Category Archives: Luke

Cut this chapter out.

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Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
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Luke 6 starts great but I would like to cut out the last half of it. Most of us have a desire to have a little money, be able to eat regularly, enjoy life and have friends. But Jesus says “woe” to folks like that. The blessed ones are poor, hungry, weeping, hated, ostracized and insulted.

The rest of the chapter is a study in opposites, too. Love folks who hate you. Bless those who curse you. If hit, don’t hit back but invite a second blow. Give to get. If someone takes from you give them even more. Then he says this, “”Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  UGH!

I have never met a single Christian nor even read of one who, by this standard, could call Him Lord. I certainly don’t live like that. Then He pours more salt in the wound: Can the blind lead the blind, indicating that if we live just like the world (blind) how can we lead them to Christ?

That does it! I’m going to cut this chapter out of my Bible. Leaving it in will force me to be reminded, when I think I am doing pretty good as a Christian, that I am just as messed up as others, that I still fall short of God’s goals for me. It will keep me humbled because it will continually remind me that even though I may not indulge in some of the evil practices I so relish to condemn in others, neither do I live at the level of the cross – sacrificing myself for the sake of others. I will be reminded that even as a Christian I am still daily in need of a Savior, daily in need of His mercy and forgiveness.

Gotta go get my scissors.
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Philippians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Devil on The Run

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Luke 4:13 – When the devil had finished every temptation, he left (Jesus) until an opportune time.
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You know Satan wanted to stay on top of Jesus 24/7 tempting and attacking Him.  But after a period of intense temptation Satan left Him alone.  Clearly Satan didn’t want to leave Jesus alone but the Bible promises that if we will do two things the devil has to get out of our face – 1. Submit to God and 2. Resist the devil (James 4:7)  . Certainly he doesn’t do that by choice but he must flee.  If the devil is constantly knocking at your door and never goes away, something is wrong – either on the submission side or on the resisting side.

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Will Everyone Be Saved?

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Luke 3:6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’”
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This passage says, “All flesh will see the salvation of God.” Does that mean, like a couple of well known Christian leaders proclaim, that there is no hell and all will be saved? Or could it be proclaiming something totally different?

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Cross Words #6 & 7

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John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
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At the end Jesus committed His Spirit to the hands of the Lord.  I have found there are times when I have come to the end – the end of my ideas, my own resources, my plans, the end of myself.  At those times, when all I can do is give up or commit it to the Lord, I have discovered God is faithful with the things I commit to Him.

How much better it would be for me if I would commit it to Him before I get to the end of myself.  An old song says it best:
Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.*

In His hopeless and helpless situation Jesus committed His Spirit to the Father and God raised Him from the dead.  When we commit things to God we can trust He will take good care of the things that belong to Him.  As long as we retain ownership they remain our problem and responsibility.

Commit that problem, fear, concern, need, weakness, whatever it is, to Him right now.  It only takes a second to give Him ownership of it all.
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Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

* What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Text: Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886   Music: Charles C. Converse, 1832-1918

 

Cross Words #2

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Luke 23:41-43
“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

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This thief on the cross seemed to understand what we try to forget – that we all deserve death.  If God were to annihilate all humanity no one could claim He was unfair or unjust.  We would simply be “getting what our deeds deserve.”  This second statement of Jesus from the cross is important because it assures us we do not have to “get what we deserve.”

The law of Kharma, in Texas terms says, “What goes around comes around.”  You get what you deserve.  The cross graciously crushes that concept forever.  I don’t get what I deserve.  By exchanging places with Jesus on the cross I get to be made right with God, I get to enjoy what only He deserved.  Does that seem unfair? It is!  Does it seem too easy?  It isn’t!  It was very difficult – so difficult that in anguish Jesus asked if there was any way He could avoid it.

It was hard, even for God, to pay the price to forgive my sins.  But it was impossible for me to do it so, if it was to be done, God Himself had to inflict the penalty for my sin upon Himself.  “This man has done nothing wrong” yet He absorbed the sin of the entire world so the entire world could have the opportunity to become right with God.
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2 Corinthians 5:20-21
We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 John 2:22
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.NIV

 

 

Cross Words #1

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Luke 23:33-34
When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
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In the agony of the cross the first word from the mouth of our Lord was “Father”.  Certainly our difficulties cannot compare with the torture of the cross but we too need to learn, in our pain, to make “Father” the first word on our lips, the first one we turn to.  He is there with us, just as He was with Jesus on the cross, even when things appear out of control and hopeless.

Jesus’ second word is another lesson for us – “forgive”. He did not wait until things were better but, in the midst of the rejection, humiliation, unjust treatment and pain, He forgave.  He didn’t just teach us to forgive, he modeled it in the most gruesome of circumstances.  He showed us to forgive when they don’t deserve it, even when they are not sorry and even if they do not ask for it.

The cross demonstrates forgiveness is not easy. It was not easy for Jesus and that is why He said the road is narrow and few find it – it is painfully hard.  Forgiveness is not fair.  In the cross, injustice and grace collide head on and grace triumphs.  Rejoice in that. Fairness and justice sends you and me to hell.  “Grace takes the blame, covers the shame and removes the stain”.*
* Brian Zahnd – Unconditional?
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Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

 

We lost Jesus!

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Luke 2:43
When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
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It is interesting that they did not lose Jesus in the market place or at Joseph’s workplace. They lost him in the temple while fulfilling religious duties. It is so easy to lose the Lord because we are busily engaged in church and religious activity. We think He is still among us, like they thought he was in the caravan, but in our activity, even good activities, we have left Him behind.

They were wise enough to go back to Jerusalem to search. When we find ourselves in a spiritually dry spell it is wise to go back to where we last knew He was with us. Is there something He told us to do that we have not done? Is there something He said stop doing that we are still involved in? Examine the area we last knew He was with us and keep searching and waiting until we once again sense His presence.

Many around you, the rest of the caravan, will continue anxiously moving on with life. Sometimes you have to separate from the crowd. But if you will make finding Him your priority you will find His presence again quietly doing the Father’s work.
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Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Psalm 46:10-11 (NIV)
“Be still, and know that I am God; ?.. The Lord Almighty is with us;…