trying to find His way
“Every one of them will be thrown down.” (Luke 21:6) The disciples found the temple remarkable, beautiful, God-glorifying.Jesus does not see it this way; he sees beneath the show to the heart.I hear Jesus challenging me for what I find remarkable or impressive.Jesus is not impressed by what I’ve done, or am doing, or will do.My…
“This poor widow has put in more than all the others.” (Luke 21:3) I love how Jesus focuses their attention on what no one else notices.It is the size of widow’s heart, not her gift, that counts.God can do more with a widow’s penny than with large donations of the rich.God doesn’t need our money, but…
“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Beware of the teachers of the law.’” (Luke 20:45-46) There is a strange irony in this statement.The teachers of the law were the devoted followers of Moses.They were the ones teaching people what it meant to obey God.Imagine Jesus today saying, ‘beware the preachers of the Word’!?Or bible teachers, pastors, ministers,…
“David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” (Luke 20:44) Jesus is still speaking to the religious leaders gathered around Him.Here Jesus challenges their limited thinking about the Messiah.Using this quote from David, He shows how the Messiah is greater than David.The original verse says: YHWH (LORD) says to my Adonai (master, owner,…
“They can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.” (Luke 20:36) For the Sadducees, death was the ultimate reality.Faith in God only mattered for this life, because death was final.Jesus challenges their “this age” thinking about God and life.God is the God of…
“The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. In the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead (people) will neither marry nor be given in marriage.” (Luke 20:34) This verse has always perplexed me, since I was told God designed marriage.If redemption is the restoration of creation, why not the…
“Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Luke 20:25) Jesus answers their trick question with a trick answer.If Caesar had heard Him, he would not had a problem with Jesus.The answer sounds like Caesar is being affirmed as ruler.Some people say that Jesus is teaching submission to all rulers.But there…
“Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” What strikes me in Jesus’s parable is how weak the Owner is with the stewards. Again and again he sends servants, and even his son, to his rebellious stewards! They reject them all… like builders reject…
“Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things” (Luke 20:8). Jesus has just cleared out the temple, and the religious leads demand answers.‘What gives you the right to do these things’, is what they are asking.Jesus does not answer them directly, but asks His own provocative question.The religious leaders hated John,…
“’My house will be a house of prayer’…” (Luke 19:46) God did not live in the temple as a house.But it did symbolically remind the people God was with them.Prayer is more than talking to God, it is our whole relationship.It is how we live and fellowship with God, with or without words.God is more interested…