Burunche’s Blog

Luke 11:33-36 The Lamp of the Body

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Luke 11:37-54 Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers

“And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So, He went in and sat down to eat. When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.

Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.”

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

“Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”

And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore, the wisdom of God also said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 50 that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.”

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.”

And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.”

 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Well, Jesus is at it again. As Jesus is finishing his teaching, he speaks about light and darkness. In humble homes, families might light a single lamp and place it in a lampstand where it will give light to the entire room. Everybody is aware of this practice and nobody in their right mind will light a lamp, only to hide it. What would be the point? Now Jesus is advising that his listeners must take care so that what they think is light in their souls does not prove to be darkness. How disappointing for someone who is looking for a person to behave virtuously, only to find the individual cannot be trusted. In that case, there will be no light, but only darkness.

Yet another Pharisee invites Jesus for a meal. Upon entering the home, Jesus deliberately passes up the opportunity to wash his hands before eating, even though he is an observant Jew. The Pharisees immediately pounce on this failure but soon realize they have made a ghastly mistake. “Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.”

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”

OUCH! Now Jesus has really insulted these men! No observant Jew will knowingly walk over a grave, for in so doing, they will become ritually unclean. The lawyers at the table might be silently chuckling to themselves, but now it’s their turn. Jesus reproves the lawyers for hypocrisy and for throwing up barriers to people desiring to enter the Kingdom of God by their many arguments. At this point, the Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers want nothing so much as for Jesus to die a swift painful death. But how can they do it? Each time someone thinks they have found a means of tripping Jesus up, they come off looking foolish.

These verses describe Jesus’ reproaches to the religious experts of his day. The Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers have become so besotted with dreaming up new regulations and trying to force people to follow them that they have totally lost sight of the God they claim to serve. Such merciless enforcement of ridiculous rules leaves the common people with no hope, for how can they possibly follow God when they can’t follow all these regulations? Truly, the light in these men has become darkness and they are spreading that darkness to all those they teach.

Later, St. Paul will tell the Romans, “Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” (Romans 14:16-18) Paul is writing to the Romans at a time when the Roman believers are beginning to argue over some of the same petty things that were promoted by the Pharisees.

“Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” should characterize our lives as believers. When we insist on judging others and criticizing them, we wind up as merciless Pharisees and our light turns to darkness.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please help us to follow You and Your mercy and love and not get bound up in petty regulations. Help us to remember that You have freed us from the curses of sin and death and that You only ask us to love You and obey You, not to follow senseless rules. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 11:29-32 The Sign of Jonah

Crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.”

To understand this passage, you need to remember the story of Jonah, the prophet. God called Jonah to travel a long distance east to witness to the pagan city of Nineveh; however, Jonah hated the Ninevites and had no desire to see them repent. Jonah boarded a ship bound for Tarshish (Spain), only to have the ship caught in a terrible storm. Finally, Jonah realized that he was the problem and had the sailors throw him overboard. As soon as Jonah’s body hit the water, the storm ceased; meanwhile, God allowed Jonah to be swallowed by a large fish. Jonah lived in the belly of that fish for three days, with the fish finally spitting him out on the beach on the third day. By the time Jonah made it to the beach, he was so happy to still be alive that he traveled to Nineveh post haste, although he was still hateful about the Ninevites.

Jesus is predicting his death and resurrection, for Jesus will die and arise on the third day. Although Jonah’s experience was miraculous, what will happen to Jesus is even more so, for Jonah remained alive during his ordeal while Jesus will die and be resurrected from the dead.

“The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here.” The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.” The Queen of the South is the Queen of Sheba, who came to listen to Solomon’s teaching and was completely in awe of what she witnessed.

 “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.” Jonah 3:1-10 “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you. ” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”

The Ninevites enjoyed a horrific reputation for idolatry and cruelty; yet, they repented and God pardoned them. Now Jesus is prophesying that the men of Nineveh will stand as witnesses against the people listening to Jesus because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, a mere man, while these people are privileged to listen to Jesus, the Son of God.

We read these words and think, “Well, if I were listening to Jesus, I would certainly believe in him!” Oh? But we have both the Old and New Testaments, and both tell us about Jesus. We don’t have to join a crowd in Galilee, for faithful witnesses have recorded Jesus’ teachings while they have also recorded the story of his death and resurrection.

Charles Colson was an atheist lawyer working for President Richard Nixon during the Watergate episode. After entering prison, Colson began re-examining his life and became a Christian. Here’s what Colson has said about the resurrection: “I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Every one was beaten, tortured, stoned, and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world-and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.”

When Jesus is crucified, buried, and rises from the dead, he demonstrates to the world that he is truly the Son of God. If we take the Scriptures seriously, we have all the proof we need for us to accept the reality of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. If we ignore these proofs, some day the Ninevites may stand in the judgment with us and condemn us for failing to believe. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief. Let the truth of Your ministry, death, and resurrection dawn in our hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 11:14-28 Jesus and Beelzebul

“Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Make no mistake; every miracle Jesus performs, every demon he drives out of a sufferer, every move Jesus makes and every word he utters are intended to help the needy and to train the disciples. Jesus has Calvary in view and he wants to ensure that the disciples will have received every bit of instruction they require. Jesus’ time on earth is short and the needs are great.

Here Jesus not only delivers a poor man from being unable to speak but he also gives a profound teaching on spiritual warfare. Now religious sceptics in the crowd are raising accusations.

1. Jesus must be using demonic power to drive out demons. What a ridiculous argument! Demons never want to leave the subject they are inhabiting. Jesus answers, “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Notice that there are already itinerant deliverance practitioners. Where have these men gotten their power? Only God can give power over Satan, so these men must be serving God; otherwise, the demoniacs would have torn them to pieces. In the same way, Jesus gets his power over demons from God.
2. Praying over someone for deliverance is just like plundering someone’s house. “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.” Only the power of God can conquer Satan.
3.  Those criticizing Jesus must realize that they are opposing a man sent from God. “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” These men fail to realize that they are opposing God when they oppose Jesus.
4. Deliverance from demons is worthless, unless God’s Holy Spirit comes to live in a person. Otherwise, that individual may end up in even worse shape. “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
5. Pious sentiments are worthless! “As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Is Jesus trying to deny the value of his mother by his reply to this woman? No. The woman has uttered a common blessing, and now Jesus is turning that statement on its head so that his audience will never forget his answer: obedience to the Word of God is of paramount importance.

In an age that caters to individual preferences in every sphere, the quality of obedience has lost much of its value. But the Bible teaches us differently. 1 Samuel 15 tells the story of how King Saul lost his kingdom by failing to carry out God’s instructions to completely wipe out the Amalekites. Saul obeyed partially; however, he saved the Amalekite king, the plunder, and the best animals. Hear Samuel’s words to King Saul: “But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

Jesus’ point to his audience is simple. Jesus must remain obedient to his Heavenly Father to be able to cast out demons and to work other miracles. Those who claim to follow Jesus and support him must also hear the Word of God and obey it. Disobedience is tantamount to witchcraft, and God hates witchcraft. All witchcraft is aimed at taking control of something-events, the weather, other people-rather than trusting God to handle things. Such acts are acts of rebellion against the One True Living God. This is why disobedience and control are the two sides of the witchcraft coin. Those of us who claim to follow Jesus must constantly watch, lest we stray into disobedience and rebellion.

May God help us, so that we will be obedient and watchful, rather than disobedient and rebellious.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives, studying Your Word, implanting it in our hearts, and obeying You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 11:1-4 The Model Prayer

“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

So, He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Luke 11:5-8 A Friend Comes at Midnight

“And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Luke 11:9-13 Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking

“So, I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

All this time, the disciples have been watching Jesus pray and get answers. Although the disciples have ministered successfully, they realize that there’s still more they need to learn. Why hasn’t Jesus taught them these principles before now? Timing is everything, and before this, the disciples probably weren’t ready emotionally or mentally. Now Jesus knows the disciples are ready and receptive.

“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” This prayer is probably one of the simplest ones ever prayed and yet one of the most profound. People have written innumerable books about this prayer, have taught about this prayer in countless meetings, and continue to do so.

While teaching about this prayer, Jesus gives several explanations, and it is those explanations that we will look like. “And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”

Jesus uses a common situation; a family receives a visitor at midnight and must beg for help from the neighbors. The neighbors are prepared to give whatever they have because they know next time it might be their turn. Jesus’ point is that if human neighbors will respond in emergencies, an Almighty God will do even more.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Jesus wants the disciples to know that success in prayer includes persistence and continued praying. God will bless those who are fervent in prayer and who refuse to give up. Jesus also assures the disciples that God will give good things, including the Holy Spirit, to those who ask Him. But success in prayer demands refusing to give up

One of the greatest stories Jesus tells his followers is found in Luke 18:1-8.  “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

George Mueller was a man of great prayer and faith who built orphanages handling thousands of children, supported ministries, and produced Christian literature for international ministries. When one of Mueller’s close friends begged him to pray for the friend’s son’s salvation, Mueller began and continued for the next fifty years. Meanwhile, the son fled to Canada in hopes of outrunning his father’s prayers. But after Mueller’s death when the news of his demise reached Canada, that man fell to his knees and repented, becoming a fervent Christian.

Prayer and faith-the two-fold approach to success in prayer Jesus is teaching his disciples. The later success of the early church has its beginnings in these quiet talks on prayer Jesus gives his disciples. No matter what happens, Jesus always continues to prepare the disciples. Jesus always has Calvary in mind.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Please help us to persevere in prayer and to trust that You are a prayer-answering God. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 10:38-42 Mary and Martha Worship and Serve

“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.”

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

The story is simple but profound. For years, Martha has had a well-deserved reputation for hospitality. No matter the time of day, Martha has always welcomed visitors with excellent food, drink, and services. Martha’s servants are trained to care for anyone coming to the house, washing feet, anointing with oil, and swiftly offering water while Martha prepares a feast. Until today, Martha’s younger sister Mary has always assisted; however, today as Martha is bustling around, she can’t find Mary anyplace. Rushing into the dining area, Martha finds Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet. Well, this is really too much! Doesn’t Mary understand how important Jesus is and how much Martha needs help? Surely, Jesus will reproach Mary for being lackadaisical and shoo her back towards the kitchen where she belongs!

But Jesus never behaves as expected, and this time is no exception. As Jesus has been speaking, Mary has been absorbing everything he says. All these years, Mary has longed for someone who truly knows God to teach her, and Jesus is fulfilling her desire for divine knowledge. Mary is so focused on Jesus that she has nearly forgotten where she is. Jesus realizes Mary’s spiritual hunger and is doing everything he can to assuage that hunger. Jesus and Mary are conversing so intently that Martha’s arrival in the hall comes as a shock to them both.

Jesus knows Martha is concerned about his visit; however, he also knows that much of this concern is simple performance anxiety. Martha is wrapped up in proving that she deserves her reputation as a high-class hostess, and she feels Mary should be helping her maintain that image. Really, Martha has enough well-trained servants that she could have delegated everything to them and she too could have joined Mary to listen to Jesus’ teachings. Putting it simply, Mary hungers to hear about the Kingdom of God while Martha is concerned about maintaining her own kingdom as a domestic goddess.

It’s easy to feel superior when we consider this story. If we had been Martha, we would certainly have made better choices…or would we? How many of us make human sacrifices of our spouses and families for the sake of our jobs? How many of us ignore small children who want to give us their treasures? How many of us are so earthly minded that we’re no heavenly good?

We all have good excuses, excellent excuses. As a doctor, I have always found myself pulled in two directions, struggling to balance the needs of my patients against the needs of my family. Those of us in helping professions are far more likely to make wrong decisions and copy Martha when we should be copying Mary instead. And as the pressure mounts, we might even put guilt trips on our families when they request the attention and affection that should have been theirs by right. For years, I served as the only doctor for two different mission hospitals. If I left town, someone might die because I wasn’t there to operate them. The pressure to remain and perform was enormous and crushing.

There must be a balance. Jesus handed us the answer in Matthew 11:28-30 when he told his disciples, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Much of Martha’s problem stemmed from the fact that she was carrying burdens that should have gone to someone else. But many of us have been raised to be burden-bearers. Our entire identity is bound up in our role as burden-bearers and we feel lost if we try to step away from that role, even though it might be killing us. May God help us, so that we will be able to roll our burdens over onto Him and allow Him to help us!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your Face and Your Wisdom before anything else. Help us to roll our burdens over on You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 10:25-37 The Parable of the Good Samaritan

“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

So, he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So, he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So, which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Many of us know this story; in fact, it is so well known that there are phrases referring to “being a good Samaritan.” In the U.S., there are even “good Samaritan laws” to protect those rendering aid in emergencies from being sued if problems arise during the rendering of that aid. But why is Jesus telling this story in the first place?

Jesus is standing there with his disciples, including the seventy who have just returned from acting as advance men throughout the area. These men are basking in the glow of a job well-done when a popular lawyer in the crowd sidles up and begins to test Jesus. While Moses gave the laws originally embodied in the first five books of the Old Testament, in the ensuing years, myriads of other smaller regulations have been developed. The debate over these regulations is an on-going one, and this man questioning Jesus is an expert in legalities, including such thorny questions as how much mint and dill and cumen a believer should tithe.

“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

So, he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

Wow! This guy is really good. He’s just quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18. Of course, the passage from Deuteronomy is the Shema that observant Jews repeat at least twice a day. This passage is also one of the first pieces of Scripture given to children to memorize, but Jesus smiles encouragingly and acknowledges it as part of the correct answer.

“But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Ah, now we’re getting down to the real reasons for this discussion. Not only does this man desire to test Jesus, but he also wants to justify himself. After all, why waste time helping someone if your efforts don’t result in divine credits with the Lord God Almighty?

Jesus smiles some more. This man has just handed him the perfect entry into one of his most memorable stories. Jesus proceeds to narrate a tale of an unfortunate traveler, presumably a Jew, beset by robbers on the deserted road between Jerusalem and Jericho. That road is narrow and rocky and has a bad reputation due to roving bands of thieves. As this poor man is lying there, bleeding and gasping for help, two professional Jewish leaders pass by, a priest and a Levite. Surely, these men will stop and aid this poor fellow! But no. These men are important people bent on a mission. If they stop and help, they might soil their clothing with his blood and if the man dies while they are helping, they will immediately become ritually unclean until evening. Besides, the robbers might return at any moment and assault them. No, far better to mutter a pious prayer and pass by on the other side of the road at a safe distance. The only person who stops to help this unfortunate sufferer is a (gasp!) SAMARITAN!

The Samaritans were a racially mixed group composed of people brought in by the Assyrians after their conquest of the Northern Kingdom. “The Samaritans, being a mix of already spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners, created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy. 

They established as their center of worship a temple on Mount Gerizim, claiming it was where Moses had originally intended for the Israelites to worship. They had their own unique version of the five books written by Moses, the Pentateuch, but rejected the writings of the prophets and Jewish traditions. The Samaritans saw themselves as the true descendants of Israel and preservers of the true religion, while considering the Jerusalem temple and Levitical priesthood illegitimate. 

When Jews returned to rebuild Jerusalem, they were opposed by Samaritans. This led to further ill-will as the two sects were established in the land in opposition to one another.

To the Jews, a Samaritan was more revolting than a Gentile (pagan); Samaritans were half-breeds who defiled the true religion.” https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-samaritans-hope-from-the-history-of-a-hated-people.html#google_vignette

By this point, this lawyer is wishing heartily that he never embarked on this conversation in the first place. Who is this carpenter from Nazareth, that he answers so wisely and pointedly? How has this attempt to discredit Jesus gone so wrong? Meanwhile, those in the crowd are snickering. For years, this lawyer has paraded himself around as an expert in religious law, but today he is getting his comeuppance. And Jesus is right; the despised Samaritan is the only one who actually demonstrates mercy.

While it’s quite satisfying to consider Jesus deflating a pompous individual, we must apply this story to ourselves. Recently, I saw a Facebook post. A woman waiting for an airplane entered the ladies’ restroom, only to hear someone weeping. Upon further investigation, she realized that a poor immigrant woman and her children were forced to stay in the restroom overnight because they were to catch a bus the next day but had no money for a place to stay while waiting for the bus. This lady quickly got them a hotel room and gave them money for food. The question at the end of the article was this: this woman and her children had occupied one stall in that restroom for hours. How many other women had entered, listened to the weeping, and had left without helping?

A few days ago, we operated on a seven-year-old girl from a remote village. Although we had high hopes that we would be able to save the girl, she went into cardiac arrest and died. The girl had already accumulated a large hospital bill, and now the family was facing the challenges of paying that bill so they could send their beloved daughter’s body home for burial. Using donated funds, I quietly settled the bill. This family had already suffered enough. Why force these people to give up whatever little money they had? Paying that bill might have left the family with nothing to live on for weeks, adding starvation to grief.

Kindness and mercy cost very little but pay big dividends spiritually. One of the laws of the Kingdom of God is that the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. Be like the Samaritan! Help someone who can’t pay you back.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, give us eyes to see the needs around us and hearts that will care so that we will minister as Your hands and feet. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 10:13-16 Woe to the Impenitent Cities

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

Luke 10:17-20 The Seventy Return with Joy

“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:21-24 Jesus Rejoices in the Spirit

“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”

The last thing Jesus tells the seventy as he sends them out is, “But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” (Luke 10:10-12)

Is Jesus being harsh or not? All this time, people have been streaming in from remote parts of the Middle East to listen to Jesus and to watch him do miracles. Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida are very close to each other, and Jesus has focused much of his ministry in that area; yet, many of the people from those towns continue to regard Jesus as some kind of crude entertainment. While others are falling on their faces in repentance, the citizens of these three towns are yawning, “Oh yeah. Jesus of Nazareth? That’s that carpenter’s son. Sure, it’s fun to go watch him, but when he starts demanding I change my behavior, that’s when I stop listening. I attend temple regularly and keep up with the Jewish laws the best way I can. Shouldn’t that be enough for God?”  Little do these people realize that they have been visited by the Son of God and that rejecting him means rejecting the God they claim to worship.

“Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Although the disciples have already enjoyed the experience of healing people and casting out demons in Jesus’ name, now the 35 pairs of ministry partners return exulting in the same experience. Face it, these men harbor no illusions about themselves; the first time a leper presents himself or herself for healing, these guys would like to disappear. But they have persevered and have found that even the demons flee at the name of Jesus.

You can imagine Jesus smiling as he tells these men, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” It is possible to get so caught up in the results of a ministry that we fail to remember the foundations of it. Power to heal and power over demons comes from God and not from us. Above all else, we should rejoice that our names are written in heaven.

“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Spiritually, all of us are babes. No matter how much we think we have advanced spiritually, when we are honest, we realize that we are making ant-like progress as we try to travel a marathon distance. There is no end to the Kingdom of heaven; neither is there any end to God’s knowledge or His Divine Nature. But God delights to reveal Himself to us if we only will seek His wisdom.

What’s the take-home lesson here? Don’t make the same mistake as Chorazin, Capernaum, and Bethsaida. Those three cities had a golden opportunity to know Jesus, but the failed completely. Today, much of these three cities consists of ruins. Chorazin particularly is noted for its conies or rock badgers, but most of the city has been destroyed, leaving the rock badgers in charge. May God help us so that we will humbly worship Him and follow Him.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to worship You and never to forget that You are a God of miracles and healing. Help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 10:1-12 The Seventy Sent Out

“After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 

Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 

Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.”

Earlier, Jesus has sent out the twelve disciples to minister, but now he sends out seventy others in thirty-five pairs. These men are the advance men, preparing the way for Jesus to minister “in every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” Why is Jesus doing this now when he has never advertised himself previously? Jesus knows his time is getting short, and he wants to minister to the maximum number of people before he dies. Look at what these men are to do: “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” 

But Jesus has a number of other instructions that are worth studying, for we can still apply these to ourselves.

1. PRAY: “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” This command still stands. Sometimes those of us already on the field become so tired demoralized that we fail to remember that Jesus wants us to pray for more workers. Exhaustion and self-pity are a deadly combination that can lead us to giving less than our best and also failing to pray for more laborers.
2. DEPEND ON GOD FOR PROVISION: “Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.” It’s easy to understand why Jesus might say these men are lambs among wolves; however, why doesn’t Jesus want them to greet people on the road? These men are on a mission, and if they meet friends on the road, the friends might encourage them to stop and stay with them, rather than proceeding to whatever town or village they are to visit. If these workers are dependent on God, they will reach out to others from necessity, while if they have their own resources, they might keep to themselves.
3. FIND PEOPLE OF PEACE AND THEN REMAIN WITH THEM. “But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.” If the workers become interested in collecting as much as possible, they will move from house to house. Jesus wants them to concentrate on ministry, not on self-aggrandizement.
4. PROCLAIM THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS COME: “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” Jesus is giving these men very simple tasks and a very simple message. Why? Because if the men make things too complicated, their audience might not understand them. If the men become picky about their food, they will gravitate toward rich people rather than the poor; meanwhile, the poor might be those most receptive to their message.
5. DO NOT HESITATE TO LEAVE A PLACE IF THE CITIZENS REJECT YOU: “But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.” Notice that Jesus is not demanding these men remain where they aren’t wanted. These men are advance men for Jesus; if a city rejects them, it will also reject Jesus.

These instructions are specific for these seventy men. While parts of these instructions might apply to all workers, other parts do not. Later on, when Paul is traveling and is stoned at Lystra, he leaves but eventually returns. God does not make cookie-cutter Christians; neither does He make cookie-cutter situations. God is always doing new things.

Pray, depend on God for provision, find people of peace, proclaim the Kingdom of God, and be prepared to move when necessary-although Jesus gave this advice to the seventy so many years ago, it’s still applicable today. As we continue to follow Jesus, let us continue to look to God for provision and guidance.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to minister the way You want us to. Thank You for providing our needs. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Luke 9:57-62 The Cost of Discipleship

“Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”

And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is on his way his way to Jerusalem and knows that his time with the disciples is dwindling. Now he’s doing everything he can to prepare the disciples for his eventual departure, although there are times when the disciples aren’t listening. There are also people who want to curry favor with Jesus but who aren’t really serious. As one friend in the American South used to say, “You want to get credit for singing in the choir without showing up for choir practice.”

Three men approach Jesus, claiming they want to be his disciples. The first guy rushes up to Jesus and gushes, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.”  Sounds great, right? What a believer! But Jesus knows this man isn’t serious. “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Jesus doesn’t rebuke the man for desiring to follow him; he simply points out the nasty facts of his situation. Jesus doesn’t own a house anywhere; in fact, he doesn’t even own a donkey. The disciples have turned their backs on thriving businesses to travel with Jesus and hope that God continues to feed and shelter them. This poor fellow quietly moves to the back of the crowd, for he has anticipated far different results. Jesus doesn’t run after this man, enticing him to follow, for he knows the man is enthusiastic but shallow.

Then another fellow struts up. Certainly, Jesus will want this man as a disciple, for he is wealthy, or at least he anticipates being wealthy when his father dies. “Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” Wow! An invitation from Jesus. Surely, this man will choose to become a disciple.

“But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”  Is this man’s father even dead? Perhaps this man’s father is in perfect health and has no intention of dying. Now the truth comes out; this guy wants credit for being a disciple while he’s sitting in the house waiting for his father to die so he can claim his inheritance by assisting with the funeral. But Jesus knows his time is short, and there’s no time for this kind of shilly-shallying.

“And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” What does this guy want? A going away party where he can swan around, getting praised for his “selfless dedication?” Jesus knows that this man isn’t any more serious than the other two men.

What about us? Certainly, we are willing to follow Jesus as long as we can attend church and take part in interesting and inspiring programs. But what if we live in northern Nigeria, where Boko Haram can sweep in at any moment and slaughter us simply for attending church that Sunday morning? Or what if we live in a country in which it is illegal to lead people to Christ? One believer in North Korea was run over by a bull dozer in the public square in front of his horrified family, simply for having shown a Christian video in the privacy of his own home. Men from South Korea told us this story in 2011, even as they were training in Community Health Evangelism, gaining skills so that they would be able to aid those in North Korea.

Two hundred years ago, West Africa was known as “the white man’s graveyard.” Malaria and yellow fever killed thousands, and missionaries coming to places such as Ghana packed their belongings in coffins so that they would have a fitting burial should they die on the field. Those leaving for West Africa said their final good-byes to family and friends, anticipating that they might never see loved ones again this side of eternity. Although many of those coffins did get used swiftly for their intended purpose, other missionaries survived to carry the Gospel throughout West Africa.

How committed are we to the cause of Jesus Christ? Do we love Jesus for what he has done for us? Are we willing to leave our comfort zones and go out with no idea of the dangers we might face? And if we are already on the mission field, have we gotten into a comfortable rut there, refusing to consider that Jesus might want us to reach out in new directions?

There are always more unreached people who need the good news of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. One missionary couple had a highly effective ministry to taxi drivers in Hong Kong. Those drivers essentially lived in their cabs, and this couple would charter taxis and then engage the drivers in conversations about Christ. Another missionary engaged factory workers in Taipei in outreach. Some workers share rooms-when one shift is working, the others are sleeping.

Never reject the idea that God has new avenues of service for you. Perhaps you live in a community with several colleges and universities. Many foreign students would love to be invited off-campus. Your kindness might help someone make a decision for eternity. Or perhaps you have friends in nursing homes. Those in nursing homes have plenty of time and few visitors. You can brighten someone’s day and introduce them to Jesus at the same time.

May God help us, so that we will never “put our hands to the plow and look back.” May we whole-heartedly follow wherever God leads us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow You, even when it becomes difficult. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.