Devotions

If You Are The Christ Tell Us

by  • 

They have all heard Jesus teaching and they have all seen the miracles of healing, yet they still ask this question in Luke 22:67 “If you are the Christ, tell us!”. But they aren’t looking for information or expecting any answer because they have already decided Jesus is to be killed. As Jesus is crucified between two others, one says in Luke 23:39-41 “we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done” and then asks in Luke 23:42 “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!”. This one recognized his sin and that Jesus was the Christ and Jesus answered him, in Luke 23:43 “today you will be with me in paradise”. Will you join them? Have you accepted the gift of God? It says in Romans 6:23 “For the compensation due sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Ask for it.

The Lord Turned Around and Looked Intently

Luke 22:54-65 

If You Are The Christ, Tell Us!

Luke 22:66-71
During the night, the leaders had sent, in Luke 22:47 “a crowd”, to take Jesus while he was away from the city and away from the people. He was taken, in Luke 22:54 “into the house of the high priest” and in Luke 22:63 “the men who were guarding him … beat him”. Then, it says in

Luke 22:66 “And when day came, the council of elders of the people gathered, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away to their Sanhedrin”

but this was still done privately, away from the people, as if they were inquiring about some wrong they should sit in judgement over. Their question was simple in

Luke 22:67 “If you are the Christ, tell us!”

They had already made up their minds as it says in

Luke 22:2 “And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they could destroy him, because they were afraid of the people”.

so, Jesus wasn’t there to give evidence, he was there to be sentenced. Even so, Jesus answers by telling them how all of this will end in

Luke 22:69 “But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

I Find No Basis for an Accusation

Luke 23:1-12 

Nothing Deserving Death Has Been Done by Him

Luke 23:13-25
Jesus had been taken and held by the high priest until he was brought before “The Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council, (which) consisted of the most influential members of Jewish society. The Romans gave this body limited authority over internal Jewish matters”.1

They sent Jesus to “Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, because only imperial authorities could impose the death sentence”.2

Pilate tries to avoid this by sending Jesus to Herod, but Jesus is sent back to him. Now, Pilate calls the Jewish leaders and he also calls the people so this is no longer done in secret in

Luke 23:13 “Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people”

Pilate says, in Luke 23:15 “nothing deserving death has been done by him” and continues in Luke 23:16 “I will punish him and release him.” but the crowd in

Luke 23:21 “kept crying out, saying, ‘Crucify! Crucify him!’”

so

Luke 23:24 “And Pilate decided that their demand should be granted”.

Weep for Yourselves and for Your Children!

Luke 23:26-32 

Today You Will be With Me in Paradise

Luke 23:33-43
Crucifixion was a common method of execution and “In Palestine, crucifixion was used to punish robbery, tumult, and sedition (rebellion against the State). This served as a public reminder of the Jews’ servitude to the foreign power”.3

Even in this worst of all punishments, Jesus is praying for his enemies in

Luke 23:34 But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

But Jesus is not crucified alone, there are two others and one says in

Luke 23:39-41 “we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done. But this man has done nothing wrong!”

and then makes a request in

Luke 23:42 “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!”

Then Jesus answers in

Luke 23:43 “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

People often wonder what happens when we die. This isn’t a mystery. The word used here is “παράδεισος (paradeisos). n. masc. paradise. A place of blessedness and joy. This word can refer to either the garden of Eden or the transcendent eternal place or heaven (Luke 23:43; Rev 2:7). The Apostle Paul was caught up into paradise (2 Cor 12:4)”.4

Earlier in Jesus ministry, we have the account of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 and at their deaths they are each recognizable in their new surroundings. Lazarus is comforted, the rich man is in Hades in torment. This didn’t happen in some future time, it happened at the death of their physical bodies.

Some have suggested the concept of purgatory where you can be punished for a time to pay for your sin and then go to heaven but that simply is not what it says, at “the great white throne (Rev 20:11–15)”5. This is where all of the dead were judged by what was written in the books.

Revelation 20:12b “the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds”.

and there is no second chance because we can only accept Jesus Christ, and be written in the book, during our mortal life. There only then awaits the final lake of fire in

Revelation 20:15 “And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Luke 22:54-71
  • Luke 23:1-43

References

  • 1. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Lk 22:66). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 2. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Lk 23:1–5). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 3. Kendall, R. T. (1996). Understanding Theology, Volume One (p. 100). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus.
  • 4. Peach, M. E. (2014). Heaven. D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 5. Garrett, J. K. (2016). Judgment Seat of Christ. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Devotions

I Have Prayed for You

by  • 

As Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure, he gives us insight into his role, not only as our savior, but as our intercessor. Jesus prays for Peter, but not the kind of religious prayer we might first think of, Jesus is Peter’s defender, Jesus is Peter’s advocate against the accuser, the devil. Jesus goes on though and teaches his disciples to prat specifically for themselves in Luke 22:40 “Pray that you will not enter into temptation”. In the last few verses here, Jesus corrects his disciples who react physically against the crowd that has come to take Jesus. Our battle is not with flesh and blood as we know from Ephesians 6:12 “our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” and we win this battle in prayer.

Do This in Remembrance of Me

Luke 22:14-23

Who Is the Greatest

Luke 22:24-30 

I Have Prayed for You

Luke 22:31-38
There are a few instances where we find direct accusations made by the devil, Jesus gives us one of them here in

Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat”.

We may not understand the court of heaven, but it is clear that there is a place for the devil, Satan, to make accusation as “Satan stood to accuse the high priest (Zech. 3:1); the accuser of the brethren, who accuses them day and night (Rev. 12:10)1 and we also see this in

Job 1:9 “Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’”

Jesus though, tells Peter in

Luke 22:32 “but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail. And you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

There are times when temptation comes our way, even as it came to Jesus. Jesus was able to resist the temptation and the devil fled. Peter yielded to the temptation momentarily denying Christ three times before recognizing his error. It is important for us to recognize that Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father, now intercedes for us, Jesus is our first defender in

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore also he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, because he always lives in order to intercede on their behalf.”

and we have the Holy Spirit to help us in

Romans 8:26 “And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings.”

and there is no one that can bring any charge against us because in

Romans 8:34 “Who is the one who condemns? Christ is the one who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

 

Pray That You Will Not Enter Into Temptation

Luke 22:39-46
As they go, in Luke 22:39 “to the Mount of Olives” Jesus tells his disciples how to pray. This isn’t what we call the Lord’s prayer, “the name given to the only form of prayer Christ taught his disciples (Matt. 6:9–13) … Luke (11:2–4) … the comprehensive type of the simplest and most universal prayer.”2 which includes these words for deliverance in

Matthew 6:13 “And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”.

and these words to avoid temptation in

Luke 11:4 “And do not lead us into temptation.”

It is though, an admonition for them to pray for themselves in

Luke 22:40 “Pray that you will not enter into temptation.”

It is clear through Jesus instructions to his disciples, that we have a part to play in avoiding temptation. Our will is involved and Jesus taught that we are to be actively engaged in prayer for ourselves praying “that you will not enter temptation”. 

Stop! No More of This!

Luke 22:47-53
As they came to arrest Jesus in Luke 22:47-48, Jesus disciples reacted to the crowd and to “Judas, one of the twelve, leading them”. Some of the disciples asked, in

Luke 22:49–50 “Lord, should we strike with the sword?”

but before Jesus could answer, in

Luke 22:50 “a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.”

These disciple had been with Jesus for three years. They had heard his rebuke of James and John when he was rejected in Samaria and they reacted in

Luke 9:54 “Now when the disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

Now, Jesus reacts to the behavior of his disciples who respond with physical force in

Luke 22:51 “Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this!”.

Physical force is not the way to advance the kingdom of God. It is only advanced by the word of God confirmed by signs following. The kingdom of God id advanced when the world sees our love one for another.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Luke 22:14-53

References

  • 1. Day, A. C. (2009). Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
  • 2. Easton, M. G. (1893). In Easton’s Bible dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.
Devotions

A Time of Witness

by  • 

Sit At My Right Hand

Luke 20:41-47 

The End Will Not Be At Once

Luke 21:1-11

 

A Time of Witness

Luke 21:12-19

Your Redemption is Drawing Near

Luke 21:20-28

Take Care For Yourselves

Luke 21:29-38

And Satan Entered Into Judas

Luke 22:1-6 

Just As He Had Told Them

Luke 22:7-13

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Luke 20:41-47
  • Luke 21:1-38
  • Luke 22:1-13

References

Devotions

The Way of God in Truth

by  • 

If These Keep Silent, The Stones Will Cry Out!

Luke 19:28-40

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-44 

He Was Teaching Every Day in the Temple Courts

Luke 19:45-48

Jesus Authority is Challenged

Luke 20:1-8 

May This Never Happen!

Luke 20:9-19

 

We Know That You Speak the Way of God in Truth

Luke 20:20-26

Sons of the Resurrection

Luke 20:27-40

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Luke 19:28-48
  • Luke 20:1-40

References

Devotions

Come Follow Me

by  • 

 

Come Follow Me

Luke 18:18-23

In The Age to Come, Eternal Life

Luke 18:24-30 

Jesus Explains His Death

Luke 18:31-34

He Regained His Sight and Began to Follow Him

Luke 18:35-43

Today Salvation Has Come to This House

Luke 19:1-10 

They Thought the Kingdom of God Was Going to Appear Immediately

Luke 19:11-19

I Was Afraid of You

Luke 19:20-27

If These Keep Silent, The Stones Will Cry Out!

Luke 19:28-40

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Luke 18:18-43
  • Luke 19:1-40

References

Devotions

Your Faith Has Saved You

by  • 

Are you saved? Do you know you have eternal life with God through Jesus Christ? Do you know that God is impartially extending himself to every person? The Lord says to us in Matthew 5:44–45 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, because he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust”. In Luke 17:14 ten lepers were cleansed, they were healed, their bodies were restored whole. But only one was saved. Only one came into that right relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you know that Jesus Christ is here, right now, by the Holy Spirit of God, ready to receive you? Ask him, run to him, as a child to a loving father and nothing can stop you, nothing can separate you because he is calling you to come.

If You Have Faith Like a Mustard Seed

Luke 17:1-10 

Your Faith Has Saved You

Luke 17:11-19
Jesus was, in Luke 17:11 “traveling toward Jerusalem” and likely began by taking the route he traveled with his parents as a child. But “a Samaritan village” had rejected him in Luke 9:53 so he altered his path and in Luke 13:22 “he was going throughout towns and villages, teaching and making his journey toward Jerusalem”. Now as he is, in Luke 17:11 “passing through the region between Samaria and Galilee”, in Luke 17:12 “he was entering into a certain village, ten men met him, lepers”. It isn’t clear what village this was and it isn’t clear if these where Samaritans or Jews or some mix. It seems that this village was a place of refuge for lepers and that nationality or religion wasn’t an issue, as lepers, they were in their own separate social group.

It is clear that they, in Like 17:12 “stood at a distance” which was required of them because they were unclean. It is also clear that these lepers knew who Jesus was. And it is clear that together, in Luke 17:13 “they raised their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’” Jesus didn’t lay hands on them or anoint them with oil or tell them to go and wash as “in 2 Kgs 5:1–14. At Elisha’s instruction, Naaman is cleansed by a ritual washing in the Jordan River (dipping seven times)”.1

Jesus simply said to them, in Luke 17:14 “Go and show yourselves to the priests” and “According to the law, people with a skin disease had to be examined by a priest, who would determine whether they were clean or unclean (see Lev 13:1–59 and note; Lev 14:1–32 and note)”2.

It says in Luke 17:14 “as they were going, they were cleansed” so they were healed, before they got to the priest. The word cleansed here is “2751 καθαρίζω (katharizō): … make clean, cleanse (Mt 23:25, 26; Lk 11:39) … purify, ceremonially cleanse by washing (Ac 10:15; Lk 11:2 v.r.) … heal, and so make it possible to be ritually cleansed (Mt 8:2, 3)”3. We can get natural physical relief and be cleansed as all of these lepers were. They could now go on with their natural lives which were restored.

But one returned in Luke 17:16 “giving thanks to him (Jesus)”. And it is only of this one that Jesus says in Luke 17:19 “Get up and go your way. Your faith has saved you”. It is a different word here, “5392 σῴζω (sōzō): … rescue from danger (Mt 14:30) … save, deliver in to divine salvation (1Co 1:21; 9:22; Mt 18:11 v.r.; Mk 16:16 v.r.; Lk 9:56 v.r. NA26; Ac 8:37 v.r.) … heal, to make healthy from an illness (Mk 6:56)3. For this one who returned with thanksgiving, Jesus responds, “Your faith has ‘delivered you into divine salvation’”. 

The Kingdom of God is in Your Midst

Luke 17:20-21
The Pharisee had many questions for Jesus, but these were not usually asked in innocent because they were seeking to understand. Many of their questions were to catch Jesus or expose Jesus or to accuse Jesus. So in

Luke 17:20 “Now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come”

The Pharisees are demonstrating their blindness, and they don’t have any idea that they are not understanding what is right in front of them. They may have been blinded by two thoughts:

  1. Overthrow of the natural government: “The Pharisees (see note on 5:17) likely are envisioning a political and military kingdom that would be established by overthrowing Judaea’s Roman overlords.”4
  2. The cosmic signs often associated with the kingdom’s coming in the Jewish view (1 En. 91, 93; 2 Bar. 53–74). See D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1412–14, also H. Riesenfeld, TDNT 8:150.5

Jesus responds in

Luke 17:20-21 “The kingdom of God does not come with things that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Behold, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Jesus first response is that “The coming of the kingdom is not accompanied by ratifying or premonitory signs that men can observe. To look for such is to misunderstand the character of the kingdom”.6

The kingdom was not as they expected, it was coming to them in Jesus Christ, who was right in front of them. Their blindness in part was because, “The kingdom in its outward form, as covenanted to David (2 Sam. 7:8–17) and described by the prophets (Zech. 12:8, note), had been rejected by the Jews; so that, during this present age, it would not “come with observation” (lit. “outward show”) but in the hearts of men (cf. Lk. 19:11, 12; Acts 1:6–8, note; Rom. 14:17). Meantime, the kingdom was actually “in the midst” of the Pharisees in the persons of the King and His disciples. Ultimately the kingdom of heaven will come, with outward show. (See v. 24.)”7

As the Lightning Shines Forth

Luke 17:22-37

They Must Always Pray and Not be Discouraged

Luke 18:1-8

This Man Went to His House Justified

Luke 18:9-14 

Allow The Children to Come

Luke 18:15-17
We adults have our rules. And in a public meeting, in a Church service, in the presence of a dignitary, we are held back by our social grace or today, by body guards or security or police. Jesus disciples were acting as any person handling a crowd might, they in Luke 18:15 “rebuked them”. But they didn’t understand that Jesus was not operating the way the world operates. The world is fallen in sin. The world separates, and judges, and stratifies. Children occupy a low position. They should not be allowed to interrupt and their parents should know better than to disturb the master, Jesus. Jesus, in Luke 18:16 “called them (the children) to himself saying … to such belongs the kingdom of God”. And what is it about children that Jesus wants us to emulate? It isn’t that we need to be uneducated or undisciplined. It is though, that we be without guile, that we run with whole hearted joy into our fathers arms. What Jesus wanted us to emulate is in

Luke 18:17 “welcome the kingdom of God like a young child”

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Luke 17:1-37
  • Luke 18:1-17

References

  • 1. Grafton, T. (2016). Disease. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 2. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Lk 17:14). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 3. Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
  • 4. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Lk 17:20). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
  • 5. Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (Lk 17:20). Biblical Studies Press.
  • 6. Marshall, I. H. (1978). The Gospel of Luke: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 655). Exeter: Paternoster Press.
  • 7. Scofield, C. I. (Ed.). (1917). The Scofield Reference Bible: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments (p. 1100). New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press.