Luke 23:44-24:12

What did Jesus’ death accomplish? If you were trying to tell someone why Jesus had to die, what would you say? One of the things which Jesus’ death accomplished was that the curtain of the temple was torn in two, a fact mentioned by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. There is no material explanation for this, it did not suddenly happen to rip apart. This was supernatural. In the Old Testament only one man on one day a year could enter behind the curtain. This high priest was the only person with access to the presence of God, and even he could only experience this once every 365 days. Through Jesus’ death a radical revolution occurs.

The curtain was torn, symbolizing that now all people could access the presence of God through the work of Jesus. You no longer had to have a specific gender (male), or specific lineage (Levite), or have it be a particular day on the calendar (Day of Atonement); instead, everyone can enter by grace through faith. This invitation to enter the presence of God is available to each of us. As Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace.” So let us take advantage of what Christ has done and faithfully, regularly, and joyfully enter into the presence of God.

Father God, thank you that because of the work of Jesus I can enter your presence right now. Help me to never take this privilege for granted but always run to you. Amen. 

How can you better recognize and utilize God’s invitation to draw near to him?

Luke 23:13-43

What would living a perfect life look like? In Jesus, we see exactly what this means. He did not just teach us how to live; he exemplified it in all he did. Jesus taught his disciples how to pray by telling them to, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." This lesson was then perfectly embodied by Jesus while he was suffering on the cross. Mere hours from his death Jesus responded by forgiving his murderers. Part of a perfect, mature life is the ability to forgive. Even forgiving those who are causing difficulty, suffering, pain, and yes, even death.

This radical forgiveness was followed by Stephen in Acts, by countless other martyrs throughout church history, by the family of In-Ho Oh, and by Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. They all understood that failure to forgive is not only disobedience to God but walls us off from the heart of God. Jesus not only forgave his killers; but he also extended forgiveness to the criminal at his side. We do not know the extent of his crimes, but Jesus washes them all away. Jesus is not only the model for our forgiveness. He also is the grounds for forgiveness as well. As we have experienced the forgiveness of God, we are to extend that to others. We need to choose to forgive. It might be hard and painful, but forgiveness is truly the path of life. As we extend it, we are also able to experience it in a new and fresh way. So let us be beacons of forgiveness in our relationships today.

Father God, thank you for the forgiveness I have received from you. Help me to extend this to others. Amen. 

What keeps you from quickly extending forgiveness?

Luke 22:54-23:12

Jesus continually called his disciples to the difficult life of following him. Jesus called them to take up their cross, lose their life, be a servant, and live surrendered. How committed are you to obedience and devotion, even if it leads to suffering and difficulty? Luke 22-23 gives us both a negative and positive example of what this looks like. In Peter, we see what it looks like to pursue self-preservation rather than identification with Christ. Peter denies having been with Jesus or even knowing him, and not just once, but three times. After all that Jesus has done for Peter, he is willing to throw Jesus aside in an instant. He was willing to do and say anything to avoid arrest and possible death. When it came down to it, he was completely unwilling to take up a cross.

In contrast, we have Jesus who resolutely headed to the cross knowing he would die. He stood for truth, embraced silence and humility, and confessed his identity as the Son of God; despite this being the grounds for his death. Jesus resolutely lived as the humble sacrificial servant in whose footsteps we are to walk. We may be tempted to fit in, swim with the current of our culture, or even deny our Savior─God calls us to embrace Christ as the center of our lives and make his glory what we live for.

Father God, help me not be a timid follower of you, but boldly make you known. May I identify with you, no matter where that leads, and have opportunities to publicly acknowledge Christ as my Lord and Savior. Amen. 

Where are you tempted to shrink back as a follower of Jesus rather than publicly acknowledge him?

Luke 22:35-53

Where do you draw encouragement and perseverance from? When life gets hard, where do you turn for comfort and wisdom? For Jesus it was to turn to the Father, which instructs us where we should turn as well. Jesus is a day from the cross and hours away from his betrayal and arrest, and we find him praying. The only portion of his prayer which is recorded ends with, “Yet not my will, but yours be done.” This is how Jesus began his teaching on how to pray and how he ends his own prayer here. He knew the pain, abandonment, sorrow, and death which awaited him, but he continued to pray submitting to the will of the Father. He was not motivated by his own comfort, but instead for the glory of God. What a model and example for us when we are facing our own garden moments.

We do not always turn to the right place in times of trouble but thankfully Jesus’ faithfulness never ends. Even to the very end, he was willing to endure anything in order to do what the Father asked of him Thankfully he did, because it is his work that provides the means for our salvation. When we are faithless, he is faithful. When we sin, his perfect righteousness and obedience covers us. His obedience functions both as the means of our justification and the encouragement to continue to pursue sanctification until the day that we are glorified.

Father God, thank you for the perfect obedience of Jesus─for his faithfulness to the end. Amen. 

How does Jesus’ garden prayer encourage and challenge you?

Luke 22:14-34

What are some of your most powerful memories? What are the things you remember from your childhood, from your first job, and from last year? Remembering is a powerful tool to remind us of truth and of things that are important. Jesus tells the disciples, "Do this in remembrance of me." as a way to remember his sacrifice and body. Jesus' call to partake of communion is to involve our minds. As we eat of the bread and drink of the cup, we use our bodies; but we are also to use our minds in remembering what Christ has done for us. We are to take ourselves back to the cross and recall the sacrifice of Christ for us.

As certain food may remind us of family celebrations or various events, so every time we take communion, we should remember what Jesus has done for us. We remember with sorrow the sacrifice of Christ, and we remember with joy the fact that Christ will come back and make everything right. So let us never flippantly take communion, but always do so as an act of remembrance. Memory is a powerful gift from God and communion is an opportunity to remember Jesus. In the midst of our busy lives, it takes us back to what is most central to our lives and to our faith. It takes us to Jesus and his body that was broken and his blood that was shed for us. So, let us be people who remember well what Christ has done.

Father God, thank you for the sacrifice of your Son. Help me to always remember what Christ has done for me. Amen. 

How would a better remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice impact your life?

Luke 21:29-22:13

Be careful! This is something I tell my kids when they approach a hot stove or a busy street. This is also something we see on yellow tape draped around construction sites or other potentially dangerous locations. In these places, people need to be careful. Similarly, Jesus tells us that when we approach life, we need to be careful. It is as if he drapes yellow caution tape across all the decisions we make.

Jesus warns us that if we are not careful, we will fall into disaster. We may soon find ourselves caught up in the ways of the world; namely, sex, alcohol, and anxiety. We can find ourselves in danger without even knowing it. Instead, we are to be attentive to things which truly matter and live in light of eternity. If we are not careful, we can easily be consumed by the momentary, fleeting pleasures of this world, rather than being consumed by things of God. So, we are to keep Christ at the center of our lives and live with eyes awaiting his return. We must live with caution and experience freedom, or we will live in a way that only brings bondage. Therefore, let us be careful and make sure we are living in a way that is ready for Christ's return.

Father God, help me to live for what truly matters. Help me to live carefully, making sure that I live for the truly significant, meaningful, and eternal. Amen. 

How can you be more careful to live for what truly matters in light of eternity?

Luke 21:1-28

How do you feel about the future? Are you able to approach it with confidence and courage, or are you overwhelmed by fear and anxiety? The disciples ask Jesus a question about the future; in his answer, he not only responds to them but also teaches us how to respond to the future that awaits us. Jesus tells his disciples the temple would be destroyed, which happened in 70 AD, but clearly speaks of events that are still pending. The primary instruction for his disciples regards their mentality as they face this upheaval. They are to not be frightened. Events will be out of their control, but they do not have to be afraid. No matter how crazy the world gets, God is with them. Also, they are to not worry. They will be put in difficult positions beyond their ability to respond, but God will be with them. Further, he “will give (them) words and wisdom.” Finally, they are called to stand firm. When the whole world seemed to be falling apart, they were to be a calm, stable presence. They were standing upon the rock that is Jesus; therefore, they should not be moved.

All of these commands are for us as well. When we face the future, we must do so without fear and worry, but instead stand firm. We have no idea what today may bring, but we know who will be there with us. He will empower us to be his witnesses in a world that seems out of control.

Father God, help me to respond to life’s situations without fear and worry, but instead trust you. Amen. 

Where has fear and worry crept into your heart regarding the future? How can you learn to walk in confident faith rather than fear?

Luke 20:27-47

Where do you look for answers when you have a question? Where do you turn for wisdom and insight for life? My son was on his school’s scholar bowl team and when they were asked a question they looked to textbooks, mathematical formulas, atlases, and history to provide an answer. As we continually see from the example of Jesus, the place we are to go to for answers is Scripture. When Jesus is asked about the possibility of marriage in heaven, he looks back to principles taught by Moses to provide an answer. Previously, when he was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, he looked to things taught in Deuteronomy. The foundation for our thoughts and actions must come out of Scripture.

We should not go about doing whatever we want, but instead should submit to the will and ways of our Father. As we daily read the Bible, we must constantly consider what difference the text should make in our lives. It is not enough to just let our eyes pass over the page or even to simply come to an intellectual understanding of the passage. Instead, we need to consider the application it has to our lives. Good questions to ask are things like: What difference should this passage make in my life? What is this passage asking me to either start or stop? What lie do I believe and submit to that this passage is challenging me to rethink? May the Bible transform us as God’s Spirit helps to make it come alive in our lives.

Father God, help your truth to lead my life. Help me to walk in your will, your ways, and your truth. Amen. 

What difference should Luke 20:27-47 make in your life?

Luke 20:1-26

Who has authority over your life and decisions? Is it you or God? This issue of authority becomes the central question that Luke 20 addresses. The Jewish leaders were questioning Jesus’ authority because his credentials were not part of the religious establishment. Rather than answering their question he responded with a question. “John’s baptism? Was it from heaven, or from men?” The Jewish leaders were stuck. If they said it was merely human authority then they would be rejecting John’s ministry, but if they said from heaven then their failure to heed John’s words would be apparent. So, they refused to answer the question and Jesus refused to answer them. They were unwilling to acknowledge God was the authority behind John.

Jesus did not directly answer the Pharisees’ question, but ultimately, he answered it through a parable. The owner of the vineyard, who represented God, sent his Son who would be rejected. The parable is clearly teaching one thing: that Jesus came from the Father and thus has divine authority behind all he did and taught. To reject him was to reject God. To reject him was to reject the capstone/cornerstone that holds everything together. So let us not be like the religious leaders; instead, acknowledge Jesus’ authority over every aspect of our lives and build our whole life upon him.

Father God, help me to submit to the authority of your Son over every area of my life. Amen.

How can you more clearly acknowledge Christ’s authority over your life today?

Luke 19:28-48

What is a king supposed to do and how does he accomplish this? Is he supposed to come with a massive army and subdue his enemies at the sword? Is he supposed to use diplomacy and bartering to achieve his ends? In Jesus, we see a king who is very different from all the others. Jesus announces himself as king to Israel through his triumphal entry. The crowds responded with shouts of, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” They clearly saw who Jesus was, but also missed how he would accomplish his kingly tasks. He came to bring peace, a peace only available through him, but would do so through his death. Peace would not come at the end of his sword; instead, his willingness to die at the sword/authority of the Romans. Perfect peace would come through his sacrifice and not through his military victories. What an amazing king that he would die for us, so we could have peace.

Do you need peace? Are you trying to eradicate the fear, anxiety, and worry that plagues your mind and heart? The only one we should turn to is Jesus our king. He offers us peace if we will only turn to him. So let us run to our king, submit to our king, and experience the life his death has made available to us.

Father God, thank you that Christ is my king. Help me to surrender all of my life before him. Amen. 

Where are you lacking peace? How can you turn to Christ our king to experience peace?

Luke 19:1-27

How has Jesus transformed your life? In what ways are you different now because you have encountered Jesus? Both now and during Jesus’ earthly ministry, when people came to know Jesus, they were transformed. Zacchaeus is a powerful example of one transformed life. He was a wealthy man who by worldly standards would have seemed like he had everything. Yet his pursuit of Jesus shows he knew he was missing something. Once he interacted with Jesus, he proclaimed his willingness to give away half of his net worth; and, anything he gained through cheating, he would pay back four times the amount. We do not know the exact words Jesus shared at their meal, but we can see a transformed life. His encounter with Jesus changed everything. What he had previously cherished; he was now willing to give away.

The same should be true of us. If Jesus is Lord of our lives, then not a single area should be unchanged. The parable Jesus tells after this dinner illustrates this very point. Everything we have (intelligence, material possessions, time, etc.) is ultimately a gift from God, so we are merely stewards. Therefore, we should use everything well and for God's glory, so that we might hear, "Well done, my good servant!" Nothing is ultimately ours, so let us learn to be generous stewards of all we have.

Father God, thank you for all your blessings to me. Help me to use all I have for your glory and the good of others. Amen. 

How has Jesus transformed your life and what areas is he currently working on?

Luke 18:18-43

“A certain ruler” came up to Jesus to ask him what he could do to get eternal life. Not a bad question! This ruler seemed to be concerned with the big questions of life, but we quickly see he was more concerned with something else. His money kept him from something greater. His heart, like ours, only had so much room in it, and his cash crowded out the space for Jesus. He asked the right question, but he was unwilling to do what was necessary to have eternal life. He felt his money provided greater security than Jesus could. How sad.

The second question is asked by “a blind man.” He asks Jesus for his sight. We can understand why he would request this, but we might think the ruler’s question was more significant since it dealt with eternal things. Yet, after Jesus gives sight to the blind man, he praised God and followed Jesus. His question led him to Jesus, which is the greatest need of everyone. So, when we are requesting things of Jesus are we cognizant of our greatest needs? Are we aware that what we ultimately need is a closer walk with God? Thankfully, we can ask anything of God because he loves us, but may our focus be on Jesus more than the stuff he gives.

Father God, help me to prioritize you above everything else. May I seek you, run to you, and walk with you as you have called me to do. Help me to make you my first and ultimate love. Amen. 

Is there anything that is crowding out the space God should have in your life? If so, what step can you take today to make God a higher priority?

Luke 18:1-17

When I do pre-marital counseling, I tell couples that communication is key. How well they communicate will largely determine the quality of their relationship. This is not only true for marriages but also for our relationship with God; which is why Jesus seems to be constantly teaching about prayer. Luke 18:1-17 gives us three things Jesus wants us to understand about prayer. First, we need to be people who are always praying and not giving up. Our lives should become an unending conversation with God. We are to talk while at work, talk while driving, and talk while heading to bed. Since persistence in communication pays off on Earth with people who do not even care about us, how much more a God who loves us. So let us keep on praying.

Prayer should be marked by authenticity. We should not try to put on a show when we are talking to God, but we need to bring our true self before him. Notice the tax collector who with few words acknowledges his need for grace and mercy walks away justified; while the arrogant Pharisee with a well-prepared speech does not. As we pray let us be honest with our sin, worries, anxiety, and fear. God wants to be with us. This is probably the most staggering claim of the Bible. That the God of the universe wants to hear from us. So let us pray with perseverance, with honesty, and with the goal to be with God.

Father God, help me to regularly cry out to you. You are the one I need, so help nothing to keep me from you. Amen. 

How can you pray in a way that makes the focus being with God?

Luke 17:11-37

Are you aware of all the ways you experience God’s grace? Are you aware every single person is currently receiving God’s grace? The theological idea of God’s universal grace is called common grace. Whether people acknowledge God’s existence or his work in their lives, he is still at work in their lives. Part of the proper response to God’s work is to be thankful. The ten lepers model our constant failure to respond appropriately to God’s work in our lives. Ten lepers were healed, but only one returned to say thank you. This shows that where we truly need God’s grace and work is in our hearts, not just our health/externals. We need to be born again, not simply have our lives extended by physical healing.

Jesus continues this theme of God’s grace and judgment in his conversation with the Pharisees. Jesus pointed to past judgments in history like the flood and Sodom and Gomorrah to show that those who respond in faith will be saved, while those who do not will be destroyed. In different imagery than his parallel message in Matthew, he says at God’s kingdom those left will be devoured by vultures, while those taken will live with him forever. Therefore, we need to make sure we have responded to God’s grace for our salvation and are proclaiming that message to others so they might have life.

Father God, help me to have a grateful, thankful heart for all the ways you have worked, are working, and will work in my life. Amen.

Where are you taking God’s grace, power, and work for granted in your life; instead of intentionally responding with thanks?

Luke 16:19-17:10

How big of a deal is your sin? Do you think your sinful struggles are mere inconveniences, or are they terrible acts against the God of the universe? Often, we fail to understand the gravity of sin, and also the greater power of grace. Tim Keller summarized this by saying, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” We encounter the severity of sin through the plight of the “rich man.” Then Jesus speaks against those who cause people to sin by saying it would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around their neck. Ouch! God takes sin very seriously, but do you?

Thankfully, the immensity of sin is not the end of the story. Those who have received God’s grace and forgiveness are called to extend the same to others. Forgiveness is not to say that sin is okay, but actually the opposite. To forgive something is to declare it to be wrong and unacceptable, but that you will not hold that act against the person forever. The response of the disciples to this call for forgiveness is to ask that Jesus might “increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). When we have experienced God’s healing power over our sins, we should be quick to show this same love, grace, and mercy to others. Sin is great, but grace is greater.

Father God, thank you for your grace. Help me to rest in your forgiveness and give it to others. Amen. 

How can we live in a way that shows grace is more powerful than sin?

Luke 16:1-18

What do you view as the purpose of money? If you were to jot down a list of things, you might include paying for basic necessities or saving for the future. But would you include making friends? Jesus says, "Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves" (v.9a). God proclaims the purpose of money as being very different than what we might think. Jesus’ statement in Luke 16:9 is not meant to be an exhaustive statement about money, but it is certainly one of its purposes. So, are you doing this very thing? Are you inviting people into your homes, showing generosity, and responding to the needs of people around you? One of the clearest indicators that money is not an idol is when we are willing to give it away. Rather than becoming hoarders, we are to be givers. Givers to friends, givers to strangers, givers to the church, givers to missionaries, and givers to the work of God around the world.

Our perception of money reveals whether it is our master or whether God alone is. We need to be honest with our attitude toward money because “you cannot serve both God and money.” If you view money as your ultimate source of security, then Jesus has some scathing words for you. If it has become your god, what a terrible one it will be. So, let us release the hold that money has on our hearts and learn to view it like God does.

Father God, help me to have a generous heart. May your Spirit lead me to use wealth to glorify you. Amen. 

Do you view money like God does? How can you better align your perception to his?

Luke 15:1-32

When you picture God, what comes to mind? For many, God is like is a stern, old man in the sky. Luke 15 tells us he is nothing like a grumpy old man; instead, he is a God of rejoicing. Does this match how you envision him? Jesus often told a story when he wanted to teach theology. This time Jesus tells three stories to make one point—God is loving toward all and rejoices in those who come near to him. Like a shepherd who finds a lost sheep, God delights in the repentance of sinners and those who are dead becoming alive. Like a woman who finds a lost coin, God is ecstatic when lost people are found. Finally, he is like a father who is willing to foolishly run to his incoming prodigal son. God is not just content with those who are in his family now, but longs for those apart from him to know his embrace.

As we consider these stories, not only are we to see God for who he is, but we are also to participate in his joy. We are not to be like the older brother who views life as enslavement and drudgery. Instead, we are to delight in God and the opportunity we have to draw near to him. Let us be people of joy, who rejoice in God, rejoice in sinners coming to faith, and rejoice in all the good gifts which God has given to us.

Father God, thank you that you are a God who rejoices in me. Help me to be filled with joy and delight in the things in which you delight. Amen. 

How are you cultivating a heart that reflects God's love for the lost?

Luke 14:7-35

One of Jesus' most common settings for his parables is a feast. He loved to talk about parties. Does this fit with your view of Jesus? When you picture Jesus, do you see him as a stoic shepherd like so many paintings depict him or as someone with whom people enjoyed being in his presence? Though he was obviously a fun-loving guy, he used stories of parties to teach lessons. He wanted us to consider whether we like all of the attention to be on us; or whether we allow others to have the spotlight. Do we live desiring to be exalted; or do we live in a way that allows others to get the praise? Do we want the attention to be on our master or on us?

Jesus also used the image of a feast to make us think through the priority that he has in our lives. When Jesus throws a party, do we accept the invitation or do other things get in the way. Jesus invites all people into relationship with him, but only some accept. Notice the excuses people give in his parable: I cannot come because of work, or I cannot come because of family. None of these are sufficient reasons for saying "no" to Jesus. Instead, we need to live in a way where we are seeking Christ at the center of our lives and exalting others above ourselves. We should be willing to give up everything to gain Christ, because he is worth more than anything else. Count the cost and pursue Christ.

Father God, help me to live for your glory. Help me to take the spotlight off myself and put it on you and others. Amen. 

Where in your life are you making excuses for not fully saying "yes" to God?

Luke 13:22-14:6

My wife and I tell each other, “Remember the oxygen masks.” This comment is a reference to the pre-departure announcement flight attendants give. For those of us who zone out during the announcement it goes something like this: remember to affix your own oxygen mask before assisting others. It makes sense. If you lose consciousness, it’s going to make it very challenging to help someone next to you. If you do not take care of yourself, you will be in no position to help someone else.

Jesus makes a similar statement when someone asks the question; “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” (v.23). Jesus responds, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door" (v.24). In other words, do not focus first on others, but instead make sure your own relationship with Christ is not only buttoned up but maturing every day. It is a super important command to make Christ known and share the Gospel with others, but you cannot take care of others well if you are not well yourself. You cannot ultimately be sure about anyone else’s faith, but you can be sure of yours. When you are following Jesus and living by faith, helping others will be sure to follow. So, have you entered through the narrow gate? If you have, then make sure that you are proclaiming the way to eternal life to others, because without Christ we are headed to a place where “there will be weeping…and gnashing of teeth.”

Lord, give me wisdom today in all of my conversations. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Amen. 

What is one practical thing you can do today to strengthen your faith in Christ?

Luke 13:1-21

What causes difficulty and suffering in your life? Is it your personal sin? Is it the sin of others? Is it the brokenness of the world? It is often difficult to pinpoint one specific cause, but what is certainly true—and experienced by all of us— is we live in a broken world. Luke directs our attention to some Galileans who were murdered, a tower that fell and killed eighteen people, a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years, and a synagogue ruler who was spiritually dead. What caused these things? We can point to the individual sin of Pilate for the murders of the Galileans, the tower fell because we live in a fallen world, the woman we are told was crippled because of Satan, and the synagogue leader was hardened, at least in part, because of his own decisions.

We have all heard of preachers who directly connect natural disasters to the sins of a country, but how do they know that? You may experience a health issue and wonder if this is due to your sin. It could be, but maybe not. Rather than God giving us the answer to the question “why,” what he asks of us is to trust him and run to him during pain and tragedy. We may experience hardship because of our sin, the sins of others, the attacks of Satan, the discipline of God, the fallenness of the world, or some other cause. Through it all we need to turn to God, the one who can work amid everything we face.

Father God, help me to trust you when life is hard and always seek you. Amen. 

How can you trust God when you do not know why something difficult is happening?

Luke 12:35-59

Ready, set, go! All races begin with this instruction. This saying is especially true in sprints because how quickly someone gets out of the starting blocks can mean the difference between victory and defeat. As in a race, so we are to be ready for Christ’s return. We need to have eyes open and ears listening. Jesus tells multiple parables in Luke 12 about his return. The main takeaway from all of them is that we need to be ready for when he comes back. If Jesus came back today, would you be ready? We reveal our readiness through our attention to Christ’s return, to our stewardship of what he has given to us, and the way we treat other people. So, if our master comes back today how well are you doing?

Do you have eyes and ears open for the reality of Jesus’ return? Do you recognize everything you have is God’s and use it in a way that honors him? Do you understand the future judgment that Christ will bring; therefore, do you love others in a way that will be rewarded? Christ’s future return should have present implications in all our lives. So, let us live in a way that will allow us to hear “well done good and faithful servant” at Christ’s return (Mt. 25:23).

Father God, help me to live aware of Christ’s coming. Thank you that when he comes back, he will make everything right. Help me to live in a way that reflects that reality today. Amen. 

How can you better live in light of Jesus’ return?

Luke 12:8-34

One of the most common themes Jesus teaches is on money. Luke 12 challenges us to open up our wallet, savings account, and investment portfolio for God to see, a very practical thing indeed. Jesus’ overarching teaching in Luke 12 is we must not be consumed by greed, but value things of God over things of the world. He first warns the rich they must not be the kind of person “who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” The person who dies with the most toys/money still dies and, if they are not rich towards God, they have an eternity of judgment awaiting them. How easily we can focus on having a bigger house, newer car, or a larger paycheck, when none of these things will ultimately satisfy.

Jesus then speaks to the poor and warns them to “not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” If we are just trying to make ends meet, we can easily become consumed by worry, anxiety, and fear, instead of trusting God. Jesus explicitly tells us to “not be afraid…for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” God has already given us the most important things of life (salvation, eternal life, a relationship with him, etc.) so we should be able to trust him with the lesser things. Greed can creep into the heart of everyone, we must embrace the understanding that God is the one who provides and satisfies. The things of this world will leave us empty, but God will leave us eternally secure.

Father God, help me to understand you are what I need more than anything else. Amen. 

Where do you see greed at work in your life?

Luke 11:37-12:7

Do you find yourself more focused on having a transformed heart or simply external conformity? It is far easier to blend in to the behavior of God’s people than to gain a heart that reflects the love and grace of God. Jesus speaks to the greater value of our hearts than simply our behavior in Luke 11. Jesus addresses the most religious people of his day, the Pharisees. They were the seeming model and example of what it looked like to love God on the outside, but Jesus points out looks can be deceiving. The Pharisees were so focused on externals and similarly, were fixated on the externals of Jesus' life. They elevated their traditions to Scripture and, in doing, so missed the heart of God. In not living focused on God, they elevated pleasing others above pleasing God.

We can often do the same thing. We can easily conform to the ways of those around us, rather than seeking God and following wherever he lives, even if it seems distinct and strange to those around us. If we want to embrace the mindset of Jesus, we need to seek God as the primary leader of our lives. Then, we need to follow him wherever he leads. Finally, we need to make sure that our perceived love of God never pits us against loving people. Authentic love of God will always reveal itself in a deep love of others.

Father God, help me to gain your heart. Help me to move beyond simple outward conformity and be transformed by you. Amen.

Where in your life do you see a comfort with external conformity to religion, rather than seeking a truly transformed heart?

Luke 11:14-36

We live in a spiritually saturated world. God is at work and so is Satan. Angels are ministering to people, and demons are seeking to wreak havoc. Are you aware of this reality? In verse thirty-four Jesus says, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light.” He says we need to see things accurately to live in right response to what he is doing. For Jesus’ original audience it meant seeing his miracles were from God. He was bringing the kingdom of God and was not involved in the work of the devil, which his opponents claimed.

In the same way, we also need to view what God is doing accurately so we can respond correctly. We can so easily fixate on material things that we lose sight of the spiritual world. We can get caught in the hamster wheel of feeding kids, getting them ready for school, going to work, cleaning our house, trying to exercise, and our unending to-do list that we forget what really matters. All of those activities can be done with an eternal perspective or simply for the moment. It all depends on how we see them. So let us put on Jesus’ glasses so we see the spiritual realm around us, are aware of how God is working, and seek to be the blessed who “hear the word of God and obey it.”

Father God, help me to see what work you are doing and partner with you. Help me to stand against things that are against you but participate in things that are of you. Amen. 

How can you better view life from God’s eternal perspective? What keeps you from acknowledging the spiritual realm?

Luke 10:38-11:13

Do you have a spiritual mentor? Someone who models and teaches you how to follow God? This is one of the key roles Jesus played for his disciples. They watched his perfect life and often asked questions about what he was doing. One of Jesus’ common practices was to go off and pray, sometimes by himself, and other times with his disciples. After one of these moments, a disciple asked Jesus how they should pray. Jesus gives a model prayer but also gives a few prayer principles. The first is that we should pray with persistence and shameless audacity. We should recognize it is never a wrong time to pray. Second, we should pray with a level of expectation that God will respond. He may not answer in the way we desire, but we can trust that he will always respond in the way which is best for us. Third, we should pray resting in the goodness of God. The character of God is what should compel us to pray.

Consider for a moment your own prayer life, something we have often discussed as we have made our way through the Gospels. Do you have a regular practice of going to God like Jesus? Do your prayers reflect the Lord's Prayer? Do you persistently pray and expect God to respond? Finally, do you pray trusting in God’s goodness, rather than thinking you must twist his arm? God has given us the gift and blessing of being able to come to him in prayer. Let us never take that for granted.

Father God, thank you that I can come to you because of the work of Jesus, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Help me to continually come to you in prayer. Amen. 

How can your prayers better mirror the teaching of Jesus?