Creative Space for Wanderers
Jesus responds to someone in the crowd with a quick response: “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” then tells the parable of the rich fool to warn us about all kinds of greed.
…life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
We are not judged for having wealth, we are judged when such blessings take priority over our love of God.
Luke 12:13-21The crowds have gathered again and Jesus teaches on several key concepts in these 12 verses:
That’s a lot of ground to cover! Jesus provides theological details within the context of loving God above all others while giving us a peek into the triune nature of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Luke 12:1-12Woe to those who held positions of leadership, the ones who were directing God’s chosen ones down a path that would lead to destruction. The timing of Jesus ministry is wrapped up in the history of our Jewish ancestors: their system was broken. God provided laws to create order and discipline; the Pharisees added layer upon layer, ultimately to create an exclusive society that was removed from serving God. Read these words carefully and look insightfully as we consider our own systems.
Matthew 23:13-32, Luke 11:37-54In these few verses we find some deep meaning. Matthew and Luke record these key points of an important sermon that Jesus preached by recalling words that challenge us in many ways: “if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” This isn’t about physical blindness! Take a moment and consider the text and pray for healthy eyes.
Matthew 6:22-23, Luke 11:33-36Jesus is pretty clear here:Â “For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.” Those who heard Jesus speak these words were quite familiar with the story of Jonah and knew the depravity of Ninevah. I wonder what it was like for them to hear for the first time, “and now something greater than Jonah is here.”
Matthew 12:38-42, Luke 11:29-32“Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined…” Jesus provides strong teaching to those who accuse him of serving the “prince of demons” by explaining the impossibility of such an accusation. This passage includes some significant themes to unpack as Jesus preaches unity wrapped in the context of “those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Today’s passage is another perspective on the accusation that Jesus was acting under the authority of Beelzebul (Satan). The reference in Matthew and Mark point to the Pharisees and teachers of the law (See insight posted here); Luke simply states “some of them said.” This post will focus on the passage in Luke where the name Beelzebul is used 4 of 9 times in the New Testament (NIV).
Luke 11:14-28The God of the universe invites us to seek him, to ask–this is part of the nature of our Father. Jeremiah writes, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” and Solomon records in Proverbs (personifying wisdom), “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Jeremiah 29:12-13, Proverbs 8:17. Matthew and Luke record Jesus’ words that give new meaning to seek and find with a promise that should encourage us all to seek: “because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.”
Matthew 7:7-12, Luke 11:5-13We refer to this as the Lord’s Prayer, but the NIV Study Bible notes suggest this is really the Disciple’s Prayer; the “real” Lord’s Prayer is John 17. The details vary slightly, but the main point remains the same: Honor God first, ask for daily needs and forgiveness.
Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:1-4Martha is working way too hard! Excessive preparations can lead to misplace priorities. The tension in this short passage is something to consider as we evaluate why we work at whatever we do.
Luke 10:38-42“And who is my neighbor?” This question prompted Jesus to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. I suspect this parable is known inside and outside of Christian circles as it provides a solid moral truth about helping others. The story tells of a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan and it’s point is intuitively obvious even to the casual observer. The ending command is one that we need to hear: “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37