Category: Uncategorized

Luke 8:16-18

“No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Encouraging bonds

So often this passage is interpreted in one of two ways: we are supposed to put the light of Christ on display so that everyone can see it; and there is nothing in our lives that we can hide from God. Both. of them are in there. Another one that we might consider is that there is nothing in the Christian way of life that God will hide from us. He wants us to live full lives for Him. So many misguided people are looking for that special secret that God has only for them. What is hidden behind that door? What is the special handshake? God tore down the curtain in front of the holy of holies for a reason, so that through Christ we might see God. The closer to Him that we walk the more of God we see. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Luke 7:31-35

And the Lord said, “To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

‘We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Personal challenge

Jesus was preceded by John the Baptist who lived a very ascetic life. Jesus lived His life with more freedom from the law and engaged with the common and unclean people of His day. The leaders of the church in that day condemned them both for their ministries and their lifestyles. They were so ingrained in how they had perverted the laws and covenant with God that nothing outside of their own definition of the church would satisfy them. We must be careful to not do the same in our churches and Christian walk today. We must be careful to not build institutions and rubrics that end up excluding the very people that God wants us to love, as well as God Himself, from being a central part of our life. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 7:13

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Encouraging Words

We do not worship and serve a harsh and mean God, He is full of compassion, mercy, and grace, even to the point where He will weep over the death of a child. God loves us, His creation, so much that He was willing to give up His Son for us. Jesus became one of us so that He could fulfill the law of the first covenant and create a new covenant between us and God, a covenant based upon ultimate love. Glory be to God!

Luke 6:45

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Personal Challenge

Who we are, what we think, what we say, and what we do all comes from the state of our heart. We can put a facade in front of the heart and pretend to be something, or someone else, but sooner or later that facade crumbles and the true heart is revealed. Out of our heart can come kindness or meanness, uplifting or putting down, truth or lies, love or hate. It is up to us to relinquish all the depths of our hearts to Jesus so that He can fill it with Himself and therefore create in us a new and righteous heart. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 6:41-42

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Personal Challenge

It is so easy to point out someone else’s faults and problems all the while ignoring our own. Just because we can-easily do that does not mean that our issues go away. In actuality, they just get magnified. Jesus instructs us to take care of our own issues before we point out someone else’s. If we can master this then our relationship with others will improve significantly and God will be able to help us clean up our lives. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Luke 6:37

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Command with a Promise

God’s economy, His way of doing things, is always balanced. He is perfection and therefore everything that He instructs us to do is balanced and perfect. Here we are given three things to do in our lives, each with an associated promise. We are to not judge our fellow human, that is God’s job. By doing this, we will not be judged. We are not to condemn others in order to not be condemned ourselves. And we are to forgive others so that we can reap the full benefits of God’s forgiveness for our sins. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Luke 6:32-36

“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

Personal Challenge

Loving our enemies, doing good to them, and lending to them expecting no reciprocation sets us apart as followers of Christ from all others. God has done, and continues to do, so much for us expecting nothing from us. Does it not make sense that He asks us to do the same in order to Amore like Him? Glory be to God!