According to Doctor Luke...

A Life of Blessing-Luke 6:20-49

2010-05-18T21:02:00.006-05:00

Many have said it is "the greatest sermon ever spoken"... It has lines like:

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh."

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

"Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?"

"Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you."

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?"

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit."

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

And..then it concludes with a marvelous parable that we "church" people having been singing a simple song about since early Sunday school..a wise man and a foolish man...a house built on the rock and a house built on sand. It is Jesus speaking the Word and heart of God most excellent!

Modern day scholars disagree over if the Luke version is the same event as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. My take...it has some of the same sayings...and I often say the "good things" from God are worth repeating.

Two Questions we can draw from this passage:

1. How many want true happiness and a blessed life?
2. How many would say you that you are GODLY?

Jesus had just picked the twelve disciples-all different, needing teaching. To most Jewish people, the word blessing evoked images of a long life; wealth; a large, healthy family; a full barn; and defeated enemies. With the coming of Jesus, Israel’s childhood period ended, and the people had to mature in their understanding of God’s ways (Galatians. 4:1–6).

The Lord explained in this sermon that the truly blessed life comes not from GETTING, or from DOING, but from BEING. The emphasis is on GODLIKE CHARACTER.

Jesus' lesson applies to life today and describes the kind of godly character we should have as believers in this world. Ask yourself: Do people around me SEE me as GODLY?

What Jesus did was to focus on ATTITUDES: our attitude towards:
1. Circumstances (Luke 6:20–26),
2. People(Luke 6:27–38),
3. Ourselves (Luke 6:39–45),
4. God (Luke 6:46–49).

He emphasized four essentials for true happiness: FAITH in God, LOVE toward others, HONESTY with ourselves, & OBEDIENCE toward God.

1. CIRCUMSTANCES (vv.20-26)-Life was hard…They discovered that what they needed most was not a change in circumstances but a change in their relationship to God and in their outlook on life.

The four “woes” all share a common truth: you take what you want from life and you pay for it. If you want immediate wealth, fullness, laughter, and popularity, you can get it, but there is a price to pay: that is all you will get.

Jesus did not say that these things were wrong. He said that being satisfied with them is its own judgment.Life is built on CHARACTER, and character is built on DECISIONS. But, decisions are based on VALUES, and values must be accepted by FAITH.

2. PEOPLE (vv. 27–38). Jesus assumed that anybody who lived for eternal values would get into trouble with the world’s crowd. Christians are the “salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13–16), and sometimes the salt stings and the light exposes sin.

How should we treat our enemies? We must love them, do them good, and pray for them. Hatred only breeds more hatred, “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:20 NIV). This cannot be done in our own strength, but it can be done through the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5; Gal. 5:22–23).

Two Principles Stand Out:
1) WE must treat others as we would want to be treated (Luke 6:31), which assumes we want the very best spiritually for ourselves;

2) WE must imitate our Father in heaven and be merciful (Luke 6:36).

Luke 6:37–38 reminds us that we REAP what we SOW and in the AMOUNT that we SOW.
If we judge others, we will ourselves be judged. If we forgive, we shall be forgiven, but if we condemn, we shall be condemned (see Matt. 18:21–35).

One of the hardest part of our Christian walk is FORGIVENESS. I challenge you..ask yourself-"Have I forgiven everyone who has ever hurt me?"

If the answer is NO...you need to make it right..if you shy away from certain people, if you wish ill to others, or rejoice in their misfortune...you have UNFORGIVENESS in your heart. Be careful...Notice in the Lord's prayer, we are "TO FORGIVE"...as WE "HAVE FORGIVEN"..get it..past tense..done deal, no carrying it around.

3. SELF (vv. 39–45). The four striking figures in this section teach us some important lessons about ministry. To begin with, as His disciples, we must be sure that we see clearly enough to guide others in their spiritual walk. While there are blind people who have a keen sense of direction, it is not likely any of them will be hired as airplane pilots or wilderness guides.

Luke 6:40 (plank and speck) reminds us that we cannot lead others where we have not been ourselves, nor can we be all that our Master is. In fact, the more we strive to be like Him, the more we realize how far short we fall. This is a warning against pride, for nothing blinds a person like pride.

Continuing the image of “the eye,” Jesus taught that we must be able to see clearly enough to help our brother see better. It certainly is not wrong to help a brother get a painful speck of dirt out of his eye, provided we can see what we are doing.

The emphasis here is on being honest with ourselves and not becoming hypocrites. It is easy to try to help a brother with his faults just so we can cover up our own sins! People who are constantly criticizing others are usually guilty of something worse in their own lives.

The illustration of the tree reminds us that fruit is always true to character. An apple tree produces apples, not oranges, and a good person produces good fruit, not evil. Believers do sin, but the witness of their words and works is consistently good to the glory of God.

The last image, the treasury, teaches us that what comes out of the lips depends on what is inside the heart. The human heart is like a treasury, and what we speak reveals what is there. We must be honest with ourselves and admit the blind spots in our lives, the obstacles that blur our vision, and the areas within that must be corrected. Then we can be used of the Lord to minister to others and not lead them astray.

4. GOD (vv. 46–49). Our Lord’s emphasis here is on obedience. It is not enough merely to hear His Word and call Him “Lord.” We must also OBEY what He commands us to do.

All of us are builders, and we must be careful to build wisely. To “build on the rock” simply means to obey what God commands in His Word. To “build on the sand” means to give Christ lip service, but not obey His will. It may look as if we are building a strong house, but if it has no foundation, it cannot last.

The storm here is not the last judgment but the tests of life that come to every professing Christian. Not everybody who professes to know the Lord has had a real experience of salvation. They may have been active in church and other religious organizations, but if they are not saved by faith, they have no foundation to their lives.

If Christ is in our hearts, then our mouths must confess Him to others (Rom. 10:9–10). If we are “rooted and built up in him” (Col. 2:7), then our fruits will be good and our house will withstand the storms.

This is the “new blessing” that Jesus offered His nation and that He offers us today. We can experience the “heavenly happiness” and true blessedness that only He can give.

ARE YOU LIVING A LIFE OF BLESSING?

Do Nothing or Do Good? Luke 6:6-11

2010-04-26T00:49:00.011-05:00

On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

By this time it seems Jesus knew what was coming...the Sabbath seemed to be a real point of contention between Him and the Pharisees.

The whole issue is now is doing GOOD “WORK” on the SABBATH-specifically HEALING a person with a shriveled hand...meeting a human need and showing compassion.

Rabbis of that day held that only if a life was in danger was healing permitted…it was silly-you could treat a heart attack, but not a toothache.

The Hebrew word for Sabbath is “sabat” and it means “repose or rest.”

Jesus asks them directly…wanting them to answer…

“Which is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

The Bible speaks in several places about placing bindings & burdens on people:

"Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, is loosed in heaven.” - Matthew 18:18

“For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” - Matthew 23:4

“Why do you try to test God by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? -Peter in Acts 15:10

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. “ - Paul in Galatians 5:1

Jesus' defense in picking kernels the grain fields was based on the Old Testament Scriptures, but His defense in the synagogue for doing good and healing a man was based on the nature of God’s Sabbath law. God gave that law to HELP people, not to HURT them, to BLESS them, not to BURDEN them.

These Pharisees, these church leaders have NO CONCERN or CARE for the man…only their precious LAW. Rather than rejoice at an actual miracle, they want to argue over silly points of their man-made additions to the true word and law of God.

Jesus showed that compassion for people was more important that silly man-made rules...

He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Matthew 12:11-12

Jesus argued that if a farmer could care for his animals on the Sabbath, shouldn’t we care for man, made in the image of God? Jesus was frustrated (“at their stubborn hearts”) and angry(Mark 3:5)

Then...Jesus takes the offensive...he does something NEW and completely different.

Jesus calls the man front and center, for ALL the critics to see… and heals him…’ “STRETCH FORTH YOUR HAND”…and the Pharisees begin to plot against Him.

We modern-day followers of Christ need to know...

if we decide to follow the ways of Jesus, we will have religious critics.

Our Lord’s Day ought to be a time of rest…a time we set aside for God…and if we have the opportunity to DO GOOD…then let us DO GOOD!

“Anyone then knowing the good he ought to do, and doesn’t do it, sins.
James 4:17

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest (sabbatismos) for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.”
Hebrews 4:9-10

Are YOU giving God 1 Day out of 7…for time just with HIM?

Questions for Discussion:

1. What harmful “religious” tendencies was Jesus resisting by His actions andwords during these incidents
2. In these incidents, whose actions were really Sabbath-keeping? Why?What could you do to make next Sunday a service to God?

3. List some of the traditions that are taken for granted in your church, but are not directly mentioned in the Bible. Which seem to aid Christian mission? Which seem to impede the work of Christ?
4. Teaching that God's rules can sometimes be set aside for the sake of human need, is dangerous. How can we observe this truth without abusing it?
5. Are there any people who you are "looking for a reason to accuse"? (6:7) Why is this attitude dangerous? How can it blind you?

Lord of the Sabbath-Luke 6:1-5

2010-04-22T00:18:00.005-05:00

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" 3 Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 5 Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Luke 6:1-5

We should hestitate to criticize another’s faith or religion. We want people to respect our faith. We must look close and understand the religion of the Pharisees…to see why Jesus was SO OPPOSED to it.

The Pharisees started out wanting to do good...wanting to keep the law. Psalm 119:33-36 would be a good example of their original intent: Teach me, O Lord, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.

Phariseees were devoted to Law..but then over time, they began to devote themselves to ALL the rules one step removed from the Law.-thus creating a Law Centered religion.

Jesus and disciples walking thru grainfield eating grain was perfectly legal according to Deuteronomy 23:25- If you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain.

But the Pharisees had become OBSESSED with not violating "their" rules of the Sabbath and not "working" on the Sabbath.

From the Talmud:” In case a woman rolls wheat to remove the husks, it is considered as sifting; if she rubs the heads of wheat, it is considered threshing; if she cleans off the sides adhearances it is sifting our fruit, if she bruises the ears, it is grinding; if she throws them up in her hand, it is winnowing.”

It even got worse...even silly...
Couldn’t travel more than 3000 feet from your house
Not carry anything weighing more than a dried fig
Not have a needle..might have to sew something
Couldn’t take a bath…might splash water and wash the floor…

Jesus spoke against the Pharisee's ways in Matthew 23:4
“For they bind heavy burdens and grevious to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

The Sabbath was originally to remind the Israelites of their slavery…

Two greatest needs..WORSHIP and REST….Israel was not free to do either in Egypt.

Psalm 37-“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”

God's original intent was for the Sabbath to be a BLESSING not a BURDEN.

Notice Jesus did not point out the silliness of their laws. He used their own Scripture to try to convict of the error of their way and expose the truth.
Jesus’ point: Human needs (compassion and mercy) should override bare legalism.

Jesus then asserts His authority-“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath”

Lessons for Us as Modern Day Disciples.
We are Jesus’ disciples watching this…even today. What can we learn?

First, to observe the Sabbath-No where does Jesus give ANY justification for breaking the Sabbath. He and disciples observed it as a day of rest and worship. The Sabbath was for the Jewish people, thus the no mention of it in the NT.

The principle of setting aside a day of rest and worship is biblically sound.

Second, the Law is not to make life harder for man, but to help man. The Pharisees didn’t have any problem with laws that prevented mercy to the suffering. But Jesus,…was a man in love with people….always recognizing their needs and eager to help their suffering.

I think Jesus’ frustration is with the complex system religion has become..His is much simpler..It starts with love for the Father and works itself out with love of man. It flows out of a heart yielded to God, not mind schooled in regulations.

If we truly follow Jesus’s way…

we can expect to be criticized by our religious peers.

As the original Sabbath gave the Jewish people opportunity to celebrate the freedom and rest from slavery in Egypt…our modern Lord’s Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate the freedom and rest from the slavery of sin that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus.

Questions for Discussion:
1. What does the word “Sabbath” mean to you?

2. List some of the traditions that are taken for granted in your church, but are not directly mentioned in the Bible. Which seem to aid Christian mission? Which seem to impede the work of Christ?

3. Teaching that God's rules can sometimes be set aside for the sake of human need, is dangerous. How can we observe this truth without abusing it?

4. In these incidents, whose actions were really Sabbath-keeping? Why?

Living a Patchless Life-Luke 5:33-39

2010-04-21T23:55:00.006-05:00

They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.' "

Luke 5:33-39

From that point on...Jesus answered and then tells parables on PERSONAL DISCIPLINE.

Gospel writers Matthew and Mark make explicit the "unshrunk cloth" (Greek agnaphos) that is implied by Luke's "new garment" (Greek kainos) (Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21).
Once we become Christians God does not want us hanging on to the old garments of our sinful past and just putting "patches" on the holes in our lives.

The New Testament teaches us again and again on this…Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus…"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to PUT OFF your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to PUT ON the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22
"Therefore each of you must PUT OFF falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body." Ephesians 4:25

· What OLD garment am I to take off? FALSEHOOD-LYING
· What NEW garment am I to put on? Speaking TRUTHFULLY to people.
"He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need." Ephesians 4:28
· What OLD garment is a thief to take off?

STEALING.
· What he needs to do is “put on” getting a job. But he not only needs to get a job… he has to change his entire attitude toward money.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

What are we to TAKE OFF? UNWHOLESOME TALK - cursing, gossip, put-downs, insults talking behind their backs.
What are we to PUT ON? Talk that BUILDS others up.

Christianity is about more than "PATCHING" the holes in my life.

That's NOT how the Pharisees did things...the Pharisees were all about "PATCHING" over the holes in their lives.
Matthew 23:27- Jesus saying: "You are like whitewashed tombs."

When it came to SIN, the Pharisees' philosophy was:"If you can't SEE it - it doesn't exist." And "If I can PATCH the hole… the hole isn't there anymore."

Some Christians act like that is true about other things:
• Telling lies is cancelled out by going to mid-week Bible Study
• Verbally abusing your wife is canceled out by teaching Sunday School.
• Running around is canceled out by giving a gift to the church.
• Gossip is canceled out by supporting a missionary.
• Unforgiveness of an enemy is canceled out because you’ve kind to the poor.
• Hatred of someone who did me wrong is canceled out because I love Jesus.
• Grumbling in church or at home or work - is canceled out by the fact that I do a good job of supporting my family.

There's a 2nd aspect of the Pharisees' "PATCHING" theology... They figured people were acceptable to God as long as they didn't tear TOO BIG a hole in their lives.

But, back to the text…Jesus begins his parable… "And no one pours NEW wine into OLD wineskins. If he does, the NEW wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined."

In His first parable Jesus was telling us that He wanted us to CHANGE on the OUTSIDE He wanted us to change how we LIVED and ACTED.

In this 2nd parable, Jesus was saying that this CHANGE was going to be on the INSIDE as well. Something "NEW" was going to be poured into this container. God had spoke about this, in Ezekiel 11:19… "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh."

"When he (Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment."

Jesus in John 16:8

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the OLD has gone, the NEW has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Are YOU Living a PATCHED or PATCHLESS LIFE?

Questions for Discussion:

1. In what ways does following Christ require us to replace old habits with new ones? Why do we resist making these changes?

2. Does Jesus speak against fasting in this passage? What does he teach about fasting, if anything, in this passage?

3. What are the structures in our lives and society that are incompatible with the Life of the Spirit in our lives?

4. Please share a struggle you had with trying to contain the Life of Christ in an "old wineskin"?

The Most Unloved Man in Capernaum-Luke 5:27-32

2010-04-21T08:25:00.011-05:00

At this point in Luke’s story…we have met a fisherman, a leper, a paralyzed man…and now a TAX COLLECTOR.

Have you ever felt like everyone hated you…despised you…made fun of you. Have you ever felt that way to the point you would do ANYTHING to change…

The tax collector's name is given in Mark and Luke as Levi, making it likely that he is a descendent of the tribe of Levi, from whom the priests and Levites descended. Look in the New York City telephone book today, and you'll find thousands of families by this name. Instead of a holy ministry of serving in the temple, this Levi is instead engaged in a most unholy trade -- at least as it was practiced in Palestine.

Jesus looks at him, and says simply: "Follow me." The word in Greek is, akoloutheo, which means, literally, "come after" from a, copulative, and keleuthos, "road," properly, "walking the same road.". Then it means "accompany, go along with." But it also has a specific meaning, "to follow someone as a disciple."

Think what Levi feels like when he hears those two words tap-tapping like a door-knocker on his soul. He is being called to leave his lucrative trade as a tax collector to become almost a beggar, sustaining himself on the sometimes meager contributions made to his Rabbi or Master. In an instant he is being called from wealth to poverty. But I don't think the issue of poverty really enters into his decision. Only one thing matters, and it matters very deeply -- oh, so deeply -- to Levi.

Jesus has sought him out for a purpose...

He seeks US out for a purpose today.

So what does Jesus DO that makes a DIFFERENCE?
· Jesus ACCEPTS him.
· Jesus LOVES him -- the most unloved man in Capernaum.
· And Jesus CALLS him personally: "Follow me." Since he was a boy he hadn't imagined himself a righteous man. Now he is being called to accompany a holy man on his itinerant travels. How bizarre! How wonderful!

Matthew replies to Jesus invitation by issuing an invitation to his new Master. "Jesus, I would be very honored if you would be a guest in my home this very night." Jesus accepts.
This is no intimate dinner party for a few guests. Luke describes it with the word megas, meaing "great." To his large house suited to a wealthy man, Levi invites "a large crowd of tax collectors and others."

Levi has introduced his closest friends to his newest Friend, and is now ready to follow. The growing band of disciples -- Peter and Andrew, James and John -- who have despised him for collecting a toll on their fish exports may have been stand-offish at first. But when they see Jesus warmly accept him, they accept him, too, into this strange new fellowship of disciples called from all walks of life to walk with Jesus and learn his ways. It is giddy and glorious, and deeply moving to Levi, as he cleans up after the party.

He is no longer Levi the tax collector.

He is Matthew the Disciple.

Two clear lessons for disciples in this passage:
1. Jesus doesn't really care what others think about a person, or how others value a person. He loves the outcasts and the unloved.
2. Jesus didn't concentrate on polishing the already righteous, but on rescuing the perishing. His mission is to the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and the brokenhearted.

The scribes and Pharisees saw Matthew and his friends as condemned sinners, but Jesus saw them as spiritually sick “patients” who needed the help of a physician. The first step toward healing sin sickness is admitting that we have a need and that we must do something about it.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (5:31-32).

If all were righteous, spiritually healthy, Jesus would have no necessity to pay a house call. But because we are not so righteous after all, because our souls are troubled and besmirched by compromise -- because of all this we desperately need Jesus to come and call us to something better than the filth we may be living in. We need him to call us to our best.

Have YOU made an appointment to see Jesus?

Have YOU seen Great Physician about YOUR sickness or problem?

Jesus LOVES you…Jesus will ACCEPT you..and Jesus is PERSONALLY CALLING you to come and FOLLOW him down the road He is walking.

Questions for Discussion:
1. Who in our society would correspond to the rich outcasts like tax collectors were in Jesus'day?

2. Why do we Christians feel so uncomfortable around blatant sinners? Why did Jesus succeed in making himself so at home in their presence?

3. Have you ever had a time when you felt like an outcast? What did it feel like to you, when Jesus' voice broke through all the static and let you know that he had chosen you and really wanted you?

4. What was Levi’s first action as a new follower of Jesus? (Vs 29) Who did he invite to his “new career” party?

5. To follow Jesus or to walk more closely with Him, what are (or were) the most difficult things (or ways of life) for you to leave behind?

Four Faithful Friends- Luke 5:17-26

2010-03-22T23:55:00.005-05:00

On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, "Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, "Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the man who was paralyzed--"I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home." And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, "We have seen extraordinary things today."

First things first....wouldn't you have given anything to be there that day? But think about all the people you could have been...a listener, a disciple, a Pharisee, a paralytic...or someone's friend who just happened to have great faith.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND?

We see an interesting phrase: "And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick" (5:17b). Does this mean that the power of God was NOT always with him to heal? No, not at all.

It's just another in a series of mentions Luke makes of the POWER of the Holy Spirit that is upon Jesus for ministry:

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan...." (4:1)
"Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit...." (4:14)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to...." (4:18)
"With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out" (4:36)
"The people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all." (6:19)
"Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." (8:46)
"He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases...." (9:1)

But, when Jesus saw their faith...the whole situation begin to change.

FAITH -- someone's faith -- is one important ingredient in healing. Lack of faith in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth resulted in few healings (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:5-6).

"Friend, your sins are forgiven' " (5:20).

Jesus knows that if he forgives the paralytic his sins, it would cause a great stir. I can't escape the impression that Jesus deliberately provokes the scribes and Pharisees. Now he increases their discomfort with a choice: "Which is easier? To say:

"Your sins are forgiven" OR "Get up and walk".

Then he tells the man to get up, healing him. The clear take away lesson is that Jesus has the authority to forgive sins AND heal the sick. Anyone can say, "Your sins are forgiven." Those are easy words to say, and who can tell whether or not the sins really HAVE been forgiven. But Jesus both pronounces forgiveness and then heals. GOD WORKS ON US FROM THE INSIDE OUT!

Today, some of us need to come and be forgiven and receive a blessing of healing as well.
WHAT IS PARALYZING YOU FROM RECEIVING FROM JESUS?

One of the biggest things paralyzing the church today is FEAR: The Bible speaks to this…

"Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for FEAR that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3:20-21)

"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to FEAR, but you received the Spirit of sonship." (Romans 8:15)

"For God did not give us a spirit of FEAR, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7 )

What's the OBSTACLE in your life that is preventing you from experiencing the POWER of Jesus in your life? Here’s some examples that most of us struggle with:
·A habit …
·a secret sin …
·a person you don't like
·a person in church you don't like or talk to...
your love for the world or the things of the world?

We must lose our fear...go deeper into our faith, and be open & willing to receive a word or work that God wants to do in our life.

What lessons are intended for us disciples to grasp from this day's events?
1. The importance of persistent, unstoppable faith in receiving from Jesus.
2. Jesus' authority on earth of forgive sins.
3. Jesus' authority to heal the paralyzed.
4. Fearlessness before the religious authorities.
5. A willingness to stretch people's understanding, even at the risk of offense.

Questions to Discuss :
1. What quality did Jesus see in the paralytic man who was lowered from the roof?What were his first words to him? (v. 20) Is forgiveness a kind of healing?

2. Why do you think Jesus spoke the extremely controversial words, "Your sins are forgiven." He could have been less offensive to the visiting guests. Why did he choose not to be?

3. What is the connection between sin and sickness in this passage?

4. Which of the two phrases IS easier to say? "Your sins are forgiven!" OR "Get up, take your mat, and go home!"? What point did Jesus want us to draw from this incident?

5. Why did Jesus use the term "Son of Man" rather than "Son of God" or "Messiah"?

6. Whom do you feel most like at present? The paralyzed man or one of the four friends? Why?

7. From whom do we need forgiveness? To whom should we give forgiveness?

"If You Are Willing.." Healing a Leper-Luke 5:12-15

2010-03-15T17:44:00.007-05:00

While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
Luke 5:12-15

Speaking...the Unspeakable,
Doing.........the Undoable,
TOUCHING...the Untouchable!
Leprosy is a disease of the nervous system, you can’t feel pain, you get infection, your body deforms and then your limbs deteriorate. Leprosy made a person ritually unclean. To touch a leper defiled a Jew almost as much as touching a dead person. In a sense, leprosy was a sign of God's disfavor. Healing a leper had not been done in Israel for 700 years, and was thought to be an earmark of the Messianic Age when leprosy would no longer afflict people. Jesus sent a message of this to John per his disciples in Luke 7:20-23:

When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' " At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: 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. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

To the rabbis, the cure of a leper was as difficult as raising a person from the dead. In all Biblical history only two people had been cured of leprosy -- Miriam, who had leprosy for seven days as a punishment for speaking against Moses' leadership (Numbers 12:9-15), and Naaman, general of the army of Aram, an heathen from Damascus (2 Kings 5). When he obeyed Elijah's instruction to wash seven times in the Jordan River he was healed.

But what about this man, this leper?

He would have been subject to the rules of the law.

"The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp" Leviticus 13:45-46

But, the Healer is in town...the new rabbi on the scene, the one who does things different, speaks different, is different. Maybe if he could get to him...things would be different. Desperate times call for desperate measures...so he runs, not shouting "Unclean", and then falls down on his face in front of this new and different Rabbi.

LORD, IF YOU ARE WILLING..., YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN!

It is a statement of FAITH.A deep faith that believes Jesus WILL DO something that has not been done in 700 years! (Why can’t we believe that Jesus is will to heal our pasts, or what happened just months ago?) It isn't a matter of ABILITY, the leper is saying. It is ONLY a matter of WILL. Jesus is ABLE to heal him. And then, the new Rabbi breaks the rules too, he goes way over the "comfort zone" of the day, the crowd gasps in astonishment and Jesus does the unthinkable...He reaches down and touches the man with his deformed and deteriorated skin and says,

I WANT TO...BE CLEAN!

3 LESSSONS FROM A LEPER:
1. Jesus' expressed will is to HEAL. That should be our assumption, not considered the exception. We have forgotten Jesus had a threefold ministry of Preaching, Teaching, & Healing.
2. Jesus doesn't shrink from TOUCHING the unlovely. Neither should we.
3. Our FAITH should be as BOLD as the leper's in order to receive from Jesus.

We need to KNOW & LEARN the difference between believing God CAN DO something for us... and believing that he WANTS TO DO something for us
LEPROSY is much like SIN...It starts inside us, it spreads,it eats away in us, it rots us, it defiles us, it make us UNCLEAN to a HOLY GOD! Just as leprosy ISOLATED people then, one day SIN will isolate people to HELL, and result in everlasting DEATH.

And with this new cleanness, the man is given a new command: "Go and show yourself" to the priest...as a testimony. Notice that Jesus stays within the tradition of the day...he honors it. But Jesus also orders him not to tell anyone about this incident, to which the other Gospels writers say he went and told everyone.

How ironic, Jesus told people in his day NOT to TELL ANYONE about Him and they TOLD EVERYONE, but Jesus told US to TELL EVERYONE about Him and what He does, and most of us DON'T TELL anyone!

So, if YOU know what God CAN DO, then what is keeping you from asking him what He WILL DO for you in your situation, with your past, with your infirmity?

Questions to Discuss:

1. Who in our society are treated like lepers were treated in Jesus' day? Who sometimes feels like a leper in the presence of Jesus?

2. Describe the kind of faith it takes to act and speak as this leper did. What level of belief was required of him?

3. What is the difference between believing God CAN do something for us and believing that he WANTS to do something for us? Would you call the difference faith? or knowledge? or both?

4. After Jesus touched the man and cured him of leprosy, why did he have to show himself to the priest? (Leviticus 13 and 14)

5. What person in your life could most benefit from a caring touch from you in the name of Christ?

Into Deep Water-The Calling of Peter (Luke 5:1-11)

2010-03-09T00:13:00.010-06:00

1 Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. 2 He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. 3 He climbed into the boat that was Simon's and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd. 4 When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch." 5 Simon said, "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I'll let out the nets." 6 It was no sooner said than done - a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. 7 They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch. 8 Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. "Master, leave. I'm a sinner and can't handle this holiness. Leave me to myself." 9 When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. 10 It was the same with James and John, Zebedee's sons, coworkers with Simon. 11 They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him. (The Message)

Jesus was always concerned about individuals. He preached to great crowds, but His message was always to the individual, and He took time to help people personally. His purpose was to transform them and then send them out to share His message of love & forgiveness with others.

Points of the Passage:

The would-be disciples were found washing their nets-if not washed would rot and break. Jesus came to them on their everyday activity, and they answered rather than continuing to "wash their nets."
They had fished all night- and caught nothing-It was a well-known fact that, in the Sea of Galilee, you caught fish at night in the shallow water, not in the daytime in the deep water. Jesus asked Peter to do something CONTARY & DIFFERENT to what they knew and had experienced.
The key was his faith in the Word of God: “Nevertheless, at thy word” (Luke 5:5).
Peter first trusted him to “put out a little”….then trusted Jesus when He said “put out a lot...into the deep”-notice Jesus’ method of teaching and building our faith. Jesus later said this in scripture.
Luke 16:10/ 10. He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
Notice Peter and Andrew called their partners to share in their blessing…they were channels, not reservoirs. Do we share our blessings…or stingily keep them?

If we don’t OBEY the commands of God, we don’t have an obedience problem, we have a LOVE problem…a relationship problem. It’s because we are not as in LOVE with God, because we do not respect Him enough out of that LOVE, that we don’t obey his commands.

John 14:21/ 21. Whoever has my commands and OBEYS them, he is the one who LOVES me. He who LOVES me will be LOVED by my Father, and I too will LOVE him and show myself to him."

DO YOU THINK HE WANTS US TO KNOW...HE LOVES US!

If you’re not seeing God or Jesus, or His blessings in your life…maybe you need to check your LOVE for Him!

The commands of God are not burdensome, not restrictive, do not bring bondage…but FREEDOM…and set limits on our lives so that they can be the BEST lives ever!

Matthew 11:28-30/"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

“So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him…”

EVERYTHING? WHAT??? You mean EVERYTHING...I mean really, leave everything, the steady job, the money, the wife, the kids, the place they grew up...?

I think the fishermen who would become disciples left these things...but I also think they left other things too...like pride, self-centerness, arrogance and many other negative characteristics we tend to develop over our lives.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LEAVE BEHIND..IN ORDER TO TRULY FOLLOW HIM?

Questions to Discuss:
1. Have you ever participated in a project on which everyone worked very hard,only to experience failure? How did you feel? How would you feel if someonecompletely unconnected with the project and with no expertise in the area came along and told you to start over?
2. How did Simon respond to Jesus’ instructions to cast their nets again? (Vs 5). What was the purpose of this? Was Jesus testing Simon’s faith?
3. What are the areas in your life where God requires long-term obedience from you in spite of failures? Do you sometimes feel like you are just standing around "washing your nets?" What would be your "nets"?
4. How did Simon react when he realized that Jesus had just done a miracle for them? (Vs 8-9)
5. How did Simon and the others respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow him? (Vs 11) In what way is Simon’s reaction an example for us to follow? What do you need to leave behind today in order to follow Christ?
6.Why doesn't Jesus address Peter's sinfulness at this point? What does Jesus talk about instead?
7.Does Jesus require ALL his disciples to leave everything? If not, why not? If so, in what sense?

The Mission of Jesus: Life, Liberty, & Love

2010-02-16T16:47:00.011-06:00

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

In this passage, we find Jesus in a natural setting; his hometown of Nazareth and in the temple where he had previously taught. Jesus was just following the normal order of a first century worship and accepted the welcoming offer to the newest "Rabbi" in town to read the Holy Word. Notice that the scroll of Isaiah is "handed" to Jesus, he does not "pick" it out to read, but is given the scroll and led by the Spirit to share that particular passage. Jesus then gives us the Spirit filled an anointed activites that He would perform to set people free, and activites that we the church should still be following today.

1. EVANGELISM.

" He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor."

The word "preach" here in the original Greek carries the connotation "to bring the good news with a message intended to cheer up the hearer."To the paraplegic Jesus said, "Be of GOOD CHEER, your sins are forgiven." (Matt. 9:2)To the disciples on the storm-tossed sea - "Be of GOOD CHEER, it is I, be not afraid." (Matt. 14:27)To His disciples when He told them He was going to heaven - "These things have I spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation. But be of GOOD CHEER, I have overcome the world."

(John 16:33)

2. ENCOURAGEMENT

"He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted." Brokenhearted" is a very descriptive word. It is used in the Bible only here and in the verse from Isaiah which Jesus quoted.
The bad news is there are a lot of brokenhearted people in this world. They suffer from broken relationships, they come from broken homes, they experience broken health, and a lot are broken financially.

The Bible concept is to be "made whole". (Mt. 9:22, 15:28; Mk. 6:56; Jn. 5:6,14; Acts 4:9) The Greek word "whole" can be defined: "To cause to be; to generate; to become." This wholeness is only accomplished through the work of Holy Spirit. He is the only One who can work on the inside where the broken heart beats.

3. EDIFICATION

"To preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind."
Once a person is made whole again through Christ, they need to experience the recovery and restoration process. This too, is a work of the Spirit.The scripture utilizes two very colorful words to describe people without Jesus: "CAPTIVES" and "BLIND".It also uses two powerful words for the restoration process: "DELIVERANCE" and "RECOVERY".

Edification is a good Bible word that describes the recovery or restoration process. Edification builds people up again, and is the opposite of the destruction and brokenness sin causes.

2 Corinthians 13:10/This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
Romans 14:19. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

1Thessalonians 5:10-11/ He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

4. EQUIPPING

"To set at liberty them that are bruised."

"Its one thing to be set free, but how are we supposed to handle the scars that sin leaves? How do we deal with the "bruises"?
The word "liberty" here literally means "freedom by pardon, forgiveness and remission".The words pardon and forgiveness are pretty clear, but remission is a Bible word we don’t use as much today.

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." - John 8:36

2 Peter 1:3. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”

5. EXALTATION

"To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

Christ is talking about the Lord’s favor here - the gracious offer of Himself. Christ is the only "acceptable" offering for our sins.

WHAT is the result of this offering of Himself for our sins?

Jesus said, "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32)

John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Ever wonder about what kind of those GREATER WORKS Jesus was talking about?

They are the works of the Spirit he proclaims here in this passage!

It is SIN that makes us POOR, that BREAKS our hearts, that takes us CAPTIVE, that makes us BLIND to God’s truth…IT IS SIN THAT IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF OPRESSION AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF GOD!

JESUS did not come to this world just to PREACH DELIVERANCE, or BRING DELIVERANCE to us, BUT to BE DELIVERANCE!

IS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD ON YOU?

Questions to Discuss:

Is it reasonable to expect that the power of the Spirit will be as great in a Christian today as it was in Jesus?
Why can being around the very poor make us feel uncomfortable? Can we with integrity declare good news to the poor without seeking to alleviate their poverty? Can the two be separated?
Who around you is a prisoner? How can you declare freedom to them with sensitivity?
How should you heal the brokenhearted in your world?
Who are the oppressed in your particular community? How can you assist them and help them find justice?
What main points did Jesus make to the people of his hometown (v 24-27)? ( 1Kings 17:14-16, 2 Kings 5:1-14)
Why were the people angry with what Jesus said? Do you get angry if someone tells you the truth about yourself? Why do we sometimes avoid facing the truth about ourselves?
What kind of reception from others should you expect when you speak the truth?
How did Jesus demonstrate the importance of worship? How about the importance of knowing the Scriptures.

(Sermon excerpts and 5 points taken from "Liberty When Life's Not Fair" by Pastor Brian Atwood of the Pathway Church of Huntsville, AL.)

The Temptations of Jesus; The Pride of Life

2010-02-09T23:27:00.013-06:00

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Luke 4:9-13

In the third and final temptation, the devil appeals to the "pride of life", trying to get Jesus to rely on himself other than the faithfulness of the Father. For the first time in this passage, the devil quotes scripture, citing Psalm 91, albeit, leaving out the "in all your ways" and twisting the Word to fit his actions.

When a child of God is in the will of God, he can claim the Father’s protection and care... but if he willfully gets into trouble and expects God to rescue him, then he is tempting God. (See Exodus 17:1-7)

Our Lord’s reply was, “on the other hand, it is written”

(Matthew. 4:7 NASB), `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'

Jesus balanced Scripture with Scripture to get the total expression of God’s will.

When WE try to live OUR life outside the WILL of GOD, we exhibit the PRIDE of LIFE!

So, how do we hear God's voice, how do we determine His will?

“For whatever is not of faith is sin” (Romans. 14:23),
and “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans. 10:17)

We live by faith, we obey God and His Word, we hear his message...and His message is the Gospel and the message is JESUS!

"When the devil had finished all this tempting,

he left him until an opportune time."

Notice that the devil will attack sometimes in our weakest moments and sometimes even right after a victory. He attacks at what is most adventageous to his plan...and most harmful to us.

Summary of the Temptations

· Satan questioned the FATHER’S LOVE when he tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread.
· Satan questioned the FATHER’S HOPE when he offered Jesus the world's kingdoms this side of the cross .

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12:1-3

· Satan questioned the FATHER’S FAITHFULNESS when he asked Jesus to jump from the temple and prove that the Father would keep His promise.

The enemy attacked the 3 basic virtues of the Christian life—

FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:33

FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE…
They remain today…because of Jesus…and what He did for us in the desert…and on the cross.

LOSE Your Pride, LIVE your life, and LOVE the Lord

Questions to Discuss:

What is the essence of the third temptation, to throw oneself down from the temple? How do we face this temptation today?

Did Jesus have any special powers at his disposal to resist temptation that Christians today don't have?

What lessons about how to resist temptation does Jesus teach us disciples in this passage?

In what situations are you sometimes tempted to put the Lord to the test?

The Temptations of Jesus-Lust of the Eyes

2010-01-31T22:10:00.011-06:00

The Temptations of Jesus: The Lust of the Eyes

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'

Luke 4:5-8

Interesting...isn't it? What would tempt a king...kingdom? We usually automatically think of of the problems we have with "lusting" with our eyes in regard to sexual images...but, that's not what is going on here in the text. It is a far deeper and more widespread issue...It is GREED...it is COVETING...or at least it is the devil's attempt to draw us off our course as he tried to draw Jesus off his collison course with the cross...and eventually resurrection.

The second temptation is to authority and worldly glory. This sounds like a vision...thus the phrase "in an instant". Instantly, Jesus can see each of the kingdoms of his day: Herod's petty domain closest to him, then Rome's towering buildings and Caesar's court, and all the other empires. Jesus could see it all.

The devil said to Jesus, "If you worship me, it will all be yours." What was Satan's bargain? The Greek word for "worship" is proskuneo. "Proskuneo used to designate the custom of prostrating oneself before a person and kissing his feet, the hem of his garment, the ground, etc.; the Persians did this in the presence of their deified king, and the Greeks before a divinity or something holy; (fall down and) worship,prostrate oneself before, do reverence to, welcome respectfully.'

The Father had already promised to give the Son all the kingdoms of the world:
“I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
Psalm. 2:7–87

…but first the Son had to suffer and die. (John 12:23–33)

The suffering must come first, then the glory. “Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?".
Luke 24:25–27

Satan’s offer to Christ was valid, but his terms were unacceptable, and the Savior refused.Satan had said nothing about service, but Jesus knew that WHATEVER we worship, we will serve.

Service to the Lord is true FREEDOM, but service to Satan is terrible BONDAGE!
God’s pattern is to start with suffering and end with glory...while Satan’s pattern is to start with glory and end with suffering. If we can recognize this...we can avoid this trap of the lust of the eyes.

Jesus took the cross before the throne…and just as there were NO shortcuts for Him...There are no “shortcuts” in the Christian life, and there is no easy way to spiritual victory and maturity.

What is one of Satan’s biggest shortcut to us: GREED

“Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."” Luke 12:15

WHAT IS IT THAT GETS YOU OFF COURSE? What is the recurring distraction to your Christian walk...the "shortcut" that the evil one continues to place in front of you?

How do we resist that temptation...that pull of what our eyes see, our greed, our coveting of the things of others, or even more of the things we already have...?

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

2 Peter 1:3-4

Questions to discuss:
1. What is the essence of the second temptation, to attain power and splendor?

2. What similar temptations do we face today?

3. What physical or mental needs and desires make us vulnerable to temptation?

4. What is the source of the divine power in 2 Peter 1 and how do we apply it to our walk?

The Temptations of Jesus: Lust of the Flesh

2010-01-24T23:51:00.011-06:00

Luke 4:1-13
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.' " 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' " 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' " 12 Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Temptations...what tempted you this week? Was it big...small...or was it that same one that you constantly find yourself struggling with, you know, the one that is your true thorn in the flesh, your Achilles heel...the one the devil knows just how to attack? We must learn that the devil will always tempt in these 3 areas, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

In this posting, we will be dealing with the first temptation only, ...just like we did in the sermon this morning. I feel that we can learn more from individually discussing them, rather than talking about all 3 at once, like I have ususally done.

The devil appealed to the lust of the flesh, in this case hunger or our physical needs, the cravings that come from within our flesh and body. In fact, His deity was the basis for the first of the three temptations. “Since you are the Son of God,” Satan argued, “why be hungry? You can change stones into bread!”

In this first temptation, Satan suggested that there must be something wrong with the Father’s love since His “beloved Son” was hungry…God fed Israel..couldn’t Jesus feed himself?

Satan subtly used this same approach on Eve in the garden: “God is holding out on you! Why can’t you eat of every tree in the garden ? If He really loved you, He would share everything with you!”But the test was even more subtle than that, for Satan was asking Jesus to separate the physical from the spiritual.Satan wanted Jesus to disobey the Father’s will by using His divine power for His own purposes. Satan wanted Jesus to change his IDENTITY.

His IDENTITY is OUR IDENTITY!-To we who truly follow Christ, WHO we are as Christians and HOW the world sees us.

The Bible speaks to this pull from the world on us in 1 John 2:16:
"Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him." (The Message)

TEMPTATION is Satan’s weapon to defeat us, but it can become God’s tool to build us

James 1:2–4, 13–17
2. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3. because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

12. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13. When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14. but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Christ must be first in everything,

or He is first in nothing

(Matthew. 6:33).

It is better to be hungry in the will of God than satisfied out of the will of God. When our Lord quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, He put the emphasis on the word man. As the eternal Son of God, He had POWER to do anything, but as the humble Son of Man, He had AUTHORITY to do only that which the Father willed.

As the Servant, Jesus did not use His divine attributes for selfish purposes (Philippians. 2:5–8). Because He was man, He hungered, but He trusted the Father to meet His needs in His own time and His own way. You and I need bread for the body (Matthew. 6:11), but we must not live by physical bread alone. We also need food for the inner person to satisfy our spiritual needs.

This FOOD is the Word of God
Psalm 119:103/How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jeremiah 15:16/16. When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.

1 Peter 2:2/Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

What DIGESTION is to the body, MEDITATION is to the soul. As we read the Word and meditate on it, we receive spiritual health and strength for the inner person, and this enables us to obey the will of God.

Most of us Christians don’t realize that we have the same spiritual resources that Jesus used when He faced and defeated Satan:

1. Prayer (Luke 3:22),
2. The Father’s love (Luke 3:23),
3. Power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1),
4. Word of God (“It is written”).

The Word of God will successfully defeat the devil...or his demons. How much time THIS week did YOU spend in God's Word....how well in your desert, your wilderness, your temptation or trial can you reply..."It is written".

Questions to Discuss:
1. Is temptation only merely inevitable, or is it necessary to our growth as disciples?
2. What is the essence of the first temptation, to turn stones into bread? Which temptations we face are similar?
3. What physical or mental needs and desires make us vulnerable to temptation?
4. In what situations are you sometimes tempted to put the Lord to the test?
5. Where did Jesus get the answers he gave the Devil in verses 4, 8, and 12? 6. How did Jesus resist temptation? How can you become skillful in using the Bible & Scriptures as Jesus did?

The Herald of the Truth-Luke 3:1-22

2010-01-19T23:29:00.008-06:00

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar--when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene-- 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.' " 7 John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely --be content with your pay." 15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." 18 And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them. 19 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, 20 Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

In studying this week's passage we really see 2 things: this is a story of John and Jesus...it is a story of one ministry ending...and one ministry beginning.

From the passage we can learn this about John the Baptist:

John the Baptist was a voice “crying in the wilderness”

(Luke 3:4; see also Isaiah. 40:1–5, John 1:23). He was like the herald who went before the royal procession to make sure the roads were ready for the king.
He rebuked their sins and announced God’s salvation, for without conviction there can be no conversion.

John the Baptist is compared to a farmer who chops down useless trees.

John reminded them that God gets to the root of things and is not impressed with religious profession that does not produce fruit.

John the Baptist was a teacher.

He not only preached publicly, but he also had a personal ministry to the people, telling them how to practice their new faith (Luke 3:10–14).

What is not brought out a lot on this passage is John's relationship, his personal ministry to the people. In verses 10-15 we see this verbal exchange....and look at what John speaks to the crowd that has come to hear his words:
1) The Crowds-Be Generous
"The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
2) The Tax Collectors-Be Honest
"Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.
3) The Soldiers-Be A Person of Integrity & Gratitude
Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay."

But then, he tells of one to come, one who will baptize them in a new way...

John knew that Jesus of Nazareth was the perfect Son of God who had no need to repent of sin.
Why then was the sinless Son of God baptized?

-His baptism gave approval to John’s baptism
-His baptism identified Him with the sinners that He came to save.
-His baptism was the official start of His ministry (Acts 1:21–22; 10:37–38).

But our Lord’s words tell us the main reason for His baptism:
“for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew. 3:15)

In the way pictured by His baptism in the Jordan. Many Bible scholars agree that NewTestament baptism was by immersion, which is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection.
Our Lord’s baptism in water was a picture of His work of redemption (Matt. 20:22; Luke 12:50). It was through His baptism of suffering on the cross that God “fulfilled all righteousness.”

So, Why Do We Need Baptism?
Jesus didn’t only SET our example…he COMMANDED us to FOLLOW it.
Mark 16:16/Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Matthew 28:18/Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (NOTICE: ALL AUTHORITY!)
19. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20

In a verse used for baptism emphasis time and time again, we sometimes have put too much emphasis on the first part...and not realized the power and blessing attached to the second part.
Acts 2 :38/"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." 39. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40. With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41. Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:39-41

Here’s the point I believe…If you have been putting off…or dodging being baptized…you aren’t just putting baptism off…you are in reality rebelling against the AUTHORITY & COMMANDMENT of CHRIST.
Have you heard the “voice”…is the “soil” of your heart ready…do you need “teaching”…or will you stay out of the authority of Christ?

Questions to Discuss:

1. What was the basic message of John the Baptist? (Luke 3:3) Exactly what is repentance? What are its two sides?

2. How sensitive was John to the crowds that came to hear him? (Luke 3:7-8) Why was John harsh with them? How would you feel if your pastor or a teacher called you a vicious snake?

3. If baptism was a sign of repentance from sin, why did Jesus ask to be baptized?

4. What do you think Jesus was saying to the Father as he was praying after his baptism?

5. Why would Jesus be baptized along with all the sin-laden people at the river that day? Wasn't he in danger of miscommunicating to them who he was?

6. Why do you think God staged the dove to descend in a visible way?

7. What was the significance of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time in his life? Did everyone see this symbol of the Holy Spirit, or was it just visible to John and Jesus?

8. How did Jesus interpret the Voice that sounded from heaven?

9. Did Jesus become the Messiah at this point? Or become divine? Or how do you understand this decisive event?

Whose House Are You In?- Jesus at the Temple

2010-01-10T23:07:00.003-06:00

Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2:41-50

Have you ever misplace or lost your child? At the grocery store, a ballgame...AT CHURCH? As a parent, you know how terrifying that can be. So, most of us can understand Mary and Joseph's panic and reaction. But, what we probably do not understand...is the boy Jesus' reply and actions.

"Why is it that you were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?"

It can also be translated "in the things of My Father", but the idea is the same. Jesus was affirming His divine sonship and His mission to do the will of the Father.

That is huge, a major point...a true foundation that He will base His entire ministry and focus on the rest of his life.

This morning we looked at the traits of the boy Jesus we could see from our passage in Luke

He grew in a BALANCED way without neglecting any part of life. (Luke 2:52)
His PRIORITY was to do the WILL of His Father (Luke 2:49 & see Matthew. 6:33)'
He knew how to LISTEN. (Luke 2:46)
He knew how to ASK the RIGHT questions. (Luke 2:46)
He LEARNED how to work.
He was OBEDIENT to His parents. (Luke 2:51)

Please note that on the verse Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well, notice that "all these things" is referring back to verses 31 & 32/31. So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32. For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

We pray amiss and out of God's will when we take this verse to mean "everything"...God gives us what we need in accordance to His will, His plan, & His purpose for us in His kingdom.

It is these traits, these inherrent characteristics that begin to form the man Christ Jesus as he steps into ministry. This is our ONLY look at his childhood, Jesus the boy, and what we see is very impressive. We will not get another glimpse at this Jesus by God's Word until he is age 30, and comes to John baptizing in the river Jordan

So, What was happening to Jesus between the ages of 12 and 30? There are some apocryphal books that attempt to fill the gaps. But even a casual reading will show that these were written much later than the first century and are fairy tale-like stories. One tells of Jesus changing toy pigeons into real birds. It isn't unusual to find gaps in biographies in the Bible. The story of Jesus isn't unusual in this way.

The most likely explanation is that nothing of paramount importance to His ministry or fulfilled prophecy happened in this period. The Bible tells us only that he grew in grace and wisdom and appeared to be the ordinary son of a carpenter. He was an apprentice carpenter with Joseph his father. This is apparent when he speaks of things like yokes, what makes a good foundation and whether or not a building could stand, and many other "carpentry" like terms in his teachings.

With these kind of core values, this kind of upbringing & teachings, this type of foundation... no wonder the Father proclaimed, "This my MY beloved son, I am well pleased in Him." The real question we must ask is, "Can the Father say the say the same thing about us?"

Questions to Discuss:
1. How did Jesus respond to his parent’s frantic arrival? How did he answer his parent’s concern for him? (2:49) How did he then behave?(2:51)
2. How does this story illustrate the tension that Jesus may have felt between obedience to his heavenly father and obedience to his earthly parents?
3. Of the four ways in which Jesus grew (in wisdom, in stature, in favor with God, in favor with man), which one needs the most work in your life? (2:52). What would our life be like if we embraced and put into practice the 6 traits we see in the boy Jesus...how would it make our lives different?

Scriptural references for the 6 traits in this morning's sermon-(Proverbs 9:10, Proverbs 21:21, Proverbs 8:34-35, 2 Timothy 2:15, Luke 11:9-10, Mark 6:3 & Exodus 20:12)

Living in The House of the Lord-Anna's Story

2010-01-10T17:08:00.001-06:00

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Luke 2:36-40

Some people just persevere; they just don't give up when life hits them in the face. So is the second person to meet the child Jesus in the temple. I mean, imagine...losing your spouse after only 7 years of marriage...and if you are a woman in these times...not many available options. But, Anna didn't give up...her faith, her gift of prophecy, her endurance lead her to the one place where she could be considered "useful"...God's holy temple.

Notice what we find Anna doing in her "regular" day:

Worshiping...day and night
Praying
Fasting

Hmmm, most of us have a hard time "worshiping" in our "temple" 6 hours a week...much less "day and night." As for me, I think I would have enjoyed "hanging out" with this first century 84 year old worshiper...I believe I could have learned from her...I believe I could have deepened my relationship with God by being around her.

Think about this...at this point of Luke's story we have met 2 people who "recognized" the Christ...but, look at their lives, look at their righteousness, look at their hearts. Maybe if we would become more like Simeon and Anna...we could "recognize" Christ in our lives more clearly.

May we come to a "daily" worship that opens both our eyes and our hearts to recognize Christ.

A Closer Look at Anna

Anna is the same name as Hannah, meaning "He was gracious." 1 Sam. 1:20

Anna was a prophetess. Scripture records 3 named prophetesses: Miriam (Ex. 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4) and Huldah (2 Chron. 34:22). In the New Testament, we are told that Philip had 4 daughters that prophesied. (Acts 21:8-9)

Anna was the daughter of Phanuel. The same as Peniel, meaning "Face of God" (Gen.:32:20). Ironic, that this worshiper, this humble servant would one day see the true "face of God".

Questions To Discuss:
1. Who was Anna? (2:36-37) What was her response to finding Mary, Joseph, and Christ in the temple? (2:38)
2. In what ways do you see God working behind the scenes in the events of Christ’s childhood?
3. In what ways are Simeon and Anna examples to us? What roles can other Christians have in our life of faith? As a Christian, what role can you have in another Christian’s life of faith?

What Are You Waiting For? The Story of Simeon

2010-01-05T23:40:00.000-06:00

Luke 2:25-35
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 33 The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

This past Sunday I challenged everybody to honestly ask themselves, "What am I waiting for?" We wait in lines, we wait for phone calls and emails, we wait for people to change, and we wait for God to answer us. But, do we wait like Simeon waited...after God had spoken a word into his life? Do we truly take and embrace that word and COMPLETELY TRUST God to deliver?

Notice the following from verse 25:
There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. The name means "Hearing". Some think that it was Rabbi Simeon, the son of the great teacher Hillel; but the context forbids such an idea.

This man was righteous and devout. Right in outward and devout in his inward life. The first prophet to tell the world that its Messiah had come was a thoroughly good man. Looking. Waiting like Jacob and Joseph of Arimathea he realized the truth of God's promise. The Jews waited for a coming Prince, local, carnal, finite, temporal; we wait for a KING universal, spiritual, infinite, eternal, the Son of God.

For the consolation of Israel. A common name for the era of the Messiah, which was so called because the advent of the Christ would bring comfort to his people. Jews swore by the consolation of Israel, and the phrase, "May I see the consolation of Israel", was common among them. A prayer for the coming of the Messiah was daily used by them.

And the Holy Spirit was upon him. Not the indwelling that was to come, but the random "comings" of the Holy Spirit as illustrated all throughout the Old Testament period.

Simeon's Prophecy to Mary-The STONE, The SIGN & The SWORD

Simeon now blesses the Holy Family. In verse 34 we see the Greek verb eulogeo that appeared in verse 28 as "to praise, extol." Here, directed toward humans, it means, "to ask for bestowal of special favor, especially of calling down God's gracious power, bless."

Simeon's prophecy to Mary has four elements:

1) "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel." How people respond to Jesus and his message will determine their destiny. Many of Jesus' contemporaries receive his message and are saved, but the religious community, by and large, can't bring themselves to believe that Jesus can be God's Messiah. Jesus becomes "a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall" (Isaiah 8:14; 28:16; Luke 20:17-18; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:6-8).

2) "and to be a sign that will be spoken against." Jesus is God's sign to his people, but he is rejected. "Spoken against" is the Greek verb antilego, "speak against, contradict someone, oppose, refuse."

3) "so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed." "Thoughts" is the Greek verb dialogismos, "content of reasoning or conclusion reached through use of reason, thought, opinion, reasoning, design." Here it seems to be used in a negative sense. Those who stumble at Jesus, who reject him and oppose his message, will finally be shown up for what they are. "Revealed" is the Greek verb apokolupto (from which we get our English word "apocalypse"). It means, "to cause something to be fully known, reveal, disclose, bring to light, make fully known" (appearing here and at Matthew 10:26 with a judicial connotation. Jesus himself is to be the judge, sitting on the judgment seat of the Messiah: "This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ" (Romans 2:16; cf. Acts 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

4) "And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Though the Holy Spirit, Simeon can see the deep anguish that Mary will feel as her son is rejected by the nation's leaders and ultimately crucified.

Questions for Discussion:
1. Who was Simeon? (2:25) What special significance did Christ’s arrival have for him? (2:26-32)
2. What of Simeon’s prophecy is still true today?
3. Who was Anna? (2:36-37) What was her response to finding Mary, Joseph, and Christ in the temple? (2:38)
4. In what ways do you see God working behind the scenes in the events of Christ’s childhood?
5. In what ways are Simeon and Anna examples to us? What roles can other Christians have in our life of faith? As a Christian, what role can you have in another Christian’s life of faith?
6. What kind of model were Mary and Joseph setting for Jesus in their family traditions? (2:41)

Getting Ready for our New Series on Luke

2010-01-02T19:24:00.000-06:00

Hello Macedonia Family and all interested in studying the book of Luke.

This blog is to complement our sermon series on the gospel of Luke. We will be adding more information, backgrounds, and thoughts to ponder than our usual Sunday morning lesson.

I hope you will use this to grow deeper into God's Word and to "sharpen & encourage" one another in open and honest discussion. Our format will be after I have preached the Sunday sermon, that passage/Scripture from Luke will be detailed in this blog. I will be giving additional information for studying, researching, discussing, and most of all...learning about the life of our Lord and walking away we some practical applications for our own spiritual growth. Then, we can review and share our points and opinions until the next passage.
If you haven't read the book of Luke in a while, consider these facts about Luke's story...
-it is the most detailed of the 4 gospels,
-only gospel written in chronological order..Luke wanted an "exact truth".
-was composed primarily from Mark's gospel, eyewitness interviews by Luke, and other writings/stories of the day
-has 18 parables that the other Gospels do not have, including the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan,
-written to the Gentiles (like us!)
-pays special attention to women and women's roles
-has more attention to prayer and the prayers of Jesus
-has the most stories on healings of all the gospels..(duh..it is a doctor writing this)
-is the largest New Testament book...and it's sequal..Acts is the second largest (doctors tend to be long and detailed)

Luke was a noted educated Greek doctor, historian, and friend to the apostle Paul. He is also the only non-Jewish New Testatment writer. It will be a good opportunity for us as a church together to get to know Jesus and his life from the eyes of Dr. Luke, as he writes his eyewitness accounts that were told to him that allow us a great look into the life and ministry of Jesus.

So, come along for an eyewitness account, a journey, a chance to be a bystander to the life of Jesus and become changed by the power of his words and deeds.