THE GOSPEL OF LUKE: - Vital Christianity

1THE GOSPEL OF LUKE:“AN ORDERLY ACCOUNT”OF THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JESUSVOLUME 2Lars Wilhelmsson

2CONTENTSIntroduction 41. Lk 8:1-3 The Ministry of Women 5-182. Lk 8:4-15 Four Hearers–The Parable of the Sower and the Soils 19-343. Lk 8:16-18 Let the Light Shine!–The Parable of the Lamp 35-474. Lk 8:19-21 Jesus’ True Family 48-545. Lk 8:22-25 Jesus Calms the Storm 55-586. Lk 8:26-39 The Healing of a Demonized Man 59-657. Lk 8:40-56 Jesus Heals a Dead Girl and a Sick Woman 66-728. Lk 9:1-9 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve 73-789. Lk 9:10-17 Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 79-8510. Lk 9:8-22 Peter’s Confession of Christ 86-9011. Lk 9:23-27 The Conditions of Discipleship 91-9712. Lk 9:28-36 The Transfiguration 98-10613. Lk 9:37-45 The Healing of the Boy with an Unclean Spirit 107-11214. Lk 9:46-50 Who Will Be the Greatest? 113-12115. Lk 9:51-56 A Samaritan Village Rejects Jesus 122-12916. Lk 9:57-62 The Cost of Following Jesus 130-13417. Lk 10:1-24 Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-two 135-14218. Lk 10:25-37 Love in Action–The Parable of the Good Samaritan 143-152

319. Lk 10:38-41 Mary and Martha–Being vs. Doing 153-15820. Lk 11:2 The Lord’s Prayer Part I 159-16821. Lk 11:3 The Lord’s Prayer Part II 169-17522. Lk 11:4 The Lord’s Prayer Part III 176-18823. Lk 11:5-13 Persistence in Prayer 176-18824. Lk 11:14-28 Jesus and Beelzebub 189-19525. Lk 11:29-32 The Sign of Jonah 196-20426. Lk 11:33-36 Faulty Vision 205-20827. Lk 11:37-54 Jesus Pronounces Six Woes on the Religious Leaders 209-217

4INTRODUCTIONThis second volume in the four volume series on the Gospel According to Luke, openswith Jesus’ second tour of Galilee (8:1-3) and ends with His ministry, and more specifically, Histeachings in Judea (11:1-13:21).Until this time, Jesus’ ministry had been centered in Capernaum with much of Hispreaching taking place in synagogues. As we begin this volume we see Him traveling again fromtown to town on a second tour of the Galilean countryside. We already saw His first tour brieflymentioned in chapter 4 (vv. 43-44; also mentioned in Mt 4:23-25 and Mk 1:38-39). We will meetHis third tour in chapter 9 (vv. 1-6).

5CHAPTER 1

6THE MINISTRY OF WOMENLuke 8:1-3This passage is only three verses long, yet it is a very important passage because itprovides us with details the other gospel writers either totally avoid or only allude to. It providesinformation about the relationship between ministry and money and the role of women in Jesus’ministry. One of the things that distinguishes Dr. Luke from the other gospel writers is hisemphasis on the ministry of women. In this chapter there is a disclosure that certain women werefinancial backers of His ministry (8:1-3), followed by events common to the other of the holyGospels.Jesus preached and taught about the good news of the kingdom of God throughout theregion of Galilee:“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another,proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God” (v. 1).The expression, “after this” points back to the events which follow and are related to thepreceding verses, specifically, that is, the story of the woman who washed our Lord’s feet withher tears? Does she possibly belong to one of the groups that accompany our Lord, to whichLuke is referring?As early as the fourth chapter of Luke’s gospel we find that Jesus was committed togoing about from city to city to preach the Gospel. He knew this was a vital part of His divinecalling and commission. To the disciples who urged Jesus to return to the people who werewaiting for Him, Jesus replied:“I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other townalso, because that is why I was sent” (Lk 4:43).People of various backgrounds and vocations gathered around to listen to the Master,whose reputation preceded Him. Because there were no buildings large enough to house all thehearers in many of the villages, Jesus taught outside in the fields on sloping hillsides so all couldsee him. They witnessed wondrous healings of people with serious illnesses including seeminglyinsane people who in fact had been demonized by evil spirits. Yet Jesus humbly called suchmiracles of deliverance and wholeness merely "the finger of God."Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, not only as future as a realm, but as present as God’srule or reign in people’s lives. Thus the kingdom was a powerful reality, as small but growinglike a mustard seed or leaven in dough.\

7JESUS’ TRAVELING COMPANIONSThe fact that” the Twelve were with Him” (v. 1) was not unusual, but what is pointed outnext is:“and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary(called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wifeof Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others.These women were helping to support them out of their own means” (vv. 2-3).Mary MagdaleneNot only is it surprising to see the influence women had on the ministry of Jesus, but thefact that a woman like Mary, called Magdalene, was included. After all, she had been possessedor demonized and suffered from various diseases brought on by the influence of evil spirits. Thenumber seven may here express the superlative degree to which she had been demonized.Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the risen Christ (Jn 20). We know little abouther early life. We do know she came from Magdala, which was probably on the western shoreof the Sea of Galilee, the modern Migdal (meaning "watchtower"), about three miles northeast ofTiberias along the coast. It was a Hellenized town known for its prosperity. By A.D. 60-70 itcontained a hippodrome (stadium for horse races) with a population of about 40,000 and Rabbiscriticized the immorality of its inhabitants.Mary’s devotion to Jesus is seen in the fact that she traveled with His party throughoutGalilee, and was with Him in Jerusalem at His crucifixion and resurrection. In some ways it isnot surprising that she was a loyal follower because her life had been so remarkably changed byJesus’ healing power.Mary Magdalene is commonly thought to have been a prostitute before she came toknow Christ. Such a depiction belongs to church tradition, but is not clearly stated in Scripture.Mary Magdalene has also come to be known as a remarkable penitent, the reason why she is sooften included by historians and painters as they convey Jesus’ ministry, especially as it relatesto women.She is here represented as one who had been demonized by seven demons; and as onealong with other women who had been healed by Christ of evil (or wicked) spirits and diseases.Joanna and Susanna (v. 3) are mentioned here as women who had also suffered from diseasesinfluenced by evil spirits.

8Joanna, the Wife of ChuzaJoanna was Herod's steward. The word “steward” is used of someone who would besometimes the inspector or overseer of a province, and sometimes a tutor of children, yet here itseems to signify the overseer of Herod's domestic affairs, that is, the steward of his household.Steward of the household was an office in the king's palace.Joanna's husband had a very prominent position in the Galilean king's court. The fact thatshe had the freedom to travel with Jesus while her husband was still living and active is quiteremarkable.Many OthersThe phrase “many others” shows that many women played a role in the life and ministryof Jesus.Biblical ExamplesSome have argued that women are not mentioned very much in the Bible. The followingnames shows otherwise:AbigailAbigail, Daugther of Nahash and Sister of DavidAbihail, Abishur's WifeAbihail,Rehoboam's WifeAbihail, Zuriel's MotherAbijahAbijah,Daugther of ZechariahAbijah's DaughtersAbijah's WivesAbimelech's Female SlavesAbimelech's WifeAbishagAbitalAbraham's ConcubinesAchan's DaughtersAchsahAdah, Esau's wifeAdah, Lamech's WifeAdam's Daughters

Ahinoam\Ahinoam of JezreelAhlaiAnnaApphiaAsenathAtarahAthaliahAzubahAzubah, Daughter of ShilhiBaaraBasemath, Esau's WifeBasemath, Solomon's DaughterBathshebaBathshuaBerniceBilhahCain's WifeCanaanite WomanCanaanite Woman's DaughterCephas' WifeCertain WomenConcubines (of Qoheleth)CozbiDaughter of a Synagogue LeaderDaughter of MachirDaughters of BarzillaiDaughters of EnochDaughters of HumansDaughters of JaredDaughters of LamechDaughters of MethuselahDavid's (Un-named) DaughtersDavid's (Un-named) Wives and ConcubinesDeborahDeliliahEglahElisheba9

ElizabethElkhanah's DaughtersEphahEphraim's WifeEphrathEuniceEuodiaEve (Woman)Female ServantsFemale SlavesForeign WomenGideon's Wives and ConcubineGilead's WivesHagarHaggithHam's WifeHammolechethHannahHiram's MotherHodeshHoglahHuldahHushimIzban's DaughtersIzban's Daughters-in-LawJaelJapheth's WifeJecoliahJehoaddinJehoshabeathJemimahJephthah's DaughterJeriothJeroboam's WifeJerushahJesus' SistersJezebelJoash's Daughters10

Joash's Two WivesJochebed (Moses' Mother)Jonathon's MotherJudithKeturahKeren-happuchKeziahKing's DaughterLevite's ConcubineLydiaMaacahMaacah, Caleb's ConcubineMaacah, Absalom's DaughterMaacah, Jeiel's WifeMahlahManoah's WifeMan's WifeMaryMary, James' and Joseph's MotherMary, Jesus' MotherMary MagdaleneMary, Mother of JohnMary, Mother of JosesMary's SisterMary, wife of ClopasMedium at EndorMerahMephibosepth's NurseMichalMicah's MotherMicaiahMidianitesMidwifeMilcahMilcahMiriamMoabitesMoses' Sister11

Mother of the sons of ZebedeeNaamahNaamah the AmmoniteNoadiahNoahNoah's WifeOholibamahOrpahPeninnahPeter's Mother-in-lawPharaoh's Daughter, from ExodusPharaoh's Daughter, Solomon's WifePhinehas' WifeProphetessProstitute in GazaProstitutes with BabyProstitutes Bathing in BloodPuahPutiel's DaughterQueen of ShebaQueen TahpenesRahabRehoboam's DaughtersRehoboam's Wives and ConcubinesReuel's Seven DaughtersReumahRhodaRizpahSamson's First WifeSapphiraSarahSerahServant GirlSeth's DaughersSheerahShelomithShem's WifeSheshan's Daughter12

Shiphrah\ShuaShunammite WomanSingersSinging WomenSisera's MotherSister of TahpenesSlave-Girl Who Had a SpiritSolomon's WivesStephanaSyntycheTalithaTamar, Absalom's DaughterTamar, David's DaughterTamar, Judah's Daughter-in-LawTaphathTimothy's MotherTirzahVashtiWidow of ZarephathWife of a Member of the Company of ProphetsWisest LadiesWise WomanWives of the ApostlesWives of the Brothers of the LordWoman Making Leavened BreadWoman with an AlabasterWoman in the CrowdWoman with the MillstoneWoman Suffering from HemorrhagesWomen (Christian)Women Dancing with MiriamWomen of Jabesh-gileadWomen at ShilohWomen of the Towns of IsraelWomen at the WallWomen Who Had Gathered13

14Women Who Served at the EntranceWomen at ZiklagZeruahZeruiahZibiahZillahZilpahZipporahThe New TestamentThe New Testament records women ministering in various ways.Women were the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection of Christ (Mt 28:1-10; Lk24:1-12; Jn 20:1-18). They were involved in the prophetic speaking at Pentecost—aspredicted by Joel (Ac 1:14; 2:15-18). They were also praying and prophesying withauthority in the church worship services at Corinth (1 Co 11:5,10).Philip had four daughters who were well known as prophetesses (Ac 21:9).Anna is the name of an aged widow who was a prophetess (2 Ch 34:22). She was thedaughter of Phanuel. After seven years of married life her husband died, and during herlong widowhood she daily attended the temple services. When she was eighty-four yearsold, she entered the temple at the moment when the aged Simeon uttered his memorablewords of praise and thanks to God that he had fulfilled his ancient promise in sending hisSon into the world (Lk 2:36-37).Tabitha (in Greek called Dorcas) is called a disciple and had a ministry of helps (Ac9:36).She was a “disciple” at Joppa. She was distinguished for her alms-deeds and good works.Peter, who was sent for Lydda on the occasion of her death, prayed over the dead body,and said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes and sat up; and Peter "gave her hishand, and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive" (Ac9:36-43).Euodia and Syntyche were Paul's coworkers who shared in his struggle to spread thegospel (Php 4:2-3). Euodia and Syntyche were in dispute about something. These twowomen had ministered with Paul, been his "co-workers"-a term Paul uses for fellowministers. Interestingly, Paul does not chide them their disagreement, nor does he treatthem as silly women having a silly argument, as some commentators have. Instead of

15trying to settle the dispute himself, Paul urges the ladies to reach unity. Paul does notindicate a view in the dispute. Often when we see disagreement, we try or expectsomeone in leadership to "settle it" for us. Paul does not take this approach. Instead herelies upon the women to resolve their own problem, with the help of a loyal companion.Priscilla was another of Paul's exemplary "fellow workers in Christ Jesus" (Ro 16:3-4).She, along with her husband Aquila, were teachers. The fact that her name is listed first(Ac 18:18-19,26; 2 Ti 4:19) probably indicates that she was the master teacher. It couldalso mean her higher social position (Ro 16:3; 2 Ti 4:19).Priscilla and Aquila invited the eloquent preacher Apollos, a native of Alexandria, tocome to their home and “explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Ac 18:26).In Romans 16:3–5, Paul does not greet Aquila, “my fellow worker,” and his wife, Prisca.Rather, he greets them as a husband and wife team, describing both as “my fellow-workers inChrist Jesus.” Both equally share in the ministry in “the church in their house.”Mary was a hard worker in the church at Rome (six persons are known by this name inthe New Testament and this one is unknown apart from this reference). Paul greets herwith the words, “Mary, who has worked hard for you” (Ro 16:6). The verb “work” or“labor” which Paul uses of Mary is the same used elsewhere to speak of ministerial laborin the gospel. The prepositional phrase, “worked hard for you,” can also be rendered“worked hard among you or over you,” as Paul speaks of himself in reference to theGalatians (4:11). This indicates that Mary had oversight of some important ministry inthe Church at Rome.Phoebe, a leader in the church at Cenchrea, was highly commended to the church atRome by Paul (Ro 16:1-2). Unfortunately, biases of modern English translators havesometimes obscured Phoebe's position of leadership, calling her a "servant" or "helper",etc. Yet Phoebe was diakonos of the church at Cenchrea. Paul often used this term for aminister or leader of a congregation and applied it specifically to Jesus Christ, Tychicus,Epaphras, Timothy, and to his own ministry. Depending on the context, diakonos isusually translated "deacon" or "minister". Though some translators have chosen the worddeaconess (because Phoebe was a woman), such a distinction is not in the original Greek.It seems likely that diakonos was the designation for an official leadership position in theEarly Church.Junia or Junias was identified by Paul as an apostle (Rom. 16:7). As we have alreadyseen, many translators and scholars, unwilling to admit there could have been a female apostle,have since the 13th century masculinized her name to Junias because the translators were so surea woman could not be an apostle

16Women played a crucial role in the Early Church. TheyAssisted in composing letters (Ro 16:22; 1 Th 1:1)Carried apostolic messages to local churches (1 Co 4.17; 16:10-11)Sought to encourage the believers on Paul's behalf (1 Th 3:2)Reported to Paul the status of congregations under his care (1 Th 3:6)Hosted house churches (1 Cor 16:19)Notice the location of female workers/leaders:The Jerusalem Church—Mary, mother of John Mark, hosted a Hellenistic churchat her home (Ac 12.12ff.)The Church at Rome—of the 28 people addressed by Paul in the letter, some 10of them are women, and several are called by official and semi-official titles!Plus, this all-important letter was officially carried by the women Phoebe.The Philippian church was obviously founded by Lydia (Ac 16), and two of themain leaders were the women (and Paul's "co-workers") Euodia and Syntyche.The Church at Corinth obviously had authoritative women prophets (1 Co1: 4), aswell as start-up assistance from the wife-husband pair Priscilla/Aquilla (Ac 18.1-3).The Church at Caesarea was ministered to by the 4 prophetess daughters of Philip(Ac 21.8-9).The Church at Laodicea was apparently a house-church run by Nympha (Col4.15).The Church at Cenchrea enjoyed Phoebe as a deacon (Ro 16.1-2).The Church at Ephesus was ministered to by the wife-husband pairPriscilla/Aquilla (Ac 18.19). 1Does this not indicate female “leadership roles” in most of the major cities of the earlychurch?Is it any wonder that Paul spoke readily of women, as well as men, as his coworkers.In Romans 16, Paul greets a multitude of ministering persons, a large number of themwomen Here Paul greets and highly commends eight different women in ministry. .The biblical record shows that Paul was a strong advocate of women's ministry.The Bible is clear: Women lead the nation, prophesied, lead in worship, rebuked otherleaders, interpreted events in history to discern the redemptive will of God, confirmed texts asScripture and, like men, made mistakes by critiquing God’s appointed leaders (e.g. Miriam).

17Athaliah ruled as well (2 Ki 11:1-3) and the fact that she was unwise does not prove itwas wrong for a woman to rule any more than wicked male kings exclude other men from ruling.The instances of women filling leadership roles in the Bible should be taken as a divinelyapproved pattern, not as exceptions to divine decrees. Even a limited number of women withscripturally commended leadership roles should affirm that God does call women to spiritualleadership.THE ASSISTANCE OF WOMEN’S FINANCESDr. Luke points out "these women were helping to support them out of their own means"(v. 3). The Greek verb here is the familiar diakoneo, which means "to serve, minister," fromwhich we get our word "deacon." This verse is found in the imperfect tense, meaning continualand habitual activity in the past, that is, they supplied His financial needs again and again. As faras we know, they were Jesus' first supporters. And it is amazing to realize that we find no othersupporters of Jesus' mission in Scripture than these women.Various reasons have been given for Jesus’ dependence upon others, especially that ofwomen:1. To honor poverty by subjecting Himself to it and identifying with it.2. To humble Himself in receiving from His creatures.3. To provide an example to other ministers of the Gospel to depend on the providence oftheir heavenly Father.4. That he might not be burthensome to the poor to whom he went to preach.Jesus’ treatment of women was unprecedented in ancient history. No other religiousfigure ministered to their need and allowed them to travel as a regular part of His team as Jesusdid. Al\though the New Testament doesn't explicitly tell us, there is no doubt that the presence ofwomen travelling in Jesus' group became scandalous. Women found dignity and protection byJesus’ strong denunciation of sexual immorality, adultery and lust (Mt 15:19; 5:28), and did notwater down His standards seen in His command to an adulteress to "go and sin no more" (Jn8:11). However, there is no indication that there was any hint of immorality within His band offollowers.Is it coincidental that Luke places this explanation directly after an incident where Jesusand the sinful woman were misjudged, when in fact there was purity of motive and heart?Jesus’ relationship to women prefigures a church in which men and women worship andminister together, a church in which"there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are allone in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28).

18APPLICATIONAs men, what is our attitude toward women?As women, what is our attitude toward fellow women?Jesus, as usual, is our paradigm in all relationships. This is no less true when it comes toour relationship toward women as fellow heirs of the kingdom of God.

19CHAPTER 2

20FOUR HEARERSThe Parable of the Sower and the SoilsLuke 8:4-15; Mattthew 13:5-9, 18-23; Mark 4:3-8, 13-20Words, words, words. What comes of it all? Have you ever wondered what happens to allthe preaching and teaching that goes on? Thousands of messages or sermons are proclaimeddaily, yet so little seems to come from them. Is there something wrong with God's Word? Has itlost its vitality and power? Or is there something wrong with the way we share God's Word?The Parable of the Sower or Soils helps us to better understand these questions.Historically this parable has been called The Parable of the Sower because Jesus addressed inthis parable the results of the seed that is sown by the sower. But this parable could as easily becalled "The Parable of the Soils" because Jesus, in the interpretation of the parable, focused onthe reception of the seed by pointing to the different kinds of soil on which the seed had fallen.This parable really addresses both the issue of the seed that is sown and the type of soilthat the seed falls upon. To encompass both these issues, the parable should probably be calledThe Parable of the Sower and the Soils.WHAT IS A PARABLE?A parable is a story taken from real life (or a real-life situation) from which a moraland/or spiritual truth is drawn. Parables differ from fables in that a fable is not a real situationwhereas a parable draws from a real situation. An obvious example of this is found in any ofAesop's fables, which are stories in which animals talk (which are simply people in disguise).Parables are different from allegories in that in an allegory each, or nearly each, detail hasmeaning. In the parables of Jesus not every detail has meaning. In fact, to try to force meaninginto each one of the details is a sure way to produce strange and false doctrines. Parables aremerely real-life stories from which we can draw a few basic truths with one overarchingtruth.A Memorable Story"The Parable of the Sower and the Soils" helps against discouragement over seemingfailure, and is a warning against false optimism from shallow success.

21Jesus had encountered all kinds of different people in His ministry by the time He gavethis parable: the poor and the rich people, the powerless and the powerful, the gluttons and thedrunkards. There were also the humble and the proud people, the ignorant and the learnedpeople, the compassionate and the greedy people, the ignorant and the educated people, therespectable and the disenfranchised people such as the lepers, the blind, the crippled, the deaf,the paralyzed, the demonized people—all who heard Jesus. This included the good and the evil,the Greeks and the Romans, the Jews and the Samaritans (half-Jews), the Galileans, thecountrymen, and the foreigners.Jesus makes His truth memorable by telling a story about a sower. In this parable wesee how Jesus viewed the people He had encountered in His ministry.Such a story, of course, was familiar to Jesus' audience. The sower went out into the fieldand scattered his seed abroad; and the seed fell on different kinds of soil representing the fourdifferent kinds of hearers of the gospel.By the time the parable was spoken, opposition to Jesus was already mounting; and evenwith His great following it was becoming more and more clear that many of the people whopressed about Him were not genuinely interested in spiritual values (Mk 2-3). The disciples wereon the verge of overwhelming discouragement. So Jesus tells them a parable, a story.FOUR KINDS OF GROUNDThe four kinds of ground are the focal point of the story, but other features in theparable are important as well. The sower is representative of anybody who is engaged in thesowing business of the kingdom. He is the gospel preacher or the Bible teacher or anyone whotalks to his friends about Christ. The seed which is sown is the Word of God (Lk 8:11).Everyone knows how important seed is. Life is impossible without it. Likewise, apart from theWord of God, new life is impossible (1 Pe 1:23; Jas 1:18). The pure seed of the kingdom whenreceived in good soil always produces Christians.Have you ever wondered what happened to so and so? He used to be included in Churchand Christian activities but now we never see him. Why?Communication, Jesus recognized, is made up of two parts: what is said and what isheard. In this parable the focus is on what is heard. And whether a person really heard was to bejudged by whether what was heard was put into practice: "He who has ears, let him hear" (Mt13:9), that is, really hear.

22Jesus' interpretation of the parable hinges on the four kinds of ground. The four differentkinds of ground represent the four different conditions of the human heart, four different levelsof receptivity and four very different ways of hearing the God who speaks.The Hard Ground—The Hard HeartThe Hard Ground (Mk 4:4,15; Mt 13:4,15). In Palestine the land was divided up intosmall plots. There were no fences or walls to separate the plots, only narrow paths that wereaccessible to everybody. Due to frequent traffic they were well worn, and seed dropped on thesehard paths had little chance for growth.Some people who hear have "hard" hearts. They automatically close their minds to whatJesus was saying as soon as they heard Him. They "hear" the message of the kingdom, but themessage is wasted. It may be that as they hear they allow their minds to wander about inidleness. Or they may hear, like the Pharisees, Sadducees, the fathers of the law, the priests, orthe political leaders such as Herod and Pilate with arrogance and pride, and turn away in ridiculeand scorn. It is often the powerful, the rich, the educated—the independent—who fall into thiscategory as they see no need for God since they already have everything.This type of person is described in the first chapter of Romans. He begins by suppressingthe truth about God that may be known from nature (Ro 1:18-20), which leads to spiritualignorance and moral degradation (vv. 21-31), and eventually comes not only to practice the sinsof the heathen, but to approve them as well (v. 32). Sin leads to a rejection of God and His truth,and the rejection of God and His truth leads to even greater sin. Here we see a determinedopposition to the nature of God Himself, which the apostle describes as human "godlessness andwickedness" (v. 18).The hard, wayside or pathway soil represents the individual whose mind is closed. Heshuts his eyes and refuses to look, he closes his ears and will not hear.Is the soil to blame because it is hard? Yes, if the soil represents the human heart. Sin iswhat sears the conscience and hardens the heart (Heb 3:13,15). Maybe failures and rejectionshave built a crust of resistance to vulnerability. People develop their defenses to be able to copewith life, and like cats who are hurt, they lose selectivity (the ability to discern). They never learnand thus the good and the bad are held off with equal tenacity.

This kind of soil may also refer to those who hear applying what they hear to others,always believing that the lesson refers to someone else. After hearing the message they goaway, and their lives are just as they were before they heard.23Familiarity with truth sometimes becomes a hindrance to really experiencing it.Arnold Toynbee put it: "Familiarity is the opiate of the imagination." Our feelings, impressions,and traditions can become more important than God's truth.A human heart can be hardened like the pavement by persisting in wrong doing andrejecting what is right. A heart once aglow with love can become insensitive to the needs ofothers by failing to take advantage of opportunities for doing good deeds. Each time our ears aredead to God's voice, each refusal to do God's will, is like a hundred steps on the human heart,and for this every individual is accountable. Each person is the cultivator of his own heart.The Role of SatanJesus knew from firsthand experience what He was up against and what we are upagainst. He points out in the parable: "As soon as they hear it [the Word], Satan, the enemy ofour souls, comes and takes away the word that was sown in them" (Mt 13:19; Mk 4:15b). Jesus'reference to Satan reflects the view that this message about the Kingdom of God is an attackupon Satan and the power of evil, and that rejection of the message is a result of Satan-inspiredopposition. Jesus has already described His ministry as an attack upon Satan's domain (Mk 3:23-27), and this reference to Satan reinforces the idea that the battle is one not just of earthly forces,but of spiritual powers as well.Paul explains how Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers:"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannotsee the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God" (2 Co 4:4).Satan is hard at work in trying to keep unbelievers from becoming believers. And one ofhis chief methods is to harden the heart.Seed, like grass, is unable to grow on busy streets. Traffic prevents the seed frompenetrating the soil where it can germinate and grow. By using the traffic of thoughts, ideasand attitudes, Satan is able to prevent us from really hearing God's word. Our set ideas,inflexible presuppositions, comfortable prejudices, and quick excuses make us resistant to truthand prevents the Good News of the gospel from penetrating our minds and hearts as we listen toGod's message.

24This is why it is so important to guard our eyes, minds and hearts from constant exposureto the standards and values of this world system. For after a while we become numb to itsdeception and thus allow its values to become part of us. And when that happens our minds andhearts become hardened to God's standards, values—His truth.it:The opposition to the growth of the seed is not the wind and the rain. It is Satan. Paul put"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [human beings] but againstthe rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world andagainst the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12).Demonic forces are at work in keeping people from accepting the truth of God. Only thesupernatural work of the Holy Spirit is able to open the eyes, minds, and hearts of unbelievers toGod's truth if they are to believe. And this ought to be the prayer of God's people for unbelievers.Hard hearts, beaten down by the traffic of life, do not see the light that comes from theGood News of Christ. Such listeners are not only hostile to God's truth but often are indifferenttoward it, regarding Christianity as irrelevant. Jesus described these hearers by contrasting themwith other good listeners:"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness insteadof light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, andwill not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoeverlives by the light comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he hasdone has been done through God" (Jn 3:19-21).The Rocky Ground—The Shallow HeartThe Rocky Ground (Mk 4:5-6,16-17; Mt 13:5-6,20-21). This ground was not that whichwas full of rocks, but ground that was shallow due to an underlying ledge of rock. Much ofGalilee was like that. It had no depth. The seed when sown here would spring up quickly, butbecause the soil was so shallow and held so little nourishment and moisture, in the heat ofsummer it would wilt and die out.Jesus explained, "Those on the rock are the one who receive the word with joy when theyheard it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away"(Lk 8:13).

There were many people who followed Jesus impulsively and at times ran over Him inorder to get to Him. Luke points out how many people responded to Jesus and His message:• "He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him" (4:15).25• "All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that come fromHis lips" (4:22).• "All the people were amazed and said to each other, 'What is this teaching?With authority and power He gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!'"(4:36)• "Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe andsaid, 'We have seen remarkable things today" (5:26).Seed that springs up too fast to last is used by Jesus to illustrate the quick, positiveresponse of the easily-impressed hearers who got off the narrow road that leads to life when theirbubble burst and the going got rough. These were the "dazzled" hearers.What was wrong with them? It was not that they accepted Jesus too readily, for onecannot be too quick in doing what is right. It was not that they were too enthusiastic. We coulduse more of that commodity. Their trouble was that their faith was shallow. It was thin, like athin layer of soil over a bed of rock. In their enthusiasm for this new religion with its good newsof forgiveness, they did not stop and count the cost. In all probability they responded to what thegospel seemed to promise them, so their false expectations made them vulnerable to the heat oftesting. When persecution came, they gave up their new-found faith. Their moment of truth cameat times of testing. And they found out that their faith was outward instead of inward.The description is true to life. Some people accept the gospel quickly, and lay it aside justas quickly. It is always easier to begin a thing than it is to finish it. An evangelist put it: "Wehave learned that it takes about 5% effort to win a person to Christ, and 95% effort to keep himin Christ and growing into maturity in the church."Often "rocky ground Christians" live by their feelings rather than by their convictions.Some people, for example, are so taken with the preacher that when he moves away they losetheir faith.

26Because their "faith" lasted only until trouble and persecution came, these followersprobably felt that following Jesus meant a trouble free life and a popular path. Even Jesus' closedisciples still thought of the Kingdom of God as a way to personal advancement at the very endof their Master's life on earth. What was heard and what was said were miles apart. The gospel ofthe cross was being dodged. Privilege, not responsibility, was what was being perceived.Attractive presentations of God's message which hide the inevitability of the cross willeventually end in dashed hopes. For the gospel that does not contain the cross is no gospel.Cities and towns are full of those who accepted Christ before they thought thingsthrough. Many people have found out that it is not easy to be a Christian, although it is easy tostart out in the Christian life.Shallow hearts react emotionally, but there is no genuine repentance for sin (II Cor. 7:9-11). The heart is the seat of the emotions, the intellect and the will. The rocky heart is the heartthat has only been touched by the emotions. It is the heart that has failed to count the cost offollowing Jesus.The Thorny Ground—The Crowded HeartThe third ground that Jesus refers to is "the seed that fell among thorns. It stands for thosewho hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, andthey do not mature" (Lk 8:14; Mk 4:7,18-19). This is the thorny ground.The thorny ground was not already covered with thorns, but had an abundance of weedseedburied beneath the soil. The weeds came up with the good seed, and the strong seedoutgrew and overcame the delicate good plants. The problem is that two crops are competingfor the same soil.The thorny ground, crowded heart hearer lasted longer than this rocky ground hearer.Unlike the hardened, prejudiced hearer of the hard soil, and unlike the shallow and superficialsoil of the rocky soil, the thorny soil represents the person who is double-minded, who wantsthe best of both worlds—the city of God—God and His kingdom, and the city of man—thekingdom of this world. These hearers grab hold and initially embrace what they hear, but by andby they get sidetracked as their growth is throttled by life's thorns. These hearers are typicallyfound in churches.

27Luke implies that the seed on some stalks never ripens and therefore remains green andbitter and useless. The thorny ground, therefore, represents the person who is so busy with otherthings that he cannot be busy for Christ. Life easily becomes that way. Thorns grow up beforewe know it.It is of interest that the thorns were already present at the time the seed entered, and thatthe thorns were never completely out of the picture, even though the seeds began to take root(Mk 4:7).What are the thorns that Jesus is talking about? Jesus explains them as being:• "the worries of this life"• "the deceitfulness of wealth"• "the desire for pleasure" (Lk 8:14) or "the desire for other things" (Mk 4:19)These are thorns, says Jesus, that "come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful"(Mk 4:19). Such thorns know nothing of peaceful coexistence with the life of freedom in Christ.And such enemies use a subtle strategy, whereby they slip under the back door, as their longtentacles reach out ever so slowly, so gradually, so silently, that the victim hardly realizes he isbeing strangled. In their demand to have first place in our lives, they persistently, relentlesslysiphon off every ounce of spiritual interest and emotional energy until there is nothing left but aspiritual carcass, though that carcass may still look good on the outside.WorryThe three thorns that tend to crowd out the wheat in our hearts are worry, wealth, andpleasure.Worry is intensive or excessive concern. We are all to be responsible for obligations inlife. Since life is serious, we are to be concerned about people and issues of importance, but weare not to be over-concerned. Jesus warned us not to worry about food, clothing, and a place tolive (Lk 10:38-42).The root meaning of the word worry or anxiety is "to choke" or "to strangle." Eventuallyit came to denote "mental strangulation" in which a person is harassed with anxiety. This meanswe are not to allow our concern for people and things to choke or strangle our peace of mind so

28that fear rather than love and confidence take over. Worry has a way of keeping us unnecessarilyfocused on the lesser things of life. Worry, if entertained, cuts a deeper channel into which otherthoughts—good thoughts, God-given thoughts—are drained.When conscientious care degenerates into excessive carefulness it becomes a thorn thatchokes spiritual growth.Worry over daily duties kept Martha from being able to listen to and enjoy Jesus'presence in her home. There are some events in life that unless we take advantage of them, theywill never come our way again. Martha lost her opportunity to commune with Jesus as He had avery special appointment with her and her sister.Worry is taking responsibility and concern which we were never meant to carry. Whenwe do this, God and His supernatural enabling is forgotten, and His Word is strangled andchoked in our hearts.WealthWealth is another common thorn that chokes God's message in our lives. Money, ofcourse, is a necessity. It is something we all handle daily. And money is not evil in and of itself.One of the most misquoted verses in the Bible is, "Money is the root of all evil." But what theBible really says is, "The love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil" (I Ti 6:10). Why islove for money so deadly to spiritual vitality? Paul explains:"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolishand harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. . . . Some people,eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with manygriefs" (1 Ti 6:9-10).The Rich Young Ruler illustrates how money can close a person's mind to the truth.Although Jesus "loved him," Jesus would not compromise His standard in following Him.Instead Jesus let this rich young man hold on to his money as he walked away sadly (Lk 18:18-29). Other people in Scripture who illustrate the dangers of wealth are Judas "whom He loved tothe end" (Lk 22:3-6; Jn 13:29-31), Ananaias and Sapphira (Ac 5:1-11), and Demas (2 Ti 4:10).Specifically, what are the dangers involved with this "thorn of wealth"?

291. The desire for wealth tends to be a thirst which is insatiable. There was a Romanproverbial saying that wealth is like sea-water; so far from quenching a person's thirst, the more aperson drinks of sea-water, the more that person wants to drink. The wealthy never seem to cometo a place where they can say, "Enough!"2. The desire for wealth is founded on an illusion. It is founded on the desire for securitywhich it cannot buy and on the desire for comfort and luxury which often elude the wealthybecause of the fear of losing their wealth.3. The desire for money tends to make a person selfish. Wealth fosters the spirit ofcompetition whereby others often become means or obstacles in the path of a person's ownenrichment.4. The desire for wealth easily leads a person into wrong ways of getting money. Andthis in turn leads to pain, regret, remorse, or insensitivity and total apathy.If Jesus admonition was needed in His day when most people were very poor, how muchmore choked we are with riches as most of us have all the food we ever need and more, nice cars,beautiful houses, and all kinds of modern gadgets endemic to our materialistic culture.Greed and "growth in faith" cannot coexist! It is difficult to grow rich in things andgrow rich in grace at the same time! Economic ambition is deadly to spiritual vitality, for richestend to be so absorbing that it grips us—exhausting our energies, riveting our attention, andgiving us a false sense of security.PleasurePleasure is the other thorn which chokes the human heart. Luke uses the word fromwhich we get the word hedonist—a person who lives for pleasure. Unregulated pleasure has away of strangling our lives. Whereas evil pleasures desensitize our hearts, good pleasures oftendrain our energies so that the best things of life have no room in our hearts. Pleasure ought to bean expression of our faith rather than a substitute.The Prodigal Son (Lk15:13) is probably the most famous biblical character whoillustrates the pursuit of pleasure.

30While Jesus was not a stiff or killjoy (if He were, children would not have been drawn toHim) who taught that spirituality is measured by the length of the face, He made it plain thathappiness was not an end in and of itself. Rather, it was a byproduct of spiritual devotion (Mt5:3).Good pleasures are dangerous in that they have a way of demanding undue attention. Anypleasure—good or bad—that makes it more difficult for us to hear God clearly, must be rootedout. The human heart must not be allowed to be over-crowded by thorns no matter how similar tothe wheat they may look.A thorn, then, is anything that crowds Jesus out of our lives. More often than not, it is thegood things that drain our energies and turn our hearts away from Christ.The thorny ground hearers want to have the best of both worlds and attempt to getit. No matter how strong we are, we cannot serve two masters (Mt 6:24). It's either God orMoney or anything else in His place.We all stand in danger of being choked to death! We are so busy we do not have time forprayer, study, and meditation. Our lives are encumbered by this and that until the good within issmothered. Thorns can be weeded out, and that is exactly what Christ demands of us in order thatHis cause might be our first interest in life.The Desire for Other ThingsWhile Luke described a thorn as "the desire for pleasure" (Lk 8:14), Mark used a moreall-inclusive term "the desire for other things" (Mk 4:19), which includes everything that wouldchoke out the sown seed and prevent it from being productive.This is the person who is discontented, never quite satisfied, always in pursuit ofsomething more. This is the hearer who can never say, "Enough!" This person likes to strain andcomplain as he relentlessly reaches out for someone or something. This may be position, power,status, certain people, or things.In the case of the disciples power in terms of leadership was very enticing. When thefamily of Zebedee (James and John) wanted the top jobs in the Kingdom of God, Jesus taughtthem, and the other disciples who had the same ambition, that leadership has to do with humility,dependence, and servanthood rather than authority, power, and force (Mt 20:20-28).

31To the man who wanted to follow Jesus and live life as usual—without thinking throughthe practical implications—of going without ordinary things—Jesus challenged, "Foxes haveholes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head" (Lk 9:57-58).Some of these hearers bury themselves in family life so that there is nothing left foranything else. To the man who wanted to bury his father before following Him, Jesus pointed outthat this was the wrong priority as He stated, "Let the dead bury their dead, but you go andproclaim the kingdom of God" (9:59-62). Similarly, to another person who said, "I will followyou, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family" (9:61), Jesus pointedly said,"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the service in the kingdom ofGod" (9:62). In His relationship with His own family, Jesus showed the same priority (2:49;8:19-21). In fact He made His this issue of priorities crystal clear as He made the demand:"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife andchildren, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be Mydisciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot beMy disciple" (14:26-27).Jesus must have priority in our lives over everything and everyone, including thoseclosest to us. Our love for Him must be so much greater than our love for anyone or anythingelse that it seems as hatred by comparison.Thorns are attractive because they appeal to our sinful human nature. Yet all of us havescars to prove their damaging effect.What thorns need to be pulled out of your life? Take a guess and I'm confident you willnot miss.life.Thorny, strangled hearts are the greatest danger for most people in our crowded modernThe Fruitful Ground—The Good HeartThe fruitful ground (Mk 4:8,20; Mt 13:8,23) was fertile and loose and able to receivethe good seed. It had depth enough to allow the roots to go down and it was clean enough toallow unhindered growth.

32The good heart is the person who hears, believes, grows, hangs in there, and before longbegins to reproduce as a healthy plant in God's vineyard.The three gospel accounts explain the meaning of the fruitful ground with slightvariation. Matthew points out the good hearer understands the Word (Mt 13:23). He hears it andfollows it through from beginning to end until he really knows its meaning. Mark states that thegood hearer accepts the Word (Mt 4:20). This means he takes it in and it becomes an integralpart of him. Luke says that the good hearer has a "noble and good heart" and that he retains andkeeps the Word (Lk 8:15). This means that he holds on to it and puts it into practice in his life.As a result, his life is fruitful (8:15).The Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches that the evidence, the proof of salvation, is thefruit. Jesus put it:"By their fruit you will recognize them" (Mt 7:16).Not by their good intentions, not by their lingo, not by their professions, but by their fruit.It is only by the fruit in our lives that we can tell whether our profession is also our possession!Luke in his account of the parable adds that the good hearer produces fruit "byperseverance" (Lk 8:15). The good hearer does not expect a harvest overnight. The seed is sownand it takes time to grow. James refers to the patience of the farmer:". . . See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and howpatient he is for the fall and spring rain" (Jas 5:7).The farmer knows that the hearers do not harvest too soon.Many of you have probably done what I did when I tried to plant a garden when I was aboy. The day after I planted it, I dug it up to see how it was growing. Many of us would have lostour money along with the rest when the hare and the tortoise ran that famous race. When itcomes to sowing, you either learn patience, perseverance, or there will be no harvest.While it is true that a person can experience the new birth almost instantaneously, it isalso true that he cannot become mature and Christ-like instantaneously. It takes time to grow anddevelop into the image of Jesus Christ.

33The good hearer continues to be open and receptive to God's Word. He seeks to hear, notwhat is easy and popular, but what is true. And the more perseverance he has, the moreunderstanding and insight he obtains.Degrees of FruitfulnessMatthew and Mark, in their gospels, also point out that even in good hearts there aredegrees of fruitfulness:"Others, like the seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce acrop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown" (Mt 13:23; Mk 4:20).The parable of the soils is Jesus' reflection on the different kinds of hearers whom Henoticed and to whom He spoke God's message. What follows this parable in Luke's gospel is astory about Jesus' mother and brothers who tried unsuccessfully to get to Him. And in thatcontext He reveals who His true mother and brothers are:"My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and obey it."(Lk 8:19-21)THE CHALLENGEThe parable is clear: Jesus' message is no easy pill to swallow, but a declaration of warupon the power of evil which demands preparedness for opposition and sacrifice.Which kind of ground represents you in this parable? Is it possible that your heart isrootless--growing hard like the beaten track of the pathway? Possibly you find your faithlifeless--shallow, resting more on emotions than on convictions? Maybe your life is fruitless—crowded with so many things that your Christian vitality is in danger? Or is your life fruitful—submissive, active, productive, bearing with perseverance good fruit that looks forward to theharvest?What kind of fruit is the soil of your life producing? The secret of a fruitful heart is anear that hears! We may know how to watch but not how to hear and listen. Since "faith comesby hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Ro 10:17), it is vital that we learn how to hearGod's Word. While church members like to blame dull preachers and teachers for their lack ofspiritual growth (and too often this is justified), perhaps at times the problem is not dullcommunicators, but dull hearers (Heb 5:11-14).

34In addition for the need to identify the different kinds of hearts which the different soilsrepresent, one of the great lessons this parable teaches is that although much of the sower'sefforts will amount to nothing, there will be a harvest. The promise is sure: In the sowing of theseed (God's Word) it is not to be expected that all of it will make a crop, but the fact remains thatno matter how much is wasted, in the end there will be a plentiful harvest. The sower mustnever be disheartened.This is the parable that will end all despair. It may seem that much of our effort achievesno result; it may seem that much of our labor is wasted. That is what the disciples were feelingwhen they saw Jesus banished from the Synagogue and regarded with suspicion. In many placesHis message seemed to have failed, and they, His followers, were discouraged and disheartened.But this parable sent a powerful, reassuring message to them, and to us—present-day followers:"Persevere! Do your work. Faithfully sow the seed. And leave the rest to God; for the harvest issure."One winter day when Lyman Beecher was engaged to preach, there happened to be onlyone hearer. Beecher went through the service as if he had a large audience. About 20 yearsthereafter, a stranger in Ohio reminded him by saying, "I am that one hearer. Your sermon savedmy soul and made a minister of me. The converts of that sermon, sir, are all over Ohio."Isaiah, the prophet, put it:"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it withoutwatering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for thesower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: itwill not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve thepurpose for which I sent it" (Isa 55:10-11).

35CHAPTER 3

36LET THE LIGHT SHINE!The Parable of the LampLuke 8:16-18Although Jesus couched much of His message in parables, He intended that the disciples makethe truths known as widely as possible.Jesus probably told this parable many times during His ministry. It's found in several places:Luke 11:33; Matthew 5:15; Mark 4:21-25; Gospel of Thomas 32-33 (apocryphal).These verses form a practical application of the famous Parable of the Sower and the Soils. Theyare intended to nail and clench in our minds the lesson which that parable contains."No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he putsit on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothinghidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be knownor brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen.Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinkshe has will be taken from him." (8:16-18).In Jesus' day, lamps were made from clay. They were simple, with a reservoir for the olive oil anda "nozzle" on which the flax wick would rest. Household lamps were small enough to be carried in thepalm of the hand. The lamp which Jesus was probably most familiar with was the "Herodian" lamp, madeon a potter's wheel of thin, light-brown clay, distinguished from later lamp models by its downwardslopingwick nozzle.Jesus points to the purpose of lights:LIGHTS ARE NOT LIT TO BE HIDDEN (8:16)"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, heputs it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light" (v. 16).Jesus' statement is so obvious it shouldn’t need to be said. If you're going to light a lamp, you doit for illumination, not to hide or conceal it. If that were your purpose, you wouldn't light it at all.The point of the parable is simple and rather obvious. When it was dark enough to light a lamp,you set it on a shelf in the stone wall of your home or on a wooden lampstand in the center of the room—high enough to illuminate everything around so everyone can see.

37THE LIGHT IS THE WORD OF GODThe theme of the first third of chapter 8 of Luke (vv. 1-21) is hearing the Word of God. Thismeans the light of the lamp in verse 16 is the Word of God, the message of the Kingdom that Jesus. Thisis the message that Jesus has been proclaiming all over Galilee. Some will hear it and not understand, inothers the Word will see a little growth, in others the growth of the Word will be choked, but in stillothers the Word will produce a crop of obedience, a changed life and a fruitful ministry.NOTHING WILL BE HIDDEN (8:17)It is the destiny of truth that it will be eventually told:"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealedthat will not be known or brought out into the open" (v. 17).One day everything will be revealed. Later in chapter 12, Jesus warns:“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will notbe made known.”God, who is Light, will penetrate the darkness. Nothing hidden will fail to be made known.BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LISTEN (8:18)Then Jesus argues that since nothing will be hidden (v. 17):"Therefore consider carefully how you listen” (v. 18).This is very similar to what Jesus said previously in verse 8 contained in the Parable of the Soils:"He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (v. 8).Notice how many times the word "hear" appears in the Parable of the Sower and the Soils.". . . though hearing, they may not understand" (v.10)."Those along the path are the ones who hear . . ." (v.12)."Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joywhen they hear it . . ." (v. 13)."The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear . . ." (v. 14)."But the seed on good soil stands for those . . . who hear the word . . ." (v. 15).Jesus' brother James warns against self-deception in his epistle:

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man wholooks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away andimmediately forgets what he looks like" (Jas 1:22-24).Jesus traveled from village to city "proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God" statingthat His true family are those who hear God's Word and do it (Lk 8:21).38APPLICATIONSpiritual knowledge is to be shared. Not to do so is like an unlit candle or one hidden in a jar orput under a bed—utterly useless. A candle is only useful when set upon a candlestick, and placed where itcan be made serviceable to the wants of men.The Gospel which we possess was not given us only to be admired, talked of, and professed--butto be practiced. It was not meant merely to reside in our intellect, and memories, and tongues--but to beseen is our lives. Christianity is a talent committed to our charge, and one which brings with it greatresponsibility.We are not in darkness like the heathen. A glorious light is put before us. Let us take heed that weuse it. While we have the light let us walk in the light (Jn 12:35).There are millions in the world who have no spiritual light at all. They are dead in sin,without God, without Christ, and without hope (Eph 2:12).Can we do nothing for them?It is the purpose of light to shine.These are questions to which every true Christian ought to find an answer. We should strive, inevery way, to spread our religion. The highest form of selfishness is that of the man who is content togo to heaven alone. The highest form of love is to seek to share with others every spark of religious lightwe possess ourselves, and so to hold up our own candle that it may give light to every one around us. Nocandle which God lights was ever meant to burn alone.We learn, secondly, from these verses, the great importance of right hearing. The words of ourLord Jesus Christ ought to impress that lesson deeply on our hearts. He says,". . . consider carefully how you listen."

39How do we hear correctly? Like the believers at Thessalonica (1 Th 2:13), we hear withreverence because it is God who is speaking. We also hear with faith by putting our trust in the God whois speaking to us, believing implicitly that every word of God is true. We must hear with prayerrecognizing that two-way communication is critical—listening and speaking—sharing your desires andthoughts with God, who understands better than anyone else.This message of the Kingdom of God must not be hidden or just whispered in secret. Rather, itmust be proclaimed openly and clearly "so that those who come in can see the light," so that it willprovide illumination and power. Jesus is instructing his disciples here--Don't stifle the message of theKingdom but proclaim it openly!Why would we as Jesus' disciples be tempted to do otherwise?Possibly because of fear.Fear of persecution is hinted at earlier in Luke 8:13. Why did the disciples flee whenJesus was being crucified? Fear of persecution. Remember Peter? Since we’re known bythe company we keep, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus or the other disciples.Fear of rejection--that they won't be accepted. Fear of being ostracized from"respectable society," expelled from the central community institution, the synagogue.Fear of ridicule. Isaiah, being a prophet knew all about ridicule. Yet he wrote:“Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law inyour hearts. Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by theirinsults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm willdevour them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, My salvationthrough all generations” (Isa 51:7-8).If we have been tempted to hide the light of the message of Jesus' Kingdom, Jesus is speaking tous—you and me—asking, “What will we do about it?”Why is this so important? Because"Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinkshe has will be taken from him" (Lk 8

46There is a children’s song that expresses the importance of putting God’s teaching into practice,that is, the specific teaching about letting our light shine:Hide it under a bushel? No!I'm gonna let it shineHide it under a bushel? No!I'm gonna let it shineHide it under a bushel? No!I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine,Let it shine,Let it shine.Don't let Satan blow it out,I'm gonna let it shineDon't let Satan blow it out,I'm gonna let it shineDon't let Satan blow it out,I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine,Let it shine,Let it shine.Shine all over [name of town],I'm gonna let it shineShine all over [name of town],I'm gonna let it shineShine all over [name of town],I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine,Let it shine,Let it shine.Let it shine til Jesus comes,I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine til Jesus comes,I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine til Jesus comes,

47I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine,Let it shine,Let it shine.This little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shineThis little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shineThis little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shineLet it shine,Let it shine,Let it shine.”

48CHAPTER 4

49JESUS’ TRUE FAMILYLuke 8:19-21“Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God,trust God; and he that trusts God, obeys God.”–Charles Spurgeon“Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe.”–Dietrich Bonhoeffer“To obey God is perfect liberty.”–SenecaIn Jesus’ encounter with His mother and brothers, He tells us what is more important than thenuclear family and what is required to belong to His family:“ Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see Him, but they were not able to getnear Him because of the crowd. Someone told Him, "Your mother and brothersare standing outside, wanting to see you.He replied, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and putit into practice’" (8:19-21).Imagine the shock! The seeming harshness of Jesus’ rebuke! Unlike us who have been raised inindividualistic America, these disciples were raised in a culture where family was preeminent. Thus tothese Middle Eastern followers, Jesus’ words must have sounded doubly harsh.And this was Jesus’ intention. He wanted them to be shocked so they would never forget thelesson He was teaching:"My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice."Hearing God's word and putting it into practice is the message that must be indelibly tattooedupon our minds.The message of the Gospel, the Word of God, must never be silenced or hidden, but proclaimedeven more widely. That is Jesus' clear directive. The lamp that is lit is to be placed on a lampstand to givelight to all who enter. Everyone must know!Be careful how you hear this, my dear friend. Be careful and put it into practice that you mightbelong to Jesus' true family.

We learn, finally, from these verses, the great privileges of those who hear the word of Godand do it. Our Lord Jesus Christ declares that He regards them as his "mother and his brethren."50The man who hears the word of God, and does it, is the true Christian. He hears the call ofGod to repent and be converted, and he confesses and forsakes his sin. He hears the call to follow Jesus,and like the disciples, he devotes himself to following Jesus. This is vital Christianity.We Christians rejoice in the fact that we are saved by faith, not works; that it is the pure grace ofGod through faith on our part which makes us whole. However, since the Reformation, people havemisinterpreted faith to be a mere affirmation of words, and grace to be a gift without correspondingobligations.What validity can there be in a profession of faith that is not confirmed by obedience to the willof God? Obedience is faith in action.Saul, king of Israel, disobeyed God by saving some of the spoils of a victory even though he hadbeen commanded to destroy everything. His excuse was that he had preserved the best of the flocks to beused for a sacrifice to God. But Samuel, the priest, replied:“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying thevoice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than thefat of rams” (1 Sa 15:22).Many Christians cover up disobedience under the false front of so-called “Spiritual activity.”They fool themselves by deliberately disobeying God and engaging in frantic work for the church of someother Christian cause, thinking their duplicity will go unnoticed by God.Faith becomes saving faith when validated by obedience, and saving grace is God’s free gift onlyto those who do God’s will.CHEAP GRACEA few years ago I talked with a man who was an active church member. But by his ownadmission he was living a life of open sin. He claimed that he lived by faith in God’s grace, so it did notmatter much how he lived. A loving God would generously forgive and thereby manifest Hisunsearchable riches of grace. But the “grace” about which he spoke was a cheap grace that denied theholiness of God and the life of obedience God requires of those who call on Him.The apostle Paul answers this problem once and for all:

“Now grace is the ruling factor, with righteousness as it purpose and its end thebringing of men to the eternal life of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now whatis our response to be? Shall we sin to our heart’s content and see how far we canexploit the grace of God? What a ghastly thought!” (Ro 5:21-6:2 Phillips).Obedience requires both repentance for sin and turning from it. Paul asks,“Do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience,not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance” (Ro 2:4).To live in disobedience is to “exploit the grace of God” and show contempt for His goodness.This kind of disobedience is the result of “stubbornness” and an “unrepentant heart” (Ro 2:5).Obedience is a matter not primarily of outward action but of inward response.51Faith without obedience is disobedience, and disobedience is rebellion. Satan—the instigator ofall rebellion—and his cohorts know the truth but do not obey it. “Even the demons believe–and shudder”(Jas 2:19). No Christian has the right to glory in his faith who does not with that faith obey the One whohas redeemed him.DISOBEDIENCE IS DANGEROUSA young son of missionaries in Congo, Africa was playing in the yard when suddenly his fatheryelled, “Philip, obey me instantly! Drop to your stomach!” The boy obeyed. “Now crawl toward me asfast as you can!” The boy obeyed without asking a question. “Now stand up and run to me!” Philipobeyed and landed in his father’s arms. Only then did he look at the tree by which he had been playing.Hanging from a branch was a fifteen foot snake!A matter of life and death!In this instance obedience saved physical life. Suppose the boy had paused, to ask, “Why, Dad?”or “Do I have to right now?” He would have been killed by the snake!But obedience is not only a matter of life and death physically. It is also a matter of life and deathspiritually. Jesus warned:“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Meon that day ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons andperform many miracles?’ then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Awayfrom me, you evildoers!’” (Mt 7:21-23)

Life and death, heaven and hell is not a matter of lip service but of lifestyle.52The incident of Saul’s disobedience also shows us the danger of not obeying God. Saul failed to“completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites” (1 Sa 15:18) and it was an Amalekite who inthe end destroyed him. Either we are obedient and destroy our sins, or our sins will destroy us.We can be a part of Jesus' true family! We can be Jesus' brother or sister! It is God's grace, notour obedience that makes us his children. Our obedience is the genuine response of our thanks to hisgrace.APPLICATIONThe finality and power of Jesus’ message urges us to hear, obey and proclaim God’smessage! Like Paul, the apostle, may we never be ashamed of You and your Word as sometimeswe have been. Forgive us. Let us proclaim the gospel as fearlessly as Jesus and His disciples did.Jesus presents Himself as the Judge to whom the whole world will one day give an answer to(Rev 20:11-15; Mt 25:31ff.).“True knowledge of God,” said John Calvin, “is born out of obedience.” A person’s sincerity isseen in his action. Fine words can never be a substitute for fine deeds. The proof is obedience. This islove’s true test. Jesus put it:“If you love me, you will obey what I command. . . .Whoever has my commandsand obeys them, he is the one who loves Me . . . If anyone loves me he will obeyMy teaching . . . He who does not love Me will not obey My teaching” (Jn 16:15,21).Ralph Sockman, a preacher, noted the frequent use of the word “walk” in the New Testament:“walk in the light,” “walk in love,” “walk in truth,” “walk in light,” “walk in the newness of life.” He thenpointed out that:“We must enter into truth feet first even more than head first.”When the religious leaders of Jesus’ day asked how they could know whether what He wasteaching was from God, Jesus responded:“If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teachingcomes from God or whether I speak on my own” (Jn 7:17).

Obedience, therefore, is an organ of spiritual knowledge. We cannot know God apart fromobedience. That is the final test. Doing God’s will is the litmus test of whether we know God in apersonal and intimate way. The reason Jesus said He never knew these religious workers was becausethey were caught up in their orthodoxy and religious works rather than in love relationship with JesusChrist which evidenced itself in loving obedience.The greatest insult to the Lord is a will that is not surrendered. Whatever else we may do,however great our offerings and sacrifices! No matter how impressive our works in His name—these will add up to zero apart from obedience that comes from a yielded heart. God’s will cannot besimply discussed, debated, admired, praised, it must be done. It must not be merely theologicallyanalyzed, congratulated for its ethical tones; it must be obeyed. As A. W. Tozer put it,“The final test of love . . . is not sweet emotions, not willingness to sacrifice,not zeal, but obedience to the commandment of Christ.” (Emphasis added)53On “that day”—the Day of Judgment—what will Jesus say to you? “Enter into My eternalpresence and blessing!” Or “I never knew you, away from Me, you evildoer!”? Jesus’ answer dependsupon our relationship to Him. Jesus’ answer depends on whether that relationship is formal or personal,distant or intimate. And the sincerity of that relationship will be seen in whether our lives are lived inloving obedience to Him and His commands.May the inscription on an old slab in the cathedral of Lubeck, Germany, not apply to us:“Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:Ye call me Master, and obey Me not;Ye call Me Light, and see Me not;Ye call Me Way, and walk Me not;Ye call Me Life, and desire Me not;Ye call Me wise, and follow Me not;Ye call Me fair, and love Me not;Ye call Me rich, and ask Me not;Ye call Me Eternal, and seek Me not;Ye call Me Gracious, and trust Me not;Ye call Me Noble, and serve Me not;Ye call Me Mighty, and honor Me not;Ye call Me Just, and fear Me not;If I condemn you, blame Me not.”“To know God is to experience His love in Christ and to return that love in obedience.”

54CHAPTER 5

55JESUS CALMS THE STORMLuke 8:22-25The event in our Lord's life described in these verses is related three times in the Gospels:Matthew (8:23-27), Mark (4:35-41) and Luke (8:22-25).Although miracles may be hard for modern man to accept, the New Testament makes it clear thatJesus is Lord not only over His church but also over all creation.“ One day Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Let's go over to the other side of the lake.’So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, He fell asleep. A squall camedown on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in greatdanger” (8:22-23).Jesus left the territory of Galilee to go to the region of the Gerasenes (Mk 5:1). This is theeast side of the lake, a territory largely inhabited by Gentiles, as indicated by the presence of thelarge herd of pigs—animals Jews considered “unclean” and therefore unfit to eat. Gerasa, locatedabout 35 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, may have had holdings of the eastern shore of theSea, giving its name to a small village there now known as Khersa.A “furious” squall came down says Mark in his gospel (Mk 4:37). In fact this squall wasso strong that the boat was being “swamped” and they were in “great danger” (Mk 8:23). This isnot surprising since the Sea of Galilee sits on a basin surrounded by mountains and is thereforeparticularly susceptible to sudden, violent storms. Cool air from the Mediterranean is drawndown through the narrow mountain passes and clashes with the hot, humid air lying over thelake.JESUS WAS/IS HUMANLuke points out that “as they sailed, He [Jesus] fell asleep” (Lk 8:23). Mark makes thepoint that He was asleep “in the stern, sleeping on a cushion” (Mk 4:38). This picture of Jesus,exhausted and asleep on the cushion shows the human side of Jesus.Our Lord Jesus Christ was really man as well as God. Sleep, we must be all aware, is one of theconditions of our natural constitution as human beings. Angels and spirits require neither food norrefreshment. But flesh and blood, to keep up a healthy existence, must eat, and drink, and sleep. If theLord Jesus could be weary, and need rest, He must have had two natures in one person—a human natureas well as a divine.THE DISCIPLES ARE ANXIOUS AND FEARFULJesus’ companions were greatly alarmed.

56“The disciples went and woke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we're going to drown!’He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided,and all was calm” (8:24)."They came to Him and awoke Him, saying, Master, Master, we perish." They panicked andforgot, for a moment, their Master's care for them in time past. They forgot that with Him they must besafe, whatever happened. They forgot everything but the sight and sense of present danger, and, under theimpression of it, could not even wait until Christ awoke.We must not suppose that men cannot be believers if they sometimes exhibit great weakness, orthat men have no grace because they are sometimes overwhelmed with fears. Even Peter, James, andJohn, could cry, "Master, Master, we perish."FAITH (8:25)“‘Where is your faith?’ He asked His disciples” (v. 25).When the disciples were anxious about god’s provision of food for them, Jesus said,“O you of little faith” (12:28; Mt 6:30).Remember what Jesus told Simon after pointing out that Satan had asked to “sift him likewheat,” that is, Satan wanted to test the disciples, especially Simon the leader, hoping to bringSimon and the other disciples to spiritual ruin?So Jesus assures Simon,“I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail”POWER OVER NATURE (8:25)“In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commandseven the winds and the water, and they obey Him’" (Lk 8:25).“Who is this?” In view of what Jesus had just done, the only answer to the rhetorical questionwas: He is the very Son of God!God’s presence, as well as His power, was demonstrated. The psalmist refers to God our Savior“who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoilof the nations”(Ps. 65:7).

“For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;in their peril their courage melted away.They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits end.Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them outof their distress.He stilled the storm to a whisper, the waves of the sea were hushed.They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.”(Ps 107:25-30)Solomon uses several rhetorical questions to express God’s greatness as Creator:57“Who has gone up to heaven and come down?Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of His hands?Who has wrapped up the waters in His cloak?Who has established all the ends of the earth?What is His name and the name of His Son? Tell me if you know!”(Pr 30:4; see also Job 26; 38 and Isa 40)We see in this miracle how great is the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read that when Hisdisciples awoke Him in the storm, "He arose, and rebuked the wind, and the raging of the waters, and theyceased, and there was a calm."This was, no doubt, a mighty miracle. It needed the power of Him who brought the flood on theearth in the days of Noah, and in due season took it away—who divided the Red Sea and the river Jordaninto two parts, and made a path for His people through the waters—who brought the locusts on Egypt byan east wind, and by a west wind swept them away (Ex. 10:13,19). No power short of this could in amoment turn a storm into a calm. "To speak to the winds and waves" is a common proverb for attemptingthat which is impossible. But here we see Jesus speaking, and at once the winds and waves obey! As manHe had slept. As God He stilled the storm.It is a comfortable thought, that all this almighty power of our Lord Jesus Christ is engagedon behalf of His believing people. He has undertaken to save every one of them to the uttermost.The trials of God’s people are often many and great. The devil never stops to make war againstus. The rulers of this world frequently persecute Christians. No matter what happens, God’s people shallnever be entirely forsaken.Though severely harassed, they shall not be destroyed.Though cast down, they shall not be cast away.

58At the darkest time let true Christians rest in the thought, that "greater is He who is for them thanall those who are against them." No matter what happens, what comes our way, there is One living forthem in heaven who can make these winds and waves to stop in a moment.The true Church, of which Christ is the Head, shall never perish. Its glorious Head isalmighty, and lives for evermore, and His believing members shall all live, also, and reach home safe atlast (Jn 14:19).We see how important it is for Christians to be ready to exercise our faith. We read that ourLord said to His disciples when the storm had ceased, and their fears had subsided, "Where is your faith?"What good is it if in believing, we cannot believe in the time of need? Where was the real valueof faith, unless they kept it in active exercise? Where was the benefit of trusting, if they were to trust theirMaster in sunshine only, but not in storms?We all need to ask ourselves:APPLICATIONWhat storms are on the horizon, lurk in our lives?Do we feel that Jesus is asleep when we utter our prayers to Him?Are the heavens as brass?Does God care?The lesson now before us is one of deep practical importance. To have true saving faith is onething. To have that faith always ready for action is quite another. Many receive Christ as their Savior, anddeliberately commit their souls to Him for time and eternity, who yet often find their faith sadly failingwhen something unexpected happens and they are suddenly tried.We ought to pray that our faith will be strong at a moment's notice and may never be foundunprepared. Like Moses, we too can persevere in our faith if we too "see Him who is invisible" (Heb11:27).That man will never be greatly shaken by any storm. He will see Jesus nearby in the darkest hour,and recognize the blue sky behind the blackest cloud.

59CHAPTER 6

60THE HEALING OF A DEMONIZED MANLuke 8:26-39The well-known narrative of the healing of a demonized man is carefully recorded by all of thefirst three Gospel writers. It is a striking instance of our Lord's complete dominion over the prince of thisworld. We see the great enemy of our souls for once completely vanquished--the "strong man" foiled byOne stronger than he.Luke points out:HIS CONDITION (8:26-29)“ They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from thetown. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, buthad lived in the tombs.When He saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at His feet, shouting at the top of hisvoice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I begyou, don't torture me!’ For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out ofthe man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and footand kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demoninto solitary places” (vv. 26-29).Notice the miserable condition of those over whom the devil reigns. We are told that when ourLord arrived in the country of the Gadarenes, there He met a man who had been indwelt by demons for along time. He wore no clothes, nor did he live in any house, but in the tombs." The tombs were located incaves in which it was common for poor people to live.We are also told that although he had been "bound with chains and in fetters, he broke the bands,and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.” This case seems to have been one of the most aggravatedforms of demon possession.The unhappy sufferer was under the complete dominion of Satan, both in body and soul.The title “Most High God” was commonly used by Gentiles (Ge 14:19 and Ac 16:17) and may bean indication that this man was not a Jew.Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" (v. 30)

61"’Legion,’ he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they beggedhim repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss” (v. 31).Jesus asked the man his name, but it was the demons who replied, thus showing they were incontrol.The “abyss” was a place of confinement for evil spirits and for Satan (Rev 9:1).So long as he continued in this state, he must have been a burden and a trouble to all around him.His mental faculties were under the direction of a "legion" of demons. A Roman legion was made up of6,000 men. This means that this poor man was inhabited by numerous evil spirits who took control of hisbody and soul.A more pitiable state for mortal man to be in, it is difficult to conceive!While demoniacal possession of men's bodies may be comparatively rare, there are many, casesin which the devil appears completely to possess men's souls.He who came to the country of the Gadarenes, and healed the miserable demoniac there, still livesin heaven, and pities sinners. The worst slave of Satan anywhere is not beyond cure. Jesus may yet takecompassion on him, and set him free.GOD’S AUTHORITY AND POWER (8:32-37)Let us mark, secondly, in these verses, the absolute power which the Lord Jesus Christpossesses over Satan:“ A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesusto let them go into them, and He gave them permission. When the demons cameout of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bankinto the lake and was drowned.When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported thisin the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had goneout, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had beencured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leavethem, because they were overcome with fear. So He got into the boat and left.”(vv. 32-37)

62We see that He "commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man," whose miserablecondition we have just heard described. At once the demonized man was healed. The "many demons" bywhom he had been demonized were compelled to leave him. Mighty as they were, they plainly feltthemselves in the presence of One mightier than themselves. Full of malice as they were, they could noteven hurt the "swine" of the Gadarenes until our Lord granted them permission.Our Lord Jesus Christ's dominion over the Satan and his minions should be a comforting thoughtto all true Christians. Without it we might despair of salvation. To feel that we have ever near us aninvisible spiritual enemy, laboring night and day to compass our destruction, would be enough to crushour every hope, if we did not know a Friend and Protector.The Lord Jesus is stronger than that "strong man armed," who is ever warring against our souls.The Lord Jesus is able to deliver us from the devil. He proved His power over him frequently when uponearth. He triumphed over him gloriously on the cross. He will never let him pluck any of His sheep out ofHis hand. He will one day bruise him under our feet, and bind him in the prison of hell (Ro 16:20; Rev20:1-2). Happy are they who hear Christ's voice and follow Him! Satan may antagonize them, but hecannot really hurt them! He may bruise their heel, but he cannot destroy their souls. They shall be "morethan conquerors" through Him who loved them (Ro 8:37).We are told that the Gadarenes "found the man out of whom the devil was departed, sitting at thefeet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind." That sight must indeed have been strange and astonishing!The man's past history and condition, no doubt, were well known. He had probably been a nuisance and aterror to all the neighborhood. Yet here, in one moment, a complete change had come over him. Oldthings had passed away, and all things had become new. The power by which such a cure was wroughtmust indeed have been almighty. When Christ is the physician nothing is impossible.We see in this passage two requests made to our Lord Jesus Christ. They were widely differentone from the other, and were offered by people of widely different character. We see, moreover, howthese requests were received by our Lord Jesus Christ. In either case the request received a mostremarkable answer. The whole passage is singularly instructive.REQUEST GRANTEDThe Gadarenes asked our Lord to depart from them, and their request was granted. Weread these painfully solemn words—"Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus toleave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left." Now why did theseunhappy men desire the Son of God to leave them? Why, after the amazing miracle of mercy which hadjust been wrought among them, did they feel no wish to know more of Him who wrought it? Why, in aword, did they become their own enemies, forsake their own mercies, and shut the door against theGospel? There is but one answer to these questions. The Gadarenes loved the world, and the things of theworld, and were determined not to give them up. They felt convinced, in their own consciences, that they

63could not receive Christ among them and keep their sins, and their sins they were resolved to keep. Theysaw, at a glance, that there was something about Jesus with which their habits of life would never agree,and having to choose between the new ways and their own old ones, they refused the new and chose theold.And why did our Lord Jesus Christ grant the request of the Gadarenes, and leave them? Possiblyto testify to His sense of the greatness of their sin! He did it in mercy to His Church in every age, to showhow great is the wickedness of those who willfully reject the truth. It is a spiritual principle that thosewho obstinately refuse to walk in the light shall have the light taken from them. Great is Christ's patienceand long-suffering!His mercy endures forever. His offers and invitations are wide, and broad, and sweeping, anduniversal. He gives every church its day of grace and time of visitation (19:44), but if men persist inrefusing His counsel, He has nowhere promised to persist in forcing it upon them. People who have theGospel, and yet refuse to obey it, must not be surprised if the Gospel is removed from them.The people of Gadarene said to Christ, "Depart from us," and He has taken them at their word.They were joined to idols, and are now "let alone" (Job 21:14; Hos 4:17).We need to be careful so that we do not commit the sin of the Gadarenes. Let us beware lest bycoldness, and inattention, and worldliness, we drive Jesus from our doors, and compel Him to forsake usentirely. Of all sins which we can sin, this is the most sinful. Of all states of soul into which we can fall,none is so fearful as to be "let alone." Let it rather be our daily prayer that Christ may never leave us toourselves. The old wreck, high and dry on the sand-bank, is not a more wretched sight than the manwhose heart Christ has visited with mercies and judgments, but has at last ceased to visit, because He wasnot received. The barred door is a door at which Jesus will not always knock. The Gadarene mind mustnot be surprised to see Christ leaving it and going away.THE MIRACLE OF HEALING (8:38-39)Notice the wonderful change which Christ can work in Satan's slaves:“ The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Him, but Jesussent him away, saying, ‘ Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”(vv. 38-39)One thing, however, must never be forgotten. Striking and miraculous as this cure was, it is notreally more wonderful than every case of decided conversion to God. Marvelous as the change was whichappeared in this demoniac's condition when healed, it is not one whit more marvelous than the changewhich passes over every one who is born again, and turned from the power of Satan to God.

64No person is in his right mind until he is converted, or in his right place until he sits by faith at thefeet of Jesus, or rightly clothed until he has put on the Lord Jesus Christ. For real conversion to God isnothing less that the miraculous release of a captive, the miraculous restoration of a man to his right mind,the miraculous deliverance of a soul from the devil.The question which must concern all of us is:“Are we slaves of Satan or servants of God?Has Christ made us free, or does the devil yet reign in our hearts?Do we sit at the feet of Jesus daily?Are we in our right minds?May the Lord help us to answer these questions aright!REQUEST NOT GRANTED (8:39)We need to observe that the man out of whom the devils were departed, asked our Lord thatHe might be with Him, but his request was not granted. We read that Jesus sent him away, saying,"Return to your own house, and show how great things God has done unto you."(v. 39)We can easily understand the request that this man made. He felt deeply grateful for the amazingmercy which he had just received in being cured. He felt full of love and warm affection toward Him,who had so wonderfully and graciously cured him. He felt that he could not see too much of Him, be toomuch in His company, cleave to Him too closely.He forgot everything else under the influence of these feelings. Family, relations, friends, home,house, country, all seemed as nothing in his eyes. He felt that he cared for nothing but to be with Christ.And we cannot blame him for his feelings.But why did our Lord Jesus Christ refuse to grant this man's request?Why, at a time when He had few disciples, did He send this man away?Why, instead of allowing him to take place with Peter and James and John, did He bid him returnto his own house?Our Lord did what He did in infinite wisdom. He did it for the benefit of the man's own soul. Hesaw it was more for his good to be a witness for the Gospel at home than a disciple abroad. He did it inmercy to the Gadarenes. He left among them one standing testimony of the truth of His own divinemission.

65He shows us that there are various ways of glorifying Him, that He may be honored in private lifeas well as in the apostolic office, and that the first place in which we should witness for Christ is our ownhouse.This incident shows us our own utter ignorance of what position is good for us in this world, andthe necessity of submitting our own wills to the will of Christ. The place that we wish to fill is not alwaysthe place that is best for us. The line of life that we want to take up, is not always that which Christ sees tobe most for the benefit of our souls. The place that we are obliged to fill is sometimes very distasteful, andyet it may be needful to our sanctification. The position we are compelled to occupy may be verydisagreeable to flesh and blood, and yet it may be the very one that is necessary to keep us in our rightmind. It is better to be sent away from Christ's bodily presence, by Christ Himself, than to remain inChrist's bodily presence without His consent.APPLICATIONLet us pray for the spirit of "contentment with such things as we have." Let us be fearful ofchoosing for ourselves in this life without Christ's consent. We need to ask the Lord to choose everythingfor us. Let our daily prayer be,"Give me what you will. Place me where you will. Only let me be Your discipleand abide in You and glorify Your name."

66CHAPTER 7

67JESUS HEALS A DEAD GIRL AND A SICK WOMANLuke 8:40-56How much misery and trouble sin has brought into the world! First we see a distressed father inbitter anxiety about a dying daughter. Then we see a suffering woman, who has been afflicted twelveyears with an incurable disease. These are evils which God did not create at the beginning, but man hasbrought upon himself by the fall. There would have been no sorrow and no sickness among us, if therehad been no sin.THE HEALING OF A SICK WOMANLuke 8:42-48We begin by looking at the healing of the sick woman.A LONG AND EXPENSIVE ILLNESS“As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And a woman wasthere who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could healher” (vv. 42-43).She had been afflicted with a blood disease for "twelve years." The hemorrhage had made herceremonially unclean for 12 years (Lev 15:19,30). And she "had spent all her living upon physicians," yetcould not be "healed." Mark puts it even more strongly:“She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent allshe had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse” (Mk 5:26).There is “a balm in Gilead,” which can cure. There is one Physician who never fails. Let themconsider the conduct of the woman before us in her necessity. When all other means had failed, she wentto Jesus for help. Let them go and do likewise.A DESPERATE AND HUMBLE APPEAL (8:44).“ She came up behind Him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediatelyher bleeding stopped” (v. 44).Here is a striking picture of desperation and humility. We are told that she "came behind" ourLord, and "touched the edge of His garment, and immediately her bleeding stopped." The act appeared amost simple one, and utterly inadequate to produce any great result. But the effect of that act was mostmarvelous! In an instant the poor sufferer was healed. The relief that many physicians had failed to givein "twelve years," was obtained in one moment. With a mere touch, she was well!She came to Jesus just as she was. She touched Him by faith, and was healed.

68A PUBLIC CONFESSION OF THE HEALER (8:45-47)"Who touched Me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master,the people are crowding and pressing against you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someonetouched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.’ Then the woman, seeingthat she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In thepresence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she hadbeen instantly healed. Then He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healedyou. Go in peace.’" (vv. 45-47).Jesus knew someone had touched Him because He felt power going out of Him. The womanwas healed because God graciously determined to heal her through the power then active in Jesus.Our Lord insists that those who have received benefit from Him should confess Him beforeothers. We are told that He did not allow this woman to leave the crowd unnoticed. He asked, "Who hadtouched Me?" He asked again, until the woman came forward and "declared" her case before all thepeople. And then came the gracious words,"Daughter, be of good comfort. Your faith has made you whole. Go in peace"Confession of Christ is a matter of great importance! Can we not plainly tell others that Christhas done everything for us—that we were dying of a deadly disease, and were cured—that we were lost,and are now found, that we were blind, and now see? Let us do this boldly, and not be afraid. Let us notbe ashamed to let all men know what Jesus has done for our souls.His people are not to be ashamed of His name. It is a solemn saying of Paul,"If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heartthat God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Ro 10:9).Christ Himself warned,"Whoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of man beashamed" (9:26).JAIRUS' DAUGHTER RAISED FROM THE DEADLuke 8:40-42, 49-56The other story in this passage is the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead. There are threegreat instances which the Holy Spirit has thought fit to record of our Lord restoring a dead personto life. The other two instances are those of Lazarus and the widow's son at Nain. There seems no reason

69to doubt that our Lord raised others beside these three. But these three cases are specially described aspatterns of His almighty power. One was a young girl, who had just breathed her last. One was a youngman, who was being carried to his burial. One was a man, who had already lain four days in the grave. Inall three cases alike we see life at once restored at Christ's command.Luke tells us thatTHE DEATH OF A CHILD (8:49)“ While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, thesynagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother theteacher any more" (v. 49).This servant from Jairus house thought it was too late. It was beyond his imagination tothink that this Nazarene Carpenter could do anything but give His condolences.Jesus addresses the girl as “Daughter.” This is very unusual for it is a tender address usednowhere else in Jesus’ recorded words (23:28).But, as Luke points out,HEALING—LIFE—THROUGH FAITH (8:50)“ Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and shewill be healed" (v. 50).Just as faith brought healing and health to the woman suffering from bleeding for 12years, so faith—belief—will bring healing—life—to the dead girl. For“. . . nothing is impossible with God” (Mt 17:20; Mk 10:27; Lk 18:27).A CAUTIOUS METHODOLOGY OF HEALING (8:52-54)Then we see that Jesus is very cautious in who can join Him to pray for the dead girl:“ When He arrived at the house of Jairus, He did not let anyone go in with Himexcept Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother.Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. ‘Stopwailing,’ Jesus said. ‘She is not dead but asleep.’ They laughed at Him,knowing that she was dead" (vv. 51-54)..

70The “wailing and mourning” probably refers to the professional mourners who werebrought at the time of death. This was a customary practice in Jesus’ time. In this specific case,however, it is not certain that enough time had elapsed for professional mourners to have beensecured.Jesus meant that she was not permanently dead. He said the same thing about Lazarus:“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.His disciples replied, ‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’ Jesus had beenspeaking of his death, but His disciples thought He meant natural sleep. Sothen He told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. And for your sake I am glad Iwas not there, so that you may believe” (Jn 11:11-15).The utter importance of faith!This is why Jesus was glad that He did not have the opportunity to intervene whenLazarus was dying. Because he actually died, He had the greater opportunity to show Hispower—power to raise the dead.Then notice how Jesus treats this child:“But He took her by the hand and said, ‘My child, get up!’ Her spirit returned,and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.Her parents were astonished, but He ordered them not to tell anyonewhat had happened” (vv. 54-56).Why are they told “not to tell anyone” what had happened? Because further publicity atthis time concerning a raising from the dead would have been counterproductive to Jesus’ministry. Another reason might be that He did not want to be considered just a miracle worker.Furthermore, He did not want His death to come prematurely, that is, before He had finished Hisministry (Mt 9:30; 12:16; Mk 1:44; 5:43; 7:36).A DESPERATE PLEA FOR HELP (8:40-42)Let us notice, in the verses before us, how universal the dominion which death holds overpeople:“ Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed Him, for they were all expectingHim. Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus'feet, pleading with Him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girlof about twelve, was dying” (vv. 40-42).

71There is no cup more bitter for a parent than the cup of a child’s death. Such tidings as these arethe bitterest cups which we have to drink in this world. Nothing cuts so deeply into parent’s heart as topart with a child. No grief is as crushing as the grief of a parent over an only child.Death is a cruel enemy that comes to the rich man's estate as well as to the poor man's cottage. Itdoes not spare the young, the strong, and the beautiful, any more than the old, the infirm, and the greyhaired.Not all the gold in the entire world, nor the skill of all the doctors can keep the hand of death fromseparating us from our loved ones.The subject of death is one that people refuse to look at. As the saying goes,“All people think all people mortal but themselves."But we must look death in the face so that when our turn comes we may be prepared to die. Andthere is one who can deliver us from the fear of death (Heb 2:15). Christ has overcome death, and"brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel" (2 Ti 1:10).“He who believes on Him has everlasting life, and though he were dead yetshall he live” (Jn 6:47; 11:25).When we believe in Jesus death loses its sting. We shall then be able to say with Paul,"To me to die is gain" (Php 1:21).Faith in Christ's love and power is the best remedy in time of trouble. Faith can see lighteven in the darkest hour. The Almighty power which our Lord Jesus Christ possesses includes death.Let us take comfort in the thought that there is a limit to death's power. While the king of terrorsis very strong, he is not omnipotent. There is One stronger than death. There is One who has said, "Odeath! will be your plague—O grave! will be your destruction!" (Hos 13:14.) That One is the Friend ofsinners, Christ Jesus the Lord. He proved His power frequently when He came to the earth the first time,in the house of Jairus, by the tomb of Bethany, in the gate of Nain. He will prove to all the world whenHe comes again that"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1 Co 15:26.)and that"The earth shall cast out the dead." (Isa 26:19).

72The things which happened in Jairus' house are a type of good things to come. The hour will soonbe here, when the voice of Christ shall call all His people from their graves and gather them together topart no more. Believing husbands shall once more see believing wives. Believing parents shall once moresee believing children. Christ shall unite the whole family in the great home in heaven, and all tears shallbe wiped from all eyes.APPLICATIONThe purpose of God's working miracles are primarily to bolster faith, not produce it.it.Faith is trusting God for what we can't see. Nothing impossible. Moving mountains. He can doJesus' love will satisfy sincere faith, no matter how weak.The woman felt her needs were not worthy of His attention.Jesus uses our steps of faith to strengthen our faith. Are we afraid to act because we believeour faith is weak? Jesus uses our feeble steps to make faith grow stronger. Every obstacle, challenge, trial,is an opportunity to take steps of faith.The woman touched His the edge of His garment in faith. He called for a public faith; a directconfrontation with his person to correct and strengthen her faith, give her greater confidence andassurance. He called her to focus upon Him as a person who loved her. As she took that public step, herfaith grew.As a last resort, Jairus approached the Savior for help. Jesus didn't rebuke his slowness, ratherresponded immediately. But Jesus did place him in circumstances that called for the utmost in faith,resulting in greater trust in Jesus power to do the impossible.What steps of faith is Jesus calling us to make?How is He calling us to exercise our faith in His power?How is He calling us to trust and act upon the assurance of His love and forgiveness?The growth of faith!Each time we become stronger, we are ready for even greater challenges. Faith can movemountains if it draws upon the love and power of The Lord.

73CHAPTER 8

74JESUS SENDS OUT THE TWELVELuke 9:1-9Here we have the Lord's instructions to His twelve apostles, when He sent them forth the firsttime to preach the Gospel:“ When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power andauthority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sentthem out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (9:1-2).This passage is one which throws light on the work of Christian ministers in every age. While themiraculous power which the apostles possessed made them unique among their contemporaries, yet it is apromise for all of us who are willing to be used of God. The authority and power belongs to all God’speople (Mt 28:18).The commission to the apostles contained special reference to the devil and physical sickness.We read that Jesus gave them "authority over all demons and to cure diseases."About 130 years ago a minister wrote:“We must not expect him to cast out evil spirits, but we may fairly expectHim to ‘resist the devil and all his works," and to keep up a constant warfareagainst the prince of this world. We must not expect him to work miraculouscures, but we may expect him to take a special interest in all sick people, tovisit them, sympathize with them, and help them, if needful, as far as he can.The minister who neglects the sick members of his flock is no true pastor. Hewho is not warring against the devil, is not a true successor of the apostles.”This is a very limited understanding of the role of a pastor or spiritual shepherd.One of the principal works which the apostles were commissioned to take up was preaching.Repeatedly, we read that our Lord "sent them to preach the kingdom of God," and that "they wentthrough the towns preaching the Gospel" (v. 6).The importance of preaching, as a means of grace, might easily be gathered from this passage,even if it stood alone. It is one of many instances of the high value which the Bible everywhere sets uponpreaching. By it sinners are converted, inquirers lead on, and saints built up. A preaching ministry isabsolutely essential to the health and prosperity of a visible church. The pulpit is the place where the chiefvictories of the Gospel have always been won, and no Church has ever done much for the advancement oftrue religion in which the pulpit has been neglected. A follower of the apostles gives priority to preaching.

75TRAVEL LIGHTLY (9:3)When He sends them forth, our Lord charges His apostles to travel lightly:“ He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread,no money, no extra tunic” (v. 3).In light of other instructions by our Lord, these particular instructions apply only to a specialperiod. There came a day when our Lord Himself told every one who had no sword, to “sell his clothesand buy one." (22:36.) Yet, in part, these instructions contain a lesson for all time. It is a warning againstworldliness and luxurious habits. Christianity has received more damage from its own teachers than it hasfrom anyone else. On no point have its teachers erred so much as in the matter of personal comfort andluxury. They have often destroyed, by their daily lives, the whole work of their lips. Too often ourenemies have been justified in accusing us of the idolatry of comfort and wealth. This is a stumblingblockto skeptics. The preacher whose affections are set on comfort, success and money has clearlymisunderstood his vocation. He has forgotten his Master's instructions. He is not in the tradition of theapostles.EXPECT SKEPTICISM AND OPPOSITION (9:4-6)Then our Lord prepares His disciples to deal with unbelief when they preach:“Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people donot welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town,as a testimony against them." So they set out and went from village tovillage, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere” (vv. 4-6).He speaks of those "who will not receive them" as a class which they must expect to see. He tellsthem how to behave, when not received, as if it was a state of things to which they must make up theirmind.We all need to be reminded not to be discouraged when work seems to be in vain. In such timeswe need to remember that the very first preachers and teachers whom Jesus sent out were sent forth with adistinct warning that not all would believe. Let them work on patiently—and sow the good seed withoutfainting. Duties are theirs. Results are God's. Apostles may plant and water. The Holy Spirit alone cangive spiritual life. The Lord Jesus knows what is in the heart of man. He does not despise his laborersbecause little of the seed they sow bears fruit. The harvest may be small, but every laborer shall berewarded according to his work.

76THE APOSTLES RETURN (9:7-9)As great and powerful as Herod was, the news of our Lord's ministry called his sins toremembrance, and disturbed him even in his royal palace:“ Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he wasperplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised fromthe dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of theprophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘I beheadedJohn. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?’ And he tried to seeHim” (vv. 7-9).Surrounded as he was by everything which is considered to make life enjoyable, the report ofanother preacher of righteousness alarmed him. The recollection of his own wickedness in killing Johnthe Baptist flashed on his mind. He knew he had done wrong. He felt guilty, self-condemned, and selfdissatisfied.The Bible is clear:"The way of transgressors is hard" (Pr 13:15).Herod's sin had found him out. The prison and the sword had silenced John the Baptist's tongue,but they could not silence the voice of Herod's inward man. God's truth can neither be silenced, norbound, nor killed.Conscience is a most powerful part of our natural constitution. It cannot save our souls. It neverleads a man to Christ. It is often blind, and ignorant, and misdirected. Yet conscience often raises amighty testimony against sin in the sinner's heart, and makes him feel that "it is an evil and a bitter thing"to depart from God. Young people ought especially to remember this, and, remembering it, to take heedto their ways. Let them not flatter themselves that all is right, when their sins are past, and done, andforgotten by the world. Let them know that conscience can bring up each sin before the eyes of theirminds, and make it bite like a serpent. Millions will testify at the last day that Herod's experience wastheir own. Conscience called old sins from their graves, and made them walk up and down in their hearts.In the midst of seeming happiness and prosperity they were inwardly miserable and distressed. Happy arethey who have found the only cure for a bad conscience! Nothing will ever heal it but the blood of Christ.PRIVACY AND REST (9:10-12)We also see here the importance of occasional privacy and rest:” When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. ThenHe took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves to a town calledBethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed Him. He welcomed

them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those whoneeded healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to Him and said, ‘Sendthe crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside andfind food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here" (vv. 10-12).We are told, that when the apostles returned from their first ministerial work, our Lord "tookthem and went aside privately into a desert place." We cannot doubt that this was done with a deepmeaning. It was meant to teach the great lesson that those who do public work for the souls of others,must be careful to make time for being alone with God.77The lesson is one which many Christians would do well to remember. Occasional retirement, selfinquiry,meditation, and secret communion with God, are absolutely essential to spiritual health. The manwho neglects them is in great danger of a fall. To be always preaching, teaching, speaking, writing andworking public works, is, unquestionably, a sign of zeal. But it is not always a sign of zeal according toknowledge. It often leads to untoward consequences. We must make time occasionally for sitting downand calmly looking within, and examining how matters stand between our own selves and Christ. Theomission of the practice is the true account of many a backsliding which shocks the Church, and givesoccasion to the world to blaspheme. Many could say with sorrow, in the words of Canticles, "They mademe keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard have I not kept." (Cant. 1:6).We see here also our Lord’s readiness to receive all who come to Him. We are told, that whenthe multitude followed Him into the desert, where He had retired,"He received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healedthose who had need of healing."Uninvited as this intrusion on His privacy seems to have been, it met with no rebuff from ourLord. He was always more ready to give instruction than people were to ask it, and more willing to teachthan people were to be taught.But the incident fits well with all that we read in the Gospels of the gentleness and compassion ofChrist. We never see Him dealing with people according to what they deserve. We never find Himscrutinizing the motives of His hearers, or refusing to allow them to learn of Him, because their heartswere not right in the sight of God. His ear was always ready to hear, and His hand to work, and Histongue to preach. None that came to Him were ever cast out. Whatever they might think of His doctrine,they could never say that Jesus of Nazareth was "an austere man."

78APPLICATIONWe may draw near to Christ with boldness and open our hearts to Him with confidence in Hisinfinite compassion and kindness. The secrets of our personal lives may be such that we would not wantour closest friends to know. Our wounds may be too deep to share with friends. They may require delicatecare. But we do not need to fear anything if we commit all to Jesus. His compassion and kindnessprovides security. As He Himself claimed,"I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Mt 11:29).As God’s servants, we can also avail ourselves of God’s divine power to heal and deliverthose who are ill and bound by demonic powers. In the name of Jesus we have been given authority tomeet the needs of people, no matter what they may be. Therefore, we can move with a sense ofexpectation that God will equip us and use us to His honor and glory.It is easy to become weary with some people, especially people who are unstable and fickle. Letus remember Jesus who "received all," spoke to all, and did good to all. Let us follow His example. AsChrist has dealt with us in compassion, patience and kindness, so let us deal with one with another withthat same compassion and patience and kindness.

79CHAPTER 9

80JESUS FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSANDLuke 9:10-17This is the one miracle, apart from the resurrection, recounted in all four Gospels (Mt 14:13-21;Mk 6:32-44; Jn 6:1-14). This story also made a special appeal to the early church with the motif of theloaves and fish in Christian art.John speaks of it as a "sign":A SIGN (6:26,30-33)“When they found Him on the other side of the lake, they asked Him, ‘Rabbi,when did you get here?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, you are lookingfor Me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loavesand had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that enduresto eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Fatherhas placed His seal of approval. . . .So they asked Him, ‘What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see itand believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert;as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you thebread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread fromheaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and giveslife to the world” (Jn 6:26,30-33).There is symbolism here that goes beyond the food itself:First the story references the feeding of others in the wilderness when God fed HisHebrew children after they were freed from bondage in Egypt.This story also reminds us of Elisha who miraculously fed one hundred men with justtwenty loaves of bread (2 Ki 4:42-44).Here, however, Jesus surpasses Elisha by feeding far more people with even less.This story also reminds us of the Last Supper when Jesus broke bread with His disciples justbefore He is to be crucified. Everyone is welcomed to break bread alongside Jesus because there willalways be enough.

81THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIVACY AND REST (9:10-12)We also see here the importance of occasional privacy and rest:” When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done.Then He took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves to a towncalled Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed Him. Hewelcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healedthose who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to Him andsaid, ‘Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages andcountryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here."(vv. 10-12)We are told, that when the apostles returned from their first ministerial work our Lord "took themand went aside privately into a desert place."After having been commissioned to go out and heal, deliver people from demons, performmiracles and preach the good news of the kingdom (vv. 1-6), the apostles returned from their journey andreported what had happened. Jesus showed consideration by taking them away to a deserted place. Hewanted them to have the opportunity to relax and to refresh themselves. They went to Bethsaida, a placein the general vicinity of that city, described by Luke as a “lonely place" (v. 12), an ideal place for rest.It must have been a disappointment to cross the lake in search of privacy and then to find thatthey had not escaped the crowds. In fact, Mark points out that some of the crowd even went on ahead sothat they were waiting when Jesus and His disciples disembarked.Even though Jesus sought privacy He did not display irritation. Rather, He "welcomed them"and "He spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who needed healing" (v. 11).Those who minister to others must be careful to make time for being alone with God.Occasional times for self-reflection, meditation and waiting on God are absolutely essential to spiritualhealth and vitality. To be always preaching, teaching, speaking, writing, etc. is certainly a sign of zeal, butnot a sign of wisdom. We must make time occasionally for examining our relationship with Christ. Manycan testify with regret the words of Canticles,"They made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard have I not kept."(Cant 1:6)We see here also our Lord’s readiness to receive all who come to Him. We are told, that whenthe multitude followed Him into the desert where He had retired,

"He received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healedthose who had needed healing" (v. 11).82Uninvited as this intrusion on His privacy seems to have been, it met with no rebuff from ourLord. He was always more ready to give instruction than people were to ask it, and more willing to teachthan people were to be taught.Here we see Jesus’ gentleness and compassion. He was always ready to hear, and His hand towork, and His tongue to preach. None that came to Him were ever cast out. Whatever they might think ofHis doctrine, they could never say that Jesus of Nazareth was "an austere man."GOD CAN SUPPLY ANY NEED (9:13-17)When the disciples told Jesus to send the people to the surrounding area to find food and lodging,He replied,"You give them something to eat" (v. 13).They answered, ‘We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unlesswe go and buy food for all this crowd.’” (v. 13).Then Luke points out that “ (About five thousand men were there.)” (v. 14).But He said to His disciples, ‘Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loaves and thetwo fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke them. Then Hegave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and weresatisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces thatwere left over” (vv. 15-17).This incident shows that God can supply any need. God had promised that when the trueShepherd came the desert would become rich pasture where the sheep would be gathered and fed (Eze34:23-31), and here the Messiah feasts with followers in the desert (Isa 25:6-9). Jesus is the Shepherdwho provides for His sheep so that we lack nothing (Ps 23:1).This miracle was possibly also an anticipation of the Messianic banquet, the feast of Messiah withHis people in the coming eschaton.We do not know at what time all this began, but it lasted throughout the rest of the day. Towardsevening the Twelve thought it was time to take action. So they called on Jesus to send the people away. Inthe "lonely place" where they were there was no food, so the crowd must go off to the surroundingcountryside and villages if they were to eat.

83Sending people away was often the disciples' way of handling things. We see them doing this topeople of a bad reputation and to children. Jesus, on the other hand, responded by suggesting that thedisciples give the people what they needed. But they said they had no more than "five loaves and twofish" (Lk 9:13). From John we learn that they were barley loaves (the food of the poor) and that Andrewhad found a small boy with them. Evidently they were the boy's own food supply.Two barley loaves and two fish was not much in the face of the multitude. The Gospel writers tellus that there were five thousand men (males) there that day. Matthew emphasizes this point by adding“besides women and children” (Mt 14:21). When you add women and children you have at least fifteenthousand people. The size of the crowd is amazing in light of the fact that the neighboring towns ofCapernaum and Bethsaida probably had a population of only 2,000 – 3,000 each.The alternative to sending the people off was "to go and buy food." But the disciples saw this asimpossible, both because they were so distant from sources of supply and because they did not have thenecessary financial resources (Philip pointed out that two hundred denarii--eighth month's wages—wouldnot be enough—Jn 6:7).Jesus told the disciples to get all the people seated in groups of about fifty, evidently forconvenience in serving (Lk 9:14-15). But this specific grouping also recalls the order of the Mosaic campin the desert (Ex 18:21).We see here that the same power which “in the beginning” made the world out of nothing, causedfood to exist, which had not existed before. The same hand which sent manna from heaven in thewilderness to feed Israel, was the hand which made five loaves and two fish supply the needs of morethan fifteen thousand people.This miracle is one among many proofs that the Savior of sinners is Almighty God who"calls things that are not as though they were" (Ro 4:17).When God wills something, it shall be done. When He commands a thing, it shall take place. Hecan createlight out of darknessorder out of disorderstrength out of weaknessjoy out of sorrowfood out of nothing

84THANKSGIVING SHOULD BE A WAY OF LIFE (9:16)Jesus began in the way the Jews normally began a meal: He took the food and "looking up toheaven, He gave thanks and broke them" (9:16). Here we see the thankful heart of Jesus. There was aJewish saying that "he who enjoys anything without thanksgiving is as though he robbed God." Theblessing said in every home in Palestine before every meal was,"Blessed are You, Jehovah, our God, King of the world, who causes bread to comeforth from the earth."Jesus would not eat without giving thanks to the Giver of all good gifts. As James puts it,"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father."(Jas 1:17)GENEROSITY (9:16-17)Jesus gave the food to the disciples and they to the people "until all were satisfied"(vv. 16-17). That is to say, they had a full meal and not simply a token. When the meal was over, thedisciples gathered up what was left and took up "twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over"(v. 17).Notice two things about the basketful of leftovers. Jesus provided for all their hunger, all theirneed, and more. Not just enough for them to get by, but more than they needed. Paul put it,“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."(Php 4:19)In John's Gospel account he uses physical food to point to spiritual food as he presents Jesus asThe Bread of Heaven, The Bread of Life (Jn 6:25-59).God has created a world where there is more than enough for all if people will share it.THE IMPORTANCE OF STEWARDSHIPAlso notice that though there was abundant supply there was to be no waste. Here we see thestewardship of our resources. Americans leave more leftovers on their plates than many people in othercountries would wish to have to eat on any given day. This is shameful. We are to care for what we aregiven. Wasting is not caring.

85We see, for another thing, in these verses, a striking emblem of Christ's ability to supply thespiritual needs of mankind. The whole miracle is a picture. We see in it, as in a mirror, some of the mostimportant truths of Christianity. It is, in fact, a great acted parable of the glorious Gospel.APPLICATIONEvery miracle in the Bible is performed in order to meet a need. As we face problems that aremuch too hard for us to solve it gives us opportunities to rely on Him to solve our problems and thus learnto trust Him more.What are we to put our trust in, specifically?1. If we are hungry, we need to trust Him for physical and spiritual bread. We are like thecrowd which surrounded our Lord in the wilderness—poor and helpless and destitute. Without power tosave ourselves and in danger of perishing from spiritual famine.2. As His children, we need to trust Him when He says He wants to use us. Although Hecreated the world with no help from us, since then, He has chosen to use people . . . just plain folks . . .even you and me as His instruments on earth. And our only qualification is that we give Him who we areand what we have.3. After we are fed with the Bread from above, we need to trust that He will enable us to tellothers where there is bread. The message is the same as in the past. Jesus says to His present discipleswhat He said to His past disciples,"Give them something to eat."Christ crucified is the true bread of life!The heart of man can never be satisfied with the things of this world. It is always empty andhungry and thirsty and dissatisfied . . . until it comes to Christ. And it is only those who hear Christ'svoice, and follow Him and feed on Him by faith, who are "filled."4. We can trust God for the impossible. He, and He alone, can bring something out of nothing.He has done it before, and He will do it again, if we trust Him.

86CHAPTER 10

87PETER’S CONFESSION OF CHRISTLuke 9:18-22The report brought by the disciples was the same as the one that reached Herod. AndLuke does not give details about John’s death, which had taken place shortly before this event.The event we are looking at took place to the north, outside Herod’s territory, in thevicinity of Caesarea Philippi.A VARIETY OF OPINIONS ABOUT WHO CHRIST IS (9:18-19)In this passage we see a variety of opinions about our Lord Jesus Christ, which werecommon during His earthly ministry:“ Once when Jesus was praying in private and His disciples were with Him,He asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am? They replied, ‘Some sayJohn the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophetsof long ago has come back to life" (vv. 18-19).The first obvious lesson set before us is the fact that those who undertake great work for Godmust spend time alone with God in prayer (v. 18).The pioneer missionary, William Carey, once said,"Attempt great things for God. Expect great things from God."If we would attempt great things for God and expect great things from God, we must spend timealone with God in praying. In all spiritual endeavors, prayer is the secret to usefulness.During the days of our Lord’s earthly ministry, if you stopped any man or woman on the streetand mentioned Jesus of Nazareth, you would be sure to hear that person’s opinion about him. A multitudeof opinions could be heard in any district. Some were dead sure John the Baptist had been raised from thedead. Others were convinced that Elijah had come back to the earth. Still others were positive thatJeremiah or one of the prophets had been reincarnated! One thing is certain: No one ever mistook Himfor a Scribe, a Pharisee, or a Sadducee!Multitudes know nothing more about the things of God than what they think they have learned byreligious gossip. They content themselves with examining and criticizing everything they hear or read.They cannot make up their own mind what is true and what is not, what is right and what is wrong. Sothey run from one place to another, in the name of truth, wreaking havoc wherever they go, nevercontributing anything anywhere but confusion.

88We are told that some said that He was John the Baptist—some that He was Elijah--and somethat one of the old prophets was risen again. One common remark applies to all these opinions. Allwere agreed that our Lord's doctrine was not like that of the Scribes and Pharisees. All saw in Him a boldwitness against the evil that was in the world.It should never surprise us to find a variety of opinions about Christ in our own day. God's truthdisturbs the spiritually lazy. After all, it requires them to think, reason, speculate, reflect.Thousands in every age spend their lives speculating but never coming to the point of drawingnear to God. Les was about 70 years old and could not make up his mind about what he really believed.Such people often are good at criticizing, fault-finding, speculating but never getting anyfurther—hovering around religion but never settling down to feed on its treasures. They never take up thecross and become thorough Christians. And at last, after all their talking, they die in their sins, unpreparedto meet God.The Christianity that saves is something that is personally grasped, personally experienced andpersonally felt. The Jews in Jesus’ day might have found out, if they had been honest inquirers, that Jesusof Nazareth was neither John the Baptist, nor Elijah, nor an old prophet, but the Christ of God. Thespeculative person in our own day might easily satisfy himself concerning what is needed to experiencesalvation, if he would honestly and humbly seek the teaching of the Spirit. The words of our Lord aretrue:"If any man will do God's will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it beof God." (Jn 7:17).Honest, practical obedience, is the key to knowing the truth!Then Jesus turns to Peter and asks:‘But what about you?’ He asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered,‘The Christ [Messiah] of God’" (Lk 9:20).Peter answered as the spokesman for the disciples. This predicted Deliverer (the Messiah) hadbeen awaited for centuries:“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ).When He comes, He will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I who speak to you amHe’” (Jn 4:25).

When Nathaniel said to Philip that he had found the One whom Moses and the prophets wroteabout, he responded:89“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Jn 1:46)Notice in this passage the knowledge and faith displayed by the Apostle Peter. We read, thatwhen our Lord said to His disciples, "Whom do you say that I am? Peter answering, said, the Christ ofGod."This was a noble confession, and one of which, in these days, we can hardly realize the full value.To estimate it aright we should place ourselves in the position of our Lord's disciples. We should call tomind that the great, and wise, and learned of their own nation, saw no beauty in their Master, and wouldnot receive Him as the Messiah. We should recollect that they saw no royal dignity about our Lord—nocrown—no army—no earthly dominion. They saw nothing but a poor man, who often had no place inwhich to lay his head. And yet it was at this time, and under these circumstances, that Peter boldlydeclares his belief that Jesus is the Christ of God. Truly, this was a great faith! It was mingled, no doubt,with much of ignorance and imperfection. But such as it was, it was a faith that stood alone. He that had itwas a remarkable man, and far in advance of the age in which he lived.We should pray frequently that God would raise up more Christians of the stamp of the apostlePeter. Erring, and unstable, and ignorant of his own heart as he sometimes proved, that blessed apostlewas in some respects one in ten thousand. He had faith, and zeal, and love to Christ's cause, when almostall Israel was unbelieving and cold. We need more men of this sort. We need men who are not afraid tostand alone, and to cleave to Christ when the many are against Him. Such men, like Peter, may err sadlyat times, but in the long run of life will do more good than any. Knowledge, no doubt, is an excellentthing; but knowledge without zeal and warmth will never do much for the world.PETER’S CONFESSION (9:20)“He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, ‘The Christof God’” (v. 20).Peter was, at times, erring and unstable, in some matters ignorant and unbelieving, far too proudand far too quick to action. But when all is said and done, Peter was a remarkable man. In the midst ofunbelieving religionists, when the overwhelming tide of religious opinion was rushing the other way,Peter was confident, loyal, willing to stand alone, and bold because he believed and loved his Savior.Saving faith knows and confesses that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ of God. God’ssalvation is personally experienced, personally felt, personally embraced and personally known. It isnot something bantered about over coffee and doughnuts like politics. It is more, much more thanspeculation and theory. It is life everlasting in Christ.

90JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH (9:21-22)Let us also notice in this passage our Lord's prediction of His own coming death:“ Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And He said, ‘The Sonof Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priestsand teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raisedto life’" (vv. 21-22).Our Lord's prediction shows us that His death upon the cross was the voluntary act of His ownfree will. He was not delivered up to Pilate and crucified because He could not help it, and had no powerto crush His enemies. His death was the result of the eternal counsels of the blessed Trinity. He hadundertaken to suffer for man's sin, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. He had engagedto bear our sins, as our Substitute and He bore them willingly in His own person on the tree. He sawCalvary and the cross before Him all the days of His ministry. He went up to them willingly, knowinglyand with full consent that He might payour debts in His own blood. His death was not the death of a victim who could not escape; but the deathof One who was very God of very God, and had undertaken to be punished in our stead.THE BLINDNESS OF PREJUDICEFor another thing, our Lord's prediction shows us the blinding effect of prejudice on people'sminds. Clear and plain as His words now seem to us, His disciples did not understand them. They heardas though they heard not. They could not understand that Messiah was to be "cut off." They could notreceive the doctrine that their own Master must die. Therefore, when His death really took place, theywere amazed and confounded. Often as He had told them of it, they had never realized it as a fact.Watch and pray against prejudice. Many a zealous man has been grievously misled by it, andhas pierced himself through with many sorrows. Let us beware of allowing traditions, old preconceivednotions, unsound interpretations, baseless theories in religion to find root in our hearts. The only true testof truth is:"What does Scripture say?"

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92THE CONDITIONS OF DISCIPLESHIPLuke 9:23-27“To become a disciple means a decisive and irrevocable turning to both God andneighbor. What follows from there is a journey which . . . never ends in this life,a journey of continually discovering new dimensions of loving God and neighbor.”–David J. BoschIf you asked the average person, “What is a disciple?” “What does it mean to follow Jesus?” whatwould he say? Probably something like• Believe in Him and do good things that He did, that is, follow His example• Love everybody as He didIf you asked the average evangelical the same questions, what would he say? He might saysomething like• Believe in Him, that is, believe what the Bible says about Him• Pray to Him• Attend church to worship and serve Him• Study the Bible to learn more about Him• Give money to support His work• Share our belief in HimNow all these things are good. In fact, they are crucial to spiritual vitality. But what does theBible say about following Jesus, about being His disciple?SELF-DENIAL (9:23)Jesus challenged His followers with these words:“ Then He said to them all: "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himselfand take up his cross daily and follow Me” (v. 23).Self-denial is the first thing Jesus mentions as a condition of discipleship. And in this passageJesus is emphasizing continued action. The word “daily” is not mentioned in the parallel accounts (Mt16:24-16; Mk 8:34). According to Webster’s dictionary, self-denial means “Sacrifice of one's own desiresor interests.” As disciples of Christ, self-denial means

931. To put God and others ahead of ourselves“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with allyour mind and with all your strength . . . and love your neighbor as yourself.”(Mk 12:29-31)2. To withhold or abstain from the pleasures of the world for the sake of Christ“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love ofthe Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, thelust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Fatherbut from the world” (1 Jn 2:15,16).3. To depend on God not on our understanding.“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”(Pr 3:5)4. To deny our own will if it opposes the will of God.“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is” (Eph 3:15).5. To reject our physical appetites when opposed to righteousness“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evildesires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness,but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from deathto life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.”(Ro. 6:12-13)6. To reject our position or status when opposed to God.“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son ofPharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of Godrather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgracefor the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because hewas looking ahead to his reward” (Heb 11:24-26).

947. To be willing to leave every gain for the sake of Christ.“At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he sawtwo other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were ina boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, andimmediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (Mk. 4:20-22).And such self-denial is to be done on a continued, daily basis.DEAD TO SELF, SIN AND THE WORLD (14:27)Self-denial leads to cross-bearing. And the cross speaks of death! A disciple is one who is deadto self, dead to sin, dead to the world:“And anyone who does not carry His cross cannot be My disciple” (v. 27).“If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross andfollow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his lifefor Me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the wholeworld, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Ifanyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation,the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory withthe holy angels” (Mk 8:34-38).“Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before Myfather in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown him beforeMy father in heaven” (Mt 10:32-33).Paul tells us what self-denial and crossbearing means: renouncing what is evil.“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexualimmorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry . . .rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander andfilthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you havetaken off your old self with its practices . . .” (Col 3:5,6,8-9).A disciple is a person who is willing to say “no” to his own desires and ambitions and say “yes”to what God wants.\

95Jesus explains further:“ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Mewill save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose orforfeit his very self?” (Lk 9:24-25).The phrase “whoever loses his life for Me” is a saying of Jesus found in all four gospels and intwo Gospels more than once (Mt 10:38-39; 16:24-25; Mk 8:34-35; Lk 14:26-27; 17:33; and, in slightlydifferent form, Jn 12:25). No other saying of Jesus is given such emphasis!“Forfeiting one’s own soul or self,” says Jesus, is the worst thing we can do. This is why selfdenialis so crucial. For self-denial is the renouncing of all those pleasures, profits, views, connections, orpractices that interfere with the true interests of the soul or self.Risks Physical SafetyHe points out that a disciple is a person who does not try to “save his life,” but “loses his life for(Christ) and for the gospel” (Mk 8:35). This means a disciple is a person who, when threatened, does nottry to save his physical life by denying Jesus and thus suffer the loss of eternal life. Rather he is willing torisk physical life since such loss is insignificant when compared with gaining eternal life.Not Materialistic or GreedyA disciple is also a person who does not try to “gain the whole world” (Mk 8:35) by setting hismind on gaining all the things that could possibly be achieved or acquired in this life. Rather a truefollower of Jesus recognizes that his soul is worth infinitely more than all the money and adulation ofthe world.BOLDNESS IN PREACHING AND TEACHING (9:26-27)Jesus lays down another condition:“If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamedof him when He comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of theholy angels” (v. 26).Boldness is proclaiming the message of Jesus is another condition.

96A follower of Jesus also is not “ashamed of [Christ] and His words” (Mk 8:38). He is not moreconcerned with fitting into and pleasing his own “adulterous and sinful generation” than about followingand pleasing Christ. Like Paul, the disciple of Jesus is “not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power ofGod for the salvation of everyone who believes . . .” (Ro 1:16).“ I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before theysee the kingdom of God" (9:27).There are two main interpretations of this verse:1. It is a prediction of the transfiguration (Mt 16:28-17:8), which happened a week later (Mt17:1) and which demonstrated that Jesus will return in His Father’s glory (Mt 16:27). In thetransfiguration the disciples received a foretaste of what His coming will be like when Hereturns to establish His eternal kingdom (Mt 16:28).2. It refers to the Son of Man’s authority and His kingly reign in His post-resurrectionchurch. Some of His disciples will witness—even participate in—this as described inthe Book of Acts. The context seems to favor the first view.To follow Jesus then requires self-denial, complete dedication, courage and loving obedience.OUR EXAMPLE (Php 2:5-11; Jn 13:12-15)Our Lord is the greatest example of self-denial and crossbearing. Paul speaks to this as he thinksof the cross:“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in verynature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, butmade himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made inhuman likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and becameobedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Php 2:5-11).John captures our Lord’s humble, self-denying spirit as he shares the story of Jesus washing Hisdisciples’ feet:“When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned toHis place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ He asked them.‘You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.

97Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should washone another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have donefor you[‘” (Jn 13:12-15)..APPLICATIONWe must deny ourselves absolutely. This means that we deny the sinful appetites of the bodyfor the benefit of the soul. It also means that we do not gratify our own selfish and self-centered desires,but seek to honor and serve others.As disciples of Christ, we completely dedicate ourselves to worship and serve our crucifiedand risen Lord This means that we courageously and lovingly obey our Lord and Master in everythingwithout regard for our own comfort.

98CHAPTER 12

99THE TRANSFIGURATIONLuke 9:28-36The event described in these verses, commonly called "the transfiguration," is one of the mostremarkable in the history of our Lord's earthly ministry.It is when time met eternity. The past, the present and the future merged into a single event.Biblical history was compressed into one event. This was a voyage into the future and a preview of theKingdom of God.This story throws light on some of the deepest truths of our religion.HOPEA group of psychology students were performing an experiment on lab rats. They placed the ratsin a large tank of water in a room that was completely dark. With special video equipment they observedthe rats to see how long they could stay swimming. After six hours the rats were about ready to drownand had to be rescued. Next they took another group of rats, and placed them in the same tank. This time,however, they allowed for a very small light to shine in the room. These rats were able to stay alive for 17hours! Their conclusion was that the little bit of light made all the difference for the animals. There washope.The transfiguration of Jesus into a dazzling white and God's voice showed to James, John, andPeter that Jesus was truly divine and the Son of God. And, the sermon suggested this transfiguration tookplace relatively close to Jesus' arrest and death—as such, the transfiguration was meant to give these threeapostles the hope that even during the dark days that were soon to come during the arrest, trial and deathof Jesus, that they truly were following the Messiah and that He would rise from the dead—although theydidn't quite understand what rising from the dead meant at this time.It is important for us to remember that we have the knowledge of the full story of Jesus, includinghis resurrection—hindsight is 20/20—but the apostles did not know exactly what was going to happen atthis particular time. The transfiguration was an incredible sign of God's control in all that was happeningand would happen to His Son JesusTHE EVENTLuke points out that “About eight days after” Jesus talked about the conditions of discipleship:“ He took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.”(Lk 9:28)

100The phrase “about eight days” was frequently used to indicate a week (e.g. Jn 20:26; Mt17:1).“Peter, John and James” were also with Jesus at the healing of Jairus’ daughter (Lk 8:51) and inHis last visit to Gethsemane (Mk 14:33).The phrase “onto a mountain” is probably a reference to Mount Tabor believed to be thetraditional sight of the Mount of Transfiguration. Its distance from Caesarea Philippi (the vicinity of thelast scene), its height (about 1,800 feet) and its occupation by a fortress make it unlikely. Mount Hermonfits the context much better by being both closer and higher (over 9,000 feet—Mk 9:2).Luke, as he typically does, points out the place of prayer in an important event.CHRIST’S GLORY (9:29)This passage shows us some of the glory which Christ will have at His second coming:“As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothesbecame as bright as a flash of lightning” (v. 29).The disciples who were with Jesus "saw His glory."No Jewish person could miss the significance of the bright light and the cloud that overshadowedthem. God showed His presence to the ancient Israelites in the form of a bright pillar of fire that appearedover the Tabernacle.This marvelous vision was certainly meant to encourage and strengthen our Lord's disciples.They had just been hearing of the cross and passion, and the self-denial and sufferings to which they mustsubmit themselves, if they would be saved. They were now encouraged by a glimpse of the "glory thatshould follow," and the reward which all faithful servants of their Master would one day receive. Theyhad seen their Master's day of weakness. They now saw, for a few minutes, a pattern and specimen of Hisfuture power.Transformed Resurrection BodiesIn the narrative above, the word "transfigured" is translated from the Greek metamorphoo,meaning "to change into another form." An example from ordinary life is the butterfly that changes froma worm to a colorful creature endowed with the ability to fly. Paul's marvelous words about Jesus’ returnand resurrection of the redeemed are grounded in the transfiguration experience:

101"And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of theheavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom ofGod; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; weshall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,and we shall be changed.For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put onimmortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up invictory.O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Co 15:49-55).The word "changed" refers to being transformed into something entirely different. Of course,before Paul wrote these words, he had personally witnessed the risen and glorified Christ. And it is likelythat he had also heard of the disciples' testimony concerning the transfiguration experience. They hadtestified of the change that would take place.Then Luke points to God’s representatives:GOD’S REPRESENTATIVES (9:30-31)“ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus.They spoke about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfillmentat Jerusalem” (vv. 30-31).When our Lord appeared in glory, Moses and Elijah were seen with Him, standing and speakingwith Him. Moses had been dead nearly fifteen hundred years. Elijah had been taken up by a whirlwindfrom the earth more than nine hundred years before this time (2 Ki 2:11). Yet here these holy men wereseen once more alive, and not only alive, but in glory!In this account of the heavenly visitors, Moses and Elijah, the disciples seemed to have nodifficulty at all in recognizing instantly who these men were. Jesus did not say, "Now, Peter, James,and John, I'd like you to meet Moses and Elijah." No, they knew instantly who they were. There will beno need for introductions in glory.Moses, the great Old Testament lawgiver and deliverer, and Elijah, the representative of theprophets (2 Ki 2:11). Moses’ work had been finished by Joshua and Elijah’s by Elisha (another Hebrewform of the name Joshua). They now spoke with Jesus (whose Hebrew name was Joshua) about the

102“exodus” He was about to accomplish, by which He would deliver His people from the bondage of sinand bring to fulfillment the work of both Moses and Elijah(1 Ki 19:16).Elijah had been honored eminently by being translated and by being made the model of theforerunner of the Messiah (Mal 4:5; Lk 1:17; Mt 11:14). And the body of Moses was probably raisedagain, as a pledge of the resurrection; and as Christ is to come to judge the quick and the dead, “for weshall not all die, but all shall be changed,” (1 Co 15:51), He probably gave the full representation of thisin the person of Moses, who died, and was thus raised to life, (or appeared now as he shall appear whenraised from the dead in the last day), and in the person of Elijah, who never tasted death.Both their bodies exhibit the same appearance, to show that the bodies of glorified saintsare the same, whether the person had been translated, or whether he had died. It was a constant andprevalent tradition among the Jews, that both Moses and Elijah should appear in the times of the Messiah,and the disciples refer to this very tradition (Mt 17:10). We may conceive that the law in the person ofMoses, the great Jewish legislator, and the prophets in the person of Elijah, the chief of the prophets,came now to do homage to Jesus Christ, and to render up their authority into his hands; as he was the endof the law, and the grand subject of the predictions of the prophets. This appears more particularly fromwhat St. Luke (9:31) says, that Moses and Elijah conversed with our Lord on His death, which He wasabout to accomplish, (to fulfill), because in it, all the rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices of the law, as wellas the predictions of the prophets, were fulfilled.A LIFE TO COMEIt is also comforting to know that there is a resurrection and a life to come. All is not over,when the last breath is drawn. There is another world beyond the grave. In the meantime our security is inChrist.There is much about their present condition, no doubt, which is deeply mysterious:Where is their location?What knowledge do they have about things on earth?These are questions we cannot answer. But what we do know is that Jesus is taking care of them,and will bring them with Him at the last day. He showed Moses and Elijah to His disciples on the Mountof Transfiguration, and He will show us all who have fallen asleep in Him, at His second advent. Ourbrethren and sisters in Christ are in good keeping. They are not lost, but gone before us.

103THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS SHOW INTEREST IN SALVATIONThis passage shows us that the Old Testament saints in glory took a deep interest in Christ'satoning death. We are told that when Moses and Elijah appeared in glory with our Lord on the Mount ofTransfiguration, they "talked with Him." And what was the subject of their conversation? We are notobliged to make conjectures and guesses about this. Luke tells us, "they spoke of His decease, which Heshould accomplish at Jerusalem." They knew the meaning of that death. They knew how much dependedon it. Therefore they "talked" about it.It is a grave mistake to suppose that holy men and women under the Old Testament knew nothingabout the sacrifice which Christ was to offer up for the sin of the word. Their light, no doubt, was far lessclear than ours. They saw things afar off and indistinctly, which we see close at hand. But there is not theslightest proof that any Old Testament saint ever looked to any other satisfaction for sin, but that whichGod promised to make by sending Messiah. From Abel downwards the whole company of old believersappear to have been resting on a promised sacrifice yet to be revealed. From the beginning of the worldthere has never been but one foundation of hope and peace for sinners—the death of an AlmightyMediator between God and man. That foundation is the center truth of all revealed religion. It was thesubject of which Moses and Elijah were seen speaking when they appeared in glory. They spoke of theatoning death of Christ.The Ground of Our Confidence (9:32)We need to be reminded that this death of Christ is the ground of all our confidence. Nothingelse will give us comfort in the hour of death and the Day of Judgment. Our own works are all defectiveand imperfect. Our sins outnumber the hairs of our heads (Ps 40:12). Christ dying for our sins, and risingagain for our justification, must be our only plea if we wish to be saved.Happy is that person who finds glory in nothing but the cross of Christ!Luke points out that the disciples were “very sleepy:“ Peter and His companions were very sleepy, but when they became fullyawake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him” (v. 32).Perhaps the event was at night.PETER’S REQUEST (9:33)The account then focuses on Peter’s request:

104“As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to Him, "Master, it is goodfor us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one forMoses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)” (v. 33).Peter may have desired to erect new tents of meeting where God could again communicate withHis people (Ex 29:42). Or he may have been thinking of the booths used at the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev23:42). He seemed eager to find fulfillment of the promised glory then, prior to the sufferings that Jesushad announced as necessary.The three shelters were temporary structures to prolong the visit of the three important persons:lawgiver, prophet and Messiah. The idea was not appropriate, however, because Jesus had a work tofinish in His few remaining days on earth.THE HOLY ONE (9:34-35)In this passage we also see the immense distance between Christ and all other teachers whomGod has given to man.“ While He was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and theywere afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying,‘This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him’" (vv. 34-35).Then there is the voice that speaks:"This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him" (Mt 17:5).Note two things about this. Jesus is the Son in whom He (the Father) is well-pleased. There isn’ttoo much about this world that pleases God, and when there is, it has something to do with Jesus. Jesus isthe one God sent to save this world through His own death and resurrection.God directs His disciples to focus their attention on Jesus and His words,"Listen to Him."Peter would later say that in this miracle the "prophetic word was made more certain"(2 Pe 2:19). John, in his Gospel, would write,"We beheld His glory, glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace andtruth" (Jn 1:14).The transfiguration was a miracle that drew their attention to Jesus.

“The Chosen One” related to a Jewish title found in Dead Sea Scrolls literature, and possiblyechoing Isaiah 42:1.105Reproof and InstructionWe are told that when Peter “did not know what he said," he proposed to make three tabernacleson the mount, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, as if all three deserved equal honor, thisproposal was at once rebuked in a remarkable way—"There came a voice out of the cloud, saying,“This is my beloved Son, hear Him."That voice was the voice of God the Father, conveying both reproof and instruction. That voiceproclaimed to Peter's ear that however great Moses and Elijah might be, there stood One before him fargreater than they. They were but servants; He was the King's Son. They were but stars; He was the Sun.They were but witnesses; He was the Truth.THE DISCIPLES ARE QUIET ABOUT THE GREAT EVENT (9:36)“ When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The discipleskept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen” (v. 36).Let us never be satisfied unless the Spirit witnesses within us that we hear Christ Himself, and areHis disciples.APPLICATIONThere are four dramatic—truly remarkable—occurrences in this account that has captured ourattention:1. The glorious change in the person of the Lord Himself: Suddenly, as they were with Jesusthere on that mountain, His countenance altered. His face began to shine, Hisclothes became white, and His whole being radiated glory.2. Jesus’ rejects Peter’s proposal because His mission was not finished.They could not afford to stay in the huddle of fellowship when there were people to bring into theKingdom.3. They were overshadowed with a cloud. Could this have been the identical cloud—the pillarof fire—the Israelites experienced in the desert?

106It speaks to mystery and God’s provision—His guidance—as we wander through this world assojourners.4. We should respond in awe and wonder. Such a preview of glory should lead us to standback in awe as we reflect on who God is and what He has planned for us.

107CHAPTER 13

108THE HEALING OF A BOY WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRITLuke 9:37-45The event of the miraculous deliverance of a boy with an unclean spirit took place immediatelyafter the transfiguration. Jesus did not stay very long on the Mount of Olives. His communion with Mosesand Elijah was short. He quickly resumed His work of doing good to a needy world. To minister toothers, to heal all who were oppressed by the devil, to do acts of mercy to sinners, was the rule.Jesus had been on the mountain over night. But when He came down on the next day with Histhree disciples, He came upon an excited scene. In the first place, a great many people came to meet Him.And out of the crowd, as it drew near, one man came forward and cried to Him with a loud voice, in apitiful prayer. He wanted Jesus to look upon his only son, with a view to helping him.Happy are those Christians who have learned of Jesus to live for others more than for themselves,and who understand that it is "more blessed to give than to receive" (Ac 20:35).A POWER ENCOUNTER (9:37-40)As soon as Jesus came back from the mountain, He was faced with a power encounter:“ The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met Him.A man in the crowd called out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he ismy only child. A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws himinto convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him andis destroying him. I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”(9:37-40)EVIL SPIRITS CAN CAUSE VARIOUS SYMPTOMSThis evil spirit was causing seizures (Mt 17:15) and a speechless condition (Mt 9:17).Evil spirits were responsible for many kinds of affliction such as:Mental Disorders“Many of them said, ‘He is raving mad. Why listen to Him? But others said, ‘Theseare not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes ofthe blind?’” (Jn 10:20-21)Violent Action“They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee.When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. Fora long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the

109tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of hisvoice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don'ttorture me!" For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Manytimes it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept underguard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitaryplaces” (8:26-29).Bodily Disease“. . . a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. Shewas bent over and could not straighten up at all” (13:11,16).Rebellion Against God“They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs and they go out to the kingsof the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.”(Rev 16:14)Here is an example of what a parent should do when he is troubled about his children. Weare told of a man in severe distress about his only son. This son was possessed by an evil spirit, andgrievously tormented by him, both in body and soul. In his distress the father makes appeals to our Lordfor relief. "Master," he says,"I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only child."There are many Christian fathers and mothers at this day who are just as miserable about theirchildren as the man of whom we are reading. The son who was once the "desire of their eyes," and inwhom their lives were bound up, turns out a spendthrift, a profligate, and a companion of sinners. Thedaughter who was once the flower of the family, and of whom they said, "This girl shall be the comfort ofour old age," becomes self-willed, worldly minded and a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God.Their hearts are well near broken. The iron seems to enter into their souls. The devil appears to triumphover them, and rob them of their choicest jewels. They are ready to cry, "I shall go to the grave sorrowing.What good shall my life do to me?"Now what should a father or mother do in a case like this? They should do as the man before usdid, they should go to Jesus in prayer, and cry to Him about their child. Great is the power of prayer andintercession! The child of many prayers shall seldom be cast away. God's time of conversion may not beours. He may think fit to prove our faith by keeping us long waiting. But so long as a child lives, and aparent prays, we have no right to despair about that child's soul.

110JESUS’ “IMPATIENT” RESPONSE TO THE DISCIPLES (9:41)On the one hand it seems that Jesus is getting impatient with His disciples, yet gracious tothis afflicted son:"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall Istay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here" (v. 41).We often see this so-called frustration in the Old Testament as God relentlessly reachesout to His people. Here are a few examples:“O my people who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians, who beat youwith a rod and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did” (Isa 10:24).“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel andcome from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord andinvoke the God of Israel—but not in truth or righteousness” (Isa 48:1).“Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall!(Hos 14:1)“O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?” (Hos 14:8)JESUS COMPASSION FOR THE SON (9:42-43)Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child and gave him back to his father. We have manysimilar cases in the Gospels:The daughter of JairusThe nobleman's son at CapernaumThe daughter of the woman from CanaanThe widow's son at NainThese are all instances of our Lord's interest in those who are young. The young are exactly thosewhom the devil seeks to lead captive and make His own. The young seem to have been exactly the peoplewhom our Lord took a special delight in helping. It was three young men—Meshach, Shadrach andAbednego—that He plucked out of the very jaws of death.Luke describes the deliverance of this boy in graphic detail:

111“ Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in aconvulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil [unclean] spirit, healed the boy andgave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.”(vv. 42-43)Why couldn’t the disciples drive out the demonic spirits?JESUS PREDICTS HIS BETRAYAL (9:43-45)“While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, He said to His disciples,‘Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going tobe betrayed into the hands of men" (vv. 43-44).The people were greatly astonished at the compassion and majesty of God which wasrevealed in the power evidenced by such a miracle.While they were all wondering about the great deed which Jesus had performed, Jesusgives them another prediction of His coming betrayal:“ But the hand of him who is going to betray Me is with Mine on the table” (22:21).This, of course, is a reference to Judas, the betrayer.“ But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, sothat they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.” (9:45).We have, lastly, in these verses, an example of the spiritual ignorance which may be foundeven in the hearts of good men. We are told that our Lord said to His disciples, "The Son of man shallbe delivered into the hands of men." They had heard the same thing from His lips little more than a weekbefore. But now, as then, the words seemed lost upon them. They heard as though they heard not. Theycould not realize the fact that their Master was to die. They could not realize the great truth that Christwas to be "cut off" before He was to reign, and that this cutting off was a literal death upon the cross. It iswritten, "They understood not this saying"—"it was hidden from them," they perceived it not."We forget the enormous difference between the position we occupy who know the history of thecrucifixion and the Scriptures which it fulfilled, and the position of a believing Jew who lived beforeChrist died and the veil was rent in two. Whatever we may think of it, the ignorance of the disciplesshould teach us two useful lessons, which we shall all do well to learn. For one thing, let us realize thatpeople may have a very limited understand of spiritual things and yet be true children of God. The headmay be very dull when the heart is right. Grace is far better than gifts, and faith than knowledge. If aperson has faith and grace enough to give up all for Christ's sake, and to take up the cross and followHim, he shall be saved in spite of much ignorance.

112APPLICATIONWe need to learn to be patient with those who are new in the faith. We need to be careful thatwe do not judge those who are ignorant in spiritual things. The most important things is not whether aperson possesses great knowledge, but whether he has faith in Christ and whether he displays the loveChrist. These are the principal things. Since Jesus endured ignorance and weakness in His disciples, weneed to do the same.

113CHAPTER 14

114WHO WILL BE THE GREATEST?Luke 9:46-50“The highest of distinctions is service to others.”--King George VI“The greatest service of all is service to others!”--AnonymousA man who had been married for ten years told a marriage counselor, “When I was first married,I was very happy. I’d come home from a hard day down at the shop, and my little dog would run aroundbarking, and my wife would bring my slippers.”“Now,” he continued, “everything has changed.”“How is that?” the counselor inquired.He answered, “Now when I come home, my dog brings my slippers, and my wife comesbarking.”“I don’t know what you are complaining about,” said the counselor. “You’re still getting the sameservice.”get.In a day where there is a definite shortage of service, I guess we ought to be glad for any we canJESUS’ WARNINGSWe see two important warnings. They are directed against two of the most common evils, notonly in the world, but in the Church of Christ. He who gave them knew well what was in the heart ofman. Well would it have been for the Church of Christ, if His words in this passage had received moreattention!Whereas Jesus was concerned about teaching what it means to follow Him, the apostles werebickering, in petty jealousy, about rank in their own midst. Luke does not relate that Jesus asked themabout their dispute, being content to point out the lesson which Jesus taught.THE ROOT OF ALL SIN: PRIDE (9:46)In the first place, the Lord Jesus gives us a warning against pride and conceit:

115“ An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be thegreatest” (v. 46).Fishermen and publicans were not beyond self-seeking, selfish ambition and pride. With theirnotion that our Lord's kingdom was to appear immediately, they were ready to fight for the place ofprominence in God’s kingdom. Each thought that whatever place was assigned to his fellow disciple, theprimary place ought to be assigned to himself. And all this happened in the company of Christ Himself.Such is the heart of man! Human nature in the raw!Of all sins there is none which we need to watch for and pray against as pride. No sin is as deeplyrooted in our nature. It cleaves to us like our skin. No sin is as deceitful. It often wears the clothes ofhumility. It lurks in the hearts of the ignorant and the poor as well as in the minds of the great, the learnedand the rich.JAMES, JOHN AND THEIR MOTHER (10:35-37)Mark tells us about a couple of the disciples who were filled with ambition and hunger forposition and power.“Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. ‘Teacher,’ they said,‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’ ‘What do you want Me to do foryou?’ He asked. They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at yourleft in your glory’” (10:35-37).Jesus challenged them by asking whether they were able to share in His suffering. Theyresponded in the affirmative. Even so, Jesus told them that such a decision was left in the hands of Godthe Father.They didn’t get anywhere. So probably at their urging, or because of their mother’s pride in herboys, or both, Mrs. Zebedee also went to Jesus to make such a request. Here we see a mother and her twosons more interested in being served and honored than in serving.Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons, came to Jesus with her sons and kneeling down, asked afavor of Him.“What is it you want?” He asked.She said, ‘Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your leftin your kingdom’ (Mt 20:20-21).

116Here we have the mother of James and John making the request of Jesus to look after her sons.Wouldn’t any normal mother want the best for her children? What loving mother would not look out foropportunities for promotion for her sons? After all, Mrs. Zebedee’s sons were special. If anyone deservedto share the throne with Jesus it was her sons. They had given up their fishing to follow Jesus. Theybelonged to the Twelve. What better candidates?The context for this request was Jesus’ announcement that He would be going to Jerusalem to bebetrayed by the chief priests and the teachers of the law. He told them that He would be condemned todeath, which would be preceded by being mocked and flogged. He even told them the kind of death Hewas to experience: crucifixion—the most cruel and gruesome death designed by man. And He alsoassured them that He would be raised to life on the third day.Mrs. Zebedee’s request for promotion and honor came at such an untimely occasion. At themoment when Jesus was sharing with His followers the excruciating days that were before Him, Jamesand John’s mother talked about personal gain for her two sons. A very representative picture of humannature!But we also see human nature stripped of its marks in the case of the other disciples. They reactedvehemently to such a selfish request. Matthew admits, “When the ten heard about this, they wereindignant with the two brothers” (Mt 20:24).Why were they so upset? Was it because they saw the selfish nature of the request as an offenseto Jesus?No! They were indignant because of their own envy and greed. They wanted those positions.They were not going to sit by and see James and John’s mother grab positions of glory for her sons.JESUS’ REACTIONWhat was Jesus’ reaction to such a request? He challenged her: “You don’t know what you areasking . . .” Jesus responded by telling her that His kingdom was of a different kind. To share in Hiskingdom meant suffering: “You will indeed drink from My cup . . .” You are guaranteed to share inMy sufferings Jesus said, “but to sit at My right or left is not for Me to grant.” Then He let them knowthat such a decision belongs to God the Father (Mt 20:22-23).How this must have disappointed Mrs. Zebedee! When she wanted to talk about power, authorityand glory, Jesus talked about suffering.

117A LESSON FROM A LITTLE CHILDAs Jesus was standing in the middle of His disciples, He took a little child and placed it besideHim. Then he told them that by receiving this little child they would receive Him, and therefore also Himwho sent Him:“ Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside Him.Then He said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my namewelcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me.For He who is least among you all--He is the greatest" (9:47-48).Those small and insignificant in the eyes of the world are great in the eyes of Jesus!Then Jesus states the great paradox—the apparent contradiction—that he who is the leastrecognized of all is great in the kingdom of God. He who is satisfied with the lowest position—as long ashe can serve his Master—he has the qualities that belongs to true greatness—greatness in God’s eyes.

118Matthew points to Jesus as He continued to explain the radical nature of His new movement toHis disciples.“Jesus called them together and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lordit over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so withyou. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, andwhoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did notcome to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.’”(Mt 20:25-27)The specific levels of authority found in society, then and now, do not apply to the kingdom ofGod. In secular society there are leaders and authorities who are served and followers and workers whoserve. In the kingdom of God all serve.Jesus turned the world’s view of greatness upside down. He did so by redefining greatness:• “. . . whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himselfwill be exalted” (Mt 23:12).• “. . . whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, andwhoever wants to be first must be your slave (Mt 20:26-27).• “. . . whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mk 10:44).• “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”(Mk 9:35)• “. . . the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who ruleslike the one who serves” (22:26).• “. . . he who is least among you all—he is the greatest” (9:48).The greatness of a Christian is not according to office, status, degrees or reputation, but accordingto how he or she functions as a servant.The world cannot always understand our profession of faith, but it can understand serviceof love.We do not do God a favor by serving Him. He honors us by allowing us to serve Him.

119A BIGOTED, EXCLUSIVE ATTITUDE (9:49-50)In the second place, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us a warning against a bigoted attitude:"’Master,’ said John, ‘we saw a man driving out demons in your name and wetried to stop him, because he is not one of us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus said,‘for whoever is not against you is for you’" (vv. 49-50).Who this man was, and why he did not associate with the disciples, we do not know. But we doknow that he was doing a good work in casting out demons, and that he was doing what he did in thename of Jesus.Surprisingly Jesus does not give an opinion on the conduct of the man of whom John speaks. Heneither praises nor blames him for following an independent course working with His disciples. Hesimply declares that he must not be forbidden, and that those who work the same kind of work should beregarded not as enemies, but allies."He that is not against us is for us."But because this man did not jump through the religious hoops of the disciples, they were readyto stop him in his tracks.And yet John says, "we tried to stop him."Jesus’ reply may seem striking,"Do not stop him—for whoever is not against you is for you" (v. 50).John tells the Lord that either on their missionary journey or more recently, some of them,probably he and James, had seen a man casting out demons in the name of Jesus.The disciples saw this as interference with their rights and an insult to their Master. But Jesusinstructs them differently. It was far better for the exorcists to be using His name than to be relying uponincantations of demons.The chances were that this man believed in Jesus as the Messiah, but he had not yet gained theunderstanding that he ought to join the disciples of Jesus and follow after Him.This judgment of Christ contains an instruction for all of us to have patience with our weakbrethren and sisters. They have faith in their hearts and confess the name of Jesus, but are not yet so faradvanced as to be on a level with established Christians. But the Lord will give them furtherenlightenment, and it is not for us to set limits too arbitrarily.

120In every period of church history, we have seen this conduct of John and the disciples. They haveworked to stop people who will not work for Christ in their way, from working for Christ at all. In theirpetty self conceit they seem to think that no one can be a soldier of Christ unless he wears their uniformand fights in their particular army. They are quick to judge and ostracize those who do not see everythingthe way they do.. The schisms and separations which are continually arising in the church such as churchgovernment, styles of worship, the role of women, etc. are very perplexing to many.What then ought we to do? Those who do not agree with us must be left alone until God brings ustogether. Whatever we may think of our divisions, the words of our Lord must never be forgotten:"Do not stop them."The problem is:“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1 Co 13:12).No individual, church or denomination on earth has an absolute monopoly on truth orwisdom. People may be mostly right, without agreeing with us.We need to learn to be thankful if sin is opposed and the Gospel preached. And this was Paul’sargument in the church at Philippi:“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out ofgoodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defenseof the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But whatdoes it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from falsemotives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice” (Php 1:15-18).These preachers are not to be viewed as being heretical. Their message is true, even though theirmotives are not pure. The gospel has its objectivity and validity apart from those who proclaim it.Contrary to what Marshall McLuhan said,“The medium is not the message!”The message is more than the medium.

121God’s work may not be done exactly in the way we like. But that does not mean that people arenot true followers of Jesus Christ. People may not see everything the way we do, but that does not meanthey are wrong.In essentials: unityIn nonessentials: freedomIn everything: lovePaul emphasizes the importance of personal conviction in disputable matters of conduct (Ro14:14,16,22-23). There is conduct in the Christian life that is not necessarily sinful (e.g. food regulations,drink, holy days, etc.). With regard to such matters, decisions should be guided by conscience (Ro 14:1-23).We ought to praise God if souls are converted and Christ is magnified--no matter who thepreacher may be, and to what church or denomination he may belong.As Paul said,“If Christ be preached, I rejoice!” (Php 1:18)If people are delivered, I rejoice!

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123A SAMARITAN VILLAGE REJECTS JESUSLuke 9:51-56There is no doubt what was in the disciples' minds. This was the fulfillment of Zechariah'sprophecy given centuries earlier:“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!Your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and ridingon an ass, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraimand the war horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shallcommand peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from theRiver to the ends of the earth” (Zec 9:9-10).The long-awaited Messiah had come, the king of Israel, and not just of Israel but of all the earth.Jerusalem would be His capital city. From here He would rule the world in peace and righteousness. Whata day this was! How their hearts must have pounded in their chests! And must not their hands have beensweaty like warriors in readiness just before the bugle sounds the battle! How would he do it? Would Hewhip up the enthusiastic crowds and storm the Roman praetorium which would be a people's revolution?Or would He call down fire from heaven to consume the enemies of God? Would any of His followers belost in the struggle? The tension of the moment must have been tremendous!life:Luke describes the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem at the beginning of that last week of his earthly“ As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out forJerusalem.” (9:51).The Lord has repeatedly told His disciples that He would be rejected by the Jews and specificallyby the Jewish religious leaders. He is now resolutely headed toward Jerusalem, where His rejection anddeath were soon to take place. On the way to this city which would reject her King, the Lord passesthrough Samaria. The determination of our Lord reflected in verse 51 is similar to that described in Johnchapter 4, where John tells his reader that Jesus “had to go through Samaria” (Jn 4:4). In this particulartown, the Lord and His disciples were rejected, not because they were Jews so much as that they wereheaded for Jerusalem.When you think of Jesus' resolution to die, that he had a nature like ours. He shrunk back frompain like we do. He would have enjoyed marriage and children and grandchildren and a long life andesteem in the community. He had a mother and brothers and sisters. He had special places in themountains. To turn his back on all this and set his face towards vicious whipping and beating and spittingand mocking and crucifixion was not easy. It was hard. O how we need to use our imagination to putourselves back into his place and feel what He felt. I don't know of any other way for us to begin to knowhow much He loved us.

124"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."(Jn 15:13)If we were to look at Jesus' death merely as a result of a betrayer's deceit and the Sanhedrin'senvy and Pilate's spinelessness and the soldiers' nails and spear, it might seem very involuntary. Jesus wasnot accidentally entangled in a web of injustice. The saving benefits of His death for sinners were not anafterthought. God planned it all out of infinite love to sinners like us and appointed a time. Jesus, whowas the very embodiment of his Father's love for sinners, saw that the time had come and set his face tofulfill his mission: to die in Jerusalem for our sake:"No one takes my life from me (he said), but I lay it down of my own accord" (Jn 10:18).So Jesus sets out for Jerusalem and Luke points out that“And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get thingsready for Him; but the people there did not welcome Him, because He washeading for Jerusalem” (Lk 9:52-53).This rejection is just because Jesus and his companions are Jews and Samaritans hate Jews, orwhether the rejection is a more personal rejection of Jesus as the Messiah on His way to reign inJerusalem. What matters for the story is simply that Jesus is already being rejected.Then the focus shifts to the disciples' response, specifically the response of James and John.The disciples' understanding of Jesus' kingship at this point is flawed. But hastening events willcorrect that soon enough. In essence they are correct. Jesus is the king of Israel and the kingdom He isinaugurating will bring peace to all the nations and spread from sea to sea. The book of Revelationpictures the final fulfillment of Palm Sunday in the age to come like this:“I looked and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from everynation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne andbefore the Lamb clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, andcrying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon thethrone, and to the Lamb!" (Rev 7:9-10)The entry into Jerusalem with waving palms (Jn 12:13) was a short-lived preview of the eternalPalm Sunday to come. It needed to be said. If the disciples hadn't said it the rocks would have.Our worship in this age as rehearsal for the Age to Come!One day we will join the millions from all continents and nations praising God.

125Their understanding of Jesus' last journey to Jerusalem was flawed. They saw Him as a kingmoving in to take control. And He was. But they could not grasp that the victory Jesus would win inJerusalem over sin and Satan and death and all the enemies of righteousness and joy—that this victorywould be won through His own horrible suffering and death; and that the kingdom which they thoughtwould be established immediately (19:11) would, in fact, be thousands of years in coming. And theirmisunderstanding of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem results in a misunderstanding of the meaning ofdiscipleship.For Jesus, Jerusalem meant certain death. He was not under any illusions of a quick and heroicdeath. He predicted in Luke 18:32-33:"Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Sonof Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to theGentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they willscourge him and kill him . . ."When Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem, He set His face to die.“ When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want usto call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?’ But Jesus turned and rebukedthem, and they went to another village” (9:54-56).Jesus’ kingdom was to be extended by patient continuance in well doing, and by meekness andgentleness in suffering, but never by violence and severity.No saying of our Lord's, perhaps, has been so totally overlooked by the church of Christ as thatwhich is now before us. Nothing can be imagined more contrary to the will of Christ than the religiouswars and persecutions which disgrace the annals of church history. Thousands and tens of thousands havebeen put to death for their religion's sake all over the world. Thousands have been burned, or shot, orhanged, or drowned, or beheaded, in the name of the Gospel, and those who have slain them have actuallybelieved that they were doing God service! Unhappily, they have only shown their own ignorance of thespirit of the Gospel, and the mind of Christ.Shameful DeedsBut what about the atrocities committed in the name of Christianity? The most commonlymentioned are: the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Salem Witch Trials, anti-Semitism and the Exploitationby Missionaries.

126The CrusadesIt is true that Christian Crusaders tried to expel the Muslims from the Holy Land for twocenturies. An eyewitness describes the horrible account of the Crusader’s invasion of Jerusalem:“Some of our men . . . cut off the heads of their enemies; others shot them witharrows, so that they fell from the towers; other tortured them longer by castingthem into the flames. . . . It was necessary to pick one’s way over the bodies ofmen and horses. But these were small matters compared to what happened atthe Temple of Solomon (where) . . . men rode in blood up to their knees andbridle reins. Indeed it was a just and splendid judgment of God that this placeshould be filled with the blood of the unbelievers, since it has suffered so longfrom their blasphemies.”Pope Urban II launched the first crusade in A.D. 1095, when he gave a very famous sermon andthe crowds responded by declaring, “God wills it!” This is how the Crusades started which lasted for twocenturies. The Christians were called to go to the Holy Land and retrieve it from the Muslims who wereconsidered enemies of Christ. After much bloodshed Jerusalem was back in the hands of the Muslims by1187 and the last Christian stronghold in the Holy Land lost to the Muslims was in 1291.In addition to the terrible violence was the warped theology that motivated much of the Crusades.Pope Innocence III actually instructed people that if they went on the Crusades, that it could earntheir salvation. Even if they sent someone to fight in their place they would be rewarded with salvation.Such distortion of biblical teaching shows how corrupt the institutional church of that time was. It left anugly and lasting scar on the Christian religion.There is no denying then that horrible things took place during the Crusades. They need to beconfessed as totally contrary to the teachings of historic Christianity. While the institutional church of thattime deserves criticism, it does not follow that Christianity as a whole does. It is not Jesus’ teachings thatare at fault, but the actions of those who strayed from what Jesus clearly taught. Did not Jesus repeatedlyteach that we are to love our enemies? And who was ever as outspoken against hypocrisy and cruelty asJesus? To denounce the hypocrisy and violence of the church of that time is to agree with Jesus, whowould be the first to condemn such heartless action.The InquisitionThere were basically three waves of Inquisitions. A.D. 1163 marks the beginning or first wave ofthe Inquisition. It began with Pope Alexander III instructing bishops to look for evidence of heresy andthereby take action against heretics. The result was a campaign of terror in which secret proceedingsbypassed due process as accused men and women were kept ignorant of their accusers, with no defenseattorneys. Instead torture was used to extract confessions and those who refused to repent were turnedover to the government to be burned at the stake.

127It was the papacy’s concern about the problem of heresy that fueled the Inquisition, especially insouthern France among the Albigenses. Although it is true that the Albigenses were guilty of teachingsand practices that were considered heretical by church standards and that they were impervious tomissionary efforts, that does not excuse the church’s extreme use of authority to try to force confessionand conversion and thus keep such heresy from spreading elsewhere. From a political point of view therewere also reasons to invade since northern France was looking for any excuse to intervene in the southernprovinces.The second wave began in 1472 when Isabella and Ferdinand helped establish the SpanishInquisition, which also had the Pope’s authority behind it. The third wave began in 1542 when Pope PaulIII decided to hunt down Protestants, especially Calvinists. This meant that Catholics who calledthemselves Christians were persecuting Protestants who also called themselves Christians.Although it is difficult to surmise the identities of all those who died, it is likely that there weremany who were upholding the true faith. After all, the Roman Catholic Church had lost her way inlaunching these inquisitions. This is not to deny that Protestants have also been guilty of usinginappropriate means to suppress heresy.The Inquisition is a tragedy that cannot be erased from church history. But it is not representativeof the history of the Christian church. It was an anomaly. After all, for much of their existence, Christianchurches have been in the minority and thus hardly in a position to persecute anyone. Rather, Christianshave been the victims of persecution throughout the ages including our own time. Actually there havebeen more Christian martyrs in the 20 th century than in any other. To this very day Christians are beingkilled for their faith at unprecedented numbers. It is estimated that 150,000 martyrs were killed for theirfaith per year since 1991, and 100 million martyrs in this so-called “modern” 20 th century. There havebeen more people martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ in the 20 th century than in all the previousnineteen combined. More people have died in circumstances related to their faith in this century than inall the 20 th century wars combined.The Salem Witch TrialsChristian hysteria is associated with the Salem Witch Trials at the end of the 1600's. Nineteenpeople were hanged and one pressed to death for refusing to testify. Although there were witch trials inEurope, this was an aberration, not part of a bigger pattern in the colonies.It is important to keep in mind that people of that time generally believed in witches. It is alsotrue that that is truer today than it was thirty years ago. Witchcraft is alive and well in our United Statesand with witchcraft there are witches. When we consider some of the things that took place at Salem, wemay question the sanity of some. There were people who were scheming to get land from other people,there was belief in astral appearances in which people testified that somebody did something even whenthey were in another place, etc.

128What took place at Salem was regrettable, but it is often overlooked that it was a Christian by thename of Increase Mather who silenced the madness of the witch trials as he spoke force-fully againstwhat was happening.Anti-SemitismProbably the most shameful blight on the history of Christianity has been anti-Semitism. It isironic since Jesus was, and is, and ever will be, a Jew. Not only that but His disciples were Jewish, andJews wrote the entire New Testament, with the exception of Luke and Acts, which were written by Luke,the physician (who was probably a Gentile by birth).The Roman Catholic Church in 1998 apologized for “errors and failures” of some Catholics fornot aiding Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. Cardinal John O’Connor of New York expressed “abjectsorrow” for anti-Semitism in churches through the years, saying, ‘We most sincerely want to start a newera.” What contributed to such prejudice? The combination of the fact that since Jews did not think Jesuswas the Messiah they became the enemies of the Christian faith and the fact they were consideredresponsible for the death of Jesus. As early as the third century A.D., Bishop Melito of Sardis began thepractice of accusing the Jews of deicide—the murder of God. Tertullian and others joined the attackagainst Jews as “the enemies of Christ.” After Christianity was officially accepted in the Roman Empireby the Edict of Milan (A.D. 313), problems multiplied for Jews. Augustine developed a theology whichexcluded Jews from “the people of God.” John Chrysostom in the fourth century and others of his timeand afterward engaged in passionate polemic against the Jews.According to historian Heiko Oberman, there were a number of false rumors that preceded theMiddle Ages and the Reformation: rumors such as the poisoning of wells at the time of the Black Deathof 1348 by Jews, the desecration of Christian sacraments when there was opportunity, the tampering withthe Christian Scriptures, etc. Such attitudes are totally unscriptural, un-Christian.While we can legitimately blame the Christian church for being soiled by its anti-Semitism andby its unconscionable passivity in the face of the evil of the Holocaust, we cannot blame the teachings ofthe Christian faith which forbids such attitudes and practices. It is often overlooked that Christian scholarssuch as Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer were in the forefront of the underground movement againstHitler and his henchmen. It should also be kept in mind that, at least in recent times, Christians have beensome of the most loyal supporters of Israel.APPLICATION1. Jesus’ journey is our journey. He set the pattern we must follow.

1292. Let us resolutely set our face to follow Jesus no matter where that may lead. If Jesus sethis face to go to Jerusalem, we ought to help one another week after week to resolutely setour faces against the allurements of riches and retaliation and follow the King of kings on theroad to Calvary.3. Let us never take up the "carnal" weapon to promote the spread of truth. Let us never betempted, directly or indirectly, to persecute any man, under pretense of the glory of Christ and the good ofthe Church. Let us rather remember, that the religion which men profess from fear of death, or dread ofpenalties, is worth nothing at all, and that if we swell our ranks by fear and threatening, in reality we gainno strength. "The weapons of our warfare," says Paul, "are not carnal" (2 Co 10:4). The appeals that wemake must be to men's consciences and wills. The arguments that we use must not be sword, or fire, orprison, but doctrines, and precepts, and texts. It is a quaint and homely saying, but as true in the Church asit is in the army, that "one volunteer is worth ten men who have been pressed into service.

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131THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUSLuke 9:57-62; 1 Kings 19:14-21“We must be willing to follow if we want God to lead.” 1–Anonymous“The strength and happiness of a man consists in finding out the way in whichGod is going, and going that way too.” 2–Henry Ward BeecherThe following passage of Scripture is remarkable in that it contains three short sayings of a veryserious nature to three different people about whom we know nothing. We don’t even know the names ofthose people. And we don’t even know whatever happened to them, whether Jesus’ words had any affecton them. But each person was addressed in the way which challenged his character and left all of usreflecting on which of these challenges are most challenging to us.How often we have heard excuses when we have challenged people to follow Jesus!And how about us? Have we made excuses for not following Jesus? What kind of excuses were they?There is a time to let go of the past! There is a time to fix our eyes firmly on the future. There is atime to make a firm commitment to a great cause greater than ourselves and to decide once and for all thatcome what may we are not turning back.Samaria was that part of the divided kingdom where Elijah and his protégé Elisha had preachedGod’s Word—“the word of the Lord”—to Israel.When Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” His disciples answered, “Some sayyou are Elijah the prophet risen from the grave.” The reason is that there were similarities. For one thing,Elijah was a great miracle worker as Jesus was. But whereas Elijah had called down fire from heaven todestroy a group of fifty men who had come hunting for him, Jesus’ miracles were miracles ofcompassion. This is probably what the disciples had in mind when they wanted to call down fire fromheaven when the Samaritan village refused them hospitality. But Jesus turned and rebuked His disciples.And together they went on to another village.Just prior to these people approaching Jesus, Luke tells us that, “Jesus resolutely set his face to goto Jerusalem,” with all the knowledge of conflict, anger, hostility, pain and shame. He set His face like aflint for what awaits Him in Jerusalem because He knew that prophets cannot be killed outside ofJerusalem.THE FIRST MAN (9:57-58)Luke points out that

132“ As they were walking along the road, a man said to Him, "I will follow youwherever you go" (v. 57).Jesus must have questioned the sincerity and depth of his impulsive declaration, for Heanswered,"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hasno place to lay his head" (v. 58).We are all familiar with the motto:“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”Like so many, this man had not counted the cost of discipleship. In his case part of the cost ofdiscipleship was physical hardship and deprivation. Jesus tells him that following Him does not allow fora comfortable lifestyle.The most dynamic, the fastest growing, the most powerful manifestations of Christian life arefound in those places in the world where to be a Christian is to make a clear and decisive choice.A shallow, superficial commitment to Christ is no commitment at all. Many of us, if confrontedwith a choice between Jesus and our many possessions, between Jesus and the admiration and respect ofour friends, between Jesus and our standing in the community would have a very difficult choice to make.This would-be disciple was ready for a kingdom but not a cross.THE SECOND MAN (9:59-60)“ He said to another man, ’Follow me.’ But the man replied, ‘Lord, first let me goBack and bury my father’" (v. 59).This man did not volunteer to follow Jesus. It was Jesus who called him.“Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaimthe kingdom of God’" (v. 60).But he asked for delay. Jesus response seems coldhearted! At first glance this statement seemsharsh because we think of the man’s father as having already died and of Jesus forbidding him to attendthe funeral.

133In light of Jewish culture of the time, it is unlikely that this was the case. If the man’s father haddied, he would have been at home mourning already. Since he was not, it is probable that his father wasmerely old and that he was telling Jesus He would follow Him after his father died. But it might be yearsbefore he died. He wanted temporary but more pressing obligations to be taken care of before he wasready to follow Jesus. He had the wrong priorities.There would always be plenty of people ready to take charge of a funeral. But there was at thatmoment a pressing need of laborers to do Christ's work in the world.Jesus always called people to look forward. He taught them on the hillsides and beside the seaof Galilee, and He instructed them to live their lives one day at a time and yet they were to look to thefuture. He warned them against cluttering their lives with things or allowing worry to strangle their mindsbecause His cause demanded undivided attention and complete loyalty.Jesus continually prepared His followers for the future. He warned them about the cross and gavehope of an empty tomb. He promised them a better day with the coming of the Spirit and the final triumphof the Kingdom of God.There was an awareness in everything He said and did that the future is now! We are to lookforward, not back. We are to live in expectation, not in reminiscence.Now some people are afraid of the future. They want as little change as possible. They tell abouta group of people who gathered at the Hudson River to see the first steamship launched. Out of the crowd,one man was heard to say, “They’ll never get her going.” But they did. It belched and moved out fast. Thesame man was heard to say, “They’ll never get her stopped.”This man was not willing to put Jesus and His call above everyone else.THE THIRD MAN (9:61-62)The third man, like the first, also volunteered to follow Jesus and said,“ Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and saygood-by to my family" (v. 61).This third man wanted to follow Jesus, but he wanted to do so on his own terms rather thanJesus’ terms. His attitude is like so many of us who say, “Lord, I want to follow You . . . but.” Jesus saidhe must follow on His terms or there is no place for him in discipleship.These were sensible requests, were they not? When Elijah called Elisha, Elisha requested that hebe allowed to go home first and kiss his father and mother good-bye. Elijah agreed to his request. We getthe idea from Luke’s gospel, however, that Jesus was not as patient or as understanding. “Anyone whostarts to plow and then keeps looking back is not fit for the Kingdom of God,” He said (v. 62).

134We must press on, stay the course. Robert Morrison was the first Christian missionary to China.He was restricted from the word “go,” that is, forbidden to preach in public, beaten, driven from city tocity. He labored for seven years without a convert, faced almost daily with the fear of arrest, sufferedperiods of illness and victimized by repeated discouragement. Patiently he won friends, made converts,laid the foundation of modern missions. After sixteen years of toil, he completed The Chinese Dictionary,an achievement that made him famous and anticipated his translation of the Bible into Chinese someyears laterAPPLICATION1. Commitment to Christ is not a matter to be taken lightly. We need to make aclear-cut decision about Christ’s place in our life.2. Jesus calls us to look forward, not backward.3. Once we have charted our course as Christians, we dare not turn back. Unlike Lot’swife, we will not turn to a pillar of salt by looking back.Jesus reveals to us the importance of staying the course.In the ancient story of Elijah and Elisha, Elijah found Elisha plowing a field with a teamof oxen. Elijah took off his cloak and put it on Elisha. That was a sign and symbol of Elisha’scall. He then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. It was then that he asked and received Elijah’spermission to kiss his mother and father good-bye. Notice what Elisha did next. He went to histeam of oxen, killed them, then cooked the meat using the yoke that had harnessed the oxen asfuel for the fire. His intent was unmistakable. Elisha was never going back to farming again. Hewas leaving it all to follow Elijah.There comes a time when each of us needs to make the kind of commitment Elishamade—a commitment of all we are, all we have, all we hope to be, to the One who calls us tofollow Him.

135CHAPTER 17

136JESUS SENDS OUT THE SEVENTY-TWOLuke 10:1-24The passage before us tells about an event which is not recorded by any Gospel writer exceptLuke. The event is our Lord's appointment of seventy disciples to go before Him, in addition to thetwelve apostles. Like the previous passage, we do not know the names of any of these people, that is,disciples. Not only that but their subsequent history has not been revealed to us either. But there is muchto learn from the instructions with which they are sent forth.THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER (10:1-2)The first point in our Lord's charge to the seventy disciples is the importance of prayer andintercession. This is the leading thought with which our Lord opens His address. Before He tells Hisambassadors what to do, He first tells them to pray: "Ask the Lord of the harvest that He would sendforth laborers into his harvest." Luke tells us:“ After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by twoahead of Him to every town and place where He was about to go. He told them,‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field’” (vv. 1-2).Prayer is undoubtedly the most powerful means of helping forward the cause of Christ in theworld. It is God’s ordained means to accomplish His mission in the world. While not all believers havemuch money to give to missions or the proclivity to learn another language or the ability to adapt todifficult circumstances, all believers can pray for the success of the Gospel.prayer:James was clear what fervency and holiness brings in the life of a person who gives himself to"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (Jas 5:16).Every minister must be committed to a two-fold ministry, that is, the ministry of prayer (Eph6:17-18) and the ministry of the Word (Ac 6:4). He must not only use the sword of the Spirit, but prayalways, with all prayer and supplication (Eph 6:17-18).Only God can raise up and send forth "laborers" who will do His work His way.DANGEROUS WORK (10:3)The second point in our Lord's charge to the seventy disciples, is the dangerous nature of thework in which they were about to be engaged:

137“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” (v. 3).Jesus does not keep back from them the dangers and trials which they will soon face. Unlikemany preachers, He does not enlist them under false pretenses by promising only positive expectations.Rather, He tells them plainly what they must expect. "Go!" He says, "I am sending you out like lambsamong wolves."These words are fulfilled in the many persecutions described in the Acts of the Apostles. But wealso see this fulfilled since the time of the Apostles. Church history is replete with martyrs. This is whywe have the adage,“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”So long as the Church stands believers must expect to be like "lambs among wolves."Jesus’ followers will continue to be hated, maligned, persecuted by those who are blinded by thegod of this age. We dare not look for favor from unconverted people, for we may not find any. MartinLuther made this point with the statement,"Cain will murder Abel, if he can, to the very end of the world.""Don’t be surprised," says John, "if the world hates you" (1 Jn 3:13)."All that will live godly in Jesus Christ," says Paul, "shall suffer persecution."(2 Ti 3:12)WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION (10:4)The third point in our Lord's charge to the seventy disciples is, the wholehearted devotion totheir work which He expected,“Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone onthe road” (v. 4).They were to abstain even from the appearance of covetousness, or love of money, or luxury—"Carry neither purse, nor bag, nor shoes." They were to behave like men who had no time to waste on theempty compliments and conventional courtesies of the world—"Salute no man by the way."Should such a stringent command be taken at face value?Should these words be interpreted with some qualification?

138Could such high expectations be a warning against all servants of the Gospel to be awareof the tendency to allow the world to preoccupy too much of a hold and thus hinder theirspiritual work?One thing is clear, they teach us that care about money and excessive attention to what are called"the necessities of life," are snares that entangle us in our walk with God and hinder our work for Him.SINGLE-MINDED DEVOTION (10:5-8)The fourth point in our Lord's charge to the seventy disciples is the single-minded andcontented spirit which He told them to exhibit:"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace isthere, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house,eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves hiswages. Do not move around from house to house” (vv. 5-7).Wherever the disciples traveled, they were to avoid the appearance of being hard to please aboutfood and lodging but were to "eat and drink" whatever was given them:"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you” (v. 8).They were not to "go from house to house" seeking a more comfortable surrounding.A DREADFUL WARNING (10:9-15)Jesus points out they are to “heal the sick” and shows the great sinfulness of those who rejectthe offers of the gospel of Christ's:“ Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.'But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you.Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' I tell you, it will be morebearable on that day for Sodom than for that town” (vv. 9-14).Our Lord declares that it shall be "more tolerable at the last day for Sodom," than for those whoreceive not the message of His disciples. And He proceeds to say that the guilt of Chorazin and Bethsaida,cities in Galilee, where He had often preached and worked miracles, but where the people hadnevertheless not repented, was greater than the guilt of Tyre and Sidon:

139"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that wereperformed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would haverepented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearablefor Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you” (vv. 13-14).Everyone will be judged according to their spiritual light, and that from those who have enjoyedmost religious privileges, most will be required. We see here the extreme hardness and unbelief of thehuman heart. Even though they heard Christ preach, witnessed His miracles, yet they remainedunconverted. Therefore they are responsible for the state of their own soul. God gave them opportunity toturn to Him, but they refused. God spoke to them, but they would not listen. Therefore their blood will beupon their own heads. The Judge of all the earth will do right.We must beware of unbelief that lurks in the human heart. We don’t need to openly opposethe teachings of Christ. All we have to do is to remain cold and indifferent like Capernaum:“ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go downto the depths [Hades]” (v. 15).Capernaum was Jesus’ headquarters on the north shore of Galilee (Mt 4:13), whose inhabitants hadmany opportunities to see and hear Jesus. Therefore their condemnation for their rejection was the greater.The fate of Capernaum will be the ruin of millions. No sin damns the soul like unbelief.ACCEPTANCE AND REJECTION (10:16-20)Jesus points out that to accept His messengers is to accept Him and to reject His messengersis to reject Him and His Father who sent Him:"He who listens to you listens to Me; he who rejects you rejects Me; but he whorejects Me rejects Him who sent Me” (v. 16).These words are remarkable, and more so, since they were addressed to the seventy disciples, andnot to the twelve apostles. This shows us that Jesus’ messengers are identified with Him. So long as theydo their work faithfully, they are worthy of honor and respect for their Master's sake. Those who despisethem, are not despising them so much as their Lord and Master. Those who reject the terms of salvationwhich the disciples are commissioned to proclaim, are doing injury not so much to the disciplesthemselves, but to the One they are really rejecting. When Hanun, king of Ammon, mistreated theambassadors of David, the insult was resented as if it had been done to David himself (2 Sa 10:1-19).Jesus warns the disciples about being puffed up with success:

140“ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, ‘Lord, even the demons submitto us in your name.’ He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcomeall the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoicethat the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written inheaven” (vv. 17-20).The disciples felt satisfied of their achievement, proud that the demons were driven out by them(v. 17). The snakes and scorpions may represent evil spirits, the enemy being Satan himself. Jesus checksthem in their undue exultation and warns them against pride. There are few of us who are like Samson,who can kill a lion without telling others about it (Jdg 14:6). No wonder that Paul says of a bishop, that heought not to be "a novice, so he will not be lifted up with pride and fall into the condemnation of thedevil" (1 Ti 3:6). Spiritual success can be a dangerous thing. Let us pray for humility, especially when weexperience success. When everything is going our way may be the time when our souls are in danger.The lesson Jesus is trying to teach His disciples is that salvation is recorded in heaven (Ps69:28; Da 12:1; Php 4:3; Heb 12:23; Rev 3:5). Man’s salvation is more important than power toovercome the evil one or escape his harm. We can never rest until we have the witness of the Spirit withinus that we are "washed, and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit ofGod" (1 Co 6:11). It is the assurance that "our names are written in heaven," and that we are really onewith Christ and that He is in us that matters most.JESUS IS FULL OF JOY (10:21)This is one of the rare places in Scripture in which it states that our Lord Jesus rejoiced:“ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you,Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things fromthe wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for thiswas your good pleasure” (v. 21).We are told in three times in the gospels that Jesus wept, but only once are we told that Herejoiced.And what was the cause of our Lord's joy? It was the conversion of souls. It was the reception ofthe gospel by the weak, the lowly, the vulnerable. There was much in this world for Jesus to grieve over.He saw the obstinate blindness and unbelief of the vast majority of those among whom He ministered.When He saw a few poor men and women receiving the GOOD NEWS of salvation, His heart wasrefreshed.

141Jesus also points out that His truth is revealed to “little children,” that is, people who, likechildren, are humble enough to receive it (v. 21). The wisdom of this world often makes people proudand increases their natural enmity to the message of Christ. The man who has nothing to fall back on hasoften fewer difficulties in coming to the knowledge of the truth. The desperate publicans and sinners oftenenter the kingdom of God while the self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees stand outside. Nothing blinds usto the beauty of the gospel like pride!THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF FATHER AND SON ANDTHE PRIVILEGE & RESPONSIBILITY OF KNOWING TRUTH (10:22-24)The majesty of Jesus’ person is seen next:"All things have been committed to Me by my Father. No one knows whothe Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except theSon and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Then He turned toHis disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you seebut did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it’" (vv. 22-24).Jesus’ mission comes from the Father who alone truly knows the Son just as the Son alone trulyknows the Father.It is Jesus who is "mighty to save." Only Christ can bear the weight of our sins. Christ will notfail any one that trusts in Him.Jesus also talks about the privilege the disciples had to hear the gospel. It is difficult for us toappreciate the enormous advantage we enjoy as believers who have lived since Christ came into the worldcompared to those of believers who died before Christ was born.The difference between the knowledge of an Old Testament saint and a saint in the apostles' daysis far greater than we imagine. No doubt the Old Testament saints looked to a coming Savior by faith,believed in a resurrection and a life to come, but Jesus opened up Scripture in such a way that numeroustruths became obvious. As the writer to the Hebrew Christians stated,". . . the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed as long as thefirst tabernacle was still standing" (Heb 9:8).This means that the humblest Christian believer understands things which Abraham, Moses,David and Isaiah could never explain.

We are indebted to God for the full light of the gospel. But with such light comes a greaterresponsibility. Let us make good use of that responsibility. After all,142"To whom much is given, much is required" (12:48).

143CHAPTER 18

144LOVE IN ACTIONThe Parable of the Good SamaritanLuke 10:25-37A certain lawyer who was an expert in the law had just heard Jesus teach. So he asked Jesus aquestion. The question was, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"DEVOTION TO GOD AND LOVE OF OTHERS (10:27)Jesus throws the ball back into his court by asking him what the law says, since he is an expert inthe law. The lawyer correctly answered:"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with allyour strength and with all your mind, and, love your neighbor as yourself."(Lk 10:27; Mt 22:35-40; Mk 12:28-32)Total devotion to God and love for neighbor! Religion, says Jesus, is not a matter of keepingrules; rather, it is to live in love.WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? (10:29)The answer to this first question was obviously one he knew, so to gain credibility he asked for aninterpretation. In effect he said, "But the real question is: Who is my neighbor?" Luke points out that hedid this "to justify himself" (v. 29).His purpose in questioning Jesus was either to see what kind of a teacher He was or to trick Him,to stump Him. To the first question of what a person must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus pointed to afourfold love:The lawyer took a philosophical approach as he leisurely talked about the implications of thequestion. It was a general discussion about human relations. This approach kept the lawyer safe frompersonal involvement as he focused on ideas and theories. Too many of us would rather keep insulatedfrom the real problems of life by spending time with surveys, conferences, committees and religious redtape.A DANGEROUS JOURNEYIn the context of this discussion about eternal life Jesus tells us a parable, a story about a manwho traveled between Jerusalem and Jericho. This was a seventeen mile journey by this Jewish travelerfrom Jerusalem (2,300 ft. above sea level) to Jericho (1,100 ft. below sea level) which had a 3,300 feet(3/4 mile) descent which made it an extremely treacherous journey.

145People were warned not to travel this route by themselves. It was the ideal place for robbers as itwas desolate and rocky. In fact it was typically refereed to as "the path of blood." It is no wonder that hewas robbed and beaten and left to die.As this traveler lay there half-dead by the road a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan came along theroad. The priest saw this man lying by the road half dead and "passed by" on the other side (v. 31). TheLevite also "passed by" on the other side (10:32). But when the Samaritan came and saw the man, he"took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring an oil and wine. Then he put theman on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silvercoins and gave them to the inn-keeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse youfor any extra expense you may have'"(vv. 33-35).Jesus ends the story with the challenge to the lawyer:"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into thehands of robbers?" (v. 36).The question now became: Who proves he is the good neighbor by his actions? There was no wayout for the lawyer but to answer:"The one who had mercy on him" (v. 37).At that juncture Jesus tells the lawyer:"Go and do likewise" (v. 37).THE REACTIONSThe LawyerThis lawyer's attitude was expressed by Linus in the comic strip "Peanuts" when he said,"I love mankind, it's people I can't stand."But Jesus would not let this lawyer be too objective and so He shocked him by confronting himwith a specific case. He forced his discomfort by zeroing in on a concrete situation.

146The Priest and LeviteThe priest and Levite, who was probably a lay associate, symbolized the religious establishment.Possibly these religious leaders were fearful of becoming involved because of contamination (ceremonialdefilement in touching a dead body—Lev 21:1ff.) since the person laying by the wayside may alreadyhave been dead. Since he was half dead they couldn't be sure. These religious leaders could be sure ofretaining their ceremonial purity only by leaving the man alone. He could be sure he was not omitting tohelp a man in need only by going to him. In this conflict it was ceremonial purity that won the day.Meticulous adherence to religious practices was more important than helping a fellow human beingin need. This was typical of many religious leaders of Jesus' day as Jesus Himself reminded them that theSabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Not only did they not help the man but went tothe other side of the road deliberately avoiding any possibility of contact.Another reason why they did not get involved may have been because they didn't want to get tothe synagogue late. All ministers can relate to this. These religious leaders were kept from helping thisperson in need because of their religious duties. Possibly we have here a case of the paralysis ofanalysis. These religious leaders interpreted "neighbor" only in terms of his own people, the Jews.The SamaritanIt is significant that the person Jesus commended was neither the religious leader nor the layassociate, but a hated foreigner. Jews viewed the Samaritans as half-breeds, both physically (Mt 10:5) andspiritually (Jn 4:20,22). Samaritans and Jews practiced open hostility, but Jesus asserted that love knowsno national boundaries.1. Compassionate—Luke points out that this Samaritan "took pity on him." The Greek wordused for "pity" has the connotation of identification. He identified with the suffering person in need. Hehelped the needy traveler right on the spot. He used his someone considered his enemy (v. 37). It isbelieved that two silver coins this Samaritan paid was the equivalent to two days' wages, which wouldkeep a man up to two months in an inn. Not an insignificant sum. He epitomizes the blessing that God hasfor all who are merciful (Mt 5:7). Here we see the Golden Rule (6:31) at work as this hated half-breedSamaritan did that which he would want done to him—help.2. Nonprejudiced—He did not ask if the person who had been injured was a Jew, a Roman, ofGreek or Syrian descent. He was simply a brother in need.3. Selfless—He did not help this needy person on a reciprocal basis. He did not lecture or suggesta repayment plan. The issue for him was not if he "deserved" help, but whether he "needed" help.4. Sacrificial--He helped the person where he was and went the second mile by bringing him toan inn, paid for the services rendered, and even promised to pay for any future services necessary.

147It is tragic that in our own country over 3 million people are homeless. It is difficult to goanywhere without being confronted by homeless people. How often God tests us to see if we practicewhat we preach! Does that mean that I am to help every homeless person who begs? That's impossible.But too many of us easily dismiss opportunities to help those in need.Probably none of us knows anything about being starvation—when nagging stomachaches turninto knotting pain! The statistics for our own country are alarming:42 million of our people are considered poor10,000 people are dying daily from starvation and hunger-related diseases500 million or half a billion people in the world who are starvingVirtually every week, and often many times a week, churches are confronted with people not onlyin need—spiritually and emotionally, but also financially. If we are awake at all we are continuallyconfronted by people on the Jericho road of life.THE TEST OF RELIGION (Jas 1:27; 2:26; 1 Jn 3:16-18)The test of religion is action, service. This is where the rubber meets the road. Apart from servicereligion is merely theoretical and thus useless.Faith without compassion and purity, says James, is false religion:"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look afterorphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being pollutedby the world" (Jas 1:27).Faith without deeds is dead or useless:"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" (Jas 2:26).Faith without pity is loveless:"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has materialpossessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can thelove of God be in him. Dear children, let us not love with words or tonguebut with actions and in truth" (1 Jn 3:16-18).Faith that is genuine is action oriented and is based on sincerity and truthfulness.

148Four Attitudes1. What is yours is mine—Robber2. What is mine is mine—Priest3. What is mine is yours if (e.g. if you do this or that, if you can pay for it, etc.)—lovewith strings on it—Conditional Love3. What is mine is yours if you need it—SamaritanAPPLICATION1. This is an indictment against anyone who has built protective barriers to live a sheltered life—a comfortable, neat life.2. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is a command that reaches out beyond the circle of family,relatives, fellow believers and friends—people we may meet with on a regular basis. It is a call to showmercy to all the unfortunate, needy people lying beside the Jericho road of life.3. It is a cry to affluent nations to alleviate the suffering and poverty countless people experiencein undeveloped countries.The message Jesus teaches by means of this parable is summarized in the words addressed to thelawyer who evoked the story:"Go and do likewise" (v.37).James put it:"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."(Jas 1:22)Unless our religion is translated into shoe leather it isn't worth much. Creeds must be manifestedin deeds or they will one day condemn us. May God fill us with His love that stretches out to the hurtingpeople of our world.Who is my neighbor? It is every person in need. And who is a good neighbor? It is every personwho reaches out to that person in need.

149LOST PEOPLE MATTER TO GOD’S PEOPLEYesterday we saw in very clear terms that lost people matter to God, now let us see what lostpeople mean to God’s people, people such as Moses and Paul.Paul points out that people will barely be willing to die for good people:“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died forthe ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though fora good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates Hisown love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Ro 5:6-8).While Paul is referring the people being willing to die for others physically, when he refers toChrist’s death, there is spiritual as well as physical death. As Peter points out:“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, tobring you to God” (1 Pe 3:18).Paul put it:“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might becomethe righteousness of God” (2 Co 5:21).Jesus died spiritually as He cried out on the cross:“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani?—which means, “My God, my God, why have Youforsaken Me?” (Mt 27:46)When Jesus became sin for us He was forsaken by the Father who cannot look upon sin.God-forsaken! He experienced hell, that is, separation from the Father, for you and me.We have record of two remarkable people in the Bible who were also willing to suffer hell fortheir people: Moses and Paul.In Exodus 32 Moses gives a powerful testimony of his love for his people. But it was given in thecontext of Israel’s rebellion and fickleness. God had showed His abundant grace to Israel over and overand over again.He had miraculously led Israel out of bondage in Egypt. They had walked across the Red Sea ondry ground and then looked on with amazement as God destroyed the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

God had supernaturally provided food—manna—every day during their wandering in thewilderness.150God.He had given them Ten Commandments to provide protection and guidance in their walk withDuring Israel’s stay at Mount Sinai, Moses ascended the mountain numerous times and enteredthe very presence of God to receive additional instructions regarding the way God wanted Israel toworship Him and the way He wanted them to treat each other (Ex. 20-24).On one occasion, Moses stayed for 40 days and nights to receive God’s instructions for erectingthe Tabernacle (Ex 25-31). And it was during this time that Israel--in the full light of God’s love andgrace which He had extended to them—reverted to incredible behavior.It was during this time that they fashioned the image of a “god” made with human hands fromtheir own material possessions, one they could see, handle and worship. And Aaron, the brother of Moses,the one who had participated in performing the miracles in Egypt, gave in to Israel’s demands to makethis “graven image” (Ex 32:1-6).They made a calf and offered sacrifices to this graven image, ate and drank as a part of theirreligious ritual, and engaged in open and degrading immorality. With this behavior they wereparticipating in the very practices of heathen religions where immoral behavior was a vital part of theirreligious worship.The Lord’s reaction to Israel’s abominable actions is explicitly recorded in Exodus 32:7-8:“I have seen this people and behold, they are an obstinate people. Now then let Mealone, that My anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them.”God was ready to destroy all the Israelites off the face of the earth! His patience had run out. Inview of all He had done to reach out to Israel, to reveal His power, to teach His laws and to make knownHis love and care, He was now very angry with their flagrant rejection.MosesThis was also a great test for Moses. For God had promised to make a great nation out of him(Ex. 32:10). And God was ready to start over, to wipe out the people He had brought out of Egypt and tofulfill His promise to Abraham through Moses’ immediate family.

151But Moses passed the test! He became a mediator between the people and God. He pleaded withthe Lord on behalf of his people and reminded God of His original purpose in bringing Israel out frombondage—to demonstrate His great power before the Egyptians (Ex 32:12). He also reminded the Lord ofHis promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Ex 32:13).Moses pleaded with God to save Israel, and, offered his own life along with Israel if God wouldnot restrain His wrath. And God“. . . changed His mind about the harm which he said He would do to His people.”(Ex. 32:14)But God did not reveal this to Moses immediately. He allowed Moses to go down to the peopleand to confront them with their sin, to destroy the molten calf and to confront Aaron with hisirresponsibility (Ex 32:15-21).Moses’ approach to God on Israel’s behalf is an overwhelming lesson in pastoral love andconcern. His actions defy all human explanation, for he made it clear to the Lord that he wanted to diewith his people if they were not spared. “But now,” pleaded Moses, “if You will forgive their sin—and ifnot, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” (Ex 32:32; see also 33-35).PaulIn the first chapter of his book to the Christians living in Rome, Paul said:“I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. ForI am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvationof everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then for the Gentiles. For in the gospela righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first tolast, just as it is written: ‘the righteous will live by faith’” (Ro 1:14-16).Obligated to Jews and Gentiles!In Acts 20:19 Paul says:“I served the Lord with great humility and with tears . . .”Humility and tears! A powerful combination in evangelism!Later in chapter 9 Paul claims:

152“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in theHoly Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For Icould wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sakeof my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel” (Ro 9:1-4).Cursed for the sake of his people! What burden, what love for his people! Just the same asMoses’ burden and love for his people Israel.GodHow much do we love people? What sacrifice are we willing to make in order that they may find

153CHAPTER 19

154MARY AND MARTHA: BEING VS. DOINGLuke 10:38-41This story reminds me of my favorite aunt Berta. She barely sat down to eat at all andwhen she did sit, she always sat sideways in her chair during meals. She was always poised foraction. It didn’t matter whether the table was surrounded by family members or invited guests.She would jump up from the chair if she had forgotten something in the kitchen, if someonewanted something that was on the table, or if it was time to pass the food around again. I canhardly recall that she ever relaxed enough to enjoy the food or that she entered into any of theconversation.Jesus had three close friends who lived in Bethany. Bethany was located on the easternslope of the Mount of Olives on the road linking Jerusalem to Jericho. It was just over a mile anda half from Jerusalem, or about a half hour's walk. It would have been a very convenient placefor Jesus and His fellow Galileans to stay when visiting Jerusalem. The Garden of Gethsemane,Jesus’ favorite place for prayer, was close by. And it was here that He was arrested. Luke pointsout that it was His habit to go to that particular place (22:39-40).There are three passages of Scripture which mention Martha:1. When Jesus taught in her home while she busy preparing food for her guests(vv. 38-42)2. When Jesus raised Mary’s and Martha’s brother Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:1-44)3. When Jesus visited Mary’s home just six days before His crucifixion when we findMartha busy again preparing food while her sister Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costlyperfume (Jn 12:2).DIFFERENT PERSONALITIESThe two sisters were faithful disciples. Both had believed. Both had been converted.Both had honored Christ when few gave Him honor. Both loved Jesus. Yet, like John the Baptistand Jesus, they had very different personalities. Whereas Martha was active and impulsive,feeling strongly and expressing how she felt, Mary was quiet and contemplative, feeling deeply,but more hesitant in sharing how she felt.Jesus would occasionally stay in their home when He was in Judea. In fact, it seemed tobe His favorite place to stay. Lazarus, Mary and Martha were brother and sisters. They livedtogether in the same house which probably was owned by Martha. And it was Martha whoopened the house to Jesus on this particular occasion:

155” As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where awoman named Martha opened her home to Him” (v. 38).Martha became known for her hospitality!LIFE'S DISTRACTIONS (10:39-40)Then Luke contrasts Mary’s and Martha’s responses to Jesus’ visiting their home:“ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to whatHe said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to bemade. She came to Him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister hasleft me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (vv. 39-40).Both Mary and Martha were disciples of Jesus. While Martha was busy with all thepreparations, Mary simply sat listening to Jesus. We do not have to choose between worshipingthe Lord like Mary or serving the Lord like Martha. Neither does there need to be such a conflictbetween our physical or secular needs and our spiritual growth.The fact that Martha said that her sister had left her alone to do all the serving impliesthat Mary did help Martha earlier until Jesus started teaching.Martha can’t bear working alone any more and comes to where Jesus and her sister aretalking. She can no longer contain her frustration and so she confronts the guest—Jesus—andchallenges His care for her and asks Him to send Mary into the kitchen. By so doing, Marthaembarrasses her sister, her Lord and no doubt herself as well.Jesus doesn’t hold back in His response. Calling her by name not just once but twice, in amanner that sounds more like a parent than a friend, he describes the situation. In EugenePeterson’s paraphrase The Message, Jesus says:"Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself workedup over nothing. One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it—it’s themain course, and won’t be taken from her."Jesus is saying to Martha,“Keep the main thing the main thing."The main course is just that, the main course.There is a time to sit and listen and there is a time to go and do.

156We busy beavers of the third millennium understand Martha’s predicament well. Ourschedules show our lack of priorities. Why does it seem less complicated to attempt to keep upwith the calendar than to change it?Worship often takes a back seat to "the one day when we can sleep in and spend timewith family."Neither Mary nor Martha can live by bread alone (Mt 4:4). It was now time to feed onspiritual food and thus feed the soul. Martha was being distracted from her spiritual needs byother things. The other things in this case are not bad things. Sometimes, even good things, canfill up our lives to the point where we neglect our souls. God has not blessed us with ourfamilies, friends, jobs, abilities and other gifts to give us an excuse to abandon a close walk withHim. Without Him we can do nothing (Jn 15:5).God’s commands are always backed with promise, and the story of Mary and Martha isno exception. The Host of the banquet has Himself become the Main Course. Whenever we aretempted to think that we do works of service to gain our own salvation, we need to be remindedof the freeing nature of God’s saving work in Christ. So the question is,"What are you going to do, now that you don’t have to do anything?"God invites all of us—the distracted, frantic people—to sit down and eat our fill of Hisnourishment. Only then will we be ready to put hands and feet, hearts and minds to work.DO NOT LET SO MANY THINGS WORRY YOU (10:41)"’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset aboutmany things’” (v. 41).“Martha, Martha,” says Jesus with a gentle rebuke, like a loving parent may say to a child or acaring friend to another. As Solomon puts it,“Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Pr 27:6) or as NIV puts it,“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses” (Pr 27:6).Truth may hurt, but it is necessary.Anxiety is a killer. Many of the physical and mental ills of our present day are stressrelated. And Martha is certainly a stressed out lady at this point in time. Her exasperation can beseen in the way she forms her question,

157"Lord, do You not care . . .?"I can well imagine her "stewing" for a time in the kitchen (where else would you stew?)before being emboldened to charge into the room in such a way. And certainly the Lord doescare, but not nearly as much about the problem as Martha sees it as He does about the realproblem of which Martha is unaware. The Lord is more concerned about Martha's state of mindand priorities than He is about being served a feast later on.Where faith grows, anxiety lessens. This is one of the chief lessons Jesus taught earlier inHis ministry during what we call the Sermon on the Mount; "Do not be anxious then, saying,'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'... But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness;and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mt 6:31-33). Having the correct set ofpriorities (putting His kingdom first) will greatly reduce your chance of heart attack.ONLY ONE THING (10:42)“but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not betaken away from her” (v. 42).. The good part which Mary had chosen was to listen to the Lord's teaching. In the finalscheme of things, the things Jesus said that day were of much more importance than what He ate.Today, if we are too busy to commune with the Lord; to pray and study His word; to meditate onlife's purpose and to enjoy a peaceful, private time with Him, then there is something horriblywrong with our practice. If our walk of faith consists mainly of going to church and then on withlife's busy day then we are not receiving of the goodness that the Lord has planned for us. And ifwe are so hassled by the routines of daily existence that we find ourselves lashing out at thosewe love as Martha did on that occasion, then isn't that a good indication that something needsfixed?Too many times when we look at this story we view Martha as being bad and Mary asbeing good. But we need to notice that Jesus did not condemn Martha for her serving, for beingsuch a good hostess. It is obvious that both Martha and Mary deeply loved Jesus. Both of themexpressed their love and their faith in their service of Jesus. Both of them expressed their loveand their faith by being hosts of Jesus.Jesus did not condemn Martha for serving. But He did admonish her for being sodistracted with serving that she neglected "what is better."We all should know that the Christian life is a life of faith expressed in works. This meansthat all Christians, like Mary and Martha, should show their love and their faith in their service.Like Mary and Martha, all Christians should be hosts. We are called to minister to the physicalneeds of others in the name of Christ.

158Many things in life may seem very important, but they are unimportant next to ChristHimself. Remember what Jesus said?"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?"(Mt 16:26)Why are we to spend time listening to Jesus, being His guest? When Jesus was transfiguredon the mountain in front of Peter, James and John, His appearance changed. And, Elijahand Moses appeared and talked to Him. Suddenly, a cloud came and surrounded them and thevoice of God was heard from the cloud, saying,"This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him" (v. 34)."Only one thing is needed." Knowing Jesus, listening to Him, being His guest, is the onlyreally important thing in life; everything else is, or should be, secondary.Don’t forget the best!A BALANCED APPROACH TO SERVING JESUS (Jn 12:2)Jesus:John tells us about another time, toward the end of His short life, that Martha serves"So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving but Lazarus was oneof those reclining at the table with Him" (Jn 12:2).It isn’t too surprising to find Martha serving again. After all, this time the purpose of thegathering is to have supper. With the end of Jesus' ministry approaching, both Mary and Marthaseem far more aware of that fact than even the apostles. Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costlyperfume and weeps openly while Martha does the thing she knew the best—preparing a meal.This time it was probably the last time she prepared a meal for our Lord. And this time she hasno complaints. The Lord is moving closer to the place from which He had called their brotherLazarus.APPLICATIONWhile carrying out our duties is essential, they must not get in the way of ourrelationships. We must guard against missed opportunities. There will always be food to prepareand dishes to wash, but special times with our Lord and others cannot be taken for grantedOur Lord deserves nothing less than whole-hearted, single-minded devotion!

159CHAPTER 20

160OUR PATTERN OF PRAYER Part ILuke 11:1-4“A prayer in its simplest definition is merely a wish turned Godward.”--Phillips BrooksIn the Gospel of Matthew Jesus refers to prayer, along with fasting and giving to the poor, as“acts of righteousness” (Mt 6:1). But acts of righteousness can easily degenerate into sheer hypocrisy.HOW NOT TO PRAY AND HOW TO PRAYPrivateBecause of man’s tendency toward hypocrisy, Jesus points out that such acts are to be done inprivate. So He says that real prayer is to begin in private, in secret, and only then be offered in public:“But when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standingin the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth,they have received their reward in full. When you pray, go into your room, closethe door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees whatis done in secret, will reward you” (Mt 6:5-6).Private prayer is crucial for it guards us against spiritual pride in that it protects us from prayingto be noticed by people. Only prayer that is done in humility will be rewarded by GodSincereWe also see in this passage that real prayer is sincere rather than hypocritical for it is offered toGod and not people. The fault of the people whom Jesus was criticizing was that they were praying topeople and not to God. The purpose of prayer is to make contact with God, not to impress people.ThoughtfulReal prayer is also to be thoughtful rather than mechanical:“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they willbe heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knowswhat you need before you ask Him” (Mt 6:7-8).

161Basic to any kind of praying is that our minds and hearts are involved in what we are saying.Meaningless repetition of words will never qualify for true prayer. When we begin to think more of howwe are praying than to whom and of what we are praying, our prayer dies upon our lips.OUR MODEL: THE LORD’S PRAYERIt is noteworthy that Jesus said, “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Mt 21:13;Isa 56:7). Not a house of preaching, a house of teaching, a house of counseling, a house of programs, buta house of prayer.It is also interesting that the disciples who had seen Jesus preach with power, teach withauthority, and perform various kinds of miracles, did not ask Him to show them how to preach, teach,heal, and perform other miracles, but they did ask Him, “Lord teach us to pray . . .” (11:1). So Jesus gavethem a model, a pattern of prayer. We have come to call it “The Lord’s Prayer” since it was given inresponse to their request. The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer which only a disciple (a follower of Jesus) canpray since only one who is committed to Jesus Christ can pray this prayer with any meaning.Jesus informed His disciples:“When you pray, say:‘Father, hallowed be Your name.Your kingdom come,Give us each day our daily bread.Forgive us our sins,For we also forgive everyone who sins against us.And lead us not into temptation” (11:1-4).Notice the order of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. The first two petitions have to do with Godand with the glory of God; the second three petitions have to do with our needs and our necessities.That is to say, God is first given His proper place that all other things fall into their proper places.The second part of the prayer, the part which deals with our needs and our necessities, deals withthe three essential needs of man and the three spheres of time within which man moves. First, it asks forbread, for that which is necessary for the maintenance of life, and thereby brings the needs of thepresent to the throne of God. Second, it asks for forgiveness and thereby brings the past into thepresence of God. Third, it asks for help in temptation and thereby commits all the future into the handsof God.Notice the important ingredients in this prayer.

162It is reverent as it expresses a respectful and loving devotion to a God who isboth holy and loving, righteous and compassionate, majestic and merciful.It is brief as a vast range of truth and instruction is compressed into a mere34 words.It is also simple as the petitions are swiftly driven to the heart of the desire andneed of the disciple.It is universal in that the petitions relate to the concerns of a human being atthe deepest level. These petitions are not superficial and selfish demands.It is childlike as the approach in prayer is that of childlike trust.It is a prayer of commitment since the attitude is not that of being a spectatorbut a participant.And it is a humble prayer in that it is prayed in an attitude of need.Although prayer is merely talking to God, it is always a learning experience in that you will wantto learn how to better talk to Him, how to enter into a deeper level of communication and communionwith Him. This is a life-long process.THE FATHERHOOD OF GODLuke 11:2“Some church members who say, ‘Our Father’ on Sunday go around the rest ofthe week acting like orphans.”–AnonymousThe concept of father represents different things to different people. Some of you here may evenhave been fatherless. Our experience with our earthly fathers influences us to a great extent in our view ofGod. For when God is called “Father” different images come to our minds.OLD TESTAMENT CONCEPTJesus begins His prayer by addressing the God of the universe, the holy, just and majesticCreator as “Our Father.” The fatherhood of God is the basis of all Christian prayer. Others hadspoken of God as Father before Him. Even the Greeks had a conception of God as Father. Zeuswas though to be the father-god from whom all other gods descended. The stoics thought ofGod as the father of the universe. In these circles, fatherhood referred to God as the cause of

existence. While Jews referred to God as father in the sense of His concern for the welfare ofHis children, that they were chosen by Him and confirmed as his children by their deliverancefrom Egypt, nowhere in Jewish or pagan literature do we find that fatherhood is made the basicidea in thinking of God as it was with Jesus. We only find 14 references to God or Father in theentire Old Testament. The Jews of this period preferred exalted titles for God, like “Sovereign Lord,”“King of the Universe,” and the like.163NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPTBut no Jew ever personally called God “Father.” Jesus called Him Father (Mt 11:25; 26:39; 42;Mk 14:36; Lk 23:34; Jn. 11:41; 12:27; 17:1,5,11,21, 24f.). In all the Sermon on the Mount alone the wordfather is used 17 times. Not only do all four of the Gospels record that Jesus used this address, but theyreport that He did so in all His prayers. The only exception is His cry from the cross:“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt 27: 46; Mk 15:34).The reason here is obvious why Jesus did not call God His father. For at the cross Jesus becamean orphan as He was rejected by God. As He was made sin for all mankind the relationship He had withthe Father was temporarily broken. But at all other times Jesus boldly claimed a relationship to God thatHis contemporaries thought was irreverent and even blasphemous.While Jesus’ relationship to God the Father was unique in that He shares in the Godhead, Hisapproach to God as Father points the way for us. Just as Jesus came to God in prayer as God’s uniqueSon, so we can come to Him as His sons–children.PERSONAL AND INTIMATEJesus’ use of the word “father” shows us a deeper dimension to this father/child relationship. Forwhen Jesus addressed God as Father He did not use the normal word for father. He used the Aramaic (Hisnative tongue) word abba. This word was the most intimate form of address. It is the same word that aJewish toddler would use to address his father. The Talmud states that when a child is weaned “it learns tosay abba and imma” (that is, “daddy” and “mommy”). Abba means “daddy.” It is the same as theEuropean word “papa.” It is the most personal, intimate expression for father. The God of the Bible isnot the impersonal “ground of all being” of modern radical theologians of our day, but a “daddy” to Hischildren. We are to approach God not as strangers, but as members of His family.Only three times do we find the Aramaic word abba in the Bible. It is never found in the OldTestament. In the New Testament it is found in the following verses:“‘abba, Father,’ He said, ‘everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me.Yet not what I will, but what You will’” (Mk 14:36).

164At the most critical and difficult time in His life, we see Jesus appealing to God as a child wouldappeal to his earthly father by tenderly asking if there isn’t another way for God to accomplish His planand purpose.EXCLUSIVE TERMThe other two verses where the word “Abba” is used show the exclusive nature of this term:“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but youreceived the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:16).“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His son into our hearts, the Spiritwho calls out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Gal 4:6).Both of these verses show that our basis of sonship is the presence of the indwelling Spirit ofGod. We are able to call God “our Father” because “God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts . . .(because we) received the Spirit of sonship” (Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:16). Only those indwelt by the Holy Spiritbelong to God’s family and are able to call God their Father.INCLUSIVE TERMWhile God is the Father of us all in the sense that He created us. Malachi, the prophet, asked:“Have we not all one Father? Did not God create us?” (Mal 2:10).While God is the Father of all of us in the sense that He is on Creator, the One who made us, Heis the Father in a personal and intimate way only to those who have put their faith in the atoning sacrificeof Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself made it clear that those who do not follow Jesus are children of the devil:“If you were Abraham’s children,’ said Jesus ‘then you would do the thingsAbraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told youthe truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doingthe things your own father does.”‘We are not illegitimate children,’ they protested. The only Father we have is GodHimself.’ Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, forI came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but He sent Me.Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your fathers’

165desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for thereis no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liarand the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me!Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t youbelieve me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you donot hear is that you do not belong to God” (Jn 8:37-47).Sonship to God is not, therefore, a universal status upon which everyone enters by natural birth,but a supernatural gift which one receives through receiving Jesus. The gift on sonship to God becomesours, not through being born, but through being born again.POWERFULBut the privilege of being children and having a heavenly Father must not be abused. Familiaritymust not lead to irreverence. The reference “in heaven” describes God as exalted. As someone put it,“This description is not God’s postal address.” It indicates not so much God’s location as His elevationabove man, His complete separation from man’s corruption. It means God is God and must be respectedas such even when we come to Him with the intimacy of children.God is not only good but He is great. He has authority and power at His command as the Creatorand Ruler of all things. Thus we have presented the combination of fatherly love an heavenly powerwhich encourages us that what His love directs His power is able to perform.“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your waysand My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9)When Jesus tells us to approach prayer with the opening words, “Our Father in heaven” He is notjust concerned with proper protocol in approaching deity, but with truth that we may come to Him in theright frame of mind.Some people say that familiarity breeds contempt, but not with God. The better we know Him,the closer we are to Him, the more we worship Him. He has no flaws; He wears no masks;He never lets us down.As children to God we can come to His throne expectant and unafraid because we are totally andunreservedly accepted by Him through the death of His Son (Heb. 4:14-16).

166REVERENCELuke 11:2“He who fears God need fear nothing else, and he who fears not God needs tofear everything else.”–AnonymousIt is difficult for us to appreciate the wondrous awe that Old Testament people felt in the presenceof God. Jesus evidently shared that awe. He would never have referred to God as “the man upstairs.” Godis God. He is still “I am that I am.” Isaiah fell down in the presence of God and cried, “Woe is me, for Iam a man of unclean lips who lives among a people of unclean lips” (Isa 6:5).THE LOSS OF REVERENCEThis loss of reverence is the utmost tragedy. Luther perceptively said to Erasmus, the biblicalscholar, “Your thoughts of God are too human.” This is where most of us go wrong. Twenty years ago J.B. Phillips wrote a book entitled, Your God Is Too Small. How true! Because of our own smallness, ourown finitude, our own weakness, we imagine that at some points God is too, and we find it extremelydifficult to believe that He is not.What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing aboutus. For our attitude toward God is based upon our concept of Him. Our prayer is pure or basedepending upon whether we entertain high or low thoughts of God.It is not of immense importance then, that our idea of God corresponds as nearly aspossible to the true nature of God. A right conception of God is basic not only to theology butalso to our devotional life and to practical Christian living.The second commandment not only forbids us to manufacture physical images of God;it also forbids us to dream up mental images of Him.Once we realize that we are in His presence and that He is our Father, our first desire andpetition should be that His name is hallowed. Jesus put it:“Father, hallowed be Your name” (11:1).MEANINGThe Greek word for “hallowed” is the word from which we get our English word “holy.” Thebasic meaning of this word is “different,” “separate,” “sacred.” This is the same Greek word fromwhich we get “saint” and “sanctify.” Someone or something that is holy is “set apart.” And specifically

167it means “set apart for God’s use.” Objects that were used in the temple, for instance, were holy orsanctified because they were set apart for God’s use in the temple worship. Christians are called holy inthat they are a people “called out” for His purpose.When Jesus says that God’s name should be hallowed He means that God’s name should betreated differently from all other names. And this is also true of Jesus as Paul pointed out in his letterto the Philippian church:“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that isabove every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heavenand on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ isLord, to the glory of God the Father” (Php 2:9-11).Jesus was exalted” and that everyone will one day “bow his knee” and “confess” with histongue that Jesus Christ is “Lord.”To hallow God’s name means to see Him as exalted, to come before Him with bent knees, toconfess with our lips His Lordship and majesty.But what is the significance of the name? In the Old Testament (Semitic culture) a person’sname is closely related to what he is. Therefore if a person changed in personality his name was alsochanged, i.e. Jacob to Israel. The name does not mean simply the name by which a person is calledwhich helps to distinguish someone from someone else. In Hebrew the name means the “nature,” the“character,” the “personality” of the person.The psalmist made this clear when he claimed,“Those who know Your name will trust in You . . .” (Ps 9:10).Those who know what God is like, those who know that nature and character of God will puttheir trust in Him. This is why David boasts:“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in thename of the Lord our God” (Ps 20:7).This means that David will remember what God is like, and that memory will give himconfiden

168The prayers of Daniel reveal his high and majestic view of God.“Blessed by the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His:and He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and sets up kings:He gives wisdom . . . He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwellswith Him . . . O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping covenant and mercyto them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments . . . O Lord,righteousness belongs to you . . . To the Lord our God belongs mercies andforgiveness . . . the Lord our God is righteous in all His works which He does . . .”(Da 2:20ff; 9:4,7, 9,14)It is this tremendous sense of God’s holy majesty which needs to be recaptured so desperately inour day and age. Our prayer then, must that we will know God as He is that wemay worship and serve Him as we should.

169CHAPTER 21

170THE LORD’S PRAYER Part IIGOD’S KINGDOMLuke 11:2“I cannot say Thine is the kingdom if I do not give the King the disciplinedobedience of a loyal subject.”We are a part of a fallen race. We live in a world of which Satan is god. John put it:“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under thecontrol of the evil one” (1 Jn 5:19).When Jesus tells His followers to pray, “Your kingdom” He does so to distinguish sharplybetween the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan which is a kingdom of darkness, disorder andconfusion (Mt 12:25-28). Satan’s kingdom is not only opposite in character, but it also stands inbelligerent opposition to the kingdom of God.Our world is a world in which the kingdom of God is not fully operative, but where Satan andman rule and reign. To a great extent it is not God’s will that is being done here, but Satan’s and man’s.All we have to do to be convinced of this is to read our papers, listen to our radios and watch ourtelevision sets to see who is in charge. We live in a world where nations destroy each other and the earthis overrun with blood.And this was true in the days of Jesus. And it was in such a world that Jesus taught His disciplesto pray:“Father, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come” (11:2).THE KINGDOM OF GODIn the two previous studies of this prayer we have seen that we are to come to God as a childlooking to Him as our intimate and compassionate heavenly Father who is willing and able to fulfill Hispromises to us. Because of His goodness and greatness we are to revere Him as Almighty God. NowJesus points out that meaningful prayer is not only reverence for God's name (and person), but it is alsocommitment to God's program. We are to call the God "Our Father," and to pray that the holiness,righteousness, love and compassion of this Person, would reveal itself in the lives of men.While the first petition, "Hallowed be Your name," concerns God's glory itself, the second andthird petitions deal with the means whereby His glory is to be manifested and promoted on earth.God's name is glorified on earth in exactly the same proportion in which His kingdom comes to us andHis will is done by us.

The purpose of God's kingdom is to make the holiness, the righteousness, the love andcompassion--the perfection of God—known.171CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WHOLE NEW TESTAMENTThe phrase "kingdom of God" is characteristic of the whole New Testament. Its centrality ismade clear from the fact that the phrase "kingdom of God" or "kingdom of heaven" (Jewish expressionbecause of their hesitation to use the word "God") appears 103 times in the New Testament--49 times inMatthew, 16 times in Mark and 38 times in Luke.When we first see Jesus on the scene Mark points out that He came into Galilee preaching goodnews of God. 'The time has come,' He said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the goodnews!'" (Mk 1:14-15).Jesus described the preaching of the kingdom as an obligation laid upon Him:"I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns also, becausethat is why I was sent" (4:43; Mk 1:38).And Luke adds that Jesus "kept on preaching [the good news of the kingdom] in thesynagogues of Judea" (4:44).Luke describes Jesus' ministry as that of preaching the good news of the kingdom and showingits power of deliverance: from sin, sickness and evil spirits (8:1-2).PASTJesus spoke of the kingdom in three different tenses. He spoke of the kingdom as existing in thepast. He said that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets were in the kingdom (13:28; Mt 8:11).God's kingdom reaches far back into history. It means primarily the reign or rule of God. Therefore aslong as people allowed God to reign or rule in their lives they belonged to His kingdom.PRESENTJesus also spoke of the kingdom in the present tense. Jesus challenged His disciples:"As you go, preach this message: 'the kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raisethe dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons" (Mt 10:7-8).

172In the person of Jesus the power of the kingdom is made manifest. And this power was alsogiven to His followers so they would also manifest the kingdom. Healing, raising the dead, exorcism alltestify to the reality of the kingdom of God. On another occasion Jesus reasoned:"But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God hascome to you" (11:20).Jesus Christ was the one and only person who ever fully accepted and carried out the will ofGod. Therefore with Jesus the kingdom came. He incarnates and embodies the kingdom. Jesus notonly proclaimed the kingdom; He is the kingdom demonstrated in human lifeThe kingdom of God is also here at this moment in the hearts and lives of those who submit toHis kingship and lordship—all who believe in Him. Jesus pointed this out to the Pharisees:"The kingdom of God does not come visibly, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,'because the kingdom of God is within you" (17:20-21).Jesus then goes on to tell the religious leader Nicodemus about the necessity of the new birth:"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not besurprised at My saying, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases.You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.So it is with everyone born of the Spirit" (Jn 3:6-8).INVITATIONTo enter the kingdom is to accept God's invitation and be His guest by accepting the laws andrules of the host. Repentance and faith, therefore, go hand in hand with the kingdom. Jesus' initialmessage was a summons to repent and believe because God was about to reign :'"The time has come,' He said, 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believethe good news!” (Mk 1:14).Repentance is literally "a change of mind" (metanoia) whereby a person going in one direction,changes his mind, turns around, and goes in the opposite direction. To enter the kingdom means achange of mind whereby a person stops by doing his own thing—wil1—and begins to do God's will.The kingdom of heaven, then, as Denny pointed out, "is not for the well-meaning but for thedesperate."The halfhearted person will never enter the kingdom!

173apply.The kingdom of God is only for those who are desperately in earnestly apply! Dabblers need notThere will come a day when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord"(Php 2:9-11). The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world and then the end will come(Mt 8:11; Lk 13:29). The day is yet to come when:Jesus shall reign wherever the sun rises and falls.The kingdom of God is characterized by universal peace. The kingdom of God is alsocharacterized by universal knowledge. The prophet Habakkuk anticipated that wonderful day when"The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waterscover the sea" (Hab 2:14).That Day is coming!DAILY NEEDSLuke 11:3“He who gives us teeth will give us bread.”–Jewish ProverbIf Jesus Christ came to you and promised you that, if you believe in Him and commit your lifeinto His hands, that He will take care of your every need, how would you respond? With disbelief orfaith?That is the very promise that Jesus makes in His prayer called "The Lord's Prayer." But thatpromise is not automatic. We are to pray for God to meet our every need. And so after having told Hisdisciples about the importance of approaching God as our "heavenly Father" in an attitude of reverence,and after having prayed that God's kingdom and will would be done on earth as it is in heaven, Jesustells His disciples to pray that their daily needs will be met:"Give us each day our daily bread" (Lk.11:3).It should not surprise us that Christ should include in this great prayer a simple request for food.It is, after all, the very basis of existence.Worship is not only reverence for God's person, not only commitment to God's program,but it is also an acknowledgment of His provision and our complete and constant dependence uponHim. This request for daily food begins the second half of this famous prayer.

174This second section consists of three petitions which include all of man's needs and embrace allthe spheres of time in which his life is lived—the present: "daily bread"; the past: "forgiveness"; thefuture: "guidance."GOD'S PROVISION IS FOR NECESSITIES"Give us today our daily bread." God is concerned about our bodies. Jesus was concerned aboutthe physical; there are many occasions on which He healed diseased bodies and supplied physical needs.God honored the body by entering into this world in Jesus Christ. In that human body, the Word becameflesh. And anything that despises or belittles the body is not biblical.The word "bread" in the phrase, "Give us today our daily bread" is taken from the Greek wordarton which can refer either to actual bread or to food in general. I believe in this context. the meaning isfood in general which would be applicable in a greater extent to all our physical and material needs.Luther interpreted this to mean "everything necessary for the preservation of this life, such as food,health, good weather, house, home, wife, children and good government that would ensure peace."Notice it is necessities, not luxuries that Jesus is talking about. We know the importance ofbread. In both ancient and modern times it has often been called "the staff of life." While God in Hisabundant grace, in His lavish care of us, may go far beyond bread; our prayer is not for what might comebut what we really need. "Give us each day our daily bread."Someone has said we are a bundle of needs from the cradle to the grave.Necessities—food and clothing—not luxuries, is what God has promised. And we are to becontent with that. Paul affirmed:"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”(Php 4:19)God delights to grant us what we really need. But He has not promised to give us all our wants.Bread, not cake, is a necessity; water, not every latest drink; rest, not a luxurious holiday in Hawaii.PRAYER AND WORKThis petition for God to provide our needs does not rule out our responsibility to earn a living.Farmers have to plough, sow and reap to provide basic food. As Luther put it,"God provides food for the birds, but He doesn't throw it in the nest."We have to work for our material needs.

175Prayer must never be a substitute for work. If a person prayed this prayer and sat back andwaited for bread to fall into his hands, he would starve. Prayer and work go hand in hand. Work isone of God's ordained means of seeing our prayers come true. While it is true that the living seed comesfrom God, it is equally true that it is man's task to cultivate that seed.In our modern age with all the trinkets of technology and convenience we still have to pray,"Give us today our daily bread.

176CHAPTER 22

177THE LORD’S PRAYER Part IIIFORGIVENESSLuke 11:4“If God were not willing to forgive, heaven would be empty.”–German Proverb“It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.”–St. Francis AssisiOne of the most common problems among people, including Christians, is an unforgiving spirit.Churches are filled with members who once had a vital faith and a vibrant testimony, but who are nowfilled with anger, bitterness and resentment. If you ask them what is the matter, they will tell you howthey have been wronged and hurt.Because of the wrong and hurt, they feel justified in wallowing in their self-pity. Often theirresponse is, "I know I should forgive, but I can't." And then they add, "And if you were in my shoes, youcouldn't either."Jesus addresses this problem of forgiveness when He teaches His disciples how to pray. For Hetold them to include in their prayer:"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Mt 6:12).Here we see that God's forgiveness toward us and our forgiveness toward others is tied together.A bitter, unforgiving spirit will keep us from experiencing God's forgiveness.TYPES OF FORGIVENESSThe forgiveness that Jesus refers to in this prayer is not that of justification or judicialforgiveness whereby a sinner is awakened to his sinfulness and seeks forgiveness in Christ, repent andputs His faith in the saving work of Christ on the cross. Rather, He is referring to parental forgiveness.He is talking about a person who already belongs to God's kingdom and family who needs dailycleansing from the soil of sin in the world.That Jesus is referring to a saint rather than sinner is clear from the beginning of this prayerwhere we are exhorted to address Almighty God as "our Father." God is a "Father" only to His children.Although we as His children have been justified, as we walk through this world we become soiled andtarnished by sin. That is true of every Christian. And so we need constant, continual cleansing forparticular sins and failures.

178John writing to believers warned and promised:"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Ifwe confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify usfrom all unrighteousness" (1 Jn. 1:8-9).Forgiveness is needed repeatedly so that fellowship is restored between God the Father and Hischildren. The moment we as His children realize we have offended, or grieved or sinned against ourheavenly Father, if we confess it and ask to be forgiven, we have God's word that we are forgiven.GOD'S FORGIVENESSGod's forgiving and compassionate nature is majestically portrayed by David:"Praise the Lord, 0 my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praisethe Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (Ps 103:1-2).He forgives all our sins. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according toour iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fearHim; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion onthose who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers thatwe are dust” (Ps 103:13).He is not surprised when we sin. He knows that we are weak human beings. Yet He does notexcuse our weakness and sinfulness. He requires of us that we "fear Him" and confess our weakness andsin to Him. When we do that He removes our transgressions from us "as far as the east is from the west."God's forgiveness is total and complete.Unlike Matthew who uses the word “debts,” Luke uses the word hamartia which is the mostcommon of all Greek words for "sin." The meaning is "missing the mark" whereby a javelin, an arrow ora blow misses its mark or target. Sin is missing the mark or target of God's will and standard for us. It isfalling short of what He desires and demands.As sinful human beings we are debtors, spiritual paupers, whose only claim is that offorgiveness for our sins or omission and commission. We have "trespassed" on God's path of holinesswith our careless lifestyle. We have offended Him. We have grieved Him. We have spurned His graceand mercy. We have conformed to the world's values and standards. So we need his forgiveness. And itis at the cross that we see His forgiving heart most clearly.

179The CrossJesus Christ, the innocent Son of God is stretched in painful agony on the up-lifted cross, Helifts His thorn-crowned head and cries out,"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (23:34).When man committed his greatest crime--by nailing God the Son on the cross--Jesus respondedwith love and compassion.Jeremiah made the point that not only has God forgiven us but He has also forgotten our sins:"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."(Je 31:34)When God casts our sins down into the depths of the sea, He never in tended that we should gofishing for them. Those who say they will forgive, but cannot forget an injury, simply bury the hatchet,while they leave the handle out for immediate use.longer.. When God says it is forgiven, then it is forgiven, and there is not guilt and no liability anyMAN'S FORGIVENESSIt is this love and compassion of Jesus that is to form the basis of our love for each other. In fact,Jesus points out, apart from such love and compassion, forgiveness is impossible. For Jesus taught Hisdisciples to pray:"Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us" (11:4).This point of forgiving others is so crucial that Jesus adds a commentary:"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will alsoforgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgiveyour sins" (Mt 6:14-15) .This point sounds like a form of merit theology in which we can earn forgiveness from God byforgiving others. That would contradict the rest of Scripture. We do not forgive others in order toachieve forgiveness for ourselves. We cannot earn any of God's favors. All is of grace.

180The point Jesus is making is that we cannot receive forgiveness unless our hearts are righttoward other people. An unforgiving heart blocks God's grace from entering.Slow to ForgiveMan is slow to forgive. We live according to the philosophy that life is a matter of getting evenand of saving face. We bow before the altar of revenge. Samson, eyeless at Gaza, prays fervently for hisenemies but only for their utter destruction. The potential beauty of human life is constantly made uglyby man's ever-recurring song of retaliation."He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.”Resentment is bittersweet. If we did not cherish it, we would let it go. It gives usa chance to justify ourselves.THE RESULT OF RESENTMENTWe have the desire that the person who offended us will remember the wrong as clearly as wedo, so that when we finally even the score, he will hurt enough to satisfy us. Resentment is the desirethat the offending person feels the pain he deserves. Then we are justified in our bitterness and itbecomes clear to all that we are the morally superior person.GOD'S REMEDYOnly love—God's supernatural love—can drive out the demon of remembered pain. Love bringsus a new beginning. It lets the past die. It moves people to a new beginning without settling the past.Love does not have to clear up all misunderstandings.Letting go of the past in order to bring reconciliation is possible only through the love of God inChrist Jesus. Letting go of the past in order to bring peace, harmony and reconciliation is one of the mostdifficult things any human being is ever asked to do. Only God's love has the power to do that. His lovekeeps reaching out to us even though we have fed a thousand offenses into its memory-bank.said,The accounts have been settled at the cross. From the cross, God begins us fresh. Shakespeare"I pardon him, as God shall pardon me."Paul said,"Forgive others as Christ has forgiven you" (Eph 4: 32; Col 3: 13).

181OVERCOME BY GOD'S LOVEOur love is only as great as the depth of God's forgiveness we have experienced. No more, noless. When we see God as He is, we also see ourselves for what we are--people in desperate need ofGod's mercy and grace. Such a vision will open up again the flow of God's forgiving love in our lives.TEMPTATIONLuke 11:4“Each temptation leaves us better or worse; neutrality is impossible.”–Erwin LutzerSome things in life are unavoidable—like death and taxes. And another one is temptation.No one, no matter how holy and perfect, has been able to avoid the enticement of the forbidden fruit oftemptation.Temptation is one of the sure marks of our humanity. While we human beings come in all colors,shapes and sizes and are as different as our fingerprints attest, yet we are all the same in that we all facetemptation. No matter where we live in the world or what vocation we find ourselves in, we have all hadfirsthand confrontation with temptation.The first man, Adam, was tempted in the garden. And even before man's fall there wastemptation. Adam must have walked through the Garden of Eden many times and have said to himself,"Why can I eat of the fruit of all the other trees and not this one?"Then Jesus Christ, the last man—the last Adam—was tempted, not in a garden, but in awilderness. And it is at this point of His temptation that the biblical writers emphasize His identificationwith all humanity. He was tempted "in every way--just as we are" (Heb 4:15). The first man, Adam, andthe last man, Jesus Christ, and every man in between have been deeply touched by temptation.So Jesus, having gone through repeated temptations, ends His prayer with a petition for guidanceand deliverance:"And lead us not into temptation" (11:4).THE POWER TO FACE AND CONQUER TEMPTATIONNotice that Jesus ties this petition to the last petitions with the word "and." By this He tells us thatjust as we need food for our physical health, forgiveness for our spiritual vitality, so we need guidance anddeliverance to continue to live in a close and intimate relationship with our heavenly Father. Jesus issaying that once we have experienced pardon for our past sins that we should pray fervently for grace to

182prevent us from repeating them in the future. We cannot sincerely desire God to forgive us our sinsunless we long for grace to enable us to abstain from those sins in the future. Therefore we should make itour practice to earnestly seek our heavenly Father for discernment and strength to avoid repeating our pastsins and falling into new sins.As needful as daily bread and forgiveness is power to face temptation. The offer of forgivenesswithout the power to deal with temptation might lead to the attitude of giving in to temptation and thenasking God for forgiveness. While there will be no power without forgiveness, forgiveness must not leadto license.Just as we cannot supply our own bread or forgive our own sins, so we cannot handle temptationin our strength. This is why we must continually seek God's help.THE MEANING OF "TEMPTATION"This petition has been confusing to many people since it tells us to pray that God will not "lead usinto temptation." The first problem is that the Bible states that God does not tempt us with evil. Jamesexplains:"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot betempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone . . ." (Jas 1:13).What is the use then of praying that God will not do what He has already promised that He willnever do? The answer may be found in the meaning of the word "temptation." This word (peirasmos) isused in two senses in the New Testament and it is not always easy to determine which of the twomeanings apply in a given passage. One meaning is "to try (literally 'the strength of') to put to the test"and the other meaning is "to entice to do evil." To help differentiate between these two meanings manyhave come to refer to the first meaning with the word "trial" or "testing."TESTINGWhen the Bible states that "God tempted Abraham" (Ge 22:1), it means that He "tried" him,""putting to the test" his faith and fidelity. But when we read that Satan "tempted" Jesus, it signifies thatSatan sought "to bring about His downfall."The Bible is filled with references to God's testing His people. Job testified:"But He knows the way that I take when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold."(Job 23:10)God uses trials to show us our own true selves and how dependent we are on God.

183James exhorts us:"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,not lacking anything” (Jas 1:2-4).Here we are to rejoice in our trials because of its effect: perseverance which makes us matureand complete.The purpose of testing is positive: to help us find out the genuineness of our faith and to purifyour lives. The purpose of temptation is negative: to entice us to do evil.Helmut Thielecke rephrases this petition,TEMPTATION"Let nothing become a temptation to me."Everything can. Virtually anything can trip us up. We are never safe--except when we stay byGod's side. Experience has taught us that anything and everything has the power to tear us away fromHim. Not just our lust or envy, our jealousy or resentment, our anger or dishonesty, but also the peoplearound us, the honors given to us, the material things we accumulate.The Bible is clear that the enemy of our souls—Satan—is actively engaged in our misery anddestruction. Peter puts it:"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaringlion looking for someone to devour" (1 Pe 5:8).Satan, our enemy, will use every tactic in the book to entice and lure us into evil.HOW SATAN TEMPTS USThe last phrase, "but deliver us from the evil one" acknowledges that the evil referred to here isprimarily Satan. Evil is not merely an abstract principle. It does not exist apart from personalities, and itfinds its focus in a malignant person called Satan. This does not mean that this phrase is restricted to thedevil alone. Any kind of evil would apply. We are taught here to pray for deliverance in several areas suchas the world, the flesh and the devil.

184THE THREE GREAT ENEMIESIt is the world, (Gal 1:40) the flesh, (Mt 12:35) and the devil, (Eph 6:16; 1 Jn 2:13-14; 3:12;5:18-19) that we need to be delivered from. The world and our flesh, our sinful human nature, are used bySatan as his agents. This is why we must constantly pray for deliverance fromall our spiritual enemies.While it is true that we have been delivered from "the dominion of darkness" and brought into the"kingdom of the Son" (Col 1:13), and that, as a consequence, Satan no longer has any lawful authorityover us, he nevertheless wields an awesome and oppressive power in that he is allowed to harass andmolest us as we yield him our rightful territory.THE ANATOMY OF TEMPTATIONJames shows us how temptation works and how sin is produced.". . . each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away andenticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, whenit is full-grown, gives birth to death" (Jas 1:14-15).Here we find that the source of man's temptation to do evil is not God, but rather manhimself. The evil desires within man tends to involve him in compromising situations. Sin is attractivebecause of man's sinful nature. And this sinful nature was not destroyed when we became Christians. Wereceived another nature which can keep us free from the power and dominion of sin in our lives but onlyas we are subject to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.JESUS’ PRAYER FOR POWERSince we are at war, Jesus tells us to pray for power to face the many tempting situations the devilpresents to us. In this request we are asking that we should never be led into a situation where we areliable to be tempted by Satan. It is a prayer that according to God's will that we will not be led intopositions where we can be easily tempted, and where we are liable" to fall. It means that we shouldrequest our heavenly Father to preserve us from this, and not lead us in this way.This is what Jesus meant when He warned the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane:"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, butthe body is weak" (Mk 14:38).There are situations that will be dangerous for us and so we need to be alert and pray for God'spower and grace for the situation.

185PrayerWe never have to worry about becoming overwhelmed by temptation and we are assuredthat God has provided a way out so that we do not need to yield to temptation. But how do we fighttemptation? We have already seen that prayer is one of God's key weapons in this fight againsttemptation. But prayer is not enough. God has also provided other resources to live successful Christianlives in this evil world. In addition to prayer, there must be practice—work.Not FlirtSecond, we must not flirt with temptation. It is sheer mockery to ask God to deliver us from eviland then trifle with sin and recklessly rush into the place of temptation. Prayer and alertness must never bedivorced from each other. We must "put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature" (Col 3:5). Wemust not give any desires a chance to be coddled. We "must not think about how to gratify the desires ofthe sinful nature" (Ro13:14). We must, in fact, "avoid the appearance of evil" (1 Th 5:22; 2 Ti 2:22).This principle of the dangers of flirtation is illustrated by a man who advertised for a coachman.When the applicants came, he asked each one, "how near would you undertake to run my carriage wheelto the edge of a precipice?" The first one said he would run within a foot of it. The second said he wouldrun within six inches. The third was an Irishman, who said, "I would keep away as far as I could"—and hegot the job.We must stay away from tempting situations as much as possible. We must be careful that we donot become fascinated with the glitter of the world for it stands in opposition to the Father (1 Jn 2:15). Thedevil is an impressive artist who paints sin in very attractive colors."Let him who thinks he stands, watch out so he doesn't fall" (1 Co 10:12).Nothing gives temptation such a chance as over-confidence.Submit to GodThird, another way we fight temptation is to submit ourselves to God. James puts it:."God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then,to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (Jas 4:6-7).Submission to God is key in fighting our enemy, Satan. We can resist the superior cunning andwisdom of Satan only if we are in subjection to God. To be subject to God means that we humblyrecognize that we are no match for our enemy and that we need to be totally surrendered to God and Hisperfect will. The very order of this Lord's Prayer shows the importance of our relationship to our

186heavenly Father in being able to see this last petition of guidance and deliverance actualized in our lives.This last petition of protection comes after we have already prayed, "Hallowed be Your name. Yourkingdom come. Your will be done." This means that although the believer is to resist the devil he can doso only after he has first submitted himself to God and His kingdom and will.Resist the DevilFourth, we must resist the devil. How do we resist? By taking a stand against him. Thismeans to rebuke him as Jesus did when He ordered him, "Get behind Me, Satan" (Mt 16:23).Resisting the devil also means using Scripture, the "Sword of the Spirit" which is the Word of God (Eph6:17). Peter says, "Resist him, standing firm in the faith" (1 Pet. 5). The only way to stand firm in thefaith is to live in the sphere of the faith which is shown in the Bible. While the devil is not impressed withour puny words he has to flee before the living and powerful Word of God (Heb 4:12).The clearest and most powerful example of resistance to the devil by the use of the Word of Godis found in the account of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. In this account we see the threecategories of temptations mentioned by John:“. . .the cravings of sinful man (the lust of the flesh), the lust of his eyes and theboasting of what he has and does (pride of life)" (1 Jn 2:16).All these temptations come not from the Father, but from the world (1 Jn 2:16). And these are thecategories that both Jesus and Adam encountered in their temptations. The cravings of sinful man (the lustof the flesh) was the first temptation for both Eve and Jesus. Eve noticed that the fruit of the tree ofknowledge of good and evil was "good for food." (Ge 3:6).Jesus was asked of Satan to use His divine powers for His own selfish ends by turning stones intobread (Mt 4:2-3). The "lust of the eyes" was used by Satan in tempting Eve as she observed that the treewas "pleasant to the eyes" (Ge 3:6). Jesus was similarly tempted the second time by Satan's appeal forHim to play to the crowd and gain the world's esteem by casting Himself from the pinnacle of the templewhile still sustaining no physical harm (Mt 4:5-6). The "pride of life" was used by Satan in tempting Evewith the fruit of the tree that would make her "wise" (Ge 3:6).Satan tempted Jesus in the same way when he promised our Lord that if He were to bow downand worship him that he would give Him authority over all the nations of the world (Mt 4:8-9).These three categories summarize all of man's sin. Any given temptation might clothe itself in anew dress, yet it is essentially the same in nature as it always has been. Paul put it:"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man" (1 Co 10:13).

187Temptation consistently falls into certain patterns or categories which have always been knownand experienced by the entire race of humanity. And we find this illustrated by both Jesus and Eve.THE TEMPTATION OF JESUSWhile Eve succumbed to temptation, Jesus did not. What made the difference? The fact thatJesus was divine? Definitely not! Jesus did not overcome temptation by drawing upon His divine natureand power. He faced temptation as a man. And this is the reason why He is an example for us when weare tempted.Jesus faced and resisted temptation first by having just spent forty days in fasting and prayer. ButHe also resisted temptation by His use of Scripture. When Satan came to Him and said, "If You are theSon of God, tell these stones to become bread" (Mt 4:3) he was tempting Him to put physical needsabove spiritual ones. Notice Jesus quick response: "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, buton every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4). This was a direct quotation fromDeuteronomy 8:3.Satan then took Jesus up to Jerusalem on a pinnacle of the Temple and challenged Him to throwHimself down proving His trust in God to miraculously and spectacularly protect Him. This would be aquick way to get notoriety and have an immediate following. Yet Jesus resisted this temptation by quotingfrom Deuteronomy 6:16: "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test'" (Mt 4:7).In his last desperate attempt the devil asked Christ to worship him in exchange for this world'sglory. Here was a temptation to put the devil ahead of His heavenly Father to gain glory for himself.But once again Jesus replied, "Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, andserve Him only’" (Mt 4:10). Jesus resisted the devil by again quoting Holy Scripture (Dt 6:13).Jesus overcame temptation the same way we can overcome temptation by prayer and by God'sWord. So we need to learn to pray as Jesus prayed and know and use the Word as Jesus did. Then, andonly then, will we experience victory over our temptations.This last petition of the Lord's Prayer means that we pray that God will spare us from paths wherewe will be tempted by the enemy of our souls; but if he comes, we pray that God will keep us out of hisclutches.When we pray this prayer we express our dependence upon God in every area of our life.The prayer ends with the words:"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

188While this last phrase is not found in the better manuscripts, it is a fitting tribute to our heavenlyFather. And here this statement is not a prayer that these things might become true, but anacknowledgment that they are true. Therefore we as God's children do not need to fret and worry aboutthe past, the present and the future. For everything is in God's hands. We do not need to doubt that Godtakes care of us. We do not need to fret about our own little kingdoms.We do not need to feverishly work toward amassing our own power and glory. For His kingdomreigns supreme, His power is sufficient for all situations and His glory will ultimately prevail.

189CHAPTER 23

190PERSISTENCE IN PRAYERLuke 11:5-13“There is a vast difference between saying prayers and praying.” 1–Anonymous“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of hishighest willingness.” 2–Archbishop Richard TrenchMany of us have been infected by “casino religion.” We drop a few coins of prayer in God’s slotmachine, and when we don’t hit the jackpot we give up.This should not surprise us since our Western world is hardly characterized by prayer. Ourmodern technological society of the West is so concerned with time (“time is money”) that it has littlepatience for mystical activity such as prayer which has no apparent material value. The WesternChristian, having been conditioned to produce, finds religious activity other than prayer more productivebecause it is more easily visible (at least in the immediate).THE KIND OF PRAYER GOD HEARS (11:5-10)Jesus has already warned against pharisaic hypocrisy and pagan formalism and has given Hisown model prayer. Now He promises that we will be heard if we pray. What greater promise is therethan the promise that we will be heard? Unless this takes place, prayer becomes a mere mental exercise.And so He states:” Then He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him atmidnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mineon a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' Then the oneinside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children arewith me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will notget up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man'sboldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knockand the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he whoseeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (vv. 5-10).It is not just any kind of praying that God hears and answers. Here is a principle that pertains notonly to prayer but to all of life: Only those who persevere succeed. The man’s persistence is amanifestation of his boldness, that is, his bold faith. He had faith that his friend would eventually granthim his request.ASK (11:9)

191To emphasize the importance of such boldness and persistence Jesus uses repetition. His promisesare attached to three direct commands: “Ask . . . seek . . . knock...” (11:9). These commands may be in anascending scale of intensity. Asking implies humility and a consciousness of need. The verb is usedwith regard to a petition of lowly position to someone who is considered superior or more important. Inthe Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, the Pharisee asks nothing (18:10-13). He tells God howgood he is. The tax collector asks (or pleads, to be more exact):“God have mercy on me, a sinner” (v. 13).SEEK (11:9)Seeking is asking plus acting. It implies earnest petitioning combined with active endeavoring toobtain fulfillment of one’s needs. It is not enough to pray for deep knowledge of the Bible; one must beready and willing to diligently search and examine the Scriptures (Jn 5:39; Ac 17:11).KNOCK (11:9)Knocking is asking combined with acting and persevering. This means that knocking isimplied in all three of these verbs since they are all present imperatives literally meaning “ask and keepseeking, knock and keep knocking.”To ask is to be desirous, to seek is to be urgent, and to knock is to be desperate.PROMISE (11:9)For each command there is a promise. “Ask” is followed by “given,” “seek” by “find,” “knock”by “opened.” And these first three promises (v. 9) are virtually repeated in verse eight and underlined bythe introductory word “everyone.” The force of this is that those who obey the command will never bedisappointed.Is it really necessary to bring the same request to God over and over gain? Isn’t such repetition alack of faith? Does it really make sense to come before the all-knowing, all-powerful God with the samepetitions time and time again?Then Jesus applies this lesson to the listeners. Even though God and that unjust judge aredifferent in virtually every way, they are similar at one point: they both respond slowly. Like the judge,God at times delays answering the cries of His children. Jesus points out that God brings about justice forthose who are bold (v. 8). Prayer is answered by God in response to a continual crying out to Him inboldness.

192When the man was first rebuffed, he did not return home empty handed. It was only as hepersisted that the other man gave him the loaves so he in turn could give them to the needy friend.WHY DELAY?Why? Why delay? In the case of the judge it was because of selfish indifference. In the case ofthe friend, it was because of convenience. In the case of God, however, such a motive would be unworthyof Him. But doesn’t God always answer prayer immediately? Sometimes God’s love is tough. BecauseHe sees whole issues from an eternal perspective, He knows what we need at any given time and how tomake us into the kind of people He wants us to be. He is more concerned about the development ofcharacter than He is about immediate gratification.While it may be true that “prayer changes things,” it is more accurate to say that “prayer changespeople.” God is in the business of changing us, conforming us to the very image of His Son Jesus (Ro8:29). And it is in this context of making us to be like Jesus that Paul says:“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,who have been called according to His purpose” (Ro 8:28).What is more difficult than delayed answers? For us busy Westerners, waiting on God to catch upwith us is probably the most agonizing part of living the Christian life. And so we see that this waiting isalways part of the “all things” that God is causing to work together for good because His aim is ourlikeness to the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.There is no question about God answering persistent prayer. Jesus assures us:“I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Lk 18:8).Persistent prayers will get results, and those results will come “quickly.” This may seem tocontradict what Jesus has already said about delay in answering prayer. But the point that Jesus is makingis that when it comes time—God’s perfect time—He will respond swiftly without hesitation.A form of the same word is used in Revelation 22:20 where Christ promises, “I am comingsoon.” Yet for us in the twentieth century (two thousand years has passed and He still has not come.) Butas Peter points out:“With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are likea day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come torepentance” (2 Pe 3:9).

193God’s keeping His promises, says Peter, is still all a matter of timing. God’s delays are evidenceof His larger purpose. In this case of coming again the second time, it is so that people will have moretime to repent. In the case of delayed answers to prayer in other areas, God likewise has reasons for notimmediately responding to our requests. His making us wait is not (because of) His own reluctance butfor our benefit: He is working to produce godly character in our lives. And often that comes only as weare virtually forced to spend time with Him in prayer.NO VAIN REPETITIONSome have confused persistence with vain repetition. But Jesus has already condemned the latter(Mt 6:7-8). The problem is not with repetition per se. Jesus Himself repeatedly prayed to the Father inGethsemane (Mk 14:32-41). The gospel writers point out that three times Jesus pleads with the Father tolet the cup of suffering pass from Him. It is not the repetition that is forbidden, but the fallacy thatrepetition was especially needful for the Pharisees who had a rabbinic maxim which stated:“Everyone that multiplies prayer is heard.”But prayer is not a magical charm that works when there is the mechanical repetition of aformula. Rather, prayer is prompted by the burden of a heart driven by an overpowering urgency thatcontinues to cry out day and night to a wise and living heavenly Father.GOD’S BENEVOLENCE (11:11-13)Jesus illustrates God’s benevolence by a simple parable:"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you areevil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will yourFather in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (vv. 11-13)Jesus takes three examples, for Luke in his gospel adds a third to the two Matthew gives.The first is bread. If a son asks for bread, will his father give him a stone? If a son asks for a fish, will hisfather give him a serpent? If a son asks for an egg, will his father give him a scorpion? (Lk 11:12). In eachcase the two things cited bear a close resemblance.The little, round limestones on the seashore were exactly the shape and the color of loaves ofbread. If a son asks for bread, will his father mock him by offering him a stone, which looks like breadbut which is impossible to eat?If a son asks for a fish, will his father give him a snake? The snake referred to here is probably aneel. According to the food laws of the Jews, an eel was not to be eaten because it was considered anunclean fish. According to Leviticus 11:12: “Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales

194is an abomination to you.” The eel, therefore, was ruled out as a part of the diet of the Jews. If a son asksfor a fish, will his father give him a fish, an eel, which is forbidden to eat? Would a father frustrate hisson’s hunger like that?If the son asks for an egg, will his father give him a scorpion? The scorpion is a deadly animal. Itis like a small lobster, with claws that clutch its victim. Its sting is in its tail, and it brings its tail up overits back to strike its victim. The sting can be extremely painful and even fatal. When the scorpion rests, itsclaws and tail are folded in. And there is a pale colored scorpion which looks exactly like an egg whenfolded up. If a son asks for an egg, will his father mock him by handing him a deadly scorpion?When we persistently pray to God, He will answer our prayers according to His love andsovereign wisdom. Even human parents who are selfish by nature love their children enough to give themwhat they need. In this passage we see that Jesus assumes the inherent sinfulness of human nature: “Ifyou, then, though you are evil . . .” (11:13). And then He does not hesitate to show that just as “evil”parents give “good gifts” to their children, how much more true is it that our heavenly Father, who isinherently good and wise, will give good things to those who persistently ask Him.The picture drawn here by Jesus is that of a little child coming to his “dada” or “daddy.”Although no Jews would ever dare to address God as “Abba” or “dada,” Jesus always did and authorizedHis disciples to approach Almighty God in such a manner (11:2; Mt 6:9). As believers in Christ, webecome the children of our heavenly Father. And so we can affectionately and tenderly come to our kindand understanding heavenly “dada” with our concerns being assured that He will wisely, discerningly andkindly meet our needs.Jesus says that when we persistently come to our heavenly “dada” with our requests that He willnot give us anything that is bad for us; instead, we will receive the Holy Spirit and all His benefits. Godwill supply whatever we need.God is not a grudging God from whom every gift has to be coerced. He is not a mocking Godwhose gifts have a catch. Rather, His heart is so kind that He is more ready to give than we are to ask.RATIONALEThe rationale behind persistent, prevailing prayer is not to wear God out, overcoming Hisreluctance. He is already willing. Rather, importunity is one of God’s tools in preparing His people to beable to receive their requests.Prevailing prayer often helps us to sort out the superficial desires of our hearts from the deepconcerns. Thus God uses importunity in response to prayer as a purifier. As we repeatedly bring things toGod we become increasingly aware of the importance and worth of what we are zealously praying about.Thus our desires are either confirmed or condemned.

195“Casino or slot-machine religion” makes us complacent and superficial. If all that is requiredof us is that we send up a prayer and sit back and wait for an immediate answer, we would becomeincreasingly selfish and self-sufficient. However, God’s method—importunity—makes us increasinglyaware of our utter dependence upon Almighty God, our heavenly “dada.”Importunity is God’s way of building fiber in our spiritual muscles. If we lose the habit ofwrestling with God, we lose the hope of prevailing prayer. Importunity is God at work strengthening usfor His work in building the kingdom of God. The demands of discipleship are great, and importunity isanother instrument used by God to make us into the hardy soldiers who wage war with the enemy of oursouls. Importunity tests those qualities and develops them in increasing measures.Persistence is required of any endeavors in life that are important. This is no exception when itcomes to the crucial art and ministry of prayer.NOTES1Edythe Draper, Draper’s Book of Quotations for the Christian World (Tyndale, 1992), 494.2Ibid., 491.

196CHAPTER 24

197JESUS AND BEELZEBUBLuke 11:14-28The connection between this story and the previous is striking and instructive. In the precedingverses, our Jesus had been showing the power and importance of prayer. In the verses before us, Hedelivers a man from a 'mute' demon. The same Savior who encourages us to pray, is the One who destroysSatan's power people.JESUS IS FALSELY ACCUSEDSatan:In their spiritual blindness the Pharisees falsely accused Jesus of ministering in the power of“ Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the manwho had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. But some of themsaid, ‘By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, He is driving out demons.’Others tested Him by asking for a sign from heaven” (11:14-16).Here we see the variety of ways in which Satan exhibits his desire to injure man. We read ofa 'mute' demon. Sometimes in the Gospel we come across an "unclean" demon or a raging and violentdemon. Here we witness a "mute" demon. Satan has many strategies. He works differently with differentpeople.Jesus, who can make the deaf to hear and the mute to speak, still lives! It is not enough to bemoral, and proper, and respectable in our lives. All this is negative goodness, and nothing more. Is thereanything positive about our religion? Do we yield our members as instruments of righteousness to God?(Ro 6:13).JESUS KNEW THEIR THOUGHTS“ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: ‘Any kingdom divided against itselfwill be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided againsthimself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive outdemons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom doyour followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I driveout demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away thearmor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils” (11:17-22).

198We also see here the amazing power of prejudice. When Jesus cast out the mute spirit, therewere some who said, "He casts out demons through Beelzebub, the chief of the demons." They could notdeny the miracle. And so they refused to acknowledge the divine source. The miracle was plain andindisputable. Therefore they sought to discredit the Jesus’ character by claiming that He was in leaguewith the devil.There are always people who have a suspicious nature and are therefore determined to see the badin Christ’s servants. They project their own evil onto others. They seem intent on believing the worse.Not only do they question what others do and say, but even question their motives. If he casts outdemons, it is through Beelzebub! Such prejudiced men are to be found in many a congregation. They arethe most severe trials of anyone ministering in the name of Christ. No wonder that Paul said,"And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyonehas faith" (2 Th 3:2).Paul says that love “always trusts” (1 Co 13:7).We must strive to be fair even as we are to be honest and candid. Let us be ready to give up oldand cherished opinions the moment that any one can show us a "more excellent way." A prejudiced spiritis the very jaundice of the soul.We also notice the great evil of religious divisions. Jesus quotes the proverbial saying that "ahouse divided against itself falls." He infers the absurdity of the idea that Satan would cast out Satan, orthe devil cast out his own agents. And in so doing, He teaches Christians a lesson concerning the sin andfoolishness of needless divisions.Religious divisions of some kind there must always be, so long as false doctrine prevails, andmen will cleave to it. What communion can there be between light and darkness? How can two walktogether except they be agreed? What unity can there be where there is not the unity of the Spirit?Division and separation from those who adhere to false and unscriptural doctrine is a duty and not a sin.But there are divisions of a very different kind, which are deeply to be deplored. Such, forexample, are divisions between men who agree on main points—divisions about matters not needful tosalvation—divisions about forms and ceremonies, and ecclesiastical arrangements upon which Scriptureis silent. Divisions of this kind are to be avoided and discouraged by all faithful Christians. The existenceof them is a melancholy proof of the fallen state of man, and the corruption of his understanding as wellas his will. They bring scandal on religion, and weakness on the church. "Every kingdom divided againstitself is brought to desolation."What are the best remedies against needless divisions? It is a humble spirit, a readiness to makeconcessions, and an enlightened acquaintance with Scripture.

199We must learn to distinguish between things in religion which are essential, and things which arenot essential—things which are needful to salvation, and things which are not needful, things which are offirst rate importance, and things which are of second rate importance. On the one hand we must beunbending as the oak tree—"If any man preach any other Gospel than that which we have preached, lethim be accursed." (Gal. 1:8.)—on the other we may be yielding and compliant as the willow, "I am madeall things to all men that I might by all means save some" (1 Co 9:22).FOR OR AGAINSTJesus points to the impossibility of neutrality:"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with me,scatters” (11:23).The principle laid down should be constantly remembered by all who make any profession ofreligion. We all prefer an easy Christianity. We dread being overly righteous. Yet nothing is as offensiveto Christ as lukewarmness in religion. To be utterly dead and ignorant is to be an object of pity as well asblame. But to know the truth and yet not giving oneself fully to it is one of the most serious sins.We need to decide to serve Christ with all our hearts, if we serve Him at all. There is no reserve,no compromise, no half-heartedness and no attempt to reconcile God and mammon in our Christianity.THE TRAP OF A VACCUUMJesus also warns of the danger of being content with religion short of conversion:"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking restand does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When itarrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takesseven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. Andthe final condition of that man is worse than the first" (11:24-26).Here is a picture of a person who has been delivered from evil spirits, but whose heart has notbeen indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He describes the evil spirit, after his expulsion, as seeking rest andfinding none. He describes him planning a return to the heart which he once inhabited and finding thatheart empty of any good, and, like a house swept and cleaned for his reception. He describes Satan asentering in once more, with seven spirits worse than himself, and once more making it his dwelling place.These are solemn words of warning that we must never be satisfied with religious reformationwithout heart conversion.THE BLESSING OF OBEDIENCEJesus ends this teaching with emphasis on obedience:

200“ As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, "Blessedis the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." He replied, "Blessed ratherare those who hear the word of God and obey it’" (11:27-28).We dare not lay aside sin unless grace reigns in our hearts. To stop to do evil has littlesignificance if we do not also learn to do well. The house must not only be swept and whitewashed. Anew tenant must be introduced. It is not enough for one’s outward appearance to be improved. The formaltrappings of religion simply are not enough. Spirituality must be experienced in the inner man. The devilmust not only be cast out. The Holy Spirit must take His place. Christ must dwell in our hearts by faith.We must not only be reformed, but born again.To draw such clear distinctions requires practical wisdom. Such wisdom is available to whosewho humbly ask, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God" (Jas 1:5.).APPLICATIONLet us not be houses swept and cleansed, but uninhabited by the Spirit of God. Let us not merelylook good on the outside, but worthless on the inside. Let our daily prayer be,"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."(Ps 139:23-24)

201CHAPTER 25

202THE SIGN OF JONAHLuke 11:29-32On several occasions Jews asked for miraculous signs, but Jesus rejected their requestsbecause they had wrong motives. Just earlier in this same chapter Luke pointed out that“Others tested Him by asking for a sign from heaven” (v. 16).The parallel passages introduce this passage with the following:“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to Him, ‘Teacher,we want to see a miraculous sign from you” (Mt 12:38).“The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they askedfor a sign from heaven (Mk 8:11).A WICKED GENERATION (11:29-30)“ As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks fora miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Foras Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to thisgeneration” (vv. 29-30).Jonah spent three days “buried” in the huge fish, just as Jesus would be buried for threedays before His resurrection.We tend to think that to have seen Christ, heard Him, lived near Him and been His relative,would have had some great effect upon us. We are all naturally inclined to attach great importance to oursenses: sight, sound and touch. We are drawn to a physical, tangible Christianity rather than one of faith.However, seeing is not always believing. Thousands saw Christ continually while He was onearth, and yet held on to their sins. Even His own brothers "did not believe in Him" (Jn. 7:5). A merefleshly knowledge of Christ saves no one. The words of Paul are very instructive—"So from now on we regard no on from a worldly point of view. Though weonce regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer” (2 Co 5:16).The greatest privileges we have are close at hand, within our reach, if we only believe. There isno need to wish we had lived near Capernaum or been with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. Simple faith canaccess God and His grace as easily here and now as in Jesus’ day. All things are ours by faith. No specialprivilege is needed. No one can be nearer to the heart of Jesus than the person who simply believes.

203Those who hear and keep God's word are held in as much honor as if they were Jesus’ nearestrelatives. It is more blessed to be a believer in the Lord Jesus than it would have been to be one of thefamily in which He was born.THE UNBELIEF OF THE JEWS (11:31-32)“ The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of thisgeneration and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth tolisten to Solomon's wisdom, and now One greater than Solomon is here.The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generationand condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and nowone greater than Jonah is here” (vv. 31-32).Jesus argued from the lesser to the greater. If the queen of Sheba responded positively to thewisdom of Solomon, and the men of Ninevah to the preaching of Jonah, how much more should thepeople of Jesus’ day have responded to the ministry of Jesus, who is infinitely greater than Solomon orJonah!The unbelief of the Jews is evident. Though they gathered to hear Christ preach, they stillinsisted on seeing another sign. They claimed to need more evidence before they believed.And so Jesus points out that the Queen of Sheba and the men of Nineveh would put the Jews to shame atthe last day.The Queen of Sheba (1 Ki 10:1-10) had such faith that she traveled far to hear the wisdom ofSolomon, even though Solomon, with all his wisdom, was far from a perfect king. The Ninevites had suchfaith they believed the message which Jonah, the rebellious prophet, brought from God, and repented.The Jews of Jesus’ time had far more light than either Solomon or Jonah could supply. They hadamong them the King of kings, the Prophet greater than Moses. Yet the Jews neither repented norbelieved.There have always been famous skeptics like Hobbes, Paine, Rousseau, Voltaire, BertrandRussell, etc. We do not sufficiently realize the corruption of human nature.Let us be vigilant against unbelief. We must guard our faith with a godly jealousy.We also see here that Christ testifies to the truth of a resurrection and the life to come. Hespeaks of the queen of the south, whose name and place where she lived are not known to us. He says"she shall rise up in the judgment." And like her, the men of Nineveh shall also "rise up."

204THIS WORLD IS A DRESSING ROOM FOR ETERNITYThis world is not all there is, it is merely a dressing room for the next. Everyone will live againone day and stand before the bar of God’s throne. The crowds which once swarmed round the palaces ofNineveh and synagogues of Jerusalem and churches of New York will all rise from their graves to give anaccount of their works. To us they seem to have passed away forever, people who have completelyperished. Their bones are now dust. But in God’s eyes they all live still. The queen of the south and themen of Nineveh and all who have lived in the past will rise again.APPLICATIONLet the truth of the resurrection be often before our minds. Let the life to come be frequentlybefore our thoughts. All is not over when our bodies are laid to rest in the grave. Other people may dwellin our houses, and spend our money. Our very names may soon be forgotten. But still all is not over!After a while, we shall all live again. As Isaiah put it:"But your dead will live; their bodies will rise.You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy.Your dew is like the dew of the morning;the earth will give birth to her dead" (Isa 26:19).When Paul stood trial before Felix, he “listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus”(Ac 24:24). “But,” as Paul “discoursed on righteousness, self-control and judgment to come, Felix wasafraid and said, ‘That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you”(v. 25).Many, like Felix, may well tremble when they think of spiritual things. But people who live byfaith in the Son of God, like Paul, can confidently look to the future with eternal hope.

205CHAPTER 26

206FAULTY VISIONLuke 11:33-36"None of you lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, orunder a bowl. Instead you put it on its stand, so that those who come in maysee the light” (11:33).Just as the eye is the window to the body, so it is the window to the soul. Irodology is theart of finding out the condition of the body by analyzing the eye.THE PURPOSE OF A CANDLE (LIGHT)In this passage Jesus uses the eye to tell us of the importance of making a good use ofspiritual light. He does this by illustrating the use of a candle. We are reminded of what peopledo when they light a candle. They do not "put it in a hidden place," under a bushel. They place iton a candlestick, that it may be useful by giving light.When the gospel of Christ is proclaimed, God offers a person a lit candle. It is notsufficient to hear it, assent to it, admire it and acknowledge its truth. It must be received into theheart, and obeyed in the life. Until this takes place the gospel does him no more good than if hewere a heathen, who has never heard the gospel at all. God's light neglected will be a heavycharge against many at the last day.But even when we profess to value the light of the gospel we must be careful that we arenot selfish in the use of it. We must reflect the light to all around. We must strive to make othersacquainted with the truths which we find good for ourselves. We must let our light so shinebefore people that they may see to whom we belong and whom we serves. We must strive tohold our candle in such a way, that many may see it, and as they see it, admire and believe.Let us take heed to ourselves that we do not neglect our light. The sin of many in thismatter is far greater than they suppose. To have the light and yet not walk in the light, is of itselfa great sin. It is to treat with contempt and indifference the King of kings and Lord of lords.We must always be on guard against selfishness in our religion, even after we havelearned to value the light. We should seek to make all people see that we have found "the pearlof great price," and that we want them to find it as well as ourselves.We have reason to be suspicious of the person who is content to go to heaven alone. Thetrue Christian will have a large heart. As a parent, he will long for the salvation of his children.As an employer, he will desire to see his servants converted and as a landlord, he will want histenants to come with him into God's kingdom. This is healthy religion! The Christian who issatisfied to burn his candle alone is in a very weak and sickly state of soul.

207FAULTY VISION(11:34-36)“Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your wholebody also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also isfull of darkness” (v. 34).The Greek for “healthy” here implies generous and “unhealthy” here implies stingy.“See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness” (v. 35).“ Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will bejust as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you" (v. 36).Here we also learn of the value of a single and undivided heart. This is a lesson whichour Lord illustrates from the office of the eye in the human body. He reminds us that when theeye is "single," or 'thoroughly healthy', the action of the whole body is influenced by it. Butwhen, on the contrary, the eye is evil or diseased, it affects the physical comfort and activity ofthe whole person. In an eastern country, where eye diseases are painfully common, theillustration is one which would be particularly striking.But when can it be truly said that a man's heart is single in religion? What are the marksof a single heart?The single heart is a heart which is not only changed, converted, and renewed; butthoroughly, powerfully, and habitually under the influence of the Holy Spirit. It is a heart whichabhors all compromises with sin. It has one ultimate aim—to glorify God and do His will. It hasone ultimate desire, to please God.Wealth, popularity and fame, power, pleasure mean nothing.heart:"One thing I desire--one thing I do--one thing I live for" is the language of the single“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple . . .My heart says of You, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek” (Ps 27:4,8).“. . . only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better,and it will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42).“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining forward towhat is ahead I press on toward the goal to win the prize for whichGod has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:13).

208While Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, John the Baptist, Paul, Martin Luther, etc. all hadtheir weaknesses, they all had one thing in common, they were people devoted to one thing.They had single hearts. They were unmistakably "men of God."The blessings of a single heart are incalculable. He is like a light-house in the midst of adark world. He is full of light. His Master is seen through every window of his soul. Hisconversation and conduct shines for everyone to see. Friends and enemies alike, are obliged toconfess, whether they like it or not, that his religion is real.And not least, the man of a single heart finds a rich reward in the inward experience ofhis own soul. He has food to eat the world knows not of. He has a joy and peace in believing towhich many indolent Christians never attain. His face is toward the sun, and so his heart isseldom cold.Jesus had publicly exhibited the light of the gospel for all to see, but “a wickedgeneration” (v. 29) requested more spectacular signs. The problem was not with any failure onJesus’ part in giving light; it was with the faulty vision of the audience.enter.Those asking for a sign do not need more light; they need good eyes to allow the light toAPPLICATIONLet us pray that we may have a single eye toward God. Inward peace and outwardusefulness are both essential. Our eye must be single, if our whole body is to be full of light.

209CHAPTER 27

210JESUS PRONOUNCES SIX WOES ON THE RELIGIOUS LEADERSLuke 11:37-54In this next section of Scripture we find some of Jesus’ harshest sounding statementsanywhere in Scripture. Here Jesus draws a stark contrast between the appearance of religion andtrue works resulting from a faith relationship with God. True religion is sensitive to the poor andto justice and love. Personal satisfaction is found through the servant’s way of humility and notthrough boasting. Following rules without helping people has no place in Christ’s teaching.PETTINESS (11:38-41)Jesus addresses the pettiness which typically characterizes religious hypocrites:“ When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to eat with him; so Hewent in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did notfirst wash before the meal, was surprised.Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of thecup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolishpeople! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside also? But givewhat is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you” (vv. 38-41).Notice Jesus’ readiness to associate with the unconverted. A certain Pharisee invitedJesus to eat with him and "Jesus went in and reclined at the table."The conduct of our Lord on this occasion, as on others, is meant to be an example to allChristians. There are times and occasions when believers must mix with unbelievers. There maybe times to accept their invitations and join in their meals and celebrations. This does not meanthat we are to partake of their sinful activities. However we should not be rude or unkind whenwe do not accept certain invitations or behaviors. We must not entirely withdraw ourselves fromsociety and become hermits or ascetics.In our dealings we must always remember that Jesus was always "about His Father'sbusiness." Let us remember His faithfulness to His Father. There may be times, therefore, whenwe are called upon to rebuke sin as He was.We are told that the Pharisee with whom our Lord dined marveled that our Lord "had notfirst washed before dinner." Like his fellow Pharisees, he thought there was something unclean,unholy and morally impure in neglecting the ceremonial washing. This was Jesus’ springboard topoint out the absurdity of attaching such importance to the mere cleansing of the body whileoverlooking the cleansing of the heart. Jesus reminds His host that God looks at the inward part,

211the hidden part of a person—the inner man—far more than the outer man. And He asks thesearching question, "Did not the One who made the outside make the inside also?” The sameGod who formed our physical bodies is the same God who gave us a heart and soul. And He isfar more concerned with the latter than the former, as we should be.We must never forget that the state of our hearts is the primary thing that demands ourattention. Bodily washings and other forms of religious devoutness are utterly useless if the heartis not healthy. External devotion is reprehensible in God's sight if our hearts are not cleansed andrenewed by the Holy Spirit.clear:It is unrealistic and wrong to expect unbelievers to be moral and devout. The Bible is"Out of the heart are the issues of life" (Pr 4:23.)"Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sa 16:7).The question we should always ask is, “What is the condition of my heart?”Christianity is a heart religion!INCONSISTENCY (11:42)Another thing we notice in this passage is the obvious inconsistency which is oftenmanifested by religious hypocrites.“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue andall other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone” (v. 42).The Pharisees were extremely zealous in paying their tithes for the service of the temple,yet they neglected the very basic foundational duties toward God and their neighbors. While theywere scrupulous about small matters related to the ceremonial law, they were utterly blind to thebasic principles of love toward God and justice toward others. When it came to religiousceremony they bent over backwards, but when it came to their relationship with God and othersthey were neglectful.

212Exalting secondary issues of Christianity above the primary issues is nothing new.Church history is a sad reminder of how often we have witnessed this. Too often religious peopleare guilty of neglecting the most important—relationships . . . with God and others whilezealously focusing on secondary matters. This generation which tithed mint but neglected justiceand the love of God is unfortunately alive and well.RELIGIOUS PRIDE (11:43)The religious pride of the Pharisees is also attacked by Jesus:"Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in thesynagogues and greetings in the marketplaces” (v. 43).Many of us have been introduced to someone who then went on and on and on abouttheir accomplishments. We have run into people who are quick to rattle off their degrees, titles,how they have moved up the corporate ladder and how many now answer to them, and may evenhint at their salary. In the case of some, it is giving a long laundry list of their children’saccomplishments. A lot of bumper stickers read, “My son or daughter is a honor student, etc.” Toget even, there are now bumper stickers that read, “My son or daughter is in jail.”This need to brag is pride, which is the first in the list of the seven deadly sins. It is alsoprobably the most obnoxious of the seven deadly sins.It was pride that caused Satan to fall. In Ezekiel 28:16 it says that his “heart becameproud.” Pride destroyed this most beautiful angel who became Satan. And in the Garden of Eden,at the beginning of human history, what was it that caused Adam and Eve to fall? Primarily itwas pride. “You will be like God,” Satan tempted Eve. He held out that tantalizing prospect forthem and they succumbed.Theologians are agreed: pride is the essence of all sin. This is why humility, asSt. Augustine pointed out, is the essence of virtue.Superficiality and pride are natural bedfellows.Pride is based on externals.Paul urged:

213“But, ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’ For it is not the one who commendshimself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (2 Co 10:17-18).After all, the Corinthians themselves were living proof that salvation does not depend onanything in man, so that when someone is saved, the only thing that makes sense is to boast inthe Lord.When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition isdangerous–it can easily lead to inflated pride. How much better it is to seek the praise of Godrather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God thecredit. This means we must ask ourselves, “What should change about the way we live in orderto receive God’s commendation?Religious pride is the deadliest of all pride because it deceives us into thinking we arereligious or spiritual when in fact we are the very opposite of that.When Jesus was asked why people should follow Him, He said it was because He wasmeek and humble (Mt 11:29). But what are the implications of how Jesus' radical humilityshapes the way we live our lives every day?We are to live our lives every day by grace. And grace can only be experienced inhumility since it is undeserved. This is our only entry into the life of God. We can only receiveChrist through meekness and humility (Mt 5:3, 5; 18:3-4). Jesus humbled Himself and wasexalted by God (Php 2:8-9) and joy and power through humility are the very dynamic of theChristian life (Lk 14:11; 18:14; 1 Pe 5:5).CORRUPTION (11:44-46)Jesus also points out the corruption which characterizes religious hypocrites:"Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk overwithout knowing it" (v. 44).By comparing the Pharisees to "unmarked graves” Jesus is saying that these boastfulreligious teachers were inwardly full of corruption and uncleanness. The picture drawn is bothpainful and disgusting. Yet it is painfully accurate and truthful not only of these religioushypocrites, but of all hypocrites in every age of the church. Was it not such attitudes andpractices which eventually led to the Reformation? Were not scores of so-called "holy" men andwomen found to be engaged in activities that were not only meaningless but also evil.

214Leaders of sects and heresies have professed peculiar doctrines and standards of moralpractices which are wholly unorthodox. While denying the very liberties promised to others theyhave turned out to be servants of corruption. Hypocrisy and immorality have often been foundside by side.This is why people are craving reality. They abhor disguises and pretense. They are fedup with religious people who masquerade as they “sell” their latest religious wares. While wemay not be all we should be, we need to seek to be real, for without reality everything else is asham.In dealing with the souls of people, Jesus calls things as he sees them. Knowing that acutediseases need serious remedies, Jesus shows us that our best friend is not one who tells us whatwe want to hear, but one who tells what we need to hear—the truth. Again Jesus speaks to thesin of professing to teach others what we do not practice ourselves:“ One of the experts in the law answered Him, ‘Teacher, when you say these things,you insult us also.’Jesus replied, ‘And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load peopledown with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not liftone finger to help them’” (vv. 45-46).The Pharisees required others to observe wearisome religious ceremonies which theythemselves neglected. While they gave people countless rules and regulations that made religiona burden they found exemptions from these burdensome regulations for themselves. In otherwords, they had one set of measures for their hearers and another set for themselves.No wonder Jesus gave such a stern rebuke to the religious leaders!We must practice what we preach!While perfection is unattainable in this world, sincerity is not. It is not asking too much toexpect of our religious leaders that there is some connection between their words and actions,between teaching and doing, between preaching and practice. The standard was set by theApostle Paul who said,"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put itinto practice. And the God of peace will be with you" (Php 4:9).

215THE PRETENSE OF ADMIRATION (11:47-51)ones:Jesus also addresses the fact that it is much easier to admire dead saints than living"Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefatherswho killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your forefathersdid; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God inHis wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they willkill and others they will persecute.' Therefore this generation will be heldresponsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since thebeginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, whowas killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generationwill be held responsible for it all” (vv. 47-51).The religious leaders of Jesus’ day professed to honor the memory of the prophets whilethey lived the kind of lives the prophets had condemned! While pretending to respect thememory of the prophets, they openly neglected their advice and teaching. As the saying goes,“The only good prophet is a dead prophet.”In every generation there are those who deceive themselves and others by theirenthusiastic professions of admiration for God’s saints after they have been gone. By so doingthey ease their own consciences and fool others.But Jesus would not be fooled. He saw right through them. Their attempt to have Jesusthink, just because they expressed their admiration for the prophets, that they were of one heartwith such prophets.If we want to know a person’s spirituality, we must ask the living and not the dead. Whenpeople fail to give respect and honor to living saints yet do so to dead ones, wed have everyreason to question their sincerity. Such a person is a hypocrite in the sight of God.Jesus makes it clear that a Day of reckoning is coming for persecutors. He says "theblood of all the prophets shall be required." It is difficult to imagine the number of those whohave been put to death for the faith of Christ in every age throughout history. Millions of menand women have laid down their lives rather than denied their Savior and Lord. They havegladly, heroically shed their blood for the truth. Isaiah, Zachariah, John the Baptist, Stephen,James, Peter, Paul, Polycarp, Ignatius, John Huss, Latimer—all died without resistance. They

216were soon buried and forgotten as their enemies seemingly triumphed, yet they are rememberedand revered by God’s people and one Judgment Day will be richly rewarded by their crucifiedand risen Lord.The persecutions by Herod, Nero, Diocletian, Mary I (Mary Tudor, called “BloodyMary”), Charles IX and Henry VIII are not forgotten. Judgment Day is coming! Then all theworld shall witness the truth that "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps116:15).Judgment Day will put to rest the frequent triumphing of the wicked. The Great WhiteThrone and the books of God shall make justice triumph. The problem of evil shall be unraveled.Every tear the wicked have caused the godly to shed shall be accounted for and condemned.Every drop of righteous blood that has been spilled shall be judged.FAULTY INTERPRETATIONS KEPT THE PEOPLE IGNORANT (11:52)Jesus then addresses the faulty interpretations of the religious hypocrites:"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge.You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."(Lk 11:52; see also Ps 116:5)The very persons who should have opened the people’s minds concerning the law,obscured their understanding by faulty interpretation and an erroneous system of theology. Theykept themselves and the people in ignorance of the way of salvation, or, as in Matthew’s account,they “shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces” (Mt 23:13).The sin of keeping others from religious knowledge is the sin of religious leaders whoforbid “common people” to read the Bible. It is the sin of unconverted ministers who sneer at theidea of conversion. It is the sin of parents who warn their children of becoming “too serious”about their religion.What is worse than being ignorant is contributing to the ignorance of others!It is our responsibility to support, encourage and help others to seek to know God andgrow in His knowledge. Nothing is more important in life!JESUS IS FIERCELY OPPOSED AND BESIEGED (11:53-54)After all these pronouncements, Jesus is fiercely opposed and besieged with morequestions to entrap Him:

217“ When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law beg an to opposeHim fiercely and to besiege Him with questions, waiting to catch Him insomething He might say”(vv. 53-54; see also Mt 23:13).The determination of the religious leaders to trap Jesus is evident throughout the Gospelof Luke (6:11; 19:47-48; 20:19-20; 22:2).Instead of personal obedience to God’s revelation, the Pharisees and the teachers of thelaw continued their opposition and sought to set a trap for Jesus so they could get rid of Himonce and for all.A sad commentary on the religious leaders of Jesus’ day!APPLICATION1. Be real! The one thing everyone hates, even hypocrites, is hypocrisy.2. Keep your priorities straight. Don’t allow secondary matters to hold prominence inyour life and get in the way of what is most important. Major on the majors and minor on theminors!3. Justice will one day come! Instead of becoming discouraged by the seeming triumphof evil, be assured that Judgment Day is coming. Though the wheels of justice grind slowly, theydo grind surely.For the Christian, the best is yet to come!