We all want immediate answers, we want justice in the world. Jesus reminds his disciples that judgement is coming. But he uses Noah and Lot as examples. Both lived in the midst of sinful people and it seemed there would never be an answer, that is, until the day the answer came. It may have seemed that everyone else was right, until the day the rains came and Noah shut the door of the ark. Then Jesus explains the difference between those that are righteous in themselves and those that humble themselves before God. Jesus heads to Jerusalem for the feast, but delays his arrival. He doesn’t want to ride the wave of public accolades that would promote him. He has come to give his life to pay the price for all sin. 

They Must Always Pray and Not be Discouraged

Luke 18:1–8
Jesus had just reminded them of Noah, and Lot who lived in the midst of sinful generations. These men and their families endured the culture of sin around them until the day of God’s judgement. Then, they were exonerated, freed from the effects of sin and of sinful people. Now, Jesus tells them in Like 18:1 “that they must always pray and not be discouraged”. We often wonder why we don’t get an answer when we pray. It isn’t that God is not listening or that he does not hear, it is that there are other people and their lives are also involved. Jesus says though, keep praying for God’s will, God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. God will answer. He just says to ask, and keep on asking. 

This Man Went to His House Justified

Luke 18:9–14
This is a record of two men. One, a “Pharisee stood and prayed these things with reference to himself: ‘God, I give thanks to you that I am not like other people—swindlers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector! I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all that I get.’ This man prayed his list of righteous acts, his works to show his superior position over others. The other man, a tax collector, a sinner said “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’”. This man placed himself in God’s merciful hands, this man was justified before God.

No One Does Anything in Secret

John 7:1–5
Jesus brothers are encouraging him to publicize what he is doing in

John 7:4 (LEB) For no one does anything in secret and yet he himself desires to be ⌊publicly recognized⌋. If you are doing these things, reveal yourself to the world!”

But that is the way of the world. Jesus wasn’t looking for the public wave of acceptance and acknowledgement that would raise his status to be seen by all as the King of the Jews. 

No One Was Speaking Openly About Him

John 7:6–13
People were expecting Jesus to be at the feast, he had always come before. The Jews were looking to find him. The people were debating about who he was as often happens of people in the public eye. But these were all whispers in John 7:13 “for the fear of the Jews”, and “They had good reason to be afraid, because ‘the Jews’ had decided to put anyone who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah out of the synagogue (9:22; 12:42; 16:2)”.¹

How Does This Man Possess Knowledge

John 7:14–24
So, Jesus delayed his departure for Jerusalem to arrive secretly. Then, in

John 7:14 (LEB) Now when the feast was already half over, Jesus went to the temple courts and began to teach.

Jesus has avoided the noise of the crowd and shows up unannounced and begins teaching whoever is there. And those that hear him in John 7:15 “were astonished” because “Jesus was not known to have been a disciple of any of the leading rabbis, yet his teaching reflected extraordinary learning and this made a huge impression upon the hearers (45–46)”.² Jesus responds to them, in

John 7:16 (LEB) So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not mine, but is from the one who sent me.

I Am From Him and He Sent Me

John 7:25–36
In John 7:32 “The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring … ”

The One Who Believes in Me

John 7:37–39
In John 7:38 “Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water”.

This Man is the Christ!

John 7:40–53
John 7:46 (LEB) The officers replied, “Never has a man spoken like this!”

Study Verses

• Luke 18:1–8 They Must Always Pray and Not be Discouraged
• Luke 18:9–14 This Man Went to His House Justified
• John 7:6–13 No One Was Speaking Openly About Him

Today’s Reading

• Luke 18:1-14
• John 7:1-53

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

References

• 1. Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, p. 183). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
• 2. Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, p. 184). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

The Pharisees react with ridicule to Jesus example of the unrighteous manager. This man had discounted his masters promissory notes for his own gain. And in this example, this man is called shrewd, gaining “unrighteous wealth”. Then Jesus moves on saying “a certain man was rich” and “a certain poor man named Lazarus”. Their roles are reversed when they die and Lazarus is in paradise and the rich man in Hades, but their personalities, their way of behaving is the same. Their choices in life have an eternal consequence. Jesus then moves on to those that sin, that cause an offence but repent. Jesus said if they repent, forgive them. And then forgive them again. And then forgive them again, if they repent again. But this is tiresome and taxing and then Jesus told them, the servant has only done wht they were obligated to do.

He Was Lost and is Found!

Luke 15:20–32
There are many emotions that might have been felt by the people in this parable. The father whose son refused to listen, what wasted years and loss of joy. The son who stayed with his father and worked faithfully and maybe even taking on more to fill the gap in the family business and for what? Then the prodigal son returns in shame having lost everything. They all lost something because of a young mans impetuous decision. There isn’t anything they can do to get back what they have lost.

Wisdom comes from the father in Luke 15:20-24 “this son of mine was dead, and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate”. It never helps to look back at what might have been or how we thought life would be. There is only from this moment forward. Celebrate the future, the hope, the plans God has for you, and enjoy the company of those you love.

The One Who is Faithful in Very Little

Luke 16:1–13
There is a shrewdness that the world counts for wisdom but it is in Luke 16:9 unrighteousness wealth. And sadly, there are those that are very wise in this way as Luke 16:8 says, “the sons of this age are shrewder than the sons of light with regard to their own generation”. But here is what God has to say in

Luke 16:10 (LEB) 10 “The one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much.

God Knows Your Hearts!

Luke 16:14–17
Jesus had just finished the example of the unrighteous manager and he gets a reaction from the Pharisees in Luke 16:14 “they ridiculed him”. They are described as ones “who were lovers of money”. And described further in Luke 16:15 as “the ones who justify themselves in the sight of men”. Sure, money is part of this, but it is the praise of men, position, influence, power to be above others that Jesus is talking about. Now, Jesus says bluntly in Luke 16:16 “what is considered exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God”. And then Jesus says in

Luke 16:16 (LEB) “The law and the prophets were until John; from that time on the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently pressed into it.

Jesus draws a line in time saying “… until John; from that time on …”. The kingdom of God has come near, Jesus Christ himself is standing in front of them. Salvation is only through him as it says in

Ephesians 2:8 (LEB) For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God;

But Jesus finishes this example to them by saying in

Luke 16:17 (LEB) But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the law to become invalid.

These things that were abomination to God, the things “exalted among men” were now done away with but “the kingdom was not the end of the law. True, the little details and regulations of the ceremonial law were wiped out. No one was to think that Christianity offered an easy way in which no laws remained. The great laws stood unaltered and unalterable”.¹ 

You Received Your Good Things During Your Life

Luke 16:19–31
In Luke 16:21 Lazarus “was longing to be filled with what fell from the table of the rich man”. Then, after they both died, the rich man dried out from Hades in Luke 16:23 because he was “suffering pain in this flame”. Then in

Luke 16:25 (LEB) But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received your good things during your life, and Lazarus likewise bad things. But now he is comforted here, but you are suffering pain.

Their roles are reversed. Now Lazarus is comforted and the rich man tormented, but now for eternity. But in Luke 16:26 “a great chasm has been established between us” because the rich man is still looking for Lazarus, someone, to serve his needs and kind hearted Lazarus would be willing to do it. God has established a border between them that neither can cross.

Finally, in Luke 16:27-31 the rich man gets past himself and his own needs and realizes that his family will also follow him into this horrible place. He cries out for someone to do his bidding again in Luke 16:28 “I have five brothers … warn them”. But in this place, the truth is spoken, in

Luke 16:31 (LEB) But he (Abraham) said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone rises from the dead.’ ”

If You Have Faith Like a Mustard Seed

Luke 17:1–10
People often quote Luke 17:6 and this is an important principle in the kingdom of God. Jesus sometimes said “according to your faith be it done” and he said “ask, believe you receive it and you will have it”, here though, the disciples respond to Jesus in Luke 17:5 with “Increase our faith” after, in Luke 17:4 Jesus tells them to forgive their brother “seven times in a day”. It is the forbearance, the enduring of a wrong against you with only an apology that caused them to say “Lord, increase our faith”. Jesus is saying that we must stand the test of anothers sin against us. But Jesus doesn’t stop. He doesn’t accept their reaction that they need more faith. He instead talks to them about the duty of a slave. He says a slave will fulfill his duty to his master and not expect his master to be grateful because in Luke 17:10 “we have done what we were obligated to do”.

Your Faith Has Saved You

Luke 17:11–19

The Kingdom of God is in Your Midst

Luke 17:20–21

As the Lightning Shines Forth

Luke 17:22–37

Study Verses

• Luke 16:14–17 God Knows Your Hearts
• Luke 16:19–31 You Received Your Good Things During Your Life
• Luke 17:1–10 If You Have Faith Like a Mustard Seed

Today’s Reading

• Luke 15:20-32
• Luke 16:1-31
• Luke 17:1-37

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

References

• 1. Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of Luke (p. 250). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

Jesus gets a question, “are there only a few who are saved?”. He has been teaching “he that has an ear”, “whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him” and as he heads to Jerusalem “to be taken up”, his followers are beginning to understand that not everyone will be saved. But in their heritage, all of the children of Israel were God’s chosen. This is a new concept, “whoever does the will of my Father”. Salvation isn’t by family line, but “through the narrow door”, by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus knows exactly what is waiting for him in Jerusalem and continues healing as he comes to the city. Early on he said he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now, he offers a new imperative. The best guests have been invited and have made their excuses. Now he says “Go out into the highways and hedges and press them to come in, so that my house will be filled!” 

Enter Through the Narrow Door

Luke 13:22–30
Jesus had been “going throughout towns and villages, teaching” as it says in Luke 13:22 and it wasn’t the first time he was “making his journey to Jerusalem” so I must wonder, why did they ask this question now in Luke 13:22 “Lord, are there only a few who are saved?”

If we look at his teaching before this time, there is a picture that we can see; Not everyone will be saved. Jesus had said in

Matthew 10:34 (LEB) “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on the earth! I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

And in

Matthew 12:49–50 (LEB) And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Behold my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Throughout his teaching he had included a recurring message like in

Mark 4:23 (LEB) If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

(see also Mark 4:9 , Matthew 11:15, Matthew 13:9 , Luke 8:8, and Luke 14:35) And in

Mark 4:25 (LEB) For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

(see also and Luke 19:26, Matthew 13:12; 25:29, Luke 8:18; 19:24–26)¹

But understand this, the door is open now for us to come in. Jesus answered their question in Luke 13:24 “make every effort to enter” because in Luke 13:25 “when once the master of the house has gotten up and shut the door”, then it is too late. 

Jerusalem, the One Who Kills the Prophets

Luke 13:31–35
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem for the last time as he had purposed in

Luke 9:51 (LEB) Now it happened that when the days were approaching for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

It is a bit surprising that in Luke 13:31 “some Pharisees came up and said to him, ‘Go out and depart from here, because Herod wants to kill you!’”. We know that “Herod wanted to get rid of Him (see on Mk 6:14), and seems, from our Lord’s answer, to have sent these Pharisees, under pretense of a friendly hint”²

Because, in Luke 13:32, “he said to them, “Go and* tell that fox …” and then goes on to say “I am expelling demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete my work”. And in just a few days, Jesus will say from the cross, “It is finished”.

Is it Permitted to Heal on the Sabbath

Luke 14:1–6
In Luke 14:1 “he came to the house of a certain one of the leaders of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat a meal”. And again it seems odd to us that Jesus would be invited with the tension that we have already seen. But “Dinner on the sabbath seems often to have been a rather special meal (the food having all been prepared beforehand) and it was common to invite guests”.³

And I think, even more so for those in Jerusalem where every male was required. This was the command of the Lord, “Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival (Exod. 23:14; 2 Chr. 8:13); three times a year, for the feasts of Unleavened Bread, Weeks and Booths (Deut. 16:16); three times a year your males are to appear before the Lord (Exod. 23:17); these are my appointed feasts (Lev. 23:2)”.⁴ So, hospitality to visitors would have been particularly important at these times to accommodate the large influx of people.

Jesus sees a man in Luke 14:2 “in front of him, suffering” so in Luke 14:3 it says “he answered and said”. They may not have prompted Jesus with their words, but they had prompted him by their actions. So, in Luke 14:3 he asks “Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?”. There were many requirements to be kept for the Sabbath, but none of them answered so in Luke 14:4 Jesus “healed him, and sent him away” and then explained why it was not only permitted, but an action that any one of them would have taken to save one of their animals in distress.

Friend, Move Higher

Luke 14:7–11
People are pressing in to find a place. Some are taking the best seat they can find. Some are content to be included. 

So That My House Will Be Filled!

Luke 14:12–24
Jesus continues using this opportunity to explain God’s heart. We want to invite our friends, our family, the people we know, or maybe, as he says in Luke 14:12, those who will “also invite you in return, and repayment come to you”. This is the natural way of the world, self satisfying. But Jesus says to them in

Luke 14:13-14 But whenever you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they are not able to repay you. For it will be paid back to you at the resurrection of the righteous.”

And, in Luke 14:15 he gets a religious response, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”. And I say this is a religious response, because it is a true statement, but there isn’t any right now, in this world, action that helps anyone or gets them into the kingdom of God. So, Jesus answers with a banquet story in Luke 14:16-24. All of the best quests were invited but they all have more important things to do and in Luke 14:18 “excuse themselves”. Then, with urgency, the master says in Luke 14:23 “Go out into the highways and hedges and press them* to come in, so that my house will be filled!”

This is a great lesson even for us today. How many churches sit with empty seats? People have come, and then gone about their business in the world. They may come for Christmas or Easter or some special occasion but where is their heart? Isn’t a Sunday service where we join to celebrate our relationship with Jesus Christ? But what Jesus has taught us here is that if “there is still room”, “Go out into the highways and hedges and press them* to come in, so that my house will be filled!”

If Anyone Comes to Me

Luke 14:25–35

This Man Welcomes Sinners

Luke 15:1–7

Search Carefully Until She Finds It

Luke 15:8–10

So He Divided His Assets Between Them

Luke 15:11–19

Study Verses

• Luke 13:22–30 Enter Through the Narrow Door
• Luke 13:31–35 Jerusalem, the One Who Kills the Prophets
• Luke 14:12–24 So That My House Will Be Filled

Today’s Reading

• Luke 13:22-35
• Luke 14:1-35
• Luke 15:1-19

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

References

• 1. Blayney, B., Scott, T., & Torrey, R. A. with Canne, J., Browne. (n.d.). The Treasury of Scripture knowledge (Vol. 2, p. 26). London: Samuel Bagster and Sons.
• 2. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 113). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
• 3. Morris, L. (1988). Luke: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 3, p. 247). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
• 4. Day, A. C. (2009). Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

A young man from the crowd yells out to Jesus, “tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!” This young man feels wronged and he wants Jesus to intervene. Not long before this Martha had said to Jesus about her sister Mary, “tell her that she should help me!”. Instead, Jesus warned Martha about being anxious about too many things, that she should also sit. And now, he refuses this young mans request and turns to the crowd and says, “guard yourselves from all greediness”. This young man was not wronged, he was caught up in greediness. Jesus then builds on this and says, “your life is more than food”, “your Father knows that you need these things”. He is saying, trust God for provision. He goes on though, to say, “be prepared for action”. There is work for us to do in our generation and it is work for God’s kingdom. Then Jesus leaves them asking themselves, when the master returns, will you be found as a faithful servant? 

Guard Yourselves From All Greediness

Luke 12:13–21
We often want God to be the great arbitrator but that isn’t who he is. He gave us a mind and will to choose for ourselves. We need to work out our relationships with others. It was their tradition that the firstborn had the birthright, “the firstborn takes a double portion of his father’s goods, as is said, Deu_21:17 how? a man leaves five children, and one of them is the firstborn: the firstborn takes the third part of the substance, and every one of the four simple ones, takes a sixth part”¹

But dividing the inheritance meant dividing the land and the property, not always easy to do and maybe even detrimental to the families ability to sustain themselves. It is the older brother that has the bigger share and the control. So in Luke 12:13 when the younger brother says “tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!” Jesus throws it right back at him in Luke 12:14 “who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”. But isn’t Jesus God? Isn’t he King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Absolutely he is. But we have free will. This was a family matter. There is no reason for Jesus to exercise any authority in their domain. But Jesus goes on and exposes the root of this dispute in Luke 12:15 “watch out and guard yourselves from all greediness”. Then Jesus tells a parable to make his point, “not even when someone has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions”. 

Your Father Knows That You Need These Things

Luke 12:22–34
Jesus tells them in Luke 12:22 “do not be anxious for your* life”. Don’t be anxious about what you will eat or what you will wear or any of the things that you need to live your life. He wants us to be content with what we have, to be at peace with where we are and who we are with. He wants us to be diligent in what we are doing so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Then he makes another point, don’t be anxious for you life. Your days are in God’s hands. When you leave this life, those of us that have accepted Christ, go to be with him. But every day that we draw breath is a day for us to declare the goodness of God. 

You Must Be Prepared For Action

Luke 12:35–40
After Jesus tells them not to be anxious for their life, here in Like 12:35-36 he tells them “be prepared for action”. Here is how this is translated in a few Bible versions: “Let your loins be girded about” (ASV) (KJV), “Be dressed ready for service” (NIV), “Stay dressed for action” (ESV). The meaning is pretty clear, especially when we recognize their clothing was different than ours. To be able to run, they needed “to fasten up the long outer garment, always done before travel and work (2 Ki 4:29; Ac 12:8). The meaning is, Be in readiness”.²

Who Then is the Faithful

Luke 12:41–48
Peter asks in Luke 12:41, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us, or also for everyone?” But Jesus doesn’t answer him directly, in Luke 12:42-48 he first says “Who then is the faithful wise manager” then he says “Blessed is that slave whom his master will find so doing” and he ends with “But the one who did not know”. It seems clear from Jesus answer that everyone is included. The question that everyone should now be expecting the master to ask on his return is “Who has been a faithful servant?”

I Have Come to Bring Fire on the Earth

Luke 12:49–53

When You See a Cloud Coming Up

Luke 12:54–56

Make An Effort to Come to A Settlement

Luke 12:57–59

Unless You Repent You Will All Perish As Well!

Luke 13:1–5

Leave It Alone This Year Also

Luke 13:6–9

You Are Freed From Your Disability!

Luke 13:10–17

Study Verses

• Luke 12:13–21 Guard Yourselves From All Greediness
• Luke 12:22–34 Your Father Knows That You Need These Things
• Luke 12:35–40 You Must Be Prepared For Action

Today’s Reading

• Luke 12:13-59
• Luke 13:1-17

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels

This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.

Operation Exodus

is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview

References

• 1. Dr. John Gill, D.D., (1697-1771) John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible, Published in 1746-1766, 1816; public domain.
• 2. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 112). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.