the disciples went ahead into Samaria to secure a place for Jesus and themselves to stay, they found opposition and rejection in a certain village. When James and John heard about this, they asked Jesus about calling fire down from heaven and destroying that village and people. Jesus rebuked them! Following Jesus was not just a power trip. There would be rejection and suffering. He had not come to judge, but to save!
As they walked along, a man came to Jesus and said, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” (Luke 9:57-58) Jesus did not take every person who expressed interest in following Him. He made demands on them and plainly told them of the difficulties of the journey. Following Jesus may require great hardship and physical discomfort to reach those who need to hear the message.
Jesus asked another man they met to follow Him. This man asked for time to bury His father first. It is likely that the father was ill or maybe just old and this man felt the need to care for the father. Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead and to instead go and proclaim the kingdom of God! Jesus demanded a willingness to leave even family responsibilities to do His will and work!
Another man said he wanted to follow Jesus, but wanted to go say good-bye to his family. Jesus told him, “No one who put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” When one chooses to follow the Lord there must be no turning back. Fitness for God’s kingdom requires a focus and complete surrender.
Jesus, Moses, Elijah
Scripture reading for April 1st: Luke 9:28-50
After Peter and the disciples acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ of God, Jesus told them that there were some who would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God come. (Luke 9:27) Luke told the story of Jesus taking Peter, James, and John with Him up on a mountain to pray. As Jesus was praying, Moses and Elijah appeared there as well. These men all glowed with a glorious splendor that was like nothing on earth. (Luke 9:29-31)
Peter, James and John apparently were sleeping during this process. When they awoke from their “prayer nap”, they saw Jesus and the two men in their glorified state. As Moses and Elijah were leaving, Peter spoke up, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters–one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” (Luke 9:33) The Scripture notes that Peter did not know what he was saying. At this point, a cloud came over them and a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him.” (Luke 9:35) After this, they found Jesus alone and were so puzzled that they kept this event to themselves and told no one about it.
As I ponder this amazing event, several things come to mind. First, I note how like the disciples I am when it comes to prayer. They had trouble staying awake and comprehending spiritual things. These three disciples in the inner circle failed to stay awake here and at the Garden of Gethsemane. My flesh is weak too, even when my spirit is willing and I often need reminding to watch and pray and stay awake.
Jesus met with Moses and Elijah to discuss His own departure. Moses was buried by God after being allowed to view the Promised Land. (Exodus 34:5-6) Elijah was taken to heaven by a whirlwind in a chariot. (2nd Kings 2:11-12) God had these two men of faith come and encourage Jesus, His Son, before His death in Jerusalem. Moses represented the Law and it’s failure to take man into the Promised Land and Elijah represented the faithfulness of God to honor His prophets. Both these men were now in Glory and for the sake of Jesus’ followers, were allowed to be seen. The Father, Himself, spoke confirming His Son! How God shows mercy to us who are weak!
Lose it all and save your life!
Scripture reading for March 31st: Luke 9:7-27
As Jesus was alone with His disciples, He asked them who they though He was. Peter spoke up, “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20) This confession brought a warning from Jesus about His coming suffering, crucifixion and resurrection. Being the Christ of God would lead to some difficult experiences and it would also not be easy for His followers! They would have to make a conscious commitment and really know who He was.
Jesus had some very difficult instructions for those that would follow Him as disciples. Some of His instructions made them ponder who He really was and their conclusion determined if they were willing to follow Him. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)
First, His followers must learn to deny themselves and their way of thinking. The world puts ‘self’ first, but Jesus and His followers put God and His will first. This choice is taken, even when it leads to a daily cross! Jesus was daily denying His ‘self’ in order to follow His Father’s instructions. For Him to enjoy resurrection, He must be willing to lose His life. His followers must willingly do the same, by giving up seeking to gain the world and instead going for God’s approval. This choice would eventually involve martyrdom for each of these disciples except John! (and Judas)
Jesus’ crucifixion would involve shame and great fear of being identified with Him. Jesus told them of their need for faith in Him to continue after the crucifixion and resurrection. The end result would be eternal recognition when Jesus returned! The willingness to lose life would bring great gain!
As we read these words of Jesus, we also ponder what it means to lose our life to gain it. What does taking up our cross daily look like? Are we ever ashamed to be associated with Jesus?
You can touch Him!
Scripture reading for March 30th: Luke 8:41-9:6
As I read about the travels of Jesus back 2000 years ago, I wonder how word got around so fast that Jesus was coming? (Luke 8:40) Did they have advanced technology that we don’t know about? Crowds gathered expecting Him and almost crushed Jesus as they sought to get close. Some in the crowd had a desire to actually touch Him because of a great need or a belief that in just touching Him, they would receive what they needed.
“As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.” (Luke 8:42b-46)
This story has a number of lessons for us today. We can put ourselves into this story. With a crowd that was crushing, it would have been hard for a sick woman to press through to touch Jesus. It would have taken determination and a hope of success. Desperate people find a way to reach out for what they believe will meet their needs! We can almost feel the crush of people and the pushing and effort required to reach out and touch Jesus!
It would be easy to think that with all the people trying to get close that our touch of Jesus would not be noticed. After all, the hem of His garment was all that could be reached! How could He notice or care? Yet Jesus noticed this touch of His robe in a great crowd! Each person is known personally and is significant to God. Our touch draws out His power and we receive from Him, even through the hem of His robe!
Jesus asks for who touched Him to come forward. As the woman came trembling and told her story about how she was healed, Jesus proclaimed her healing and spoke peace! As we acknowledge His power to heal us and draw near to Him in prayer we can touch Jesus too! Be sure and testify of the great things He has done for you!
Suicidal pigs!
Scripture reading for March 29th: Luke 8:22-40
We had about 2,000 pigs on our farm in various stages of growth. Pigs are usually known for being filthy, but when given the opportunity, keep their sleeping area clean. Pigs raise litters of 8-12 babies. They go from about three pounds at birth to 250 pounds at 6 months of age if you give them the right food. Most pigs are fairly docile and come when you call them for food. In raising thousands of pigs, I have never seen what was described in the record of Luke!
Jesus had come to this region of the Gerasenes by boat through a terrible storm. He had fallen asleep and had to be awakened by the disciples when they feared for their lives. (Luke 8:22-25) Jesus spoke to the storm and upon reaching their destination they found a man who living among tombs. This man was naked and had broken chains that had been designed to restrain him. The demons in this man immediately recognized Jesus as the Son of God! (Luke 8:28) Jesus asked the man what his name was, and he answered, “Legion”, because many demons had gone into him. (Luke 8:30-31)
“A large heard of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and He gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.” (Luke 8:32-33) Jesus allowed the demons to go into these animals. When they did, these normally docile pigs became possessed and they ran over a steep bank and fell into the lake and were drowned! Mark tells us that there were about 2000 pigs that died! (Mark 5:13)
I believe that each person is precious to God and God loves all men enough to do whatever it takes to set them free. He allowed the demons into the pigs to show the people in that region their destructive nature and call them to repentance and faith in Him. Instead they responded by loving their pigs more than the deliverance of the demoniac and asking Jesus to leave them alone. Jesus answered their prayer! Their request was even more suicidal, possibly ending in eternal destruction! Their only hope was Jesus’ instruction to the delivered man to be a witness of what Jesus had done!
True mothers and brothers!
Scripture reading for March 28th: Luke 8:4-21
Blood is thicker than water! This statement is made to declare that family loyalty is often the closest tie that binds people together. They may not get along on a daily basis, but if a family member is attacked or threatened, other family members will rally to their defense. Blood relationship is a unique tie we have with our close relatives. The Jews used this in their relationship to God as well, claiming Abraham’s blood brought them into a unique relationship with God. Jesus disputed this common proverb when it came to following Him.
“Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him, but they were not able to get near Him because of the crowd. Someone told Him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.” He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” ” (Luke 8:19-21) The context of this statement was the teaching of the parable of the sower and the seed. Those who received God’s word and put it into practice had good soil in their hearts and persevered to produce a crop of righteousness coming from faith. Blood relationship would not necessarily produce this!
Faith comes by hearing and obeying the word of God. (Romans 10:17) It is by faith through God’s grace found in Jesus Christ that we are saved. (Ephesians 2:8-10) We are adopted into God’s family and become one with Him through covenant by His blood. (Galatians 4:4-7) The Holy Spirit bears witness that we are sons and daughters of God and we can now know God as “Abba” (Daddy). Our faith resulted in belief in the word of truth and we were marked by a seal, the precious Holy Spirit! Our complete family inheritance is guaranteed until the redemption of our bodies at the resurrection! (Ephesians 1:13-14)
In summary, Jesus was not putting down his family but encouraging all that they could become close family with Him through hearing the word of God and obeying it! That is the definition of faith! Faith works through love. Love is a relationship where people and our Father work to bring the highest good to each person regardless of personal cost! Does your spirit and the Holy Spirit bear witness that God is your Father (Daddy)?
Extravagant love!
Scripture reading for March 27th: Luke 7:36-8:3
“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” (Luke 7:37-38) This was a woman with a bad reputation that those present knew about. She had come to seek out Jesus and lavish on Him a display of love. She was moved to the point of weeping a flow of tears so profuse that they literally wet the feet of Jesus so that she could wash them and dry them with her own hair. She then showered those feet with kisses to show her appreciation for the ‘good news’ that those feet brought into her life! (Isaiah 52:7)
Her extravagant display was not appreciated by those religious folks who watched from across the table. Their thoughts went to her sinful life and to wondering that if Jesus were such a ‘man of God’, why was he allowing this sinner to touch Him? (Luke 7:39) Jesus then told them a small parable about two men who owed a moneylender a small and a large amount of money. Because they had no money, this moneylender canceled both debts. Jesus’ question for them, “Now which of them will love him more?” (Luke 7:42) The logical answer was chosen–the one who had the largest debt canceled!
Jesus commended them for their perspicuity, and went on to point out that they had not even given Him the common respect of washing His feet as an honored guest, yet this woman had lavished on Him personal washing from her own tears. They had not greeted Him with a kiss, but this woman kissed His feet! Extravagant love comes from being forgiven much! (Luke 7:47)
If we only realized how much we have been forgiven! Or our need of forgiveness! Our sins are piled as high as the heavens and our reputation in heaven is known! We have a Savior who will abundantly pardon if we will humbly come to Him in faith! Faith works by love! Have you received this pardon? Have you gone humbly and thankfully to Him? Today is the day to show extravagant love!