An Intimate Encounter

Bible Readings... Luke 24
Highlighted Verses... Luke 24:33a - And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. Luke 24:45 - Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
Thoughts... Two men were on the road to Emmaus, they walked and talked with Jesus, but didn't know it was him. As they were stopping for the night, they invited him to spend the night. After he broke the bread, they recognized him and he disappeared, then they changed their mind "and within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem." Later when they returned to Jerusalem and were with the other disciples, Jesus appeared to them and "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures".
How it impressed me...  When you have an intimate encounter with the risen Lord... it will change your day... change your night... change your mind... change your life. How sad it must have been for those who didn't encounter him or recognize him when he was here. How sad it is for those who miss him still today.
My response to God...Dear Jesus, help me to experience you afresh each day, that my life will be changed by the encounter. Open my mind to understand your scriptures and help me to never miss and opportunity to walk or talk or dine with you.

Understatement

Bible Readings... Luke 23
Highlighted Verse... Luke 23:56b - on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law of Moses commands.
Thoughts... Chapter 23 of Luke encompasses the entire Passion of Jesus from his appearance before Pilate and Herod, to the the crowd's condemnation and Pilate's death sentence, to the final crucifixion, death and burial. The chapter closes out with the words "on the Sabbath they rested, as the Law of Moses commands." While the words are specifically referring to women who were accompanying Jesus, it is safe to assume that the religious leaders and crowd did likewise. In these plain-spoken words hide the depths of hypocrisy.
How it impressed me... After killing God's son, the people were careful to make certain that they followed God's command about the Sabbath. If only this type of hypocrisy had ended with this episode, but sadly it is still around today. How often have my actions amounted to the same?  

My response to God... Merciful Father, forgive me when I sin, help me to worship you in spirit and truth... to give you the honor and glory due you... to obey and love you and your commands.

Jesus Knows

Bible Readings... Luke 22
Highlighted Verse... Luke 22:31-32 Jesus said, "Simon, listen to me! Satan has demanded the right to test each one of you, as a farmer does when he separates wheat from the husks. But Simon, I have prayed that your faith will be strong. And when you have come back to me, help the others."
Thoughts... These two verses set up Peter's boast that he is ready to go to jail with Jesus or even die for him, wherein Jesus responds that before the rooster crows Peter will have denied him three times. Jesus' original statement to Peter is reminiscent of the beginning of the Book of Job... namely that Satan has asked for and been given permission to test Peter. Jesus knows about Peter's bravado, Jesus knows Peter's weaknessesl, but Jesus also knows that Peter is capable of leading the group if he can make it back. After the resurrection, Jesus returns to give Peter a chance to redeem himself -- the same three times that Peter denied Jesus. The next thing you know, Peter is leading the disciples and taking the pulpit at Pentecost. Halleluia.
How it impressed me... Jesus knows my strengths and weaknesses too. He will walk with me and hold my hand each step of the way... if I will let him. He knows where I will fail, yet encourages me and prays for me... that I will grow in my love for him and trust in him. Halleluia.
My response to God... Jehova-Rohi, lead me beside the still waters, restore my soul, guide me in the paths of righteousness, that I may dwell in your house forever. Strengthen me when I am weak, encourage me when I doubt, and never, ever let me go. 

A Stumbling Stone

Bible Readings... Luke 20
Highlighted Verse... Luke 20:18 - Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.
Thoughts... Jesus has just finished telling the parable about the evil farmers and finishes by telling the people that when the owner returns he will kill the tenant farmers and bring in new ones. The stone Jesus refers to is himself. He is warning the Pharisees, Saducees, and other religious leaders and teachers of the Law that if they stumbled over who he was and what he represented, then they would be broken and crushed.
How it impressed me... I am constantly amazed at how poorly I have paid attention to all the words in the scriptures. I am very familiar with the parables and main themes in Luke 20 and even the individual verses, but I have no recollection of this verse at all. How many of the words have I failed to see? More importantly, how much of the THE WORD have I failed to notice? When one doesn't notice things in their path, they stumble and fall... to be broken and crushed.
My response to God... Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path... Dear Lord, Help me to hear your silent whispers, understand your words of truth, and acknowledge your sovereignty over everything.

The Paradox of the Parables

Bible Readings... Luke 19
Highlighted Verse... Luke 19:26 - I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
Thoughts... Perhaps nothing confuses more than Jesus' treatment of money and the people who have it. In verse 26 we see apparent preferential treatment given to the rich, which is somewhat echoed earlier in the chapter in Zaccheus' story. But in chapter 18 we see how Jesus addressed the rich young ruler who had kept all of the commandments by telling the apostles that it is hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God; and chapter 16 has the parables of the rich man and Lazarus and the shrewd accountant who stole from his master yet was priased. So is it better to be poor or rich in God's eyes?
How it impressed me... Jesus never lets us rest in our own position, whatever it is. Whether we be poor or rich, intelligent or slow, black or white, slave or free... He takes no excuses, but simply calls us to follow Him -- Him alone. If we will follow him, then nothing else matters and if we will not follow him, then nothing else can help us.
My response to God... Father God, help me to choose to follow you above all else. Help me to set aside anything and everything that comes between us, but please be patient with my failures and forgive me my trespasses. Call out to me if I stray, that I would return immediately. Help me to rely on you and your strength to see me through.

The Kingdom of God

Bible Readings... Luke 17-18
Highlighted Verse... Luke 18:17 - I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
Thoughts... Since the focus of verses 15 and 16 is on the children it is easy get caught up in ensuring that we bring the children to the Lord and that we take care not to hinder the children from seeking after God. While a worthy and necessary task, it misses another perspective that Jesus is trying to help us to see.
How it impressed me... When taken with a verse from chapter 17... The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation ... because the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:20), we can see that new perspective. Jesus offers us the very Kingdom of God, and he wants to place it within us, if we will only receive it. Little children have a purity, innocence, and faith uncorrupted by the world around us and unconcerned with physics and scientific proof. We were visiting with some friends from church and their 4-year-old daughter took me by the hand to show me her princess kingdom. I'm certain that if offered the entire Kingdom of God, she would joyfully receive it, and ask for more. Jesus tells us we must do likewise if we wish to enter in. He is offering us much more than we can ever imagine if we will have it.
My response to God... Precious Jesus, still my heart, clear my mind, and steady my soul, so that I do not let the cares and worries of this world distract me from the vision that you have for me. Prepare me to receive your Kingdom that I may enter in.

Where's the Faith

Bible Readings... Luke 17-18
Highlighted Verse... Luke 18:8b - When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
Thoughts... Just one chapter ago, Jesus had the following exchange with his disciples... The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you. (Luke 17:5-6). And now Jesus wonders if he will even find that much faith when he comes.
How it impressed me... Jesus often chides his disciples about their lack of faith, yet they were with him for three years and saw many miracles and still lacked faith. Lest we think that we are justified or excused for our lack of faith, we need only turn back one more chapter to Luke 16 where we see the rich man who goes to hell and asks that Lazarus go back and talk to his brothers to save them. Jesus tells him that "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:31). Oops, there goes my excuse!
My response to God... Dear Lord, "I do believe; help my unbelief." Help me set aside everything that gets in the way of my faith... that I would trust you completely, surrender to you completely, abandon my life to you.

Highly Exalted... in Whose Eyes?

Bible Readings... Luke 16
Highlighted Verse... Luke 16:15 - He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.
Thoughts... How often do I focus on what others think instead of focusing on what God thinks... the things that please God... the things that grieve God. Earlier tonight, a young man named Adam with a real heart for God spoke at our church about a mission trip he took to Taiwan earlier this year. He spoke of the persecuted church in China and the faith and determination of the Chinese Christians. The stories he told speak of a people that uphold the values that are important to God.
How it impressed me... Contrasting the lives of the believers and martyrs in China with what we see in America in the midst of the national conventions of both the Democrats and Republicans, these words ring especially true. We see both parties justifying themselves and their nominees in the eyes of men with scant attention paid to the Creator of the Universe.
My response to God... Father God, help me to grieve over the things that grieve you and rejoice in the things that please you. Help me to set aside the preferences of men to become holy -- set apart -- for you. Give our nation a leader who will set aside personal and party agendas and instead seek to bring us back to you.

Repentance

Bible Readings... Luke 15
Highlighted Verse... Luke 15:21 - The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."
Thoughts... The younger son realizes that he has hit bottom and is no longer worthy of his sonship. He humbly evaluates his worth as similar to one of his father's servants and dreams to be treated as such, then sets out to become less than what he was. In the moment of his greatest weakness he finds strength not of his own design, but in the very sonship that he chose to give up as his father receives him back.
How it impressed me... I normally think of the younger son as a scoundrel, but he shows a measure of repentance here unlike any that I've seen. Stripped of everything he displays a true repentance -- an after-thought, different from the former thought; a change of heart and mind. He no longer makes excuses, but rather simply asks to be. In his absolute surrender he receives the ultimate gift of reunification. The same unity that Jesus prayed for us... that we would be one with him.
My response to God... Gracious Lord, have mercy on me -- a sinner. Forgive me for all my tresspasses. I stand without excuse, guilty of all offenses, at your mercy. Help me to receive those whom you have reunited; make me worthy of your sonship through your sacrifice.

For the most complete treatment of the parable of the prodigal son that I have run across, try Henri Nouwen's The Return of the Prodigal Son. View previous blog entry with an excerpt.

Who Has Ears?

Bible Readings... Luke 14, Luke 15:1
Highlighted Verse... Luke 14:35, Luke 15:1 - Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.
Thoughts... Jesus has just finished some of his hard words...

Luke 14:26-27 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.

He followed it up with a couple parable examples then says He who has ears to hear, let him hear. The next thing we read is that tax collectors and sinners were listening while the Pharisees and teachers of the law were grumbling.
How it impressed me... Jesus consistently sought out the sinners while ignoring or insulting the religious elite... yet the church of today often looks with disdain upon the sinner and welcomes the elite. I wonder about how the specific tax collectors and sinners that listened to him came to hear him. Did they just happen to be nearby when he was speaking? Or were they searching for something that transcended their current lives? Or did Jesus seek them out and invite them in like he invited Matthew? Since the answer may impact how we treat the sinners it is worth looking into. Somehow taking the approach of waiting for them to enter the doors of our church by luck or on their own volition doesn't seem to meet the spirit of Jesus' example, so we're left with seeking them where they live and inviting them in.
My response to God... Merciful God, I know that you desire that none should perish... help me to spread your love to all who need it regardless of their condition or position. Embolden me to share the Word and invite others into your house.

One Last Chance

Bible Readings... Luke 13
Highlighted Verse... Luke 13:6-9 - Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' " 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "
Thoughts... Jesus didn't really tell parables in a generic story-telling sort of way. Instead, he had a very specific purpose to his story-telling and chose the subject matter to fit the audience. What was his purpose here and by extension, what is his message for me today?
How it impressed me... The message to the Jewish nation two thousand years ago was probably the same call to repent of their ways or be cut off from God that His prophets had issued to the Israelites for hundreds of years. One last chance, once last chance... Fast forward to today, and I guess that the question is whether I'm on that last chance where I'm being watered and fertilized for one last chance to produce fruit before I'm cut down, rooted out, and thrown away. New inspiration for fruit bearing!
My response to God... Dear Lord, thank you for your patience and forbearance over the years giving me more chances, wiping the slate clean each time. Help me to recognize those whom you have perfectly positioned me to reach. Embolden me to speak the words of truth to ears waiting to hear your message.

What Were You Talking About

Bible Readings... Luke 12
Highlighted Verse... Luke 12:2-3 - There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
Thoughts... Nothing surprising here from a conceptual perspective, there are a significant number of scriptural references wherein Pharisees or others in Jesus' presence are talking amongst themselves in a manner so as to hide the conversation from Jesus only to discover that Jesus knew exactly what they were saying. In practice there are some interesting and scary possibilities if we apply this same teaching to ourselves.
How it impressed me... Generally speaking, I find that the people that make up the church we attend to be wonderful Christians -- sins and all. However, upon reading this passage the image that crossed through my mind was this:

What if one Sunday, Jesus replayed all of the conversations whispered between spouses, amongst the youth, and between friends that had occurred just during the current service over the loudspeakers right before the alter call. How Christian would that sound? How many individuals would be openly embarrassed? How many would never return? How does God feel each day as he hears us?

My response to God... Merciful God, please forgive me for my words and thoughts that fail to lift others up, that inflict hurt and pain, or that do not edify you. Instead Lord, help me to focus on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— [to] think about such things (Phillipians 4:8) that I may lift your name and give you honor and glory through my thoughts and speech.

I Can't See

Bible Readings... Luke 11
Highlighted Verse... Luke 11:34-36 - Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.
Thoughts... These verses very hard for me. I understood the basic point that was being made, but not why the point was being made this way. Specifically, why is the focus on the eye? Reading from several different translations didn't help much. Finally, I ran into an interlinear bible (english and greek) that provided a little help. The greek word Ophthalmos literally means eye, but it is also used metaphorically as the eyes of the mind or the faculty of knowing. But I still felt a little queasy about the why. I search through several commentaries with similar dissatisfaction. Finally, I ran into a commentary by David Guzik. He reasons that in verses 33-36 Jesus warns about inner darkness.

A. This section has application to both what went before it (Jesus answers those who thought His miracles were the work of Satan and those who wanted to see more) and what comes after it (Jesus deals with hypocrisy).

B. No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand: Just as a lamp should be displayed out in the open, so all can benefit from its light, so the word and work of God should be displayed. But when Jesus displays His word and works, the religious people of His day won't accept them!

C. The lamp of the body is the eye: Even as a bad eye will make a person blind, so their bad hearts will make them spiritually blind. You have to be spiritually blind to attribute Jesus' miracles to Satan, to ignore the works of Jesus that are right before your eyes, or to live as a hypocrite. When you are in darkness, there are two possible reasons why. There may be no light source, or the darkness may be within yourself. Jesus says they know that the darkness is within themselves.

D. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light: When we have the light of God's word shining in us, when we see and understand the work of Jesus around us, we won't walk in the darkness of spiritual blindness.

How it impressed me... When I cannot "see" the meaning of Jesus' words and the reading is about hard-hearted Pharisees and Teachers of the Word, I must consider the possibility that I suffer the same disease that they suffered... and guard against it.
My response to God... Precious Saviour, open my eyes, my heart, my mind, and my soul to your teachings. Fill me with your Word, that your light may light my way. Purge all darkness that is within me, that I may be spiritually alive in you.

What's My Mission

Bible Readings... Luke 10
Highlighted Verse... Luke 10:4b - And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.
Thoughts... Jesus has just commissioned 72 other disciples to go out to all the towns and places he planned to visit and pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest and ask Him to send more workers, but NOT to stop and greet anyone on the road.
How it impressed me... At first glance this seems almost unChristian, surely Jesus wants us to greet each other and spread His word, but that would miss the point entirely. Jesus had a very specific mission that he sent these 72 men on. He needed them to go to some very specific places that he would soon be visiting and pray for more workers. When we try to choose our own mission, we move away from God and the mission that He has for us... no matter how much our own mission may seem to be godly, if it is contrary to the mission He has sent us on, it is sin.
My response to God... Dear Lord, Help me to set aside my goals, my purpose, my will and accept the mission that you have sent me on. Help me to clearly see, understand, and obey your will and your mission for me. Help me to view my circumstances from your perspective... to accept your promises... and claim your provisions to further your kingdom here on earth.

Jesus Gave Them Complete Power

Bible Readings... Luke 9
Highlighted Verse... Luke 9:1 - Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them complete power over all demons and diseases.
Thoughts... A couple of thoughts come to mind, but I don’t know if they contradict or confirm each other. (1) I have heard others speak of how the miraculous gifts are no longer present. Could that be because Jesus hasn’t given us the power or that we haven’t asked for it? (2) When we pray for healing and healing doesn’t occur, is it because we don’t have the power or something else?
How it impressed me... When we find that our prayer life is ineffective, or is not producing the results that we expected, even when we thought we were in God’s will, there might still be something missing — God’s gift of power to us. Forty verses later in this same chapter, Jesus, Peter, John, and James are coming down the mountain after the transfiguration and the same apostles that had “complete power over all demons and diseases” couldn’t rid the child of a demon because they were “stubborn and don't have any faith.” Am I stubborn and lacking in faith too?
My response to God... Lord, fill me with your power. Remove the stumbling blocks that get in the way of your will being foremost in my life. Help me to be flexible in bending to your ways and your will. Increase my faith.