Luke 20  Jesus has come into Jerusalem on a donkey.. His entrance has brought His disciples great joy for He is " the King who comes in the Name of the Lord"!   We call it the "triumphal entry".. yet Jesus stops and weeps over the city that cannot see the Truth.   Those who should have exalted at His coming were so blinded that they could only conspire to destroy Him instead of receive Him.

Jesus heads to the most important site in Jerusalem, the temple.  The place that was meant to be holy and set apart for the Presence of God was instead, a place where robbers were given free reign.  The chief priests, the scribes, and the leading men failed to obey the Word and led Israel to completely miss the Messiah that they had waited for all those years.  No wonder Jesus wept.

Though the people who had heard Jesus preach over the last 3 years had recognized His authority, the  chief priests did not.  They questioned Jesus again.. but He would not answer them.  Instead, He tells a parable about a vineyard owner.  The vineyard was rented out, but those who worked there refused to recognize that the owner was due his part of the produce.  They abused and killed the slaves who were sent to receive the goods.. and they took the life of the heir.. the Son, who was sent.   Jesus is revealing to the Jews that the kingdom they wanted to control.. was not theirs at all.  The Kingdom belongs to God and because of their failures, it was going to be lost altogether and given to others.

Three questions are discussed here.  The first is posed by spies who ask Jesus about paying taxes to Rome.  Jesus silences them with His answer. " .. render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's."  
The second is posed by the Sadducees who ask about a wife and the 7 brothers she married and what would happen at the resurrection ( that they didn't believe in).   Jesus sets them straight, explaining that the resurrection is real and that it is unlike anything they can imagine. Their concept of God is lacking.. they do not understand that God is not limited by death!  " Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for all live to Him." 
The third question is posed by Jesus - .. how is He ( the Lord) both the son of David and the Lord of David?  No answer is recorded here..  They could not begin to conceive of an answer, because they did not want to believe.

Jesus warns the people to beware of those who were supposed to be leaders in the things of God, but who only wanted to exalt themselves.  They were going to be condemned.  Following these false teachers would bring condemnation, not salvation.   Only the Truth would bring them to find salvation and that would be in Him.

We know that Jesus is within days of the cross.  He is teaching important truths to His disciples and to those who have not yet decided to follow Him.  He has wept over the City of God.  He has revealed that all will be done as God has willed. He wants us to look beyond the physical world and into the True reality of Eternity - All things belong to God.  God is God of everything and everyone.

God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways far higher than our ways!  How should we respond to these truths?  Not as the the priests, scribes, and ruling men did.. questioning the authority of the Lord.. but with humble acceptance and faith.  It is our duty to render to God what is His.. and all things are His!  In faith we must acknowledge God as God of the living..  whether we are in these earthly bodies or not.. He sees us, knows us, and loves us.  Believe it!

Father in Heaven,  how blind we are to the true reality of Heaven.. and of You!  Open our eyes that we might KNOW You in all our ways, trust You with all our hearts, and lean on You, not on our limited understanding. We are not wise.. we do not begin to grasp the greatness of Your Holiness.. of who You really are.  But we have learned to fear You and to turn from evil to follow the Lord Jesus, our Savior and King.  Thank You for the mercy and grace that You have poured out on us through Jesus! O Lover of our souls, we desire to know You more and to delight in You always.  We pray for Your will to be done in our hearts and lives today.  In the Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Luke 18-19   In chapter 18 Luke tells us about a rich man who asks Jesus what he should do to "inherit eternal life".   Jesus reminds the man about keeping the commandments, which he knows - and the man is confident that he has kept them perfectly.  When Jesus asks the man to give up his wealth, giving it to those who are poor, the man cannot follow through.  His wealth is a stumbling block to his eternal salvation.

In contrast, Zaccheus, a rich tax-gatherer, climbs a tree to see Jesus. ( 19:1-10)  When Jesus comes and calls him down, Zaccheus immediately receives Him, and declares that he will not only give half of his possessions to the poor, but he will also repay 4x as much to those he defrauded .

It is hard for "those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God,"  Jesus tells us.  But, it is not impossible... "with God".  

The disciples did not have great wealth, but they had sacrificed their "own homes" to follow Jesus. The Lord assures them that "there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life." 

Luke records another parable here.  A nobleman went away to receive a kingdom for himself. Before he leaves he calls 10 of his slaves and gives them each a "mina" - about 100 days wages.  When he returns he calls them to give account of the business they have done for him.  The first had multiplied his mina by 10, the second by 5, and the third had kept it hidden and returned it with an excuse.  Those who did well with what they had been given, were greatly rewarded.  The one who did nothing was left empty-handed.  Jesus says this, " I tell you, that to everyone who has shall more be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away." 

Everything we have comes from the Hand of our Father.  Everything!  Talents, health, family, money, jobs, food, clothing, homes, time... everything.  The Lord expects us to be faithful in serving Him with all that He has given us.  When He returns or calls us home, we will give an account to Him.  All we have given in faithful service to Him, will be returned many times over.  But, all that has been hoarded for ourselves will be taken away. 

Father in heaven,  You are our King and the Giver of Life!  We honor You and give You glory!  We want to please You in all we do. We are grateful that nothing is impossible with You and that You help us to know Your Word.. the Truth.. and then You help us to obey it!  Keep us walking in humility and faith, according to Your will.  We lay down our lives and give You back all that is Yours to follow Jesus and to bear fruit according to Your will.  Lord, may we be found faithful and fruitful when Your return or call us home.  We pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.

Luke 18: 9-14  Jesus tells another parable about prayer.  Two men went into the temple to pray.  The first was a Pharisee, a religious leader.. a supposedly devout Jew.  His prayer was prideful.  He thanked God that he was not a sinner - and bragged of his religious practices.  This man, Jesus says, will not leave justified.  His prayer asked nothing of God.. for he felt no need of Him.

The second man was a tax-gatherer.  He worked for the Romans and was despised by his countrymen.  His prayer was honest and earnest.  " God, be merciful to me, the sinner."  Jesus says that this man, who humbled himself before God.. who looked to God for what only He could supply- mercy... went away justified.

If the first parable in this chapter teaches us to boldly approach our Father with persistence .. then this one teaches us that our attitude in prayer must be absolute and humble dependance on Him.  "Blessed are the poor in spirit", Jesus has taught us.  We are so spiritually poor that if He does not answer, we will die.  We must seek Him and find Him.. our source of life, the Giver of mercy. 

V15-17  The people bring their children to Jesus, that He might touch them.  The disciples try to intervene.. after all Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem and He is a busy man...  But, Jesus calls for the children, " Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." 

I am reminded of the lessons of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son... our Savior values each one of us.  We are His beloved... whether we are children or adults... whether we are lost or not.. we are important to Him. These little children had great value in the eyes of our Lord.  And, right now, wherever we are and whatever is happening in our lives.. He still says, "Come".

Father in Heaven, how blessed is Your Name in all the earth!  Jesus Christ our Lord, how glorious You are!  We come to You as needy and poor children and You take us into Your lap and touch our heads . You wrap Your arms around us and hear our whispered prayers for mercy.  Oh, how You love us.. each of us are precious to You.  We don't understand why.. but we are so thankful that it is so!

I love You, my Lord.  I want to rest in the shelter of Your wings and in the shadow of Your Hand. I ask for Your Holy Spirit to fill me.. to fill us, Your children today.
amen.

Luke 18  Jesus tells His disciples "they ought to pray and not to lose heart".  That phrase "not to lose heart"  caught my attention today.. listen to this:

2 Cor. 4:1 " Therefore, since we have this ministry ( of the New Covenant), as we received mercy, we do not lose heart... " 
Galatians 6:9 " And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary". 
Eph. 3:13 " Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory." 
II Thes. 3:13 "But as for you , brethren, do not grow weary of doing good." 

ekkakeo - to be weak, to fail in heart, faint, be weary

Jesus is saying that we must not be weak in prayer!
Don't be weak in ministry.
Don't be weak in struggles.
Don't be weak in doing good.
But, most of all... don't be weak in prayer!

Jesus tells the story of a widow who comes to an unrighteous judge.  She comes over and over asking for justice, until the judge finally answers her plea.. not because he wants to, but because he is tired of her coming.  ".. now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" 

E.M.Bounds book Purpose in Prayer emphasizes this point over and over.  I could quote the whole book here.. but I won't.  Here are a few quotes that have greatly inspired and convicted me:

"The Syrophenician woman, the importunate widow, and the friend at midnight are wonderful lessons of what dauntless prayer can do in mastering or defying conditions, in changing defeat into victory and triumphing in the regions of despair.  All these people of God knew how to pray and prevail in prayer. Their faith in prayer was no passing attitude that changed with the wind or with their own feelings and circumstances; they were confident that God always heard and answered, that His ear was always open to the cry of His children, and that the power to do what was asked of Him was equal to His willingness. "

"It is only when the whole heart is gripped with the passion of prayer that the life-giving fire descends, for none but the earnest man gets access to the ear of God; and that is the purpose of prayer."

" Could the necessity of importunity, its power and tremendous importance in prayer, be pictured in deeper or more impressive coloring? Importunate prayer surmounts or removes all obstacles, overcomes every resisting force, and gains its ends in the face of invincible hindrances.  We can do nothing without prayer, but all things can be done by importunate prayer. That is the teaching of Jesus Christ."

" There is neither encouragement nor room in the religion of the Scriptures for feeble desires, listless effort, lazy attitudes. All must be strenuous, urgent, ardent.  Inflamed desires and impassioned, unwearied insistence are the things that delight heaven.....  Heaven is too busy to listen to half-hearted prayers or to respond to hasty, thoughtless calls to God." 

Gracious Father in Heaven,  Your ear is open to hear our cries.. and we are so weak in our praying!  Forgive us, we pray!  Oh may our hearts be fully committed to pray.. earnestly, fervently, consistently.. whole heartedly!  There is great need.. injustice, evil, hatred, lies... all the fiery darts of the evil one.. are aimed at Your elect.  Yet, we have failed to cry out to You day and night.. so that You will bring about "justice" for us as You promised.   Will You find faith in us?  I pray that You will.  Stir our hearts.. Change our hearts.. light a fire within us to pray without ceasing, to pray with fervor and faith.  May we stop being lazy in our praying!  I am praying this, Lord Jesus, in Your Name!  amen.

Luke 17:22-37  The day is coming, Jesus teaches His disciples, when He will come again, " in His day."  But, before that He will be rejected and suffer.

The day of His coming will be like the days of Noah or the days of Lot.  In both these illustrations, life was going on normally for most people:

People were eating and drinking.
People were getting married.
People were doing business.
People were building new homes.
People were planting new crops.

But, Noah and his family were entering an ark.
And, Lot and his family were leaving town.

These two were willing to lose their lives - their homes, businesses, fields, friends... everything part of normal life, to preserve their real life.  Lot's wife left with him, but turned back, not willing to lose everything that she thought was more important.. and she ended up losing everything, including her own life.

Jesus tells us that "It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed." 
Some will be sleeping.
Some will be working.

Some will be taken and some will be left.
Some will lose their lives because they are unwilling to give it all to Jesus.
Some will lay down their lives to follow Him and gain eternity.

Today is a day like any other.. for most of us.  We will eat and drink.  We will work. We will build or plant..we may even marry ( or celebrate our marriages).  But, what we do not know is whether or not Jesus will return today.  We must be ready for that day, like Noah.. prepared to be taken into the Ark of His protection.  We must be like Lot, willing to leave it all behind, in obedience and sacrifice.

To be ready.. for the day of Christ's return, or the day of our own death... we need to be completely committed to our Savior.. to the point that nothing else is worth turning back for.. at least no material things.  Both Noah and Lot took along the only things that really mattered.. their families.

Father in heaven,  You are holy and mighty.. and we glorify Your Name. All things are in Your Hands.  We are in Your Hands. O Lord, may we be fully committed to losing everything in order to gain eternity with You.  Hold us close and lead us moment by moment.  May our families know You and trust You also.. that we might all be together with You forever.  We pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Luke 17  Ten men, stricken with the horrible disease of leprosy, cry out for Jesus to show them mercy, and He does.  He instructs them to go to the priest as the Law commands, and as they go, they are miraculously healed.  One man, a Samaritan, turns back to give thanks and to give glory to God.
Jesus points out that the other 9 were also cleansed, but did not turn back to give God the glory.  To the Samaritan He says, " Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."  

Did the others not have faith?  They were healed.. but were they "made well"?  To be made well - sozo - safe, delivered, healed, preservered- saved.  Over and over again, Jesus links faith and wellness.  To the woman who touched His garment, to the blind man who asked for sight, and to the woman who washed His feet, and to this leper.. Jesus says, " ... your faith has made you well."

Faith - as small as a mustard seed;  faith - a conviction... a reliance.. a persuasion.. to trust in Jesus; is necessary to make us well, to save us, preserve us, deliver us, and heal us.   The Samaritan man had that kind of faith.   He asked and received; then he gave thanks and worshiped God.


Do we have faith?  Are we like the 9... we cry out for help.  We receive help.. but we go on with life as if nothing significant has happened?  Do we take Jesus for granted? Do we use Him like a wishing star.. and give no glory to God?  Faith goes beyond asking.  It goes beyond even receiving what we asked for.  Faith, the writer of Hebrews said, " .. is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." ( 11:1)  And, he goes on to say, " And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."  ( v6).  Jesus , the " author and perfecter of faith"  is our Example.. and we are commanded to "lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus..." ( Hebrews 12: 1-2)

Galations 2:8-9  " For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."

We are saved through faith.
We are called to walk by faith.
We live by faith.
We are made whole, preserved, and complete - in faith.

So Father in heaven, the Giver of faith.. we find ourselves asking, like the disciples, "Increase our faith".  And yes, we hear the Words of our Savior... "if you had faith like a mustard seed..."  Like the leper who turned back.. we give thanks to You !  We give You glory!  You, who began a good work in us.. will complete it too.  We will trust in You alone.  For we want to live by faith and please You.  Help us to do this constantly and consistently in this new year, we pray.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

Luke 17  Jesus gives us some truths to guide us into living faithfully..

v1-2  Stumbling blocks are traps, snares, or temptations to sin.  Jesus warns us to not be a stumbling block to others, for it would be better for us to be thrown into the sea.. than to cause others to sin.  Whether that is another believer, an unbeliever, or even our children... we must carefully consider the influences we have on them.   Do we cause them to have faith?  Or not?  Do we help them learn the Word of God, the Truth?  Or do we ignore our responsibility to share the gospel?   If we are not doing all we can to lead others to Jesus, then we must repent and diligently begin to live as Christ's servants.

v3-4 Jesus tells us to be "on your guard" - to help others by "rebuking" them if they do stumble - not in a judgmental way, but coming along side of them to lead them back to Jesus.  We are to be loving and compassionate, but we are also called to be truthful and righteous.  To ignore our friend or brother when we see him or her falling into the trap of satan.. is not loving them at all.  Forgive and forgive as often as necessary, as long as they repent.

v5-6  The disciples ask Jesus to give them more faith.  Jesus tells them that just a small grain of faith is necessary.. if you act with it.

v7-10  Jesus tells us that, as His disciples, we are responsible to be obedient to Him, our Master.  Even if we do everything that He asks.. perfectly,  we are " unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done."   Are we willing to live in this way?  To lay it all down for Him and not pat ourselves on the back for doing what we should be doing anyway?

Perhaps, in this New Year.. the Shepherd is giving me/us some "resolutions" here:
1. Resolve to NOT become a stumbling block to anyone else's faith . 
2. Resolve to look out for others, helping them turn from sinful life choices. 
3. Resolve to forgive - anyone, anytime, for any reason. 
4. Resolve to live by faith.. actively, daily, faithfully
5. Resolve to be humbly obedient to God's Word... a good and faithful servant

Father God, may You be exalted in my life, in my words and actions this year as I once again commit myself to You.  You are my Master and I am Your slave.  Fill me Holy Spirit that I might comprehend and obey the Word each and every day.  Help me to keep these resolutions and any other directions that You have for me this year. I ask this in the Name of Jesus, my Lord. Amen.