Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

When is time to invest?  When is too early?  When is too late? 

Jesus has the answer!  (He always does!)

Luke 19, The Message

The Story About Investment

¹¹ While he had their attention, and because they were getting close to Jerusalem by this time and expectation was building that God’s kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story:

^12-13 “There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, gave them each a sum of money, and instructed them, ‘Operate with this until I return.’

¹⁴ “But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: ‘We don’t want this man to rule us.’

¹⁵ “When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, he called those ten servants to whom he had given the money to find out how they had done.

¹⁶ “The first said, ‘Master, I doubled your money.’

¹⁷ “He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you’ve been trustworthy in this small job, I’m making you governor of ten towns.’

¹⁸ “The second said, ‘Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.’

¹⁹ “He said, ‘I’m putting you in charge of five towns.’

^20-21 “The next servant said, ‘Master, here’s your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don’t suffer fools gladly.’

^22-23 “He said, ‘You’re right that I don’t suffer fools gladly—and you’ve acted the fool! Why didn’t you at least invest the money in securities so I would have gotten a little interest on it?’

²⁴ “Then he said to those standing there, ‘Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.’

²⁵ “They said, ‘But Master, he already has double . . .’

²⁶ “He said, ‘That’s what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.

²⁷ “‘As for these enemies of mine who petitioned against my rule, clear them out of here. I don’t want to see their faces around here again.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Is this story really about investing money? 

Or is it about investing our very lives, knowing the risks will be worth it all? 

Giving only a part and hiding the rest is not a “stock option.”  Giving all or nothing is the best investment.  It is knowing that the risk of losing all we think we have and control becomes gain of all our Lord wants to provide for us. 

We learn that when the Master returns, those who oppose our Lord will be no more. Those who believe, risked all in following the Lord’s directives, will live forever with our Lord in the place He is preparing for us.  This place is beyond our wildest dreams and beyond our imaginations. This place has plenty of rooms for all who have believed. This place is the reward for investing in Jesus who is Lord of lords and King of kings.

God has a plan and purpose designed specifically for every created individual.

Jesus came down from heaven, invested His very life in each one of us by laying down his life so that we could be free from the punishment we deserve for our sins.  This “investment” cleared the path to God, removing all our sins that get in the way of fulfilling the Master’s plan through us. 

God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence in all who believe investing all His time to guide us in completing God’s plan for us which is to help others know the Master, too.  Because of the power of God in us, Jesus’ cleansing of us, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance we have a vested interest in glory!  All things are possible with God. 

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Without God, there is no reward, no interest earned, and no place in His Kingdom.

Jesus is the greatest example of investing His complete life while teaching us to invest our lives, risking all we have for all of Him. We learn from the Master Teacher, Savior and Lord of our lives that the risk lies in our determined focus of God.

Max Lucado writes:

“One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on target. His life never got off track. Not once do we find him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative assistants, or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to do. He kept his life on course.

As Jesus looked across the horizon of his future, He could see many targets. Many flags were flapping in the wind, each of which he could have pursued. He could have been a political revolutionary. He could have been a national leader. He could have been content to be a teacher and educate minds or to be a physician and heal bodies. But in the end, he chose to be a Savior and save souls.

Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it from Jesus himself. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one task. The day he left the carpentry shop of Nazareth he had one ultimate aim—the cross of Calvary. He was so focused that his final words were, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

How could Jesus say he was finished? There were still the hungry to feed, the sick to heal, the untaught to instruct, and the unloved to love. How could he say he was finished? Simple. He had completed his designated task. His commission was fulfilled. The painter could set aside his brush, the sculptor lay down his chisel, the writer put away his pen. The job was done.” –Max Ludado

Our response is focused faithfulness.  In the end, this parable of the servants teaches us to be faithful to use our different gifts as God gives us opportunities to serve. Some people have a great deal of ability, so God gives them greater opportunity. The important thing is not how much ability you have but how faithful and focused you are to use what you have been given to you by God. The person with the least ability, if he or she is faithful, will receive the same reward as the most gifted church leader.  Where God guides—He provides.  Do all to please our Master. 

2 Corinthians 5:9-11 ICB (International Childrens Bible)

“Our only goal is to please God. We want to please him whether we live here or there. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. Each one will receive what he should get—good or bad—for the things he did when he lived in the earthly body. We know what it means to fear the Lord. So we try to help people accept the truth. God knows what we really are. And I hope that in your hearts you know, too.”

Lord,

Thank you for risking your life to save mine. Thank you for investing in my life daily to guide me to be and do all you created me to accomplish according to Your plan.  Thank you for the confidence to keep going, even when I wander from your plan.  Instead of condemnation when I fail—you forgive.  You set me back in motion with power to finish.  May I never give up telling your story of the investment you made in my life.  To you be the glory. To you be all praise for all you have done, are doing and will do in me until you come back.  May I hear the words, “Well done” from you for that will be the ultimate payoff for the investment of my life given to you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth;
Throw your soul’s fresh, glowing ardor
Into the battle for truth.
Jesus has set the example,
Dauntless was He, young and brave;
Give Him your loyal devotion;
Give Him the best that you have.

Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth;
Clad in salvation’s full armor,
Join in the battle for truth.

Give of your best to the Master;
Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you will be given;
God His beloved Son gave;
Gratefully seeking to serve Him,
Give Him the best that you have.

(By Howard B. Grose, pub.1902)

Zacchaeus was a wee, little man

And a wee, little was he

He climbed up in a sycamore tree

For the Lord He wanted to see

And as the Savior passed that way, He looked up in that tree

And He said, Zacchaeus, you come down

For I’m going to your house today!  Yes, I’m going to your house today!

If you are a believer of a certain age, you probably sang this children’s song in Sunday School, taught it to your kids and grandkids, and maybe even taught it to children you had in your Sunday School class as the teacher.  The tune is catchy and the rhyming words simply tell the story of a desperately seeking tax man who risked his nobility and put aside his pride as he climbed a tree to get a glimpse of Jesus.

I’m remembering, thinking and wondering…How desperately seeking are we today?

Luke 19, The Message

Zacchaeus

19 ^1-4 Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by.

^5-7 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, “What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?”

⁸ Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.”

^9-10 Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

There are three main characters in the story:  Jesus, Son of God; A Tax Man who was hated and feared by most; and the crowd who followed out of curiosity. Consider each one:

Jesus—Son of God/Son of Man, “a man who never sinned,” who had every right as the Son of God to judge humans—did not.  We watch Jesus comes near to a man who desperately seeks Him, leaving everything behind. 

Zacchaeus—a man of power who has the position and the order as a tax man to charge what he deems necessary to give to Rome what they demand and earn a living himself by overcharging and skimming off the top.  But then Jesus comes and moves in to the neighborhood of humanity and presents a new way of life—a Kingdom of God way of thinking and behaving.  Jesus changes everything in Zacchaeus before He sees Jesus in person!  Zacchaeus can’t wait to see and tell Jesus how He changed his life!

The Crowd—those who don’t really believe Jesus is the Son of God but are curious by his popularity as a healer and as a good Teacher.  They watch every move He makes so they can prove He is not perfect and not who Jesus claims to be.  They are posed to condemn and oppose the salvation of a tax man.

Pause to reflect…

Who most exhibits the relentless love of God? 

Who demonstrates humility with a desperately seeking heart?

Who do you trust greater than all the rest as an example to follow?

Who are we in this story of salvation?

Lord,

Thank you for a childhood song that brought me to your saving grace as a child.  Thank you for bringing me back to my “first love” of you relentlessly over the years of growing and learning.  I have not arrived yet, but I am closer to you now than every before.  Thank you, Lord for loving us the way you do.  When the world condemns us when we are down and out, you pick us up, brush off the dirt, and restore us to life by your love.  You are truly a Savior who becomes our Lord as we let go of the world to desperately seek You.  I’m yours—all I am and all I hope to be in you—decidedly yours.

In Jesus Name, Amen

Tell me the story of Jesus

Write on my heart every word…

This time of year, we customarily ask our kids and grandkids, “What do you want for Christmas”?  They will generally have a list and readily pull it out in nanoseconds.  The list will always have a variety of wants.  The list rarely includes what they really need, right?  We might take their temperatures if it did!

In our final passage, Jesus encounters blind beggars on his way to Jerico. Matthew tells us that there were two blind beggars who met Jesus as He left Jericho (Matthew 20:29, 30), but Luke introduces us to one blind beggar (Mark calls him “Bartimaeus,” Mark 10:46), who called out as Jesus approached Jericho. Seeking the attention of Jesus, he shouts, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”  The blind man knows who Jesus is from what was “written” about Him and probably from what he has heard. Hold that thought.

Remember the rich religious leader who asked Jesus, what must I do to earn entrance to the Kingdom of God?  Look at the obvious contrast is obvious between these two blind beggars and the rich religious leader (vv. 18–27). The beggars were poor, yet they became rich, while the religious leader was rich and became eternally spiritually poor. Both had a real need. The blind asked to be able to see again; the rich man wanted affirmation for his goodness.

The beggars claimed no special merit and openly admitted their need, while the religious leader lied about himself and bragged about his character. The religious leader would not believe, so he went away from Jesus very sad, but the two beggars believed in Jesus and followed Him with songs of praise.

Who are we?  What do we need?  We are all in need of a Savior and Lord.

Luke 18, The Message

I Want to See Again

^31-34 Then Jesus took the Twelve off to the side and said, “Listen carefully. We’re on our way up to Jerusalem. Everything written in the Prophets about the Son of Man will take place. He will be handed over to the Romans, jeered at, ridiculed, and spit on. Then, after giving him the third degree, they will kill him. In three days he will rise, alive.” But they didn’t get it, could make neither heads nor tails of what he was talking about.

^35-37 He came to the outskirts of Jericho. A blind man was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is going by.”

³⁸ He yelled, “Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

³⁹ Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, “What do you want from me?”

⁴¹ He said, “Master, I want to see again.”

^42-43 Jesus said, “Go ahead—see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!” The healing was instant: He looked up, seeing—and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus asked, “What do you want from me?”  Jesus, isn’t it obvious what the blind men want?  Sometimes our real “need” isn’t as obvious as we think.  After the conversation with the rich young man who turned away to go back to the business of making more money, Jesus asks of the blind men…what do you really want from me?

Jesus is not Santa or a genie in a bottle who grants our wishes, rather He is Lord who opens our blind eyes to our real need of Him.  When He heals and forgives, we naturally follow the One who fulfills our every need.  That’s what is obvious!

Believe and be saved for eternity.  Forget evaluating what we think we want that will make life easier; instead seek God, watch for Him as He passes by. Maty we open the eyes of our souls to see His glory at work all around us. 

Pause daily to be still and let go of all we think we are and desire.  Allow God to fill our deepest need of Him as our hearts cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, Have mercy on us!” 

Be able to answer to question, “What do you want from Me?” when He asks.

Yes, I was blind, but now I see.

Lord,

Thank you for Your Word that constantly reminds me of my need for you every hour of every day.  It is so easy to go my own way, make plans with full agendas that overwhelm me, put tasks and goals, and even family activities ahead of you.  If I am not careful, I become “blind” to my real need of you.  Cleanse my heart, remove all that is between us that is not you, renew my mind that transforms my behavior, refresh my soul with your new mercies again today and restore the joy of your salvation at work within me.  This is what I want from you.

In Jesus Name, Amen    

“Do I just have to be really good to go to heaven?”  This was the question of a six-year-old who came early to Sunday School one snowy morning.  She was a talker and I was a listener.  But my mind was also involved in organizing all the supplies I would need to teach kids about the love of Jesus.  As a teacher who prays for those who come to class you hear the Holy Spirit stop what you are doing to answer this question of the heart.  I stopped what I was doing while praying again, Lord, lead me with words she will understand. The conversation went something like this…

“Oh precious child, it’s not about doing all the right things or being as good as you think you can be. Getting to live in heaven is about loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul. We have all done wrong things so no one on earth is really good. Only God is good.”  At this point, her eyes grew big and round with wonder so I went on as the Spirit led…”

“Our Father God who lives in heaven love us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus down to earth to save us from feeling guilty for doing wrong things in a very special way.  Jesus came as a baby then grew to be a man who taught us how to live and love like God loves us.  Then this same Jesus willingly took the place of our punishment, even though He never did wrong things.  He paid for us.  He paid for all the wrong things all people have done.”

“But Jesus didn’t stay dead. God’s plan included life, not death!  God raised him from laying dead in that grave back to life again—forever!  Jesus walked around to prove to people He was alive again!  Incredible, right?!  And get this, Jesus still lives today.  He is smiling down on both of us as we talk about Him.  Yes, who believe that Jesus really died and rose again for us are grateful that He did.  To love Him for what He did for all of us is to ask Jesus to forgive us for those wrong things we have done and decide to be and do what Jesus teaches us.  When we say we’re sorry, forgive us, we will have a place in heaven.—Any questions?  She responded, ‘Nope, I believe Jesus.’”

There was more, but you get the idea.  It seemed time stood still as the Holy Spirit led this child to Jesus.  She prayed, ‘I’m sorry, I want to be and do what you want.’  Her last remark?  ‘I’ve been wanting to do this all my life.’” 

Luke 18, The Message

The Rich Official

¹⁸ One day one of the local officials asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to deserve eternal life?”

^19-20 Jesus said, “Why are you calling me good? No one is good—only God. You know the commandments, don’t you? No illicit sex, no killing, no stealing, no lying, honor your father and mother.”

²¹ He said, “I’ve kept them all for as long as I can remember.”

²² When Jesus heard that, he said, “Then there’s only one thing left to do: Sell everything you own and give it away to the poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²³ This was the last thing the official expected to hear. He was very rich and became terribly sad. He was holding on tight to a lot of things and not about to let them go.

^24-25 Seeing his reaction, Jesus said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for people who have it all to enter God’s kingdom? I’d say it’s easier to thread a camel through a needle’s eye than get a rich person into God’s kingdom.”

²⁶ “Then who has any chance at all?” the others asked.

²⁷ “No chance at all,” Jesus said, “if you think you can pull it off by yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”

²⁸ Peter tried to regain some initiative: “We left everything we owned and followed you, didn’t we?”

^29-30 “Yes,” said Jesus, “and you won’t regret it. No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children—whatever—will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We learn that is not so much about what we do, but first and foremost real life is about who we are and become in Jesus.  The “doing” comes after the “being.”

If what or who we are blocks our view of God, then we need to get rid of it.  This letting go, removal, putting down, losing our grip of what is holding us back from a holy, wonderful, loving, intimate, relentless relationship with God is a must. In fact, it is a matter of life or death!

Seek first the Kingdom of God, says Jesus.  Jesus walks the talk, showing and telling with His life on earth what should come to our minds first.  When God is first, we realize  God provides all we really need. Who (not what), we really need most is Jesus, the One and Only who died and rose again so that we who believe will not perish but have life eternal!  (John 3:16)

Jesus explains further…

“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.”

“Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bank robbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” –Jesus, Luke 12:29-34, MSG

The rich man was seriously poor spiritually and we would guess relationally challenged as well.  His lifestyle of being rich and famous had a strong hold on him.  He just could not let go of his self-made power.  Jesus knew that. 

Jesus will ask us to let go of that which holds us back from a relationship with God. 

What is our response?  That’s for each one of us to ask Jesus to reveal to us today.

God says, “Be still and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10, NIV

Pause and listen to His Holy Spirit right now as we break this down…

Be still means to let go of everything else so that we might know that He is God and will always be God.  We are not God.

Be still and know God means talking with Him and listen to what He says.

Be still. Let today’s agenda we create dissipate like a fog that soon fades away and we see the Light of day.

Be.  “Remain in Me and I will remain in you.” John 15:4  A promise that cannot be broken from Jesus.

This is the secret to being… “For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” Colossians 1:27, NLT (Gentiles, translated as anyone not believing in God)

Being rich has nothing to do with how much money, line of credit, clothes, food, or cars.

Being rich has nothing to do with how good you are.

Being rich has everything to do with being a child of God who knows that God is God alone. 

Being rich has everything to do with believing that Jesus, God’s Son died for our sins and rose again to defeat death for all who believe.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16  That’s rich!

Epilogue of the Six-year-old

Every child who came into class was given the full story of what Jesus did for her.  Another child, after listening, turned to look at me and said…I want Jesus, too!  What a celebration we had as a class.  And I thought I could hear the angels in heaven singing praises along with us!

And that’s not all.  We were scheduled to sing as a group that morning to begin the worship service—but not before this six-year-old preached her first sermon on the benefits of becoming a child of God!  (Yeah, I’m tearing up remembering!)

A few months later, this same child would receive devasting news with her parents about a cancerous tumor growing rapidly in her leg.  Her leg would be amputated below the knee.  She became the most positive patient at children’s hospital who kept reminding her parents saying “It’s okay, Jesus is with me!”  The days after surgery meant many rounds of chemo and radiation, being too sick to eat. But Jesus in her gave her a sense of humor that made everyone laugh.  This little girl survived this ordeal, got a prosthetic leg, and lived her life “remaining in Jesus” with His promise to remain in her.

My greatest lesson from teaching:  I learned that praying for each student who enters the doors must come first before a word of teaching is uttered.  Secondly, we must listen for and yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  When He says it’s time, we obey.  

Lord,

I truly love to tell your story of your glory that is at work around us all the time.  You are God.  We are not.  When we know you, seek you first, and believe what you say we are made right with you.  Thank you for remaining in us as we remain in you.  You are all we need.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“I didn’t do it!” 

“Everyone is doing it!” 

“He did it first!” 

“Yes, I did it.”

A student caught by the teacher in the act of disobedience responds in this way in exactly this order.  Sometimes they will add, “Yeah, well, he did worse things than I did!”  Children rank and file each other’s’ behaviors.  Children’s first thoughts are to deflect their wrong behaviors by shifting the focus to the bad behavior of others.  Children throw other people “under the bus” so they can go on about their business and be saved from the discipline that follows. 

Children self-promote, blame others for what they are doing, while being “complacently pleased with themselves” as they act as if they’ve done nothing wrong just because they haven’t been caught doing wrong—yet. But they are children.  Children copy what they see and hear.  Children will follow who leads them.  They are moldable and shapable when love, dignity and respect is honestly demonstrated to children.  C.S. Lewis said, “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.” 

Children are given as gifts to us by God no matter how or when they arrive.  God also gives parents the help of His Holy Spirit to teach a developing human in the ways of God.  As parents, we teach them the love of God by loving them enough to confront and redirect our children when they say and do things unbecoming of God’s character. 

However, we can only lead children as far as we ourselves have been in our own maturing process as we lean on God’s love, mercy, and grace.  His Holy Spirit teaches us to develop and “bear the fruits” of His character.  (See Galatians 5 for the list of God’s character traits!)

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”  1 Corinthians 13:11.

Who am I?  Childish or childlike in my walk and talk with God?  Do I still rank others as a way to evaluate myself?

Am I complacently pleased with myself, thinking I am good while I look down on others I deem “not as good”?  Let’s see what Jesus says…

Luke 18, The Message

The Story of the Tax Man and the Pharisee

^9-12 He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’

¹³ “Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’”

¹⁴ Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

Luke follows up this point with Jesus’ demonstration of God’s love for infants and children.  Parents bring their children to see Jesus—to feel His touch of blessing on them because they believe He will.  But they are met with resistance!  Jesus uses this as a “teachable moment” for his disciples and for all who are watching.   Read on…

^15-17 People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw it, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.”

WHAT DO LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Do we rank and file people?  Yes, we do.  “Everybody does it!”   

The apostle Paul, a zealous Jew radically changed by Jesus with Kingdom of God thinking explains the danger of being complacent pleased with ourselves who think we are good and better than that “sinner” over there…

“What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

As it is written:

“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”  Romans 3:9-12

Most days, we are pretty complacently pleased with ourselves, but it comes at the expense of judging others as being not quite as good as we are.  We decide we are better than most as “law abiding” citizens, according to our self-evaluation of inner goodness, wealth, behaviors, generosity, and righteousness.  Yikes, Jesus (and later Paul) teaches us how dangerous this thinking is!   This selfishness is a slippery slope to self-righteousness that is unacceptable to God.  This is arrogant thinking which has no place in God’s Kingdom.

“Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.  For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” Romans 3:19-20

The “incident” of children being shooed off by Jesus’s guys is another perfect example of arrogant behavior on their part and fits this line of teaching.  Hey disciples!  Are these precious babies with their parents “less than” you who follow Jesus daily?  We know you gave up a lot and work hard to follow Jesus, but…Are they not worthy of the touch of Jesus on their lives?  Why are you so annoyed with parents bringing their children into the what you deem the more important work of Jesus?  Weren’t you a baby once?  Jesus was.  Jesus came into this world as a baby, born in a cave with animals looking on, to young parents God chose and trusted to nurture His Son!  Does this not prove how valuable EVERY life is to God?  God gave us HIS SON as a demonstration of His love for us! 

“But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.”  Romans 3:21-25

Good deeds do not save us.  Being good enough as we see it or at least better than that guy over there, does not save us.  Only God is good.  Because of His goodness, through the sacrifice of His Son, we are made right with God.  Our relationship is sealed forever.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16  It’s about knowing that Jesus is enough to cover our sins. 

Our response—Ask God to help us cease our judging, ranking, assumptions and presumptions of others and remove this “trait” from our being.  Come as a child with childlike faith but cease childish behavior.

We cannot do it without Him.  But with Him—all things are possible!

Lord,

I’m disgusted with my own complacency on those days when I think that I have arrived at “goodness”.  Yikes!  I repent.  You are God and I am not.  You are the definition of Good, I am not.  I am so grateful you paid our debt of sins and self.  By this we are set free to love everyone you created like you love us—without conditions—only belief in you.  Lord, it’s actually a burden to rank and file others—to see and evaluate who I am in the “standings” of life when I should be focused on my standing with You. 

Continue to teach us. Continue the daily process of cleansing our hearts, transforming our thinking and restoring the joy of your salvation at work within us.  Help us to hear you above all the voices of this world who distracts us from you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“You just don’t give up!” This has been said of me a few times in my lifetime.  This is a blessing and welcome affirmation if what I am resolute in honoring God with my life and growing my faith in ways that are holy and unwavering.  This is a curse with cause for dismay and intervention if I am not giving up on wanting my own way, hurting people who get in my way, while forcing life to happen through my own feeble attempts at controlling life.

Jesus knows us well and knows our hearts.  He tells us yet another story to show us that our persistence for God’s mercy and grace is rewarded by His love for us!  God hears our cries for help. 

When we feel invisible to others in this world, God sees us.  From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind” (Psalm 33:13). Like Proverbs 15:3 explains, “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” God is keeping an eye on everyone. Nothing that happens in the world is out of His view.

When we feel unheard, God listens to every word uttered from our lips as well as every thought that is on our minds.  “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

In fact, all of heaven stops to rejoice when our persistent, sincere prayers of repentance begin.  Heaven knows “His compassions fail not”—God’s promise.  God does not lie.  God responds.  God’s plan of forgiveness is secured through Jesus.  God’s love is everlasting and cannot be taken from us.  Yes, God never gives up on us.

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”  Lamentations 3:22-24, NKJV

God never gives up on us.  Repeat this as often as necessary.  Don’t give up on God!

Luke 18, The Message

The Story of the Persistent Widow

18 ^1-3 Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit. He said, “There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought and cared nothing for people. A widow in that city kept after him: ‘My rights are being violated. Protect me!’

^4-5 “He never gave her the time of day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‘I care nothing what God thinks, even less what people think. But because this widow won’t quit badgering me, I’d better do something and see that she gets justice—otherwise I’m going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her pounding.’”

^6-8 Then the Master said, “Do you hear what that judge, corrupt as he is, is saying? So what makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them? I assure you, he will. He will not drag his feet. But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Let us pause to reflect on what Jesus is telling us as we evaluate the depth of our faith because what flows from our hearts will be seen in our behaviors today. 

We must be still before God, let go of our agenda items floating around in our brains and ask ourselves:

• Do I really believe that what God says and does really real? 
• Do I believe God truly loves the world (everyone) so much He gave His Only Son to save whoever believes in Him?  Am I one of the “whoevers”?
• How persistent am I in asking God for help believing that He will intervene with love, mercy, justice, and grace?
• Do I trust God with every part of my life—all the details? 
• Do I really love God back with all my heart, all my mind, and all my soul? 
• Do I love others, including those unlovable people who don’t know God, like He loves me?

Then consider this…

Could it be that in believing our faith fuels our passionate, persistent cries for help—assured that He will answer with exactly what we need when we need it?

“But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns?” –Jesus, asking His friends…

Lord,

I will never give up on you because you never gave up on me.  I am not perfect but I know and am assured that I am perfectly forgive by you.  Your love never runs out and never gives up on me.  Your mercies are new and fresh, filling my soul each morning as we talk together.  My persistent prayer is for you to cleanse my heart, remove all that is not you, renew my mind, transform my thinking, refresh my soul with your compassionate mercy, and restore the joy of your salvation at work within me.  I am convinced that you love even me.  I am assured that you are with us always—to the end of this age when you will come back to claim your own.  Great is your faithfulness!

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Are we there yet?” 

“How much farther?”

“What time will we get there, in five more minutes?” 

“I am not at maximum comfort!”  (One of our kids came up with this one. As a new reader, she “sounded out” the words maximum comfort written under the switch to control the air conditioning flow.  We wished she had a switch to control her demands for comfort! Ha!)

Whether traveling to a vacation spot, to grandparents’ house, to the park, zoo, or merely to the store, the backseat gang would shout these phrases with whiny, anxious voices as they grill their parents with these questions.  Kids want to know exactly how much time it will take to get to their final destination.  And seriously, what is “time” to a child?  Bunch a Pharisees…

Luke 17, The Message

When the Son of Man Arrives

^20-21 Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you.”

^22-24 He went on to say to his disciples, “The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won’t see a thing. And they’ll say to you, ‘Look over there!’ or, ‘Look here!’ Don’t fall for any of that nonsense. The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes.

^24-25 “You know how the whole sky lights up from a single flash of lightning? That’s how it will be on the Day of the Son of Man. But first it’s necessary that he suffer many things and be turned down by the people of today.

^26-27 “The time of the Son of Man will be just like the time of Noah—everyone carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ship. They suspected nothing until the flood hit and swept everything away.

^28-30 “It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That’s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed.

^31-33 “When the Day arrives and you’re out working in the yard, don’t run into the house to get anything. And if you’re out in the field, don’t go back and get your coat. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you’ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms.

^34-35 “On that Day, two men will be in the same boat fishing—one taken, the other left. Two women will be working in the same kitchen—one taken, the other left.”

³⁷ Trying to take all this in, the disciples said, “Master, where?”

He told them, “Watch for the circling of the vultures. They’ll spot the corpse first. The action will begin around my dead body.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The Pharisees want to know more about the Kingdom of God from Jesus.  But their motivation for knowing more is more about how they can control the Kingdom. To say they obeyed the Law is questionable for themselves.  The Pharisees, religious teachers and scribes were immersed in every detail of The Law.  They debated with each other over each detail and argued over who was in perfect obedience of The Law.  Why?  Because in their thinking, perfect obedience to The Law bought them a place in the Kingdom of God! 

Who judges human “perfection”?  The Pharisees and others “in charge” and in control influentially, politically, and powerfully!  God was a minor consideration while His Law became their major focus.  To make matters worse, they added to The Law to make it more perfect in their thinking.  Wow.  The enemy of God was having a good time as he led these leaders to focused on condemnation, judgement, punishment with fines while using God’s Law as a powerful tool to oppress and control God’s people who were living under the oppression of the Roman government.  Two oppressions in one! 

Then Jesus comes and walks into their neighborhoods.  Jesus changes everything.  Jesus answers their grilling questions explaining who the Kingdom of God is with who is truly “in charge and in control.”  This new information does not appease, resolve, or delight the Pharisees in the “backseat of government” who are trying to control the lives of God’s people, gain power for themselves, while politically maneuvering the Roman leaders over them.  In fact, this new information from the Son of God infuriates the Pharisees!

The disciples ask with trusting hearts, renewed minds and hungry souls committed to hanging on every word Jesus says. So, having answered the Pharisees, Jesus then turned to His disciples to instruct them about the coming of the kingdom. He warned them not to become so obsessed with His return that they ended up doing nothing else but trying to track Him down.

This is a good warning to believers who do nothing but study prophecy. Certainly we should look for His return and long to see Him come, but at the same time, we should be busy doing His work when He comes. 

The Gospel According to Luke concludes where Acts begins, namely, with Christ’s Ascension into heaven. Luke, according to most Biblical scholars, also wrote the book of Acts.  In this passage, the resurrected Jesus gives his beloved disciples His “last words” of instructions before leaving earth for heaven.  This is a reminder to all believers then and now of the work to be done:

“When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”

He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”  Acts 1:6-11, MSG

Jesus IS coming back, you know.  Time is not as important as being ready with joyful anticipation.  We are not perfect but we are perfectly forgiven.  Believe and be saved.

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17, NIV

Lord,

Thank you for these words the fill our hearts, renew our minds, and refresh our souls as we offer our lives to you in full this morning as a pleasing sacrifice back to you for all you have done for us. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty.

Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

As humans we seem to want most what we need least.  We want sustained control.  We want to be served quickly and efficiently with over-the-top hospitality.  We want to live life without problems and are shocked when they arise.  We want to be immediate fixers with a quick solution when troubles come into our view.  We want life to be fair as we see it.  We want others who we think are not pulling their weight or working as hard as we do to be more like us.  We want life to line up with our well thought out plans.  We pray for God to intervene in our lives according to our agendas, spreadsheets, and time lines.  If He doesn’t, we turn away from Him, blame others, or make trouble for those we think has made life difficult for us causing our discontent.  We surely are not the one causing these disruptions of life, are we?

Who (not what) we need most is Jesus.  Jesus changes everything.  Jesus does for us what we cannot do for ourselves—saves us.  Be the one who turns to Him, backs to the world, falling to our knees in gratitude for the One who saves us.

Luke 17, The Message

A Kernel of Faith

^1-2 He said to his disciples, “Hard trials and temptations are bound to come, but too bad for whoever brings them on! Better to wear a concrete vest and take a swim with the fishes than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!

^3-4 “Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.”

⁵ The apostles came up and said to the Master, “Give us more faith.”

⁶ But the Master said, “You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it.

^7-10 “Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat’? Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’”

^11-13 It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

^14-16 Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.”

They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.

^17-19 Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus came to earth seeking the lost to save them.  Jesus said so Himself.  We see many instances of God leading Jesus to expand his gracious love and compassion to “all nations” who are lost without God.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 

Jesus’ mission was first to save those descendants of Abraham, Moses and others God originally freed from slavery, led through the waters of the Red Sea, and who He guided and provided for on their wilderness journey to the Promised Land, along with other spectacular miracles for their protection.  But over the centuries, many  hearts turned cold and became hard as stones. 

God sent prophets to speak for Him, but most did not listen—especially those who rose to power as earthly leaders and turned from Him.  God sent signs and wonders to declare his glory but moments later His people returned to routines. The Light of glory they once experienced would dim until it was too dark to see God.

The prophets spoke of the Promise of a Messiah, “one who saves.”  This Messiah would come to save the people from all their sins.  But since He didn’t come on their time table and they grumbled once more.  His people’s view of salvation was more akin to God waving a wand over their oppressed lives to make life all nice and cozy, rich and comfy—without being in relationship with God. 

God stopped talking.  For four centuries, God was silent.  Then God said, it is time to fulfill the Promise.  God sent His One and Only Son as the Promise.  Jesus is Messiah, God’s One and Only Son.  Jesus was given by God to not merely atone (cover over) the sins of people; Jesus willingly paid the price as our human sacrifice to remove all sins from all the people of the world who believe that He did! This sacrificial, once and for all, act of Jesus reconciles (reconnects) all people who believe back to God the One who created them!  How amazing!  How wonderfully compassionate!  How excruciatingly painful… but it was what the world needed most.

God’s people read about Jesus in their meeting places each Sabbath.  They traditionally put an empty chair as the honorary place for “the One who is to come to save us” at the table when celebrating the Sabbath meal, all according to the Laws of Sabbath.  But when The Promise came, the Messiah was not recognized or believed by the leaders.  Reading about Him became “routine” and easy to do but believing and following Jesus as the One Promised seemed impossible.  They were happy with the way life was and did not want to BE different.   

The attitudes of the religious leaders led them to making adamant false statements which revealed their hearts and showed their lack of faith:

• Jesus could not have been the Messiah, for He was poor, disadvantaged from birth, educated from small town leaders from Nazareth “of all places—what good can come from Nazareth?” 
• He followed all the commands of The Law but interpreted the meaning of the Law untraditionally. 
• What was customary in the behaviors of priests, scribes and other teachers of the Law took on a different meaning when the One and Only spoke, related to people—all people—in ways considered despicable in the eyes of those who no longer knew God and had stopped asking what God wanted. 
• They only knew The Law.  In fact, they knew it so well, they created loopholes for themselves as leaders and choke holds on those they lead.

This is why it is imperative that we don’t miss Jesus’ words after healing ten lepers.  The only one who came back to thank and praise Jesus for healing him was an “outsider.”  To solidify this point, Luke adds, “He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.”  Jesus response to the kneeling Samaritan— “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.”

Samaritans were thought of as “less than” by the Jews. The Samaritans didn’t enjoy being around Jewish people either because of previous long-standing feuds.  Each stayed in their own territories, hating each other, and despising each other’s ways of living life. 

Then Jesus comes with words and actions that are so counter culture, it blows the minds and rocks the boats of the “chosen”—unsettling all that is customary and traditional to God’s people and to those within hearing distance.  Jesus is hardpressed to do the will of His Father, God, “to seek and to save the lost.  Jesus knows all are lost. As He walks from town to town, He sees all are in need of salvation.  Jesus knows that He is the way to new life that never ends with God, accompanied by a new way to think, speak, and behave, that is more like God. 

Yes, Jesus, The Messiah, is all this and more—He is Way back to God.  He is Truth whether we choose to believe Him or not—Truth has come to save us from all that is false.  He is Life eternal for all who lose their agendas and follow His plan.  He is for all who decide to believe and want to be with Him.  He is for all who hear and faithfully follow where He leads.  Joy overflows from a grateful heart who knows what God has done in and through a seeking soul.  These are the ones who stop, turn and run to Jesus with thanksgiving overflowing from their hearts.

The One who couldn’t thank Jesus enough knew the joy of salvation.

The One saved knew Jesus did what he could not have done for himself.  We also can’t save ourselves—only Jesus saves us and reconnects us to God in a relationship that is forever!  God is the One who loves to pour out His blessings of spiritual restoration and healing that brings health to our being.  He loves to work within us, developing the fruits of His character that will soon rise up in our transformed behaviors because of this relationship! 

And that’s not all!  Jesus saves us from an unbelieving world led by His enemy who attempts to distract, deceive, with thoughts to destroy us with his perpetual lying and scheming.  But if we follow Jesus with every part of our being, we overcome.  Jesus promised.  Jesus is The Promise.  So, we must follow Jesus realizing that Jesus does not follow us.  We pick up HIS cross of sacrifice, not one of our own creation.  We lay down our ways for His way of living.

And because we are human and weak, we must do this daily—

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

Be the one who stops suddenly to turn, look up, and give thanks to God because of all He has done and is doing.  Be the one who falls at the feet of Jesus in humble praise and gratitude for a healing and restoration of heart, mind, body, and soul.  Be the one who follows Jesus.  Be the one who asks for His will be done in every detail of life.  Be the one whose praise is ever on our lips with behaviors so gracious that others want to know why…and then be the one to tell them about the One who saved us and gave us what we needed most—Jesus!

Lord,

Thank you for all these thoughts that teach us who you are and how you want us to live.  I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul.  Continue to cleanse my heart, keep me focused on gratitude for all you have done, renew my thinking to be more in line with your thinking.  Thank you for restoring the joy of your salvation at work within me.  To you be the glory, honor, and praise forever!

In Jesus Name, Amen

What will it take for lost people who are rich in material goods to see the need for a Savior?  What will it take for people who depend only on themselves for survival and the consumption of the goods of life allow Jesus to be Lord of their lives? What will it take for people who worry consistently about having more and getting more turn to a God Person who has it all and generously provides all we need? 

What will it take for souls to break free from this seemingly impossible hold of the enemy, let go, and grab the hand of Jesus? What will it take to seriously and completely trust in the one who created us? Will it take losing all their possessions?  Will it take losing all relationships that led us to this bondage?  What will clear the path to freedom?

Will it take Someone with power to release us from the chains of imprisonment the enemy has placed upon us? Will it take this Someone standing in our place and take the punishment for our sins?  Will it take Someone who loves us so much He would go to hell and back again for us?

What if this Someone died and then came back to life, scars and all, and proving to the world that he did indeed defeat death?  Would we listen, then?

Luke 16, The Message

The Rich Man and Lazarus

^19-21 “There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man’s table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.

^22-24 “Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. called out, ‘Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his He finger in water to cool my tongue. I’m in agony in this fire.’

^25-26 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It’s not like that here. Here he’s consoled and you’re tormented. Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.’

^27-28 “The rich man said, ‘Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won’t end up here in this place of torment.’

²⁹ “Abraham answered, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.’

³⁰ “‘I know, Father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but they’re not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.’

³¹ “Abraham replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.’”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

In the last verse of this passage Abraham explained that only one thing could prevent the five men from eventually joining their brother: They needed to hear the Word of God and respond to it by faith. Moses and the prophets tell sinners how to repent and be saved, and the Jews heard them read every Sabbath in the synagogue. Though miracles can attest to the authority of the preacher, they cannot produce either conviction or conversion in the hearts of the lost.

Believe and be saved.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16  Of all the messages Jesus’ story of Lazarus and the Rich Man conveys, don’t miss this one: God takes you however he finds you—rich or poor. No need to clean up or climb up. Just look up. God’s “whoever” policy has a “however” benefit.

Lord,

Cleanse my heart, remove all that is not you.  Renew my mind and transform my thinking to line up with your Kingdom thinking.  Refresh my soul with your new mercies.  Restore the joy of your salvation at work within me that changes who I once was to who you created me to be.  Thank you for always being with us.  Thank you for saving us!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Every generation goes through a time when the elders of that generation are deemed “hopelessly out of touch” by the younger.  Especially when the elders continue to enjoy living more simply, realizing what is important and uppermost and what is not—all because of the lessons through experiences they have learned.  What was once monumental to achieve in life is not as important as staying close to the Master.  What is more important is continuing to love God back with all their hearts, minds, and souls, while listening for His direction with obedient desires—all because of the love He has graciously and mercifully given beyond measure to all of us. 

I suppose I am “hopelessly out of touch” as I not only think but know that God is still the One and Only God who sees inside our hearts, knows what’s on our minds even before we think it, and loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us from ourselves—our lack of self-discipline, self-control, self-managing, and just plain selfishness.  I am hopelessly out of touch to think I must lean into God’s understanding and wisdom as the world around me thinks there is no God. 

My “out of touchness” lately has caused more attacks on my belief in Jesus as I proclaim daily who God is by telling others what His Word says.  I’m only relaying what God says in His Word—word for word. So, I am told I’m super “out of touch” to think that God’s Word is still relevant for today’s way of living.  I actually believe that what was wrong in relationships and in doing life then is still wrong today.  Yes, I am “hopeless” by world standards.  But little do they know, I have real Hope—Hope of eternal proportions—within me Who is always on my side, in front of me, and beside me, guiding me!  You take the world but give me Jesus!  (Yes, there is a song,,.)

In today’s passage I learn that I am in good company!  Jesus was also deemed “hopelessly out of touch” as he told another parable explaining who God is and who the Pharisees and others who put God aside were not.  So, when we are led to say or do what is right in the eyes of God—expect the eyerolls of the unbelieving world.  Be assured and know, without a doubt, you are in good company.

 Luke 16, The Message

The Story of the Crooked Manager

16 ^1-2 Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, ‘What’s this I hear about you? You’re fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.’

^3-4 “The manager said to himself, ‘What am I going to do? I’ve lost my job as manager. I’m not strong enough for a laboring job, and I’m too proud to beg. . . . Ah, I’ve got a plan. Here’s what I’ll do . . . then when I’m turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.’

⁵ “Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

⁶ “He replied, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’

“The manager said, ‘Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now—write fifty.’

⁷ “To the next he said, ‘And you, what do you owe?’

“He answered, ‘A hundred sacks of wheat.’

“He said, ‘Take your bill, write in eighty.’

^8-9 “Now here’s a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”

God Sees Behind Appearances

^10-13 Jesus went on to make these comments:

If you’re honest in small things,
    you’ll be honest in big things;
If you’re a crook in small things,
    you’ll be a crook in big things.
If you’re not honest in small jobs,
    who will put you in charge of the store?
No worker can serve two bosses:
    He’ll either hate the first and love the second
Or adore the first and despise the second.
    You can’t serve both God and the Bank.

^14-18 When the Pharisees, a money-obsessed bunch, heard him say these things, they rolled their eyes, dismissing him as hopelessly out of touch. So Jesus spoke to them: “You are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others, but God knows what’s behind the appearance.

What society sees and calls monumental,
    God sees through and calls monstrous.
God’s Law and the Prophets climaxed in John;
Now it’s all kingdom of God—the glad news
    and compelling invitation to every man and woman.
The sky will disintegrate and the earth dissolve
    before a single letter of God’s Law wears out.
Using the legalities of divorce
    as a cover for lust is adultery;
Using the legalities of marriage
    as a cover for lust is adultery.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

This particular manager forgot that he was a steward and began to act as if he were the owner. He became a “prodigal steward” who wasted his master’s wealth.  Jesus did not commend the steward for robbing his master or for encouraging others to be dishonest. Jesus commended the man for his wise use of opportunity. “The sons of this world” are experts at seizing opportunities for making money and friends and getting ahead. God’s people should take heed and be just as wise when it comes to managing the spiritual affairs of life.  God sees and knows the motivations of our hearts.  God intervenes in our lives with what is right.  We have a choice to turn back to what is right or not.  Our behaviors reflect our true hearts. 

Let’s lean into the wisdom (skills of being smarter than the world) of Jesus…

“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” –Jesus, Matthew 24:1-14 (Read the whole chapter!)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” –Jesus, Matthew 24:35

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”           —Jesus, John 16:33

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” –Jesus, 1 John 4:4

Be smart, live smart.  Look for all the angles in the world to survive the world.  “I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you’ll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.”—Jesus, Luke 16

Seek what God first and do what HE says is right…blessed is the one who does!

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.^” –Jesus, Matthew 6:31-33

Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost.”  All have sinned so all are lost without God.  Be found by the Seeker who desires to save us from our own selfishness and foolishness.  Begin to live, really live, with the Living Hope of eternity.  Be one who is hopelessly out of touch with the world but in touch with Jesus, our Savior and Lord.  I was lost but now I’m found—and I’m glad to be found!

Lord,

Thank you for the contentment you give from being hopelessly out of touch with the world.  We live in the world but we are not of this world.  Guide us.  Lead us.  Cleanse our hearts of all that is not you.  Renew our minds.  Refresh our souls with your new mercies that bring peace.  Restore the joy of your salvation at work within us to keep us hopelessly out of touch with the deceiver, our enemy, but wise enough to dismiss him.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen