Month: September 2019

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and returns home.”
Luke 15:3-5

Jesus had a way of making His lessons personal to those who listened. He used examples that were common and familiar, and then went on to show how it related to the kingdom of Heaven. Whether it was agricultural, business or home life, He was able to help people see the underlying meaning God intended.

In today’s lesson, He speaks of a man who goes out to find a lost sheep, one out of a hundred. Many may look at this and say “why would he risk additional loss by leaving the ninety nine to go after one?” Jesus has a good reason for leading them to that thought.

Jesus wants us to understand how much God loves us, and that when we stray off on our own, like the lost sheep, we become easy prey for evil. God comes looking for us because we are precious to Him. God does not regard lightly the fact that we of all creatures are made in His image, and wants us all gathered safely in relationship with Him.

Like the lost sheep, we have little chance of finding the way back on our own. We don’t have the strength or knowledge to return alone. However, our Good Shepherd is out looking for us, intent on bringing us all to His pasture together.

Gracious God, we are Your flock, and like sheep we often wander off into danger. Thank You for Your love and care that comes to save us through Christ our Lord. Help us to follow faithfully, and to wander no more. Amen.

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Luke 15:1-2

Jesus was often accused of associating with “unacceptable” people. It was a common complaint against Him, not always made out of hate. Jewish law was very specific about what to eat, how it was prepared and with whom you ate. Even after His ascension, there was still disagreement about sharing meals with those who were different. The apostles Peter and Paul had opposing opinions about eating with Gentiles (Galatians 2:11).

Jesus taught that there was no difference in people, that we are all God’s children, loved by Him, and that all are worthy of our love. This was difficult to accept for many who interpreted the law to mean that those outside of it were not to be part of their society. Jesus showed by extending and accepting hospitality with them that God wanted to share His love and His gift of salvation with everyone.

Who do we find “unacceptable”? While Jesus taught “go and sin no more”, He taught it face to face with those in need of His love and healing. In order to share the Good News, we too must go face to face with our brothers and sisters, regardless of their status or location.

Loving Lord, we are often afraid or unwilling to go to those who are different. Make us bold in Your service and send us where people need to know Your love. Amen.

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27

Of all the statements in this week’s lesson (Luke 14:25-33), this may be the most important. Jesus tells us that there is no part-time discipleship, no half-hearted commitment. If we want to be His disciples we have have to go all in, and our acceptance of His cross and our own is the key.

Jesus wants us to know what we are being called to do. He has modeled a life of caring for people and sharing God’s love as an example to us. In obedience to God’s will, He suffered shame and death for us. He tells us that we may be asked to endure trials for the sake of God’s kingdom as well.

Are we ready? Are we willing? We do not know what difficulty may await us as we take up our cross and follow Him, but we can be certain whatever we face and wherever we are sent, Jesus is already there to walk with us.

Loving Lord, we often struggle to follow Your example, allowing our emotions and our self-love to keep us from being true disciples. Help us to be strong in Your love and confident in our faith that we may be the followers You call us to be. Amen.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Luke 14:35

In this passage (Luke 14:25-33) Jesus teaches us about the cost of discipleship. He speaks of hating our lives, a metaphor to explain that we must want a connection to God more than any earthly thing. He tells us that like building or going to war, we must consider the cost of our effort.

Jesus wants us to join His work with an understanding that it will cost us. You can’t follow Jesus and continue to do the things you did before you knew Him. There are practices, things and even relationships that must be given up in order to be a disciple of Christ.

Most of all, Jesus wants us to think before we say yes. If we follow Him without knowing the changes this will cause, we may become disappointed and fall away. He wants us to hear and understand what we are committing to – an eternal promise that we can count on, but also responsibility we must accept and a price to pay.

Gracious God, we are all Your children, but often rebellious and ungrateful, unwilling to do what is needed to obey Your will. Help us to be loving and obedient, aware of our gifts and our responsibility in Your kingdom. Amen.

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Luke 14:25-33

Jesus was speaking to a large crowd that travelled with Him, saying that there would be sacrifices necessary if they were to be true disciples. It was a hard lesson but one they needed to hear in order to understand what was being asked of them. Jesus tells them honestly that it will not be easy.

He tells us that there will be opposition from the world when we try to change our hearts and lives. Others may not be willing to make the commitment necessary to follow Jesus, and there will be pressure from them for us not to change either. Jesus wants us to be prepared for the fact that our friends and even our own families may argue against us becoming disciples.

Jesus also knows that the strongest opposition we face may be from within. Changing our world is hard; changing ourselves is harder still. Old patterns and behaviors are often so familiar they resist reforming. He tells us very plainly what is required to be part of His work, giving up our own selfish ways and hearing what God intends for us.

Loving Lord, we are weak in spirit, wanting to follow You but unable to give up the things of this world. Strengthen us with Your love that we may be freed from our willfulness and follow You in faith. Amen.

In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Luke 14:33

Jesus teaches us that following Him will be the most important commitment we will ever make. He shows us many examples of what we must be willing to do in order to fulfill this. We are taught that we must be willing to give up material possessions, relationships and be ready to undergo hardship in order to be His disciples.

Jesus doesn’t wish for us to be sad, lonely or hurting, but He knows that giving up the things of this world and following Him is the only way we can receive eternal life. Sometimes letting go of things that make us happy is hard, even if they are things that are not always good for us. Jesus calls us to see that the temporary pain of loss is far outweighed by the joy of being together with Him forever.

Are you ready to give up earthly things to focus on what God has to give you next? The saying “you can’t pick up new gifts unless you drop what you’re already holding” is often true. Drop the baggage that keeps you attached to things that won’t matter in eternity and reach out for the blessings God has waiting for you!

Gracious God, we often miss the things You have to give us because we are preoccupied with our own desires and issues. Help us to see the wonderful future You have planned for us if we give up our own will and follow Yours. Amen.

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
Luke 14:31

Jesus uses an example of planning on a large scale to teach people the importance of being intentional in our faith lives. He tells us that we must analyze the situation in order to follow Him as if we were preparing for battle – because we are! Jesus wants us to be disciples that know their responsibility and the task they face in the world.

Jesus doesn’t tell us this to scare us off, but He doesn’t want us to go into the fight against evil uninformed. Just as the king in His lesson considers his resources, we must be aware of the gifts and graces we are given and use them judiciously. Confronting the wrongs of the world is not something we do without first determining how to use God’s blessings to deal with them.

Jesus wants us as prepared as possible for what He calls us to do. We must train and study, and then go to use His strength and love to bring the Good News to the world. Jesus tells us it won’t be easy, and we may not know all the answers, but we do know we can trust His promises forever.

Loving Lord, we are grateful to be called for Your work in the world. Help us to use everything You have given us intelligently to accomplish Your plan for us. Amen.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
Luke 14:28-30

Jesus tells us that when we make a major decision we must calculate the cost of our plans. In this case, He speaks to us of the changes (the cost) that our faith and following His path will bring. Jesus is telling us we have to think about our faith.

This is a tough subject! There is a lot we don’t know about what will come, but Jesus says go anyway. While we may not know the specifics, we have His promise that He is always with us. We need to make the decision that whatever comes, faith in Jesus is worth the cost.

While Jesus tells Thomas “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29), He never tells us not to think. We must engage our faith with all the gifts with which God has blessed us, including our intelligence. A theology professor once told my class “Becoming a Christian doesn’t mean turning off your brain!” Think about your faith and the call Jesus makes on your life so you may follow Him fully.

Gracious God, we are thankful for all Your gifts to us. Help us to use them wisely and for the good of all Your children. Amen.

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:25-27

This lesson begins with words from Jesus that are hard to hear. Is He really telling us that in order to follow Him we must hate our families? That’s not exactly what Jesus is saying, but sometimes we need to be shocked into hearing the truth.

Jesus never wants us to hate anyone, and He certainly isn’t advocating that we violate the Commandment to honor our mothers and fathers. He is making the point that in order to follow Him completely we must be willing to cut the ties that anchor us to our former lives. This is the truth about how difficult it may be to follow Christ in our world.

Jesus says we must be willing to carry our cross just as He did, able to bear suffering and humiliation if necessary for the sake of God’s kingdom. He wants us to know what is in store if we say yes to a relationship with Him, and understand the dedication needed to be His disciples.

Loving Lord, we are weak and sometimes afraid of the commitment You ask of us. Strengthen us with Your love and show us that while Your way is not easy, it is worth the cost. Amen.

In this week’s scripture (Luke 14:1-14), Jesus is attending a dinner at the home of a Pharisee. He takes time to reiterate a previous lesson, teach us another, and as always, His behavior serves as a guide for our lives. Let’s look at these one at a time and see how they relate to our faith.

Jesus once again heals someone on the Sabbath. In last week’s lesson He was opposed by a synagogue leader who said this should only be done on the other six days of the week. In this passage, Jesus asks the Pharisees point blank if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath, and they are unable to answer Him. Perhaps they are afraid of being embarrassed, perhaps they are thinking about His example, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?”
(Luke 14:5). In the same way, Jesus is saying He came to save us and will bless and heal us every day.

At the dinner itself, He gives a lesson about being humble. He draws their attention to how they seat themselves by rank and position within the community; then explains that by not competing for the best places they can avoid embarrassment and be honored if the host invites them to move to a better seat. He shows us that God will honor those who serve over those who seek glory for themselves.

Jesus also teaches us two very important lessons by His behavior. First, He is at a dinner at the home of a Pharisee, those who often question and outright oppose His teaching. Instead of avoiding His opponents, He engages them in fellowship, taking the opportunity to exchange ideas and teach in a relaxed atmosphere. Second, at the very beginning of the passage, it tells us they were watching Him closely (Luke 14:1). We need to know that the world is watching us as His followers to see if we behave as He did, regardless of the situation. Jesus calls us to be His representatives in the world, even among those with whom we disagree. He said following Him would not be easy, but it is what we must do.

Loving Lord, thank You for Your example and Your teaching that show us the way to follow You. Help us to continue learning Your lessons and sharing Your love with the world. Amen.