Luke 9:51-10:12 Jesus “resolutely set out for Jerusalem” despite knowing that path led to death. He was willing to do the Father’s will no matter what it cost or where it took him. Similarly, we are called to do God's mission in God's way. The disciples liked the idea of doing God's mission, but they had their own plans of how it should have been done. Notice verse 54 when James and John ask Jesus...

Luke 9:28-50 What does prayer look like in your life? Is it a central part of your life, something that is on the periphery, or something that is largely absent? Notice the role that prayer plays in Jesus’ ministry and that of the disciples. Jesus is consistently going off to pray and we see this in verse 28. In contrast, we have the disciples who are self-reliant. They have become so accustomed t...

Luke 9:7-27 How do you feel when your plans get interrupted? Do you get frustrated, angry, or upset? Jesus made plans to get away with his disciples in verse 10. They went to have some quiet time by themselves but end up being interrupted by a massive throng of people. The disciples responded by asking Jesus to send them away. They liked their alone time and were frustrated that it had been thwart...

Luke 8:40-9:6 Luke 8 introduces us to two people who faced circumstances that they could not change on their own. There is Jairus whose daughter was sick. He ran to Jesus so she might be healed. How excited he must have been when Jesus started to head toward his house, but then how deflated he must have been to hear that she was dead. The second impossible situation is that of the woman who had de...

Luke 8:22-39 Who does God use to do his will? Are there things in your past that are keeping you from boldly proclaiming Christ to others? As we see in Luke 8, God can use everyone as his ambassador. Through Jesus’ ministry he used a motley crew of fishermen, a tax collector, people with widely differing political philosophies, and a huge mix of people as his disciples. Today he similarly uses plu...

Luke 8:4-21 Do you ever wonder why Jesus repeats things so often? The Gospel writers do so as well. Luke 4 repeats the parable of the soils which we have already come across in both Matthew and Mark. This parable speaks to the critical nature of one’s response to Jesus. Some people will hear the word of God but it will be snatched away quickly. These people with short attention spans will hear but...

Luke 7:36-8:3 Do you ever feel like you are not good enough or wonder how God can love you because of what you have done? The end of Luke 7 introduces us to a “woman who had lived a sinful life.” A woman who was looked down upon by others and viewed only as a sinner by the Pharisees. Yet notice what she does, she comes right up to Jesus and is accepted by him. Though she is a sinner she understand...

Luke 7:11-35 What excuses do people have for their lack of faith in Jesus? What evidence do they claim they would need to believe? In Jesus’ day many people struggled with believing Jesus truly was the Messiah. Even John the Baptist, when he was in prison needed confirmation about Jesus despite having baptized him and acknowledging him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Part ...

Luke 6:39-7:10 What would you say are the biggest issues which are keeping people from coming to faith in Christ? Sadly, one of the biggest obstacles to accepting Christianity is… well, Christians. We would like to believe that the world is pulling people away, because it is too painful to think that we might be the blockade standing in the way of them coming to Christ. Fess up. When you read toda...

Luke 6:12-38 How close would you say that your perspective of things matches God’s? We see a few potential challenges to our perspective in Luke 6. When Jesus is about to make a big decision about his disciples, he goes off and spends time with the Father. There is nothing wrong with getting advice from others and doing research, but are you talking to God about the decisions you make? If our pers...

Luke 5:29-6:11 I talked with a man recently who called himself a religious person. He summarized his religious belief as doing unto others, as he would want done to him. As impressive as this ethic is, it falls short of the relationship with Christ to which we are called. When we look at the life of Jesus, we find him surprisingly in conflict with good, religious people who got so caught up in rul...

Luke 5:12-28 What are your biggest needs? If you could snap your fingers and instantly have a problem fixed, what would be your request? Throughout Jesus’ ministry people came to him with their problems. We see a man in Luke 5 who comes to Jesus with leprosy and is instantly cleansed. We then see a second individual carried on a mat by a group of friends. This paralytic was brought to Jesus so tha...

Luke 4:31-5:11 Often toddlers refuse assistance despite their inability to perform simple tasks. Then as those toddlers turn into teenagers, they assume their parents have nothing to teach them. Sadly, as we move into adulthood, we continue to think that we know everything, when we do not. This is revealed by the fact that one of the reasons Jesus came to Earth was to teach us. Every one of us. Of...

Luke 4:1-30 Temptations come at us from multiple directions. It can come internally, from our own broken hearts; and it can come from external sources, like friends, family members, and even the devil. The Bible begins with the temptation of Adam and Eve and their willingness to concede. In contrast, Jesus’ ministry begins with Jesus overcoming the wiles of the devil. The root of our willingness t...

Luke 3:23-38 Some people view Jesus like they would Santa Claus or the Abominable Snowman. He is a wonderful work of fiction, but nothing more. Luke is very careful to illustrate this is not the case. He roots the life of Jesus in history. We have seen this already in his placement in the Roman Empire, under the rule of Herod, and in a part of the world that you can still visit today. Jesus is not...

Luke 3:1-22 If you are driving on a family vacation to a major city, you are most likely watching the signs that tell you how many miles are left until your destination. John the Baptist’s role in salvation history is like the destination signs on the side of the road. He pointed beyond himself to the coming of Jesus. The way he did this was calling for repentance. To repent is to acknowledge the ...

Luke 2:36-52 What do you treasure in your heart? What are the memories, quotes, or events you cherish? Multiple times at the beginning of Luke, we are told Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” These events are signposts to the significance of Jesus. Mary treasuring something in her heart was first used when the shepherds came to visit at Jesus’ birth. This phrase speaks to the fact that...

Luke 2:1-35 Every parent has hopes and dreams for their child. They wonder who they will grow up to be, who they might marry, where they will go to college, and where they might live. Unlike most parents Mary and Joseph immediately knew Jesus’ purpose. When angels broke into the seen realm, they proclaimed Jesus’ identity to a group of surprised shepherds. They shared he would bring joy and peace ...

Luke 1:57-80 If you are asked about your children or grandchildren, what are the facts you share about them? Do you tell about their academic exploits, how big they are, or how beautiful their eye color is? No matter how special your kids might be, you assuredly do not share the reasons which Zechariah gave. When Zechariah’s mouth is finally opened and he has a chance to speak of his special child...

Luke 1:26-56 How would you respond to an angel’s appearance proclaiming that a child would be born to you despite being a virgin? Mary is often neglected in Protestantism and overly elevated by other traditions. What she is, is a powerful example of a faithful, humble servant of God. She does not understand how the message of the angel is possible, but she is willing to go ahead with what God has ...