Luke 12: 1-34  Luke seems to gather many of the Lord's sermons and record them in this one long monologue. It is full and overflowing with words of wisdom and life.  There were thousands of people gathered together, Luke tells us, but Jesus addresses His disciples "first of all". 

His first point begins with these words of warning, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."  Leaven ferments.. it spreads and affects what it touches. Hypocrisy is the same thing, Jesus teaches - it is infectious. It is able to deceive others and it can even deceive you.  "Beware"  Jesus says.. pay attention, discern carefully and attend to yourself in this matter.  Is your heart and soul filled with truth so that your walk reflects it?  Or are you just pretending?  Again Jesus reminds His listeners that nothing is truly hidden. The Light shines into the darkness and will expose whatever is hidden there.  What has been "whispered" will be "proclaimed" .  

Our Father in heaven sees everything, hears everything, and will judge everything.. even what we think He doesn't see or hear or care about.. 

Our Father cares about us, Jesus teaches us,  more than the sparrows or the ravens.. He cares about what is in our hearts.. not what is in our barns.  He doesn't want us to be afraid or anxious! He tells us to not be afraid.. even of those who want to kill us.  He doesn't want us to worry about food or clothing.. about wealth or poverty. He doesn't want us to worry about knowing the right words to speak or being good enough, great enough or popular enough. 

What we must focus our hearts on is simply Himself. 

Fear only God, for He has the authority to not only end this life.. but He will cast into hell those who refuse His salvation. 

Confess Jesus before men.  Only then will He confess you as His own. 

Don't speak against the Holy Spirit.  Trust Him to help you say the right words at the right time. 

Lay up treasures in heaven.. not on earth.  Reckon your life to be more than earthly possessions.. more than food and clothing.. more than whatever it is that you need today.  

His Kingdom is the only treasure that is unfailing and He gives it to us "gladly"! 

Father in heaven, all we are is Yours.  We are Your creations!   We are Your children! We pray that You will be the focus of our lives, the center of our hearts, and the fullness of our souls.  We acknowledge Jesus Christ Your Son as King of kings and Lord of lords. There is no one like You.  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in us today we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen 

 Luke 11: 37-54  A Pharisee asked Jesus to lunch.. and He came.  Now, Jesus would have known the expectation that the man would have.. the ceremonial washings were not new to Jesus.. but He deliberately ignored that tradition. This opened up a serious discussion where Jesus exposed the most urgent needs of the hearts of God's people. 

Jesus said, "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but inside of you, you are full of robbery and wickedness."   He reminded them that the inside.. their hearts and minds.. and souls were made by God.. He sees everything, not just their "outside" lives.  Cleanliness inside is much more vital than washing a plate or cup.. or even your hands.  A heart of compassion or "charity" is what God desires.  Nothing wrong with cleaning your body.. but to have a pure heart, uncorrupted by sin, is what God desires.  

Jesus pronounces 3 "woes" upon the Pharisees.  Because their hearts were  not clean the Lord was grieved by those who should have been holy.. they had the Word.. they had the Son of God standing with them.. they saw the marvelous miracles that He had done.. but their hearts remained unchanged.. corrupt.. dead.  The  three statements prove this:

They "tithed" mint and rue and herbs... the small and unnecessary things.. but failed when it came to justice and "the love of God".... that which the Lord God desired most from His people. "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8)

The second "woe"... The Pharisees loved to be seen and respected and honored.  They looked down on everyone else and were only focused on theirselves.  They knew the commandments, but ignored the most important ones.. to love the Lord their God with all their heart and soul and mind and their neighbor as their self. 

The third woe.. "...you are like concealed tombs, and the people who walk over them are unaware of it."  The Jewish Law said that anyone who touched a dead body was considered unclean for a certain period of time and they had to wait and then wash before they could worship.  But, if you were not aware of touching something dead, then you would be contaminated and commit a trespass against the Law without any knowledge of doing it...  In other words the Pharisees were causing the rest of the people to be contaminated and not even know it so they could take appropriate actions. Their uncleanness was spreading to everyone that came near them. 

Now the "lawyers" .. those who interpreted and taught the Law took what Jesus said as an insult to them too.  So, Jesus spoke to them too, revealing the sin that they needed desperately to repent of... that which God was not pleased with..that was separating them from the God they thought they served.. 

First, the lawyers were weighing down others with heavy burdens.. and didn't care about helping anyone but themselves.  They used the Law as a hammer and not as a blessing. There was no love or kindness in the teaching of the Law.. it was all about the do's and don'ts.. totally missing the love of God who gave the Law to guide and teach His ways. 

The lawyers were also guilty of building the "tombs of the prophets".  They were trying to cover up the guilt of their own ancestors who had killed the prophets. They honored their evil ancestors and were implicated in their guilt.  This was such a serious offense to God that He said " that the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world..:" would be "charged against this generation." 

The lawyers were also guilty of keeping "the key of knowledge" from any others who wanted to enter into God's kingdom.. and they would not enter themselves.  They knew the Word of God like the back of their hands.. but they did not know the God of the Word. And.. they kept what they knew hidden from any others. 

Jesus grieved over the sins of His people.. all of them.. even the Pharisees and Lawyers. He gave them a message that could have brought them to examine their own hearts and repent.. but instead they "began to be very hostile" and "plotted against Him." 

Father in heaven, may we stop and examine our own hearts lest we become like these Pharisees and Lawyers who grieved the heart of Jesus.  May we love You with all our hearts and love others with kindness and compassion. May we do what is just and care for others who are hurting and heavy-ladened with the cares of this life.  Mold and make our hearts like the heart of Jesus.. sharing the truth of Your Word and living it out before all men.  Thank You for giving us the Light of the World so that we can shine Your Light into a world of darkness.  Change hearts and minds and lives with the Word freely shared with all those who will listen.  Let Your Kingdom come and Your will done in us today we pray... in Jesus' name.Amen 

 Luke 11:29-36  The crowds were closing in around Jesus.. more and more people had heard about the Teacher who performed marvelous miracles. But.. Jesus said, " This generation is a wicked generation."  There was no satisfying this group. Jesus pointed them to a sign that would prove His identity once and for all.. the "sign of Jonah".   Even as Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the whale.. Jesus would spend 3 days in the tomb.  The people of Nineveh listened to Jonah and repented.. would the people of Israel listen to Jesus and repent? 

The Queen of the South traveled far to listen to Soloman.  The people of Nineveh listened to Jonah. Greater than either of these.. Jesus, the Son of the Living God speaking the Word of God had come and the people would not listen.. they just wanted "signs".  They didn't want to walk by faith but only by sight.  And they would be judged because of it. 

The Lord goes back to the theme of light and darkness. The kingdom of darkness is overcome by the Kingdom of Light.  The Light of the World.. is greater than any darkness, including the darkness of the grave.  He reminded His listeners that they can keep walking in the dark.. or they can let in the Light.  He shows us how:

He teaches that "the light of the body is the eye".  Just as we physically let in light so that we can see better.. spiritually we open the eyes of our hearts and minds.. so that we can see that which is unseen.. so we can walk in faith.. in the Light of His Word.  We must not "hide" the light, but let it shine both in us and through us. 

Next, Jesus says that our eyes must be "single" - simple, whole, united.. with our whole self.  What we let into our minds and hearts effects our whole being.  If we let in darkness, anything that is not of God's Kingdom but of satan's -then we will become full of darkness.. full of evil. 

Watch out, Jesus tells us , "that the light in you may not be darkness."  Keep your mind and heart "clear".  If we keep walking in the Light.. if we keep listening to God's Word, then we will be like a candle shining in the darkness.  But, if we allow the things of satan, the things of the world, to fill our minds and hearts.. even a little.. then we are allowing darkness to fill us. 

Father in heaven, fill us with Your holy Light and remove all darkness from our minds and hearts.  Help us to turn away from those things that blind us.. the things that blur the truth. Keep us abiding in Jesus! Amen and amen 

 Luke 11:14-28  There are two kingdoms.. The Kingdom of God... that Jesus told the disciples to pray that it might come... and the kingdom of satan which has been overcome. Praise the Lord!

Jesus cast out a demon from a man who was rendered dumb by it. When the man was freed he began to speak and the "multitudes marveled." The Pharisees could not admit the truth and instead chose to blaspheme by giving credit to satan for the casting out of the demons.  Jesus condemns this kind of thinking.. it is foolish, for  "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid to waste; and a house divided against itself falls."

Satan cannot cast himself out, Jesus tells the Pharisees. They should know this. Only the "greater" power can cast out the "lesser" power.  "But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."  Only God can overcome everything and everyone! 

The Kingdom of God cannot be divided. Either you are "with" Him.. or you are "against" Him.  Either we are on the Lord's side.. walking in Truth.. walking in the Light.. honoring His Name and praying for the Kingdom to come.. hearing His Word and doing it.. or we are not.  And if we are not filled with His Spirit then we open ourselves to those unclean spirits that will come and fill the empty soul with more and more evil. 

We see it in our world. We see that people who refuse Jesus, who give credit to false gods and evil spirits for anything that is "good".  We can see that their lives reveal that they belong to the kingdom of darkness.  If we pay attention we can recognize those who belong to satan's kingdom by the "fruit" of their lives... immorality, impurity, idolatry, sorcery anger, strife, factions, dissensions, drunkenness.. and more.  Galatians 5 gives us the whole list.  Paul wrote, ".. the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit.. for these are in opposition to one another.." (v17)  There are two kingdoms and you can't belong to both. 

In contrast, the Kingdom of God.. that we "inherit" because we belong to Jesus, is a Spirit led Kingdom. He produces in us His holy fruit.. " love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control... "  It is a Kingdom that we need to "seek first".. a Kingdom of righteousness... a Kingdom that is more precious than any earthly possession. 

How thankful we are Father, that You have "delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of  [Your] Beloved Son."  We have been delivered. We are set free. We are walking in His Light.  We have heard the Truth and we commit ourselves to do it.  Jesus Christ died for us so that we might live in Him! Hallelujah !  Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Let the Kingdom of God come!  Amen

Luke 11:1-13  Luke records what we call the Lord's Prayer.  It is similar but not exactly the same as what Matthew recorded.  We are not told here which of the disciples asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray.. " but we are so glad he did.  Didn't they know how to pray already?  Hadn't they seen and heard Jesus pray so often before this?  Why did it take them so long to ask this simple question? What is it that we need to learn along with them?

No matter, Jesus was happy to teach His disciples and jumped right into this wonderful example, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation." 

Luke's version strips this prayer down a bit from Matthew's version, but it still hits the vital parts of prayer:

We come to the Father, who is to be hallowed and Who's greatest desire is for His Kingdom to be completed. 

We come to the Father, Who alone provides all that is needed for life. 

We come the Father, Who alone can forgive us our sin and make us whole again. The One who gives us grace so that we can give grace to others. 

We come to the Father who leads our steps when we follow His ways.. 

Jesus gives His disciples a simple illustration to help them (and us) to understand how to pray.  The story is about a man (us) who has a surprise visitor ( someone who needs the Lord). Even though the man (we) don't have what this visitor needs,  he (we) can go to someone who does ( the friend.. God).  We go in faith that our God has and will give us what we need to bring to our visitor.  We ask with persistence. We ask as beggars to a generous giver.  We ask and keep asking, for we have no other resources and we know that our God will provide. We ask and we seek and we knock. 

Jesus said that the Father will give good gifts.  He is a good Father.  He won't give a snake instead of a fish. He won't give a scorpion when what is needed is an egg.  He gives Himself.. He gives the Holy Spirit.  He gave His Son.  He is a generous giver and we can come to Him for what is most needed. 

Jesus, You have taught us to come to the Father in prayer.. to enter into this communion, this relationship with the One who holds all the answers, Who provides all that is needed, and Who loves us and desires for us to want His Kingdom to come just like He does.  May we give to the unexpected visitor the Bread of Life.. May we ask the Father and receive the Holy Spirit to lead us in our actions and words. May we learn to pray effectively as the children of God who have been made righteous through the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Lord Jesus, we ask You once again. ."Lord, teach us to pray." . Amen.

 Luke 10:38-42   

Luke gives us a brief description of Martha and Mary who invited Jesus into their home.  Here Luke tells us that Martha made the invitation and began to prepare a meal for them all.  She was, "worried and bothered about so many things".

 Here she was with the Lord of all sitting in her dining room.. and all she could think about was the fact that her sister wasn't helping.  She was in the Presence of the Prince of peace, yet she was "bothered".. troubled.. disturbed.  And she was "anxious".. thinking only about her work.. her preparations.. her service.. she was "distracted" to the point that she was missing the "good part". 

Does this hit home?  Are we often so  "bothered.. anxious.. or distracted" about our service to the Lord that we actually miss the "good part"?  Do we miss Him?

Mary didn't miss it. She was "listening to the Lord's word, seated at His feet."  Mary wasn't being lazy or ignoring her sister's need.  She was in the Presence of the Lord and she couldn't move away.  This is the same Mary who anointed the Lord with the expensive perfume and wiped His feet with her hair.  Mary was not distracted by the preparations.. she was so drawn to Jesus that she probably wasn't even aware that there was anything more needed. 

I don't think that Martha loved the Lord any less than Mary.. but she was a doer.. and she was busy "doing" her own thing.  Mary, on the other hand, was able to just "be". She wasn't striving for anything more than to just be with Jesus. 

Father in heaven, help us to be more discerning in our own lives.. to not miss the "good part" by worrying about our own "service".  Let our hearts and minds be so absorbed in the Presence of Jesus that nothing else can compare.  Keep us from the distractions that take our focus off of the Lord. Help us Lord Jesus we pray in Your Mighty Name, amen.

Luke 10:25-37  A "certain lawyer"  had a question for Jesus... "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  Luke indicates that this was a "test".  But, this man's question and answer seem to indicate to me that maybe something deeper was going on in him. Maybe he had listened to Jesus talking about the book of life.. and wondered if his own name was written there?   Either way, it was a good question!

Jesus answered "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"  This man was an expert in the Law of Moses.. if anyone could know the answer it should be him.  The answer was not a mystery.. it was not hidden.. it was  something that was already available to everyone who would have ears to hear...  The lawyer knew the right answer "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."  

Jesus' next words point to the problem "And He said to him, 'You have answered correctly; Do this and you will live.' "  More than knowing the answer is needed... as Jesus had taught before.. the one who has a firm foundation is the one who listens and does what the Word says.  

The lawyer wanted to "justify" himself.. he wanted to exhibit his own righteousness, so he asked another question, "And who is my neighbor?"  To this, Jesus uses the parable of the Good Samaritan.  Who "proved to be a neighbor" ?  It was not the priest or the levite.. it was the "one who showed mercy".   Jesus told the lawyer to "Go and do the same." 

That's love.. to show kindness.. to have compassion.. to see someone in need and do what you can to help. The Greek word rendered "neighbor" means more than the person who lives next door.. it is a friend or a countryman; it means anyone that you come near to.. your "fellow man" or woman.. any other person that you meet. 

This is what Jesus told the lawyer to do.. to show compassion... to truly love others.. to truly love the Lord! This word is something we need to hear.. and to do!

Father in heaven, fill our hearts, minds, souls, and wills to do Your will.. to love You completely and to love others as ourselves.  It's hard sometimes Lord.. to "feel" love for others, but by Your grace and provision we can show compassion..we can be kind.. we can welcome the stranger and the needy. Give us the will and the ability to love as You have loved us we pray.  Pour out Your love into our hearts Father, so that we can show Your love to those who we come near to in our daily walk. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.