Luke Chapters 13 & 14

Once again, we find Jesus healing on the Sabbath. This time it is an elderly woman stooped over with arthritis.  And as before Jesus is criticized for doing work on the Sabbath.  He asks the critics, if any of them have led their horses or donkeys out of their stalls for a drink on the Sabbath.  If so, then why would it be wrong to lead a woman out of the stall of affliction that Satan has been keeping her in?  The critics didn't know what to say, and the congregation was delighted!

Farther along in the chapter, Jesus tells us to picture the Kingdom of God in a few different ways. First as a pine nut that grows in to a huge pine tree, complete with eagle nests and  then as a woman who is adding yeast to dough and ends up with three loaves of bread.

When asked how many people were going to be saved, he tells them to do all they can to enter through the gates of the kingdom. He then tells the people gathered that just because they have been hanging around, that doesn't guarantee a seat at the banquet table. We need to be sure that we as believers today are not just hanging around and hoping to get in based on our charm, good looks, or because we've become part of the background. The only way is through Jesus - our host at the eternal banquet table.

Towards the end of the chapter, Jesus is warned by some Pharisee's that Herod is searching for him, and that he should run for cover.  Jesus replies "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and
the next day - for surely no prophet can die out side Jerusalem!"

The end of the chapter brings Jesus's lament for Jerusalem.

34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of prophets, abuser of the messengers of God! How often I've longed to gather your children, gather your children like a hen, Her brood safe under her wings-but you refused and turned away!35 And now it's too late: You won't see me again until the day you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of God.'"


Luke 14 starts with Jesus eating at the house of a Pharisee. There also was a man with very swollen joints there.  Jesus asked the Pharisees and lawmen there if it was okay to heal on the Sabbath. There was no answer, so Jesus went ahead and healed the man.  Jesus then asked the crowd, is it okay for you to rescue a horse or child that has fallen in to a well on the Sabbath? Again there was no answer.

Jesus then glanced around the room and noticed how some people were picking places of honor at the table. He then told those gathered a story about choosing your place at the table.  Basically, he tells us to not to automatically assume that we will be given a place of honor. There may be someone else coming who belongs in that seat, and you will be asked to move. Very embarrassing! However, if you choose a not so prominent seat, and the host asks you to move to a better seat, you will be honored.

Jesus then told another story about a host preparing a banquet for many guests. Once things were prepared, he sent his servants to tell the invitees that things were ready and to come feast.  One by one the invitees offered up excuses why they could not come.  The host lost his temper and told his servants to go back to the streets, alleys and countryside and invite anyone who was interested. His intent was to fill the tables with these new guests and leave no room for the first round of invitees should they change their mind.  A story directed towards Jewish people who rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and those non-Jews who accepted his invitation.

We're then reminded that being a follower of Christ will not be without cost. Unless we leave our family, take up our cross and follow Jesus, we cannot be his disciples.  I don't think he's trying to scare us away from following him. Instead he's trying to encourage us to recognize that there will be costs up front.  Those costs may not necessarily mean leaving our family.  It may mean giving up a little of our time to take a meal to a shut-in. It could mean mowing your neighbor's lawn just because. Maybe it's as simple as taking an extra five minutes to stop and pray for that enemy of yours.  It might mean stepping outside of your comfort zone to encourage and talk with that new face in the crowd.

Chapter 11 and 12 - Luke

Part of my confirmation class way back when, was memorizing the Lord's Prayer and interpreting it for my day to day life.  Must have done okay, because Pastor Rex went ahead with the confirmation ceremony.  I read the first part of Chapter 11 in the Message Bible this morning and it really struck a chord with me.  So...my captive audience, I'm going to share it with you.

2So he said, "When you pray, say, Father, Reveal who you are. Set the world right. 3Keep us alive with three square meals. 4Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil."


Not as long as the version I had to memorize all those years ago, but kind of a refreshing take on talking with God.  The following verses serve as a reminder that God really is our Father, and just as we love our children, he loves us even more.

We don't have to follow a ritual to talk with our God.  We don't have to schedule a time to talk with our God.  We don't even have to close our eyes to talk with our God. (Fellow motorists on Highway 33 are very thankful for that!) And we don't have to use flowery prose or Latin phrases to talk with him. However - if we want to do any of the above, God is okay with that.  He just covets time with us.  Yep - that's right - he's jealous of the time we spend away from him.  For those of you with family living far away - or perhaps family that's close in proximity, but distant in other ways - don't you wish you could have more time with them? What do you talk about when you are together?

It may seem silly, or unsophisticated, but I do picture God as my Father. Throughout my day, I will often utter quick little one phrase lines to him.  "Lord, please help me handle this situation.  I want to run away, but I know that I can't."  or after a long day where I keep faltering,  "Father - thank you for being patient with me and thanks for not giving me what I deserve."  Often times it's a simple "Thank You God!" after a near miss with a deer or some distracted driver.  Then again, there are those days that a little humor leaks in.  "God, please keep one hand on my shoulder and the other one over my mouth!"

Granted, others in my vicinity probably wonder who I'm talking too.  And sometimes, I'm sure they're content in thinking that I'm just talking to myself.  Remember - talking to yourself is fine and dandy - until you start talking back.

The Six Woes - or Whoaaaa Boy!
 Jesus was again invited by a Pharisee to join him for dinner. I'm thinking the Pharisee got a little more than he bargained for when he chastised Jesus for not washing up before dinner.

Here's the response as in the Message Bible from YouVersion.com.  Jesus really knew how to speak to people in a memorable way!

But the Master said to him, "I know you Pharisees burnish the surface of your cups and plates so they sparkle in the sun, but I also know your insides are maggoty with greed and secret evil.40 Stupid Pharisees! Didn't the One who made the outside also make the inside?41 Turn both your pockets and your hearts inside out and give generously to the poor; then your lives will be clean, not just your dishes and your hands.

42 "I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God's love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required.

43 "You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You love sitting at the head table at church dinners, love preening yourselves in the radiance of public flattery.44 Frauds! You're just like unmarked graves: People walk over that nice, grassy surface, never suspecting the rot and corruption that is six feet under."

45 One of the religion scholars spoke up: "Teacher, do you realize that in saying these things you're insulting us?"

46 He said, "Yes, and I can be even more explicit. You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You load people down with rules and regulations, nearly breaking their backs, but never lift even a finger to help.

47 "You're hopeless! You build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed.48 The tombs you build are monuments to your murdering ancestors more than to the murdered prophets.49 That accounts for God's Wisdom saying, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, but they'll kill them and run them off.'50 What it means is that every drop of righteous blood ever spilled from the time earth began until now,.51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was struck down between altar and sanctuary, is on your heads. Yes, it's on the bill of this generation and this generation will pay.

52 "You're hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won't go in yourself, and won't let anyone else in either."

53 As soon as Jesus left the table, the religion scholars and Pharisees went into a rage. They went over and over everything he said,54 plotting how they could trap him in something from his own mouth.

As I read on in to Chapter 12 in this same translation, I'm reminded just how cherished we are as children of the living God. Instead of impossible rules and regulations to follow, he gives us guidelines to living as his heirs:

We're not supposed to hide behind a mask of religion.  We're to "practice what we preach". 

We're not to cower and shirk away from those who attack us for believing in God. Instead we're to stand tall knowing that the Holy  Spirit is with us and will give us the words we need.  And if our physical body is affected by these "bullies", and we die, then the joke is on them.  They can't hurt us any more and we're in heaven enjoy our eternal life!

If we do say something out of line about God - but we're not aware of it, then no harm done. However, if we knowing say something that is untrue or attack God, then get ready for some fallout.

If we fill ourselves up with things of this world, what happens to those things when we die?  We can't enjoy them anymore. But if we fill our selves with God things, then those worldly things will seem trivial.

My favorite part - we're to steep ourselves in a God-Reality - not a World reality.  Sometimes this is easier said than done.  

We're supposed to ponder the flowers of the field and how beautiful they are.  And - we're to wonder about those flowers that are in far off lands that we may never see. If God took the time to create these unseen flowers - and I"m sure they're beautiful - then don't you think that we're even more precious to him.  We're not supposed to worry about what the fashion models are wearing, how skinny they are, what they do for entertainment. We're not supposed to worry about the pro-athlete and how muscular he is, how successful he is, or what kind of car he drives. 

If we focus on God, and his plan for our lives, then we'll be taken care of by God.  His light and graciousness will shine though our lives.  

We're then reminded that God can come at any time.  And we get some Oklahoma weather education too. (Clouds in the west mean rain...winds from the south means a warming trend.)  And he says that his time on Earth wasn't to bring peace. Instead he came to start a fire and he was kind of sad that the fire wasn't raging more while he was here.

But the thing I like the most is the verse below.  I'm grateful that I don't have to be a genius!

57 "You don't have to be a genius to understand these things. Just use your common sense,58 the kind you'd use if, while being taken to court, you decided to settle up with your accuser on the way, knowing that if the case went to the judge you'd probably go to jail59 and pay every last penny of the fine. That's the kind of decision I'm asking you to make."

Luke 9 & 10

At this point in Luke, Jesus' time is getting short.  He knows that within the next few weeks he is going to be celebrated with a parade, only to then be arrested, tried, convicted and executed. But He knew that three days after drawing his last breath, he was going to return triumphant.  He knows all of this, God knows all of this, but none of his followers really have a clue.  It must have been pretty frustrating to be going on with life as normal.  However, Jesus never once let a teaching moment pass, and there are plenty of those in our next two chapters.

In the first part of chapter 9, Jesus calls his twelve disciples and prepares them to go out into the world.  In re-reading the words today, it struck me.  As he is having this pre-departure bonding time, he gives them the power and authority to heal diseases and remove demons.  In the past when I read this, I kind of thought "Yeah, cool, these 12 guys are being sent out on their first mission trip."  Here's where I had my ah-ha moment.  Jesus had to GIVE them the power and authority to do things.  At this point in time, there was no Holy Spirit to be the tour guide for the disciples. They were going to be "on their own", without their leader.

Jesus tells the twelve to travel light. They are to take nothing with them, but the clothes on their backs, the shoes on their feet, and the song in their heart.  When they reach their destination, they are to knock on doors and ask for lodging.  If someone says no, then they simply  move on to another home.  But oh how blessed the the family who said yes must have been!

Teaching moment: Being human, we easily convince ourselves that we can't do such and such because we don't have the tools or the gifts to do it.  Being Christians, we should convince ourselves, that our tool box and gifts are much deeper and richer because of Jesus's help.

After the twelve had returned to Jesus, they had a spiritual retreat in Bethsaida . News of the retreat spread quickly and before too long, a large crowd had gathered to listen to Jesus teach.  He spoke, He healed, He generally took time to be with the people who had gathered.  And as seems to happen when you're having fun, time flew by.  It was late afternoon and the disciples drew Jesus aside and said "Ummmm....it's getting kind of late and we're a long ways from Braum's, Arby's, Sonic and Pizza Hut. Shouldn't we close for the day?"

But Jesus had a plan - a teaching moment for the twelve.  "You feed them" He said.  The disciples were caught off guard and quickly explained, they only had five loaves of bread and two fishes.  And we're not talking great big loaves of honey-oat wheat bread and great big tuna steaks.  Much smaller loaves of bread and fish that were probably the size of sardines.  Probably what we'd call an appetizer in today's world.

Jesus took the food, held it up to heaven, asked a blessing over it, and sent the disciples out amongst the crowd to distribute it.  When everyone had eaten their fill, baskets were used to collect the extras.  The extras amounted to twelve basket fulls. (Hmmmm....there's that number 12 again.)

Teaching moment:  Jesus knew that pot-luck dinners would feed un-imaginable amounts of people with what seems like nothing. Seriously though, food, friendship and fellowship are so much richer when we have asked God to bless them.

Next up: Peter's Confession of Christ.  Remember, Jesus knows that his time is getting short, and he's trying to teach his disciples all they need to know to continue on after his death. He asks the twelve, "Who does the world say I am?".  Answers range from John the Baptist, and Elijah to other prophets from history.  Then point blank he asks "Who do YOU say I am?"  Peter earned a gold star when he replied "You are the Christ!"  Jesus must have felt a little better about leaving things in the disciples hands at this point.

Teaching moment: Sometimes we have to ask ourselves "What does the world say about this?"  Then, we have to be strong enough and wise enough to ask that second question "What do I say about this?"

Eight days after this, Jesus took Peter, James and John to the mountainside to pray. While they were there and deep in prayer, Jesus' face began to glow and his clothes shone like a bright white light.  Then, Moses and Elijah joined Jesus and talked with him.  They were talking about Jesus upcoming departure and how that event will satisfy prophecy from long ago.  Peter, James and John had been doing that half prayer, half nap type of thing. But when they saw Moses and Elijah, they woke up and were amazed at what they saw.

Teaching moment: Sometimes we need those "old" friends to come along side of us with our "new" friends to help us get through the upcoming days.

The rest of chapter nine has the healing of a boy with an evil spirit, the disciples arguing over who will be at Jesus' right hand in heaven, opposition from the Samaritans and the cost of following Jesus.  I'll let you read those sections and come up with your own teaching moments.  Although I will say that the cost of following Jesus will be nothing compared to the joy, blessing and freedom we experience in the process and in heaven.

Chapter ten starts out much like chapter nine. But...instead of sending out twelve, Jesus is sending out seventy-two. Thirty-six groups of two.  Again they are encouraged to not worry about provisions.  As they reach their destinations, they will be taken care of.  The Lord will bless those towns who accept them, but curse those who don't.  Jesus even gets specific by naming names.  Not a list I want to be on!

The second section is the story of the Good Samaritan.  From an early age, I've always been drawn to this story.  Perhaps it was the way my Sunday School teacher taught it with those flannel stick on figures. Or perhaps it was growing up with brothers and a father that were part of the volunteer fire department.  I found myself getting angry with the people that didn't stop to help.  How could they leave this poor guy, beaten, bruised and half dead, on the side of the road.  When the Good Samaritan happened along and helped the injured man, I felt myself cheering. How honorable this man must have been.  He didn't know what had happened to the man.  It could have very well been that this guy had attacked a caravan and didn't succeed. Or, the injured man could have been carrying a disease that would infect anyone who touched him.  That didn't matter to the Samaritan.  He saw someone hurting and knew that he could make it better.  He picked him up, transported him to the nearest inn, and tended to his wounds.  When the Samaritan needed to leave, he could have just skipped out on the bill and left the injured man in the inn.  But he did the right thing and paid the inn keeper to take care of the injured man until he was well.  And then.....he said, if what I've given you isn't enough, just put it on my tab until I return.  Whew! What an amazing example for us to keep in mind as we are walking our paths.  It may not be someone who is physically hurt.  It could be someone who just has a heartache from their position in life.  Are we going to stop and listen long enough to make ourselves feel good, or are we going to be in it for the long haul?

Martha and Mary are another one of my childhood favorites.  I grew up with two brothers who were quite a bit older than I am.  So I didn't really have a lot of sibling rivalry issues.  But I can see myself as Mary one day and Martha the next.  One day I'm all about getting things ready around the house.  I become a super cleaning freak and attack the base boards with a dust rag, the wood floor with polish, and even comb out the dog's coat.  The next day, and several after that really, I'm much more relaxed and take things as they come.  You want to play Monopoly?  Sure - let's do that, the dishwasher will be there to unload later.  Go for a walk? Why not! It's sunny, the breeze is just right and the birds are singing. That laundry? It will be there later, and if not, well then it's one less load that we'll have to put away later.

I don't think that you have to be either Mary or Martha. And I don't think that Jesus loved either one better. I do know that it takes all sorts personalities, all kinds of people, all ages of people, a great big mix of humanity to make our church a family.

Luke Chapters 7 & 8

There are four main sections of Luke Chapter 7. 


The first section tells us the story of a centurion soldier whose beloved servant was very ill.  The centurion sent word to Jesus about the servant and his wish that Jesus would heal him. The messengers found Jesus and begged him to heal this servant.  Because... "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue."  Jesus agreed and started towards the house, when another group of messengers met them on the road with a message from the centurion "I do not deserve to have you under my roof...just say the word and my servant will be healed."

Jesus was very  amazed that someone from outside of Israel would have this kind of faith. He had not seen this type of faith from the locals.  And in fact, Jesus turned to the locals in the crowd and took them to task for not having more faith.  I'd sure hate to be on the receiving end of that lecture.  Oh - yeah - that servant?  By the time the messengers returned to the centurion's house, he was healed.

The second section has Jesus raising a widow's son from the dead.  An impressive event, even for today.  What makes this miracle so poignant, is the fact that the son was very likely the only thing keeping the widow from a life of poverty.

The third section is perhaps my favorite.  It says that even John the Baptist had doubts and questions about Jesus and his ministry.  He was wondering, "Are you really the one we have been waiting for?"  There are days when I have questions about my walk of faith, and the life that Jesus has for in store for me.  Am I really on the right path?  Is this what you told me to do, or did I just think you said that?  Knowing that a great man like John had the same types of questions, helps me through my time of questions.

Last but not least in the anointing of Jesus by the woman with the alabaster box of perfume.  Jesus was invited to the house of a Pharisee for dinner.  Pretty hoity toity as my dad would say.  Perhaps a lot like dinner with the Governor today.  Things were going well, until a "sinful woman" came in and started anointing Jesus' feet with her tears and probably her most prized possession - perfume.  Remember, this was way before Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Macy's and the like.  And....let's just saying that bathing was more of an ordeal and most often not done with the hot sudsy water that we are used to today.  Perfume was a huge thing to have - the aroma of a freshly perfumed person would turn heads on the street.

Mr. Pharisee dinner host, was not impressed and in fact kind of yelled at Jesus for allowing her to do this - to him - in his house!  How dare he!?!?   I picture Jesus looking at the Pharisee with that look of chastisement and saying "At least she cares enough for me to take care of me. You didn't even bother to anoint my head with common oil."  He then blessed the woman, told her that her sins were forgiven and send her on the way.

Chapter 8 - I always seem to spend so much time on the first chapter of the day, and then lose steam for the second chapter. Not sure how much you all like to read these things, but figure that if you get bored with it, you'll just stop when you're ready.  So...with that in mind, I'm determined to give Chapter 8 a fair shake.

A little side note from my student bible here: In this chapter, Luke points out that certain women who had been healed or helped by Jesus gave up their daily lives to follow him. In fact, they often provided for him - meals, clothing, cleaning, etc...  Luke introduces 13 women who are not in any of the other gospels!

I love the parables that Jesus uses to talk with us.  First in the chapter is the parable of the sower.  A pretty common parable that many of us know by heart.  The question we need to ask ourselves - are we rocky ground, weed and thorn infested ground, ground in the pathway, or good deep fertile soil where plants can take root and flourish?  Personally, I think my ground depends on the day and my attitude towards life.  Some days I'm pretty good soil. God's word really sinks in and starts to make it's way towards the sun.  Other days, I feel like I'm as rocky as the mountains I grew up in.  But I take heart that even in the Rocky Mountains, there are trees that somehow manage to grow out of the granite.

Next up? This little light of mine, I"m gonna let it shine....

Living outside of the city, it gets pretty dark at night.  Especially when there is no moon.  The kind of dark where our black kitty cats outside are invisible to us.  But oh how wonderful it is when you first turn on that flashlight.  All of a sudden you can see everything. The cats, the armadillos, the opossums...  All of a sudden though, the light goes out (forgot to replace the batteries again), and the dark seems so much darker than before.

I was raised in church - a great log-cabin type church in the middle of no-where. The type of church where you really are a family and you are with each other through the good and the bad.  And the type of  family where you fight with each other, but heaven help the outsider that attacks one of us. It was a great place to be.  When I moved out on my own and went to college (Go Bears!),  I never really found a church home there.  And there were times when it got pretty dark.  I was unsure of what the future held for me, and there were also times where things being taught in my classes weren't necessarily what I had believed from an early age.  Eventually I'd get a weekend back at home and I'd visit my church family.  Their light was so much brighter than I remembered.  And in fact several of the ladies that had always been "acquaintances" with me before, became much more important to me. Even today I get messages from them and my entire day is just so much brighter.  So....what are we doing to be a light in our own church?

The rest of the chapter has so many great stories, Jesus calling the church his family, (Hmmm...wonder where I got that example?) Jesus calming the storm, the healing of a demon possessed man, the healing of the woman with a bleeding issue, and bringing a dead little girl back to life.  I'd love to hear your take on these stories.  What speaks to you?  What examples can you think of from your own life???

Luke Chapters 5 & 6

A fishing trip, an organization chart, a couple of healings, a new hire and opinions about fasting.

What do they have in common?  They're all covered in Luke Chapter 5.

I think the thing that speaks most to me in Chapter 5, is the way Jesus doesn't just accept things the way they are - just because they have been done that way  f-o-r-e-v-e-r.  Who says I can't hang out with fishermen? Why shouldn't I heal people on the Sabbath?  Why can't I ask a tax collector to join the team?  And why oh why should I fast when there's a party going on?

I especially like the passage on fasting. Maybe it's my Russian-German background, maybe it's just because I enjoy a good meal.  But when Jesus talks about fasting - or not fasting in this case, it makes total sense to me.  When my family visits from Colorado, We... Eat... WELL.  Cinnamon rolls and casseroles for breakfast, late lunches/early dinners at our favorite restaurants, cookies, candies, chips, soda....  If I were to fast the entire time they were here, they'd think I was coo-coo for Cocca Puffs and take me to the emergency room.

Chapter 6 starts up with food - and the Sabbath - again! And surprise, surprise, surprise, the Pharisees are present once more.  Fast forward to another Sabbath, and Jesus is breaking the rules again by healing a shriveled right hand.  At this point the Pharisees are pretty angered by the whole thing and start plotting how to get rid of Jesus.

Elsewhere in the chapter:

(verses 12-16)
Jesus appoints his 12 apostles: Simon -Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), Judas (son of James) and Judas Iscariot (the traitor).

(verses 17 - 26)
We get to read about our blessings and woes

(verses 27 - 36)
How we should treat our enemies

(verses 37 - 42)
Judging others (be careful of the log in your eye while pointing out the splinter in your neighbor's eye)

(verses 43 - 45)
A Tree and its Fruit

(verses 46 - 49)
Building a house on solid rock rather than sand.

Luke Chapters 3 & 4

Chapter 3 - John the Baptist Prepares the Way & The Baptism and Family Tree of Jesus

I wonder what John the Baptist would look like today? Would he wear blue jeans, a simple t-shirt and sandals?  Or, would he be a bit more eccentric looking?  Perhaps wild hair that was a bit long, wearing cargo shorts, a tank top and flip flops?  Then again, since he'd be living in the desert and traveling to various communities, maybe he'd be wearing those all terrain sneakers with his ensemble?

More importantly, what would his message be to us today?  We've had the benefit of having a Bible to read, churches to attend, pastors to help us learn the word, and over 2,000 years of trial and error in sharing Jesus and his light.  Would he be impressed with how far we've come, or, would he wonder what we've been doing with our time?

In letting my mind wander, ponder and stew, I think that John would be impressed with how much we have been able to accomplish.  Missionaries to foreign lands, radio and TV stations that broadcast the Good News 24/7 and of course the various charities and good works done in Jesus's name.  At the same time though, I think his perspective on things would show me other areas where I could do a better job. Have I stepped outside of my comfort zone and shared the story of Jesus with someone?  Have I been patient with my son?  Have I left my corner of the world a bit cleaner, brighter and happier?

The rest of Chapter 3 covers the Baptism and family tree of Jesus.  Luke was a Gentile, maybe the only Gentile  author in the New Testament.  He traces Jesus' family tree back not just to Abraham, but all the way back to Adam.  In a way letting us know that Jesus and his message was for everyone. 

The baptism of course was spectacular.  Heaven opened and God called out "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.  I believe that still holds true today for us.  What a feeling to know that when we give our lives to God, we have our own cheering section saying "You are my son/daughter!  I love you and I am so happy to be your Father.:

Chapter 4 - Temptation, Rejection, Exorcism and Healing 

This chapter leads me to believe that Luke would have been an screenplay writer.  We have drama, conflict, excitement and of course medical cases that would leave today's medical field absolutely flabbergasted.  And the subject matter has something for everyone. Imagine the special effects that could be used as the devil is tempting Jesus. Combine Star Wars, The Matrix and Ghostbusters and you'd have a pretty good mix for the guys.  High School kids could easily identify with Jesus when he returns to his home town and is deemed not special enough to hang out at THE table at lunch time. When Jesus casts out demons, the scene could be eerily familiar the Exorcist and Poltergeist movies.  Women would weep openly as Jesus heal their loved ones - quicker than Dr. House can on TV.

Luke Chapters 1 & 2

Did you know that Luke may not have known Jesus personally?  He converted to Christianity during the early days of the church, and accompanied Paul on several missionary trips.

Luke, a physician by trade, "carefully investigated everything from the beginning".  The opening chapter shares the story of Zechariah & Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist.  This is the only book in the Bible that covers this story.  And what an amazing tale! Imagine a father being unable to talk to his wife during the entire pregnancy.  Later in the pregnancy, Elizabeth is visited by Mary.  As she opens the door, the baby inside her leapt for joy at meeting Mary and her unborn child - our Savior.  Elizabeth is then filled with the Holy Spirit. How exciting!

Once Elizabeth's baby is born, several people wanted her to name the baby Zechariah.  She stood her ground - pretty bold for this time - and said "No! He is to be called John."  These same people then ask Zechariah what the baby's name will be.  Astonishment all around as he answered out loud - "His name is John"

Chapter Two covers the familiar account of Jesus' birth and childhood. The Christmas Story as told in Luke is one of the most read sections during today's Christmas festivities.  A little tid-bit from my Student Bible on this chapter: Luke dated the events in his book by referring to Roman Emperors.  A great way to share the events in a historical context.

mark 15-16

Mark 15-16

I really feel for Pilot.  He sees that Jesus has done nothing wrong and try's to get the people to free him and is completely confused by them wanting to set a murderer free instead.  I would also have loved to seen the look on the religious leaders faces at the moment the curtain in the temple ripped down the middle when the realized what they had just done.

I really wonder whats going on in Jesus head when he sends Mary and Mary to the disciples to say that he is risen and they don't believe them.  Talk about the epic I told you say when they finally realize that its true.

These last two chapters are the stories that hold so close to our hearts when I read them. I try my best to envision myself there at this time to try and feel the full gravity of the whole situation.

Mark 13 & 14

Read chapter 13 very carefully and think of all the conversations that you hear everywhere you go.  There are doomsday deceivers everywhere, don't let yourself fall into this trap.  The bible is very clear on this one; nobody knows when the end of the world is going to happen.  It’s our responsibility to be good workers until it comes.

I couldn't even begin to pretend to be able to imagine the thoughts going threw Judas head as they sat at dinner when Jesus announced someone sitting at the table was going to betray him.  We think of Judas very badly, but his actions were a necessary evil to set the events In motion for the crucifixion that paid the price for our sins. 

Mark 11 & 12

So we read about Jesus riding in on a donkey.  So what is the significance of this? Zechariah 9:9 Tells us that the king of Zion will be riding on a donkey.  So this act of riding the donkey into town fulfilled the prophecy, and told everyone that he was the Messiah.
 
In the world we live in today we have thousands of rules and laws to tell us what we can and can't do chapter 12 lays it out real nice and simple for us all though.  Love the Lord our God with all your heart and soul, and love your neighbor as you do yourself.  If we could all figure out how to do this no other written law would be needed.

Mark 9 & 10

Things are getting pretty exciting as Jesus is beginning to prepare his disciples for his death and resurrection.  You can really start to feel the urgency in these teachings for he knows his time is getting shorter.  I think of myself with my boys and knowing I've only got a short time to teach them all I can before they go out on their own.

There are three things here that I hold close
  1. if there are no if's among the believers anything is possible
  2. messing with the children of God is a really bad idea
  3. Following God is so serious that if your own hand distracts you from him its not worth having.

Mark7 & 8

We've read about many miraculous healings by now and most of them are followed with Jesus telling the people that he's healed not to say anything about it and yet they can't keep it to themselves. They immediately run out and tell everyone they see about what has happened.  Isn't our salvation so much more important than physical healing and yet we seem to just want to keep it to ourselves.

It amazes me that the disciples after having seen Jesus feed 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish they question him about how to feed 4000 a short while later, and then argue amongst themselves about forgetting to pack their own lunch just after that.  Its easy for us read this and wonder what their problem with trusting God is but I think we are all a little guilty of forgetting about what he's already seen us through and worry for no reason about little things that are still ahead.

Mark 5 & 6

Chapter 5 starts us off with the story of the madman.  What I like here is just as we saw in the first two chapters whenever evil spirits see Jesus they immediately recognize him as the son of God and fall to their knees.  That is the God I serve, the God that doesn't have to proclaim who he is and what power he has over darkness for the darkness already knows and trembles at the mere thought of him. They make no attempt to fight him; only beg for his mercy.

We finish chapter 6 with the fact that everywhere Jesus went everyone brought their sick for healing. We live in a world that is sick with sin and Jesus is still healing. It's up to us to let them know where they can get it.

Mark 3 & 4

Ah, the parable of the sower.  This is what helps me as I go out and plant seeds. It seems sometimes like nobody wants Jesus in their life.   Thankfully we have this story to help remind us that not every seed is going to grow, and we'll never know the rhyme or reason for which seeds will grow or not.  It is simply our jobs to spread the seeds and disciple those who do accept Christ.

Mark 1&2

 It’s truly hard to just think of a couple of notes for the first two chapters of Mark when there's enough material for months of sermons.  These chapters are filled with wonderful accounts of the start of Jesus' ministry.  Stories of people being healed, people leaving their lifelong jobs to follow Jesus, others stopping at nothing to get to Jesus for his healing touch (the paraplegic).  All the while the Pharisees and religious scholars are getting angrier with him.

I think my main take away though would have to be just after Jesus baptism the spirit pushed him into the wilderness.  This is how I felt when I first accepted Jesus into my life.  My worldly friends were no longer by my side and the church hadn’t really welcomed me and that was about the most alone I had ever felt.  During that time it would have been very easy to just go back to my old way of life.

I challenge you to not let anyone feel this way.

Mark on Mark

Mark Wright is blogging the book of Mark beginning Feb. 15. Enjoy his fresh perspective on this action packed gospel account. Also, there are still several N.T. books that remain unclaimed. If you are interested in blogging a book, contact me at rwhitlow@livingwaterchurch.tv.

P. Randy

Matthew 27 & 28

Jesus was a teacher, but that wasn't why he came. Jesus healed but that wasn't his primary purpose. Jesus came to be the perfect sacrifice that would pay the penalty for our sin. Our sin was a death sentence and we were all guilty. But from the beginning of time God's plan was for Jesus to come and give himself for us. The events leading up to the crucifixion were all foretold by the Old Testament prophets. What an unbelievable gift that the creator of the universe would intentionally come to give himself for us. What a wonderful Savior!

Matthew 25 & 26

Jesus was a teacher, but that wasn't why he came. Jesus healed but that wasn't his primary purpose. Jesus came to be the perfect sacrifice that would pay the penalty for our sin. Our sin was a death sentence and we were all guilty. But from the beginning of time God's plan was for Jesus to come and give himself for us. The events leading up to the crucifixion were all foretold by the Old Testament prophets. What an unbelievable gift that the creator of the universe would intentionally come to give himself for us. What a wonderful Savior!

Matthew 23 & 24

Jesus is coming again. No one knows when. No one. Many have predicted dates. All of them have been wrong. It is important that we stay ready. Some have advocated dropping out of life and waiting for his coming, but Jesus clearly values those who stay active at his work. A pastor friend of mine tells his church, "Work like Jesus is coming a hundred years from now. Live like He's coming back today." I think that's good counsel for us all. "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (24:36)

Matthew 21 & 22

Jesus sure knows how to ruin a grand entrance. People are ready to jump on the Jesus bandwagon but he has to go to the temple and stir things up. His approval rating slid continuously after that. But Jesus resented that worship was becoming a business instead of a personal expression of love for God. As recipients of God's grace we are caretakers of an incalculable treasure. He expects us to share these riches, not to try to gather them all up in one place. If we love our neighbor as our self,  we will not see others as merchandise. We will do the most important work of the kingdom.

Matthew 19 & 20

The grace of Jesus is scandalous and unfair. He extends grace to everyone. Eternal life is there for the asking. But if everything was made by him, and if everything belongs to him, and if he has provided everything we need for this life and for our eternal life, who are we to have a say in how he divvies up his blessings? We make a mistake when we try to grasp for more. He knows how our story ends. We don't. Whatever he has for us is much much more than we deserve.

Matthew 17 & 18

In our world, scratching our way to the top is expected. But Jesus still frustrates us with his insistence that if we want to be first in the Kingdom, we must be last here on earth. Unless we are as little children we can't enter the kingdom of heaven. That doesn't mean childish; with it's immaturity and selfishness. It means childlike, with its trusting and obedient innocence. Jesus likes to hang out with people who trust him. He consistently hears and answers their prayers. On the other hand, he gets pretty testy with those who take matters in their own hands and try to do his job.

Matthew 15 & 16

There will always be those who are more concerned about forms and traditions than revival. They will be more impressed by externals than heart change. Jesus encountered them over and over. He refused to do stunts that would amaze them. But one day Peter did good. Peter realized who Jesus was and confessed his belief. That confession that Jesus is the Christ is the foundation on which our experience is built today. It was a good moment. Without that confession that Jesus is Lord, we are all without a Savior.

Matthew 13&14

If a good seed fails to germinate is it the fault of the seed? Of course not. The seed is potential new life. When it comes in contact with the soil, the soil becomes the incubator of new life. If the soil is rocky, the seed will not sprout. If it is shallow, no roots will form. The seed is fine. The sower's job is to cast the seed. He is not responsible for the results. Many seeds do not turn into crops. That is the nature of the nature of sowing and reaping. The seed that takes root produces much more than what was sown.
The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle that appears in all four gospels. This is the first account.

Matthew 11 & 12

It is so easy to be misunderstood and misrepresented. John the Baptist needed some reassurance that Jesus was the real deal. After all, John was in prison because he was proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. When Jesus was asked if He was for real, He didn't show His Messiah card. He just pointed to the results of His ministry. "Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."" (11:4-5) Jesus seldom proclaimed Himself. He let His results speak. People could misinterpret His message, but they had to realize the reality of His miracles.

Matthew 9&10

It seems odd in our day and age that Jesus wasn't building a big organization to facilitate His ministry. He called people to follow Him. Then He sent them out. The issue wasn't and still isn't a lack of funds or organization. It was a lack of willing hearts who will give of themselves to share the Good News. "Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (9:37&38)

Matthew 7&8

Someone who reads Matthew honestly will have a difficult time understanding how we come to the place where Christians are characterized as hypocritical and judgmental. Jesus honors simple and strong faith in Him. He doesn't need us to make it complicated. He doesn't need us to make a big show out of serving Him. He is the Judge. He is the Healer. He is our Supply. He just wants us to rely on Him. "Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be as you believed it would."And his servant was healed at that very hour." (8:13)

Matthew 5&6

Take your time as you read these two chapters. Read them several times if you can. The Sermon on the Mount is more than just a good sermon or tips for a nice life. It sets a standard for life that cannot be attained by our own strength or character. The Law was incapable of bringing a person to the standard Jesus lays out. Only by submitting control of our lives to Jesus can we ever hope to stand before Him. The answer is not to say "No" to sin. The answer is to say "Yes" to Jesus.

Mathew 3&4

John the Baptist is an intriguing character. Born to tell people about the coming Messiah, his calling was to announce someone whose ministry would be greater than his. Jesus recognized and valued John's ministry and anointing by asking to be baptized by him. Jesus was fully man while on earth and relished the opportunity to be with others who were strong in faith. His temptation in the desert shows us the power of knowing God's Word and the effect of calling on it in the time of temptation. Jesus didn't try to defeat Satan's devices through His own will; He quoted the Word. "Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." (4:11)

Matthew 1&2

Matthew is one of the 4 accounts of Jesus' life, or gospels. It was written for a Jewish audience to make the case that Jesus is the promised Messiah. It begins with a genealogy from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Matthew gives the details of Jesus' birth, including the visit of the "Three Kings" or wise men.

Don't get bogged down in the first chapter genealogy because there is much to be enjoyed in this wonderful book. "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet; "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"- which means, "God with us.""