139-144. Teaching the Inner Circle

LINK: Luke 12 (Read over the next two days)

BACKGROUND

139. Jesus speaks against hypocrisy: Luke 12:1-12

The word hypocrite comes from a Greek word that means "an actor." Jesus spoke of hypocrisy being something that starts small but grows quickly, infecting the whole person. Hypocrisy puffs the ego up like bread dough (1 Corinthians 4:6; 18-19; 5:2).  Jesus taught that the cause of hypocrisy was the fear of man. We fear what others will say about us or do to us, so we work hard to impress them and gain their approval. Pharisees focused on their reputation, but God wants us to focus on our character! He wants us to fear Him, not man!

Jesus was preparing His disciples for a time when they would be persecuted for following Him and continuing the work of the kingdom on earth. They need not fear man but God and depend on the Holy Spirit to give them words when the hour of their testing comes. 

140. Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool: Luke 12:13-21

This is a parable about greed. Gordon Gekko in Wall Street was wrong: Greed is NOT good! Richness toward God is what is important. 

141. Jesus warns about worry: Luke 12:22-34

Jesus gave a similar teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34). This is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. We need never be anxious because it accomplishes nothing. Our cure for anxiety is seeking God first!

142. Jesus warns about preparing for His coming: Luke 12:35-48

We need to be ready for the Son of Man when He comes. This is also a way to conquer hypocrisy, greed, and anxiety because when you are living with eternity in mind, the things of this world grow "strangely dim" in the light of our future with Him!

143. Jesus warns about coming division: Luke 12:49-53

His coming divided even the most intimate of circles. 

144. Jesus warns about the future crisis: Luke 12:54-59

The people did not interpret the signs that pointed to Jesus being the Messiah. They needed to understand who He was and be reconciled to God.  

REFLECTION

The fear of man always brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25)! I had some interactions the past couple of days that made me realize how much I still fear man rather than God. I must walk in fear of God today and not be ensnared by others' opinions of me. George Muller once said:

There was a day when I died, utterly died — died to George Mueller, his opinions, preferences, tastes, and will; died to the world, its approval or censure; died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends — and since then I have only to show myself approved to God. (George Muller of Bristol: His Life of Prayer and Faith by A. T. Pierson) 

APPLICATION (Written in 2010)

Evaluate your day. How much of what you did was motivated by a fear of man rather than God?

2023 Update: I can honestly say that I no longer fear man and their opinion! WOOHOO! Thank you, God, for answering this long-term prayer! The Spiritual Exercises helped me identify this long-term issue! 

PRAYER

Lord, help us to die to man's approval so that we might live for YOU!

134-138. Prayer, Opposition, and Being Receptive to the Light

INK: Luke11

BACKGROUND

134. Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer: Luke 11:1-13

Jesus prayed at all the crucial times of His life (Luke 3:21; 6:12; 5:16; 9:18; 9:28-29). The disciples saw this, and they wanted to learn how to pray.  Consequently, He gave them a model prayer we call the "Lord's Prayer." We do not have to follow it in a rote matter, but we can learn a framework for prayer!

First of all, Jesus addressed His prayer to the Father implying an intimate relationship. 

Then he made five requests:

1) That God's name would be "hallowed" - This means "set apart or sanctified." It implies worship! 

2) That God's kingdom would come - We have heard about the kingdom of God (or heaven) coming from John the Baptist, Jesus, the Twelve, and the 72. We heard about the kingdom in the many parables. They were all about proclaiming the kingdom to people. 

3) For daily bread - literally "bread for the coming day or needful bread." It implies praying for what we need rather than what we want! 

4) For forgiveness of sins and acknowledgment that we forgive others in the same way. 

5) That we not be led into temptation - Deliverance from situations that would cause us to sin. We are always easily drawn into sin. We 

need God's help!

The rest of this section contains two parables that illustrate persistence in prayer and that the Father is the giver of good gifts. The most important gift for followers of Jesus is the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). 

135. Jesus answers hostile accusations: Luke 11:14-28

Some commentators believe that this is a separate event from the one reported in Matthew 12:22-45 and Mark 3:20-30 because the Luke event occurred in Judea while the other one took place in Galilee. In Luke, he spoke to the crowds. In Matthew and Mark, he accused the Pharisees.  They are similar which leads other commentators to believe it is the same event.

The term "demon(s)" occurs 16 times, and the term "evil spirit(s)/unclean spirit(s)" occurs eight times in Luke's gospel account. Jesus authenticated Himself by demonstrating His power to cast them out. He was accused of doing this by the prince of demons, Beelzebub (Satan). 

He responded the same way He did in the Matthew and Mark accounts: Firstly, it would be absurd for Satan to drive out his own demons because it would weaken his power, position, and kingdom. Secondly, since the followers of the Pharisees drove out demons and claimed it was done by the power of God, they were not only accusing Jesus but their followers as well!

The parable of the strong man can be confusing. The best interpretation is that the strong man refers to Satan, and the stronger man to Christ. The point of the parable is that Jesus is the stronger. He will eventually bind Satan and dispose of him forever (See Revelation 20:2, 10). 

Luke 11:28 is significant. Jesus was saying that the gospel is not limited to Israel but to all who put faith in Christ. This was so contrary to what the Jews had always believed. 

136. Jesus warns against unbelief: Luke 11:29-32

Asking for a sign was an indication of unbelief (1 Corinthians 1:22). I would think that they would have had enough proof by now after all the miracles, healing, and deliverance that Jesus had performed. 

Jesus responded to their challenge by talking about Jonah, who was a Jewish prophet sent to Gentiles, and the Queen of Sheba who was a Gentile who came to visit Solomon, a Jew (2 Chronicles 9:1-12). Jonah was to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Just as Jonah experienced death, burial, and resurrection in the belly of a whale on his way to deliver that message, Jesus was predicting that He, too, would experience death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus was saying that His kingdom would be greater than Solomon's. Gentile Nineveh repented and the Queen of Sheba traveled a long way to hear the wisdom of Solomon, but they could not even see that someone great was right there under their noses!

137. Jesus teaches about the light within: Luke 11:33-36

Jesus' teaching was light to them. Their "eyes" were to be receptive to the light so they could see clearly and then shine their light to the world. If they were receptive to the light of His teaching (and aware of and shun darkness that was not of Him), they would be full of light (Psalm 119:130; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Ephesians 5:8-14). Even the bright sun will not benefit a blind man, they needed to take in that light. 

138. Jesus criticizes the religious leaders: Luke 11:37-54

Jesus made it clear that external actions do not produce inner righteousness. He used the example of giving to drive home this point. The only way to make the outside pure is by making the inside pure first. A clean heart produces good fruit. 

Jesus gives six "woes" (declarations of condemnation) here that parallel Matthew 23. The first three condemn the Pharisees for majoring on the minor things, following little rules rather than having big hearts of love and justice (Micah 6:7-8). The next three were woes upon the Law experts by placing burdens on the people that kept them away from Jesus' teaching. They hypocritically build tombs for prophets that their fathers had killed! They reject the prophets teaching that point to Jesus. They killed innocent people from Abel (Genesis 4:8) to Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:20-21). A to Z, first innocent person to the last in the Old Testament. 

This made them even angrier and they continued to plot against Him. 

REFLECTION (written in March 2010)

Today, I was hurt very deeply. I feel like I am being "persecuted for doing what is right."  It really upset me too. I cried buckets between 2 and 4 p.m.

As I was in the bathroom crying, I said out loud, "Watch out 'so and so' because when you hurt me, you get bombarded by prayer! It is the best day of your life."  Then, I went to battle for that person's soul. I went into warfare prayer with my friends Kim and Teala too (without them even knowing the name of the person so that it was totally anonymous). It is definitely a blessed day for that person! 

I have no desire for revenge. I just want the healing of our relationship and the healing of that person's very hard heart. I guess I have always known for a long time of her hardness as I saw her hurt others, but I had never been the target.

She is not in a good place. She has had a trail of broken relationships recently, and I refuse to be another body on that trail that the enemy has laid out for that person. It only leads to that person becoming a very bitter person consumed by hate.

I will fight the battle on my knees!  Deliver us from evil, Lord Jesus!

APPLICATION

Reflect on the Lord's Prayer today. How does your prayer life reflect what Jesus modeled to His followers?

My favorite speaker on this prayer is Carolyn Arends. 

Here is a free download of her book:

The Lord's Prayer: The Universe in 57 Words

And a link to her online course on it:

Living Inside the Lord's Prayer

PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven

Hallowed by Your name

Your kingdom come

Your will be done

On earth as it is 

In heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

And lead us not into temptation 

But deliver us from evil

For Yours is the kingdom

And the power

And the glory

Forever

Amen

Here is also how Dallas Willard paraphrases it in The Divine Conspiracy:

Dear Father always near us,
may your name be treasured and loved,
may your rule be completed in us-
may your will be done here on earth in
just the way it is done in heaven.
Give us today the things we need today,
and forgive us our sins and impositions on you
as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.
Please don’t put us through trials,
but deliver us from everything bad.
Because you are the one in charge,
and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours-forever-
which is just the way we want it!

130-133. Ambassadors, Neighbors, and Worshipers

LINK: Luke 10

BACKGROUND

Warren Wiersbe asserts that the "three scenes in Luke 10 illustrate the threefold ministry of every Christian believer, and answer the question, "What in the world does a Christian do" (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Luke 10). I couldn't agree more. These three scenes illustrate that we are all the Lord's ambassadors, neighbors, and worshipers. I have structured Luke 10 according to Wiersbe's headings. 

130. Jesus sends out 72 messengers: Luke 10:1-16

Ambassadors: Representing the Lord in the Harvest

These instructions are similar to those given in Event #93 (Luke 9:1-6; Matthew 10:1-15; Mark 6:7-13), but this passage includes an anonymous group of disciples sent into Judea and not the 12 Apostles sent into Galilee.

Jesus sent them out (the Greek word apostellō means "sent away") two by two as His ambassadors. Different from Luke 9, these pairs went to every city and place where Jesus would be going, preparing the way for Him. He asked them to pray for more workers to prepare the way for Him (just as we can be doing now) by proclaiming that "The kingdom of God has come near you." In the midst of this, they would be persecuted (Luke 10:3) and they needed to travel light (10:4). 

I will talk more about the "man of peace" in the reflection section.

He sent "woes" (judgment) for Korazin/Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. All three of these towns had been witnesses to His miracles in His early ministry. They would be more harshly judged than pagan towns that had not had the benefit of miracles!

131. The 72 messengers return: Luke 10:17-24

They came back having seen many things happen, and Jesus saw the big picture of the overthrow and defeat of Satan. We can put on the full armor against the enemy now (Ephesians 6:10-17). 

Jesus told them that the fact that their names were written in the book of life in heaven was more important than all the victories that they experienced as ambassadors (Revelations 20:12-15).

132. Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan: Luke 10:25-37

Neighbors: Imitating the Lord on the Highway

An expert in the Law wanted to test Jesus by asking him what needed to be done to inherit eternal life. Again, Jesus answered with a question. The Law said it was all about loving God and loving others.  The lawyer's response of "Who is my neighbor?" was a debate tactic that basically said, "Define your terms!"  This way, he avoided looking at his own heart.

Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to "define" who is our neighbor, and He used a man from a race despised by the Jews, a Samaritan, to help a Jew when two religious Jews ignored him!

The Law required mercy and love to all (Exodus 23:4-5, Leviticus 19:33-34; Micah 6:8), and this, no doubt, convicted all who listened. 

Read the results of the Good Samaritan Experiment HERE. 

Note the people who were making haste to deliver a message about the Good Samaritan! I am not so sure I would not do the same thing being that I am pretty goal oriented. How convicting!

133. Jesus visits Mary and Martha: Luke 10:38-42

Try this recorded Imaginative Contemplation 

Worshipers: Listening to the Lord in the Home of our Hearts

This is the key to being an ambassador and neighbor: Love, compassion, and mercy flow out of a love for God. 

Martha complained that Mary was not helping her, but Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the one needful thing. I do not think this is a knock to Martha because if service isn't flowing out of worship then it isn't true worship!

I love this stanza from a Charles Wesley hymn that says it best:

Faithful to my Lord's commands, 

I still would choose the better part; 

Service with careful Martha's hands,

And loving Mary's heart. 

It is all about balance, isn't it? 

REFLECTION 

The Man of Peace Principle

Jesus talked about the "man of peace" in Luke 10:6 when he sent out the 72 and a "worthy" man when he sent out the 12 (Matthew 10:11). This principle is being applied in the world, and the fruit is amazing. 

Here are some principles about the person of peace:

• A person of peace can be a man, woman, young person, or child who is willing to listen to Christ’s disciples. 

• A person of peace is the individual whom God has prepared to welcome the disciples when Christ is about to visit a community. 

• A person of peace is hospitable. 

• A person of peace is usually someone who is known in the community and has influence. 

• The person of peace is an insider who opens the door to the sent one in a given community. 

• If a person of peace is not found, the ones sent out should not share the Gospel in that community. The implication is that Christ is not yet to visit that community. 

• Once a person of peace is found, the ones sent out need to demonstrate the Gospel both in words and deeds in the context of relationships. 

• A person of peace is someone who is “worthy” of receiving the Gospel. I do not know how many times I have cheapened the Gospel by begging people to receive it when they were not ‘worthy’ of it. They felt they were doing God and me a favor by listening.

How can we find a person of peace in a community? Now that we know what we are looking for, we need to:

• Pray to the Lord for the man of peace to be discovered in a particular region.

• Serve a community in need so that the person of peace has a chance to be manifested.

• Search for this worthy person by meeting new people in a community

• If a person of peace is not found, we must go somewhere else.

The concept of the person of peace calls us to depend fully on God; trusting that He has already been working in a community and has prepared the soil for the workers to plant His precious seed. By following this principle we are delivered from sterile evangelistic efforts which consume unnecessary energy and resources. Finding the man of peace is a proven successful church planting strategy given to us by Jesus himself and followed by the early church. Discovering the man of peace is looking for God’s fingerprints in a community. Where God is working is where we need to be! (From CPM Journal, January - March 2006, p. 51-52) 

 A nice acronym for remembering what to look for in a person of peace is WOOL: 

Welcomes (often feeding) 

Opens up their 

Oikos (the Greek word for family/network/group) 

Listens to the message  

APPLICATION

1) Become an ambassador by praying for a "person of peace" (POP) to pop out at you and begin investing in them! 

2) Become a good neighbor by praying for opportunities to be a Good Samaritan! Participate in "Pay It Forward Day" in April. 

3) Before you do either of these, become a worshiper and sit at His feet to listen to what you should do next!

PRAYER

Lord, help us first to be worshipers who sit at your feet. May that overflow into our service in our neighborhood and work in the world. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

125-129. Adultery and the "I AM"

LINK: John 7:53-8:59 (Read over the next two days) 

BACKGROUND

125. Jesus forgives an adulterous woman: John 7:53-8:11

John 7:53-8:11 is not found in some of the ancient manuscripts and when it is found, it is not always in this chapter in the Gospel according to John. Most scholars do agree that it is "a fragment of authentic Gospel material" (Dr. F.F. Bruce) even though it may not be in the right place.

So, why was it placed here?

The material was placed before 8:12 in most Bible versions because the contents of this section relate well to two statements of Jesus in chapter 8 (“I pass judgment on no one” [8:15], and “Can any of you prove Me guilty of sin?” [8:46]) . . .. 7:53. This verse shows that this story was a continuation of some other material. The original connection is now lost. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Volume 2, Jn 21:24–25)

Jesus spent all night on the Mount of Olives; and in the early morning, all the people came to hear Him in the temple (Luke 21:37-38). Wanting to trap Him and discredit Jesus as a teacher, the Jewish leaders brought a woman caught in adultery to Him. According to Jewish law, both parties caught in adultery were to be stoned (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). So, we do not know why the man was not there. If Jesus condemned her, He would lose the people's favor; but if He did not, the Jewish leaders could condemn Him for disagreeing with Moses. He was caught between a rock (or many stones) and a hard place!

We do not know what He wrote on the ground, but He pointed to the religious leader's own sinfulness and pointed out that He was the only Judge because He was sinless (John 8:16)!  No one could throw a stone but Jesus, and He chose not to condemn her!

126. Jesus is the light of the world: John 8:12-20

This is the second great "I am" statement in John with the first one being "I am the Bread of Life."  The world is in darkness, which is a symbol of evil, sin, and ignorance. Jesus came to illuminate our darkness as the only true Light (1:4, 9, 12:35, 46; 1 John 1:6-7)

Of course, this claim caused questioning from the religious leaders. How could He "self-authenticate" Himself because Rabbinic tradition rejected self-testimony. Jesus responded that His witness was God Himself! Jesus and God made two witnesses, the number required by the Law (Deuteronomy 19:15).

127. Jesus warns of coming judgment: John 8:21-30

Jesus said that they would "die in their sin" because they rejected and did not believe in the One who offers salvation (16:9). In John 8:28, He said that unless they believed that "I am," (the NIV adds a "he" that is not in the Greek) they would die. This is the "I Am," which is a self-designation for God from the Old Testament (Exodus 3:13-15).  Jesus was asserting His Deity. 

128. Jesus speaks about God's true children: John 8:32-47 

This passage points out something very profound, it is not acceptable to just "believe" in Jesus, we must "hold to His teaching" by being true learners and students (disciples)! This would allow them to know the truth and be free.

The Jews did not understand this since they were not slaves!  Jesus was talking about a different freedom; freedom from the slavery of sin (Romans 6:15-23). Their physical genealogy as descendants of Abraham would not save them, they must be in spiritual kinship through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26, 29). If they were not this kind of kin, they were children of Satan (8:34, 35). 

129. Jesus states he is eternal: John 8:48-59

Their reaction to this was to call Jesus a "Samaritan and demon-possessed" (see Event 27 to understand why calling Him a Samaritan was such an insult), but Jesus stuck to His calling and said that if anyone "keeps His word" (observes, pays attention to, fulfills), he would live eternally and never be separated from God (3:16; 5:24).  Again, He reiterated that salvation had nothing to do with being a descendant of Abraham but believing by faith. 

When Jesus referred back to Abraham as "rejoicing at the thought of seeing my day," it is probably referring to the messianic prophecy that through Abraham's seed "all peoples on earth will be blessed" (Genesis 12:3) because Jesus is that seed. This statement flummoxed them because they could not believe that a man in His thirties would have seen Abraham!  Then, He made another "I am" statement (see above) that declared His Deity. Consequently, they wanted to stone Him because stoning was the normal punishment for the sin of blasphemy. He slipped away because His time had not yet come (2:4; 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20). 

REFLECTION/APPLICATION

The Flow of Deity

These "I am" declarations by Jesus confirm His Deity. Here are other verses that you can connect together and "chain reference" in your Bible by writing "Deity" in the margin of the first reference with the next reference to go to under that. Here are the verses in order:

John 1:1

John 1:14

8:58-59

Exodus 3:14-15

John 8:24

John 10:30-33

Hebrews 1:3-4

Colossians 2:9-12

Colossians 1:15-20

John 20:27-29

John 17:5

Isaiah 42:8

Isaiah 7:14

Matthew 1:21-23

Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 43:10-11

Micah 5:2

Luke 2:4-7, 10-11

Isaiah 44:6

Revelation 1:7,8; 17-18

This is very fun and encouraging to meditate through! Enjoy!

PRAYER

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . and we beheld His glory, glory as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. The Word was the light that came into the world to dispel the darkness of it. 
(John 1:1, 4, 9, 14)

Thank You, God, for dispelling my darkness and for this amazing gift of salvation through Jesus! May many reading Your Word come to saving faith through it. Amen. 

123-124. Temple Teaching and Arrest Attempt

LINK: John 7:10-52

As you read this section, notice the contrasts that will be indicated by the words but, even though, much more, nevertheless, yet, although, then, and otherwise.

BACKGROUND 

123. Jesus teaches openly at the temple: John 7:10-31

Jesus did not go up to the Temple at the time and way His half-brothers wanted Him to go, but He went in the Father's timing and in secret, not making a grand entrance because the religious leaders were plotting to kill Him (John 7:1, 25), but His time had not yet come.

There were three great feasts in which men were to travel to Jerusalem: Tabernacles (Booths), Passover (combined with the Feast of Unleavened Bread), and Pentecost (Shavuot). The Feast of Tabernacles was known as the holiest and greatest feast (The Antiquities of the Jews 8.4.1).  All the feasts are explained in Leviticus 23 in the Bible Book Club. 

Here are just a few contrasts in this section:

• Do not go publicly, but in secret (7:10)
• Some were saying He was a good man, but others were saying He leads the multitude astray (7:12)
• Went up in secret, but went to the temple to teach publicly (7:14)
• Not His teaching, but from the Father who sent Him (7:16, 17)
• Seeking your own glory versus seeking the glory of the Father (7:18)
• Speaking from yourself versus speaking from the Father (7:17, 18)
• Moses gave you the Law yet none of you obey it (7:19)

(There are many more contrasts. Maybe you can observe more as you read John 7. Contrasts are important for making good observations. Here is a handout about making good observations, interpretations, and applications.)

By this stage in Jesus' ministry, there was great division over Him. No one spoke openly if they were for Him because they were afraid of the religious leaders. When He said they were trying to kill Him, I assume the majority of the people did not know about the plot. That is why they called Him demon-possessed.

Halfway through the feast (about three days), Jesus taught. The word here "denotes formal and continuous teaching, as distinguished from mere casual sayings" (Commentary Critical and Explanatory, John 7:14). The religious teachers were amazed at His spiritually deep teaching without formal education. Jesus claimed He was taught by God, and the goal of His teaching was to glorify the Father. In contrast, they had the Law of Moses, but they did not obey it. 

For example, circumcision was to be performed eight days after a baby was born (Genesis 17:9-14, Leviticus 12:3). It was done to identify Jewish males as part of God's covenant. It was allowed even on a Sabbath when there was to be no work. They allowed these kinds of exceptions but constantly hassled Jesus when He did acts of mercy on the Sabbath. 

It is interesting to see the different opinions of the crowd in this chapter. Was He a good man or a deceiver, sent from God or demon-possessed, the Christ and the Prophet or just the carpenter's son? (More contrasts!)

At all these things, Jesus "cried out" (1:15; 7:37; 12:44) that He was the Sent One of God (John 7:28). This caused some of them to believe but some of them to try to seize (arrest) Him, but His time had not yet come.

124. Religious leaders attempt to arrest Jesus: John 7:32-52

Jesus knew that, in a short while, He would return to the Father. The Jews would look for the Messiah but realize they had missed Him (Zechariah 12:10-13; Revelation 1:7). Sadly, many just did not get it.

I discovered the deeper meaning of this section when celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles with a feast group back in 1992. Context is everything. Jesus made the proclamation, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water'" (John 7:37-38), on the "last and greatest day" of the feast. On this day there was a special water ceremony. The priests would go from the temple to the Pool of Siloam (storage area for the Gihon Spring and supplier of water to Jerusalem in ancient times).  They would dip a golden pitcher and draw water that was poured into a bowl on the altar.

What a word picture Jesus was giving the people! Here is more:

With the approach of the rainy season, Israel depended on God to send rain for the next season's crops. This was a time for serious praying, asking God to open the gates of heaven and send the necessary rain. As the priest poured out the water, he visually demonstrated God's continuing and faithful love in sending rain. Like so many other traditions, it carried another deeper spiritual meaning. This was a demonstration or sign of Israel's hope for the coming of the Messiah as they looked forward to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit which God had promised. Jesus, knowing the drought that existed in their hearts, probably quoted the familiar words of the prophet Isaiah, "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters" (Isaiah 55:1). "And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places . . . and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail" (Isaiah 58:11). "For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants" (Isaiah 44:3). The concluding remarks of the officers who listened to His teaching are significant: "He says such wonderful things! . . . We've never heard anything like it" (John 7:46, TLB). (Celebrate the Feasts by Martha Zimmerman, p. 158)

In this passage, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah! 

Of course, this caused additional debate and controversy. The crowd overlooked that although He was from Galilee (7:52), He was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-6 Micah 5:2) making Him the Promised One!

Note how Nicodemus, as a secret believer, sticks up for Jesus! 

REFLECTION

If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 

(John 7:17) 

If we do God's will and for His glory, our life will be blessed. Jesus left us an example of one who did the will of the Father.  

A principle of immense importance, showing, on the one hand, that singleness of desire to please God is the grand inlet to light on all questions vitally affecting one’s eternal interests, and on the other, that the want [lack of] of his [desire to please God], whether perceived or not, is the chief cause of infidelity amidst the light of revealed religion. (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, Jn 7:17)

 Let's seek to do the will of the Father by listening to His voice and spending time in His Word rather than spouting off and acting on our own wisdom!

APPLICATION

Have you done the will of the Father today? Evaluate and talk to God about it. 

PRAYER

Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God;

Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.

In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

 (Psalm 143:10-11, NASB95) 

119-122. Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and the Cost of Following Him

I found several possible applications. So, I included separate reflections and applications within some of the numbered events. 

BACKGROUND AND LINKS:

119. Jesus teaches how to treat a believer who sins: Matthew 18:15-20

This is what Jesus teaches us to do when another believer sins against us or causes us to stumble:

1. Go in private and seek reconciliation by gently correcting (Matthew 18:15, Galatians 6:1).
2. If the person absolutely refuses after many attempts at reconciliation, get help from one or two others (Matthew 18:16).
3. If the person refuses to seek reconciliation with God and others after exhaustive attempts, ask church leaders to intervene in order to have them hold the person accountable to Scripture (Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-16; 2 Timothy 2:23-26; Titus 3:10).

The goal is NOT to win an argument but to win a brother or sister!

APPLICATION

Here is a PDF link to a wonderful pamphlet that I use regularly: 

Peacemaking Principles: Responding to Conflict Biblically

Also heartily recommend that you read (and reread) The Peacemaker by Kenneth Sande for what I have found to be the most thorough way to put this passage into practice! It is excellent and convicting.

120. Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving debtor: Matthew 18:21-35

Rabbinical tradition only required someone to forgive another three times. So, Jesus is communicating that forgiveness is very important: one should forgive 490 times! The parable reinforces the principle. 

10,000 talents are several million in today's economy. The master forgave the servant, but that servant could not even forgive a day's wages of his fellow servant.

We have been forgiven by our Master of much. Therefore, we should be generous in our forgiveness. 

APPLICATION

I love the song "Forgiveness" from the musical Jane Eyre. Helen Burns taught Jane about forgiveness, and she can teach us also. 

121. Jesus' (half) brothers ridicule him: John 7:1-9

Mary had other children with Joseph (Matthew 13:55-56; Mark 6:1-6). They were prodding Him to make an impressive appearance at the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths (one of three feasts that required men to travel to Jerusalem) and manifest His power because Galilee was not the "happening" place for a Messiah. The tone is mocking because they were unbelievers (Mark 3:21, 31-25; 6:3; John 7:5) Even though they had grown up with Him, they did not understand Him, His purposes, and the timing of things.  Psalm 69:8 talks of their misunderstanding:  "I have become estranged from my brothers and an alien to my mother's sons."  It was not yet time for Him to go to the feast. He does eventually go, but He does not go on the command of His brothers. 

122. Jesus teaches about the cost of following him: Matthew 8:18-22, Luke 9:51-62 

Jesus had already predicted his death two times (Luke 9:21-27, 44-45). He knew that His ministry days were numbered, and He needed to leave a band of followers 100% committed to His work. So, He taught them about the cost of following Him. 

What does it take to be a disciple of Jesus? It involves being willing to give up everything. Jesus' response to the teacher of the Law revealed that the man wanted fame because he was following this "rising star" rabbi named Jesus. Jesus revealed it would not involve fame or prominence. His response to the second man demonstrated that discipleship was a full-time, full-life occupation, costing everything. 

REFLECTION

While meditating on the cost of following Jesus, I thought of a T.S. Eliot quote about the life of faith:

A condition of complete simplicity

(Costing not less than everything)

T.S. Eliot, "Little Gidding" V in Four Quartets

I had a friend calligraphy this for me back in the 80s, and I hung it in my office to remind me what this life of faith is really all about! The cost is high, but it is the only way to live. 

APPLICATION from The Daily Walk

What would be different about your life if you were a "drastic disciple" of Jesus Christ? 

The lessons for disciples and tests of discipleship that are contained in Luke 9 do not make for easy reading. They are painfully pointed, calling for commitment in matters of allegiance, lifestyle, and goals. Jesus made the terms of discipleship unmistakably clear. Read the following verses prayerfully, asking yourself, "How do I need to change if my life is to reflect that kind of commitment?" 

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (9:23). 

"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him" (9:26). 

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God" (9:62).   

God deserves the same place in your heart that He holds in the universe. (October 18, 2008, p. 24) 

For further reading:

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman 

PRAYER

You are worthy to be followed all the days of our life. Show us where we are not following You, including when we are not forgiving and reconciling with our brothers and sisters. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

114-118. Christ in Capernaum

BACKGROUND AND LINKS

114. Peter finds the coin in the fish's mouth: Matthew 17:24-27

How appropriate that Matthew, the tax collector, would be the only gospel writer that would record this miracle! Every Jew over 20 years old was required to pay a temple tax. His question to Peter about the king indicates that He was the King of kings and He, as well as His sons of the kingdom (disciples), should be exempt from paying, but He needed to fulfill the Law and not offend. 

115. The disciples argue about who would be the greatest: Matthew 18:1-6, Mark 9:33-37, Luke 9:46-48

Rank was important to the Jews, but Jesus taught that the essence of true greatness was learning to be a servant of all. The Greek word here is diakonos which means "one who attends to the needs of others freely" as opposed to doulos which means a slave who is in a servile position.  The road to glory is via service, not self-exaltation. Of course, Jesus is the ultimate example of this. 

116. The disciples forbid another to use Jesus' name: Mark 9:38-41, Luke 9:49-50

Most commentators believe the disciples were jealous of the man who healed in Jesus' name when they could not, and he was doing it in an unauthorized way rather than the man misusing Jesus' name. (See Acts 19:13-16 for an example of this.)  Even though the verses involve different events, Mark 9:40, "For he who is not against us is for us" can be compared to Matthew 12:30, "He who is not with Me is against Me." If you are working for Jesus, you cannot be working against Him also. The man may have not done it the "right" way according to the disciples, but he did it for Jesus, and that is all that mattered. Boy, this is such a lesson for today when established patterns of doing things in the church do not make way for new ways!  

117. Jesus warns against temptation: Matthew 18:7-9, Mark 9:42-50

"Woe" refers to the judgment of God being upon anyone who causes another believer, especially immature ones, to turn away from believing and following Him. 

118. Jesus warns against looking down on others: Matthew 18:10-14

This is similar to the lost sheep parable in Luke 15:3-7, but there it is talking about unbelievers, and here it is talking about believers. We need not neglect young believers but help them grow and flourish.  

REFLECTION

Watch that you don't treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don't you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?

Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn't he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn't want to lose even one of these simple believers. (Matthew 18:10-14) 

I wasn't raised in the church. I came to believe at ten years old. But I had no one who followed me up, and I was not part of the church family because I was there solo while others would go home to eat their family dinners at home after church. No one took me under their wing. Therefore, I was an orphan in the church.  

Shortly after I came to believe (might have been the same trip, but it is very fuzzy right now), I opened the gate at camp, and one of the sheep got out of its pen and caused havoc. I finally got it back in its pen. It was a funny after-camp story to tell, but it is sort of what I did after becoming a believer. I was the one out of 100 that went astray, and there was no one there to guide me and get me back in the pen when I went astray. 

Thankfully, those personal angels were in touch with the Father, and I came back in a pretty miraculous way. God does not have to use other people to do this, but He sure likes to because we are part of His body, and it glorifies Him when we step in and do His work under His direction and power. 

That is why I am so PASSIONATE about the follow-up, nurture, and care for young believers so that they might be established in their faith and learn to feed themselves and grow to help others learn to feed themselves; and so on and so on and so on.

APPLICATION

My personal challenge to you is to find a young believer to help grow. Start praying about it and talk to people in your local assembly that might be able to direct you toward someone. God has dropped people into my lap almost out of nowhere when I have asked Him to bring me people who want to grow. 

Just show up. Most people are ready to help someone else, but they do not have the confidence to do it. 

Try to "step out of the boat"! You might just walk on water. :)

PRAYER

Lord, give us compassion for the young sheep in our lives. Help us not be a stumbling block but a stepping stone in their growth. Amen. 

112-113. Healing and a Second Prediction

BACKGROUND AND LINKS

112. Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy: Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, Luke 9:37-43

Jesus came down from the mountaintop to deliver this boy. Why couldn't the disciples drive out the demon?  That is the beauty of studying all three accounts!

According to Warren Wiersbe, two things were lacking in their lives:

First on the list was faith (Matt. 17:19–20); they were part of an unbelieving generation and had lost the confidence that they needed in order to use their power. But prayer and fasting were also lacking (Mark 9:29), which indicates that the nine men had allowed their devotional disciplines to erode during their Lord’s brief absence. No matter what spiritual gifts we may have, their exercise is never automatic.  (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Lk 9:37)

113. Jesus predicts his death the second time: Matthew 17:22-23, Mark 9:30-32, Luke 9:44-45

From the region of Caesarea Philippi and northeast Palestine, Jesus began to head through Galilee and Perea to Judea and into Jerusalem where He would face His crucifixion and resurrection six months later. He needed to prepare His disciples now, even though they would not fully comprehend it until later.

REFLECTION 

All Things Are Possible to Him Who Believes 

Are you lacking faith?  Been there!

I shared this story in the Genesis 17 & 18 Bible Book Club blog, but God reminded me of it as I was meditating on Mark 9 last Saturday while listening to a speaker at a conference. So, I will share it once again:

I was at Multnomah School of the Bible in a training program back in 1981. Every morning, all the people in the program had half an hour to spend time with God.

One particular morning, I was up in a spartan attic bedroom in one of the rental houses near campus peering out the window located at the peak of the roof. It was summer, but not unusual for Oregon in June, it was raining cats and dogs. My passage for that morning was Mark 9, where the man brings his demon-possessed boy to Jesus to heal. After some dialogue with Jesus, the boy's father said to Jesus:

". . . if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!"

Jesus responds:

"'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."

Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:22-24)

Then Jesus drove out the demon.

I sat there in that attic bedroom, and I audibly laughed and said, "I don't believe this really happened, Lord! In fact, I don't believe you turned water into wine either or healed all those people. I don't believe it!!!!! It is too impossible."

Then, I realized the import of my words, and I cried out to God, "I want to be like that man. I do believe Lord, but my faith is so small, help my unbelief! Lord, could you show me Yourself by stopping the rain?" (I know, what was I thinking to pray such a crazy prayer in OREGON of all places? But He allowed a 90-year-old woman to get pregnant; so, why not?)

Immediately, and I mean IMMEDIATELY, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun beamed through that window blinding my eyes, and I said, "OK, I believe it all." 

It was a defining moment in my journey.

The conference speaker's talk was entitled "A Vision for the Possible." He stated that the goal of Jesus was to teach His disciples that the impossible was possible. The speaker shared stories about God accomplishing the impossible in his work overseas, and he referred to this same story in Mark 9 about a father who asked for help in his unbelief. I realized I had slacked off a bit in believing God for the impossible since He parted those clouds for me so many years ago, but his talk and this chapter inspired me to believe God for big things once again!

APPLICATION

All things are possible to Him who believes.

(Mark 9:23)

Do you believe this? What is your deep-down answer to that question? Journal and talk with the LORD about it today. Mull over this question for a while.

PRAYER

Lord, we do believe, help our unbelief. We praise You that You can do anything! Do the impossible through our lives. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.