Luke 18:1-17

In light of Jesus' teachings concerning the trials and hardships which await those who follow God (17:25), Jesus speaks a parable to His disciples "that man ought to pray and not lose heart" (18:1). Since He knew that His followers would face intense persecution and opposition throughout their ministry, Jesus reveals that the key to enduring hardship is continual prayer. To teach about this concept, Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge who had no concern for God or man (18:2) and also a woman who had been wronged by someone in the city (18:3a). The woman wanted the judge to take swift action and bring judgment upon her adversary (18:3b), but the judge "would not for a while" (18:4a). It seems like the woman would not take "no" for an answer so she kept on begging the judge to intervene in her situation until he finally said, "Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me" (18:4b-5). Jesus used this woman's persistence as an example of how His followers should respond during trials. Instead of giving up or maybe even blaming God, Jesus challenges them to have faith which leads them to cry out to God for help (18:6-7). If this judge, who was unjust, could respond to the continual plea of a woman, how much more will God, who is perfect, respond to those who love Him? (18:8). Jesus then poses a piercing question, "...when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (18:8b); in other words, at Jesus' return, will He find people who have the kind of faith in God that causes them to beg for something until He responds?

Luke then writes concerning another one of Jesus' parables that He spoke "...to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others" (18:9). Obviously, the people best known for their arrogance and pride in spiritual matters were the Pharisees and they would often compare themselves to others thinking that they were much more spiritual. In order to confront this false perception, Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and tax collector, who both went to the temple to pray (18:10). The pious Pharisee prays, "'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess" (18:11-12). In contrast to the prayer of the Pharisee, Jesus describes the actions of the tax collector by saying, "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'" (18:13). What's the difference between the prayer of the Pharisee and the prayer of the tax collector? The Pharisee trusted in his own good deeds instead of recognizing that he stood unrighteous before God, while the tax collector knew that regardless of his actions he was a sinner in the sight of God. Humility is the key to unlocking God's favor. Jesus declared that "...everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (18:14). Luke then places a couple words here to follow up on the importance of approaching God in humility. It appears that some parents brought their children to see Jesus and be blessed by Him, but the disciples turned them away (18:15); however, Jesus demanded that the children be brought to Him and He said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God" (18:16). Children have a sense of excitement, anticipation, humility, and dependence which are necessary attitudes if adults wanted to enter the kingdom of God (18:17).

Dear God, may I be persistent in prayer and humble in my actions.

Luke 17:20-37

During Jesus' life and ministry there had been much discussion regarding the coming of God's kingdom; in fact, most Jews were looking for this Messiah who would overthrow Rome and establish an immediate kingdom on earth. Although God had promised a Messiah and the establishment of an earthly kingdom, no timeline had been provided and many of the Jews had a false perception concerning God's kingdom. The Pharisees, who had been scrutinizing Jesus' teachings, asked Him "when the kingdom of God would come..." (17:20a). Jesus quickly corrected their thinking by declaring that the kingdom of God, at this time, would not be something observable or visible (17:20b), but instead something which would be established inside them (17:21). People could experience the kingdom of God now (in their hearts) if they would surrender control to Him and allow Him to work that which is good through them.

Jesus then used the Pharisees' question to teach His disciples about the future, visible kingdom saying, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!' Do not go after them or follow them" (17:22-23). Jesus is warning the disciples that there will come a day when they would desire to see Him, but would not be able to (17:22); of course, Jesus is referring to the time between His ascension into heaven (Acts 1) and His second coming to establish His earthly kingdom for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-6). In Jesus' absence, some will try to deceive others into receiving false messiahs, but Jesus promised that when He returned, no one would miss it (17:24). But before His departure and the establishment of God's kingdom, Jesus revealed that He "must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation" (17:25). Ultimately, Jesus was teaching that His death would secure salvation for sinners who would repent and receive Him by faith.

Following this revelation, Jesus warned those who were listening about the judgment which would be associated with His return to earth to establish the kingdom of God. Jesus points out two Old Testament examples of people who ignored coming judgment by living their lives in ignorance to God: the people in Noah's day (17:26-27) and the people in Lot's day (17:28-29). As these two judgments caught people off guard, so will the return of Jesus also be (17:30). For those who remained ignorant toward God and His ways, the return of Jesus Christ to earth would be a sudden judgment upon them (17:31-36). It is important to note that none of the things Jesus mentioned here were utterly sinful, but their punishment lies in the fact that they chose to ignore God. When the disciples heard that some would be taken in judgment at Christ's return, they wanted to know the location of where they would be taken. Jesus answers, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together" (17:37). Rather than providing a specific location, Jesus seems to be affirming the certainty of coming judgment on those who ignore Him. All those who follow Christ must willingly surrender their lives to His service and look forward to a future kingdom where Jesus will reign in righteousness. Since an earthly kingdom is still at an undisclosed time in the future, Christians must daily surrender every thought, word, and action to God so that His kingdom can be established right now by the way we live our lives.

Dear God, I long to demonstrate righteousness in my life now and look forward to a day where You will establish a righteous rule here on earth.

The Next Gen Leader Gets His Turn

Like a good little nerd, I was reading the cover story in the October issue of National Geographic magazine. The article, simply entitled Redwoods: Super Trees, speaks about the value and beauty of redwood trees, which have the potential to be the tallest trees on earth. Although the article addresses issues such as saving the trees and other conservation efforts, the author also writes about a unique process in the forest between the older trees and the second generation trees called release. The writer, Joel K. Bourne, Jr., describes this phenomenon for the reader by saying, "With their high tolerance for shade and ability to sprout, some redwoods can sit almost dormant in the shade of their elders for decades. Yet as soon as a dominant tree falls or is cut down, breaking the canopy and allowing new light to enter the forest, the suppressed redwood springs up with new growth" (October 2009 issue, p. 38).

As soon as I read this statement I paused and re-read it again; it was one of those moments in which I felt as if God was providing a spiritual application to an earthly illustration. In my lifetime I have seen many "elders" and "dominant" leaders pass off the scene which has opened up the forest to many of the "suppressed" (I don't mean this in a negative way) leaders. For many years, some of you have stood strong in the shadow of an elder who provided shade and protection, but now it is time for you to step into the light and "spring up with new growth."

I believe Paul wrote some similar advice to those "suppressed" leaders who were getting ready to assume the place of their elders, "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecies spoken to you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you (1 Timothy 4:12-16, NLT).

Are you ready to step into the light?

Potties, Passes, and Pain

When I woke up last Friday, my stomach was feeling sort of...well you know...unstable. I am certain you know what I am talking about...the type of instability that causes you to stay close to a bathroom. Friday was not the best 24 hours of my life. Halfway through the day I realized that I had committed to play in a flag football tournament at our church the following day, but I knew I would suffer tremendous "ribbing" from my teammates and others if I canceled. So I swallowed my pride and a couple pepto-bismol tablets and away I went.

During the first game, our quarterback threw me a pass that was a little too long, but I decided to go for dramatic effect by stretching out my arms and diving to catch it. Big mistake. As soon as my slightly overweight body hit the ground, I felt my breath exit my body followed by some pain on my left side. I tried to take it like a man so I jumped up as if nothing was wrong and called for a substitute; after all, I had run fast and far to catch the pass, which I didn't catch. We went on to lose that game as well as our second game and my flag football career came to a close.

Upon arriving back at home I took a few Advil, spent some time in a hot shower, and then lathered my body with Icy Hot because I thought I had a pulled muscle; however, when I woke up the next morning in horrendous pain, I knew my diagnosis was wrong. After I finished speaking in two morning services on Sunday, I went to our local emergency care department and found out that I had broken my ribs.

I often create my own moral to the story, but it is your turn. In your opinion, what should be the moral of this story?

IMPART at Elevation Church

On Tuesday, October 27, 2009 I had the opportunity to attend IMPART at Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. The eight hour trip from Ohio was well worth it for the "conference" as well as the time I was able to spend with my parents and both brothers who also live in Charlotte. This one day event was full of surprises, stories, staff, and stirring of the soul. Let me break it down.

Surprises:
Steve Fee showed up and played a few songs and then gave everyone a free copy of his new CD, Hope Rising. That was an unexpected surprise! I must say...hearing Glory to God Forever live was inspiring. The third session with Pastor Steven Furtick included a very special guest, Perry Noble from NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC. Hearing them interact about ministry was very helpful.

Stories:
Throughout the sessions, Pastor Steven shared the story of Elevation Church and how God has used their ministry in the city of Charlotte. His stories were especially near to my heart since I grew up in Charlotte. In just three and a half years, God has done some incredible things through Elevation and those stories were invigorating for me.

Staff:
The volunteer staff was AWESOME and the paid staff were available throughout the day. Those who attended the event had full access to the people who make Elevation what it is. You probably don't get that at many other conferences.

Stirring of the Soul:
There is so much I could share here, but I'll only highlight a few of the things God hit me with during the four sessions:

• Three essential core values which should be a part of the church: Audacity (faith), Honor, and Generosity
  
• "We want to be known by what we are for, not what we are against"
• Act on the vision God has shown YOU.
• Say it until you see it
• True vision is holding onto what you cannot see yet
• Don't think too small
• Our generation must restore honor to the church and that starts by honoring God
• Honor men of God, the word of God, and other ministries
• Respect is earned, honor is not
• Excellence is custom designed
• Simplicity enables excellence
• Build for what God is going to do
• Momentum - you don't create it, you just ride it
• I prepare, God blesses
• Embrace the pain that lies between you and God
• There is an emotional, physical, and relational cost to your calling

Of course, there is much more, but those are a few of the things God impressed on my heart as I listened. Now, I pray that God would help me to apply these things!

Luke 17:1-19

Jesus had been spending much of His time teaching the disciples concerning numerous truths which would help them live life according to God's ways, especially after His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Many of His teachings were in direct contrast to the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, who were the so-called religious leaders of the day. In the first ten verses of Luke 17, Jesus instructs them regarding the obligations they have to other people (17:1-4) and to God (17:5-10). Jesus says, "It is impossible that no offenses [opportunities to sin] should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones" (17:1-2). Those who claim to follow Christ should never be guilty of presenting someone with an opportunity to sin; in fact, Jesus said that it is better to die than to lead someone down the wrong path. Followers of Christ also have a responsibility to confront those who are sinning in hopes that they will repent and if they do, they should always be forgiven no matter how many times they have sinned against you (17:3-4).

After addressing the obligations Jesus' disciples have to others, He talks briefly about the obligations they have toward God. This conversation begins with the disciples saying, "Increase our faith" (17:5). The disciples' words here may have been a reaction to Jesus' last statements about the high standards He had given them regarding their relationships with others. They knew that they needed Jesus to give them more faith if they were going to be able to achieve these standards. Jesus responds to their request for more faith by saying, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (17:6). Jesus was revealing that the amount of a person's faith is not what is most important, but rather the object of that faith. God alone must be the source of a person's faith and the disciples had to realize that they could never maintain right relationships with God or others without exclusive faith in Him. In case the disciples felt as if obeying Jesus' commands through faith in God made them special, Jesus reminded them that these obligations were expected duties (17:7-10).

It is apparent that some time lapsed between Luke 17:10 and Luke 17:11, so we find Jesus stopping somewhere near Samaria and Galilee while on His way to Jerusalem (17:11). When He arrived in this village, ten men with leprosy shouted from a distance, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" (17:12-13). Jesus immediately cleansed all ten lepers of this horrible disease, but only one of them, who was a Samaritan, returned to thank Jesus for His miraculous work (17:14-16). When Jesus saw that only one of them returned to give thanks He said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" (17:17-18). The fact that the only leper who returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, shows that Jesus is teaching about the acceptance of Him by the Gentiles while the Jews continued rejecting Him. Salvation from the penalty of sin has been offered to all people (Jews and Gentiles), but only applicable to those who receive it by faith in Jesus Christ.

Dear God, with Your help, I desire to do Your will.

Luke 16:19-31

Jesus had been teaching regarding a person's view of money (16:1-17) because the Pharisees equated being rich with being righteous. The more money and possessions a person had, according to the Pharisees, the more they had been favored by God. In order to further correct this erroneous thinking, Jesus told what some believe was a parable and others believe is a real life story; either way, the teaching remains the same. Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus who "laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores" (16:19-21). Both the rich man and the beggar eventually died (16:22), but Jesus said that the rich man ended up in Hades (16:23a), which is the place where the unsaved dead go before they are judged at the final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). When the beggar died, Jesus said that the rich man "saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (16:23b). This meant that the beggar ended up in the presence of God following his death. Jesus' implication that the rich man experienced eternal punishment (16:24) while the beggar enjoyed the eternal presence of God would have been scandalous to the Pharisees. The rich man apparently was able to see what was happening with Lazarus, who was in the presence of God, and he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to him "...that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame" (16:24). Abraham quickly responded to the rich man's arrogance saying, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us" (16:25-26). Jesus is teaching that hell (the place of the rich man) and heaven (the place of the beggar) are separated from each other and once a person has passed from life to death, he cannot change where he will spend eternity. Abraham emphasizes that our choices about what happens after death are made during life. The rich man chose to be selfish and ignore the needs of others in life, which ultimately led him to eternal punishment. The fact that the man was rich did not cause him to go to hell, but rather his attitude towards his money and, in reality, his failure to repent of sin (16:30b) and believe in God.

Apparently, the rich man did not understand that he could no longer make demands of the beggar so he said to Abraham, "I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment" (16:27-28). Upon realizing that there was no escape from this place of death, the rich man asked for Abraham to send the beggar back to his family in order to warn them about the place of torment. The rich man believed that if someone came back from the dead (16:30), his family could avoid the same fate he had experienced. Rather than grant him his request, Abraham said to the rich man, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.... If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead" (16:29, 31). Abraham is saying that if the rich man's family will not listen to the truth of Scripture (Moses and the prophets), they will not listen to anyone. Jesus was teaching the Pharisees that Scripture is sufficient to bring salvation to those who will repent and believe. Paul said it best when he wrote, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek" (Romans 1:16). At a deeper level, Jesus was saying that the Pharisees were similar to the rich man because they refused to believe that Jesus was the One promised by God, even though Scripture revealed Him as the One. The Pharisees demanded signs from Jesus to prove that He was truly God and although He had already done miraculous signs, they still did not believe; in fact, He would later bring a dead man back to life, but they would still not believe Him (John 11:45-53; 12:10-11).

Hell awaits all those who refuse to repent of sin and believe that Jesus Christ is God. No amount of money or popularity can change a person's eternal destiny and bring God's favor. Hope and salvation only comes to those who humble themselves before God, confess their sin, and receive the forgiveness of God provided through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

Dear God, may I never believe that I can earn Your favor through what I have or what I do, but may I always rely on the forgiveness You have freely provided for all who will believe.