Sunday, August 19, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
A Study in Luke Week 8
A Study in Luke Week 8 (Re-Published due to author's absence)
Luke Chapter 8
The events in this chapter are found in the other synoptic gospels (Matthew and Mark).
Verses 1-3 – The “good news of the kingdom of god” (Greek: βασιλεία το θεο, Basileia tou Theou) is seen differently by different “theologians.” Some see it as the rule of an eternal sovereign God over all creatures and things (Psalm 103:19 & Daniel 4:3). It is also the designation for the sphere of salvation entered into at the new birth (John 3:5-7), and is synonymous with the “kingdom of heaven.”
For our purposes, we will use it as the totality of the kingdom over which Jesus is King, past, present and future, composed of His subjects, those who have trusted in, and only in, His finished work at the cross of Calvary, His resurrection and His soon return.
As He traveled about, Jesus had an entourage: His disciples; Mary Magdalene; Joanna; Susanna and others.
Verses 4-15 – This is the parable of the sower. The disciples didn’t grasp its meaning, so Jesus explained it to them.
Verses 16-18 – The light of which He speaks is the light of the gospel. It is not to be hidden; it is to be shared.
Verses 19-21 – Jesus had four brothers and several sisters. This contrasts with the Roman Catholic tradition which holds that these were fathered by Joseph by a previous marriage, something not at all borne out by Scripture, but a fabrication of man’s rationale.
This place was crowded, Jesus’ own mother could not get in to see Him. Jesus used the circumstance to identify His family as those who would hear Him and follow what He taught.
Verses 22-25 – Jesus calmed the storms. As one song writer, Scott Krippayne, put it: “Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.”
Verses 26-39 – Jesus heals a demon possessed man. Scripture considers demons to be bad or evil spirits who work for Satan, the chief demon. These demons were afraid of Jesus, and when He asked them their name, they replied with a term that refers to about 6,000 Roman soldiers. Demons are ultimately doomed to eternal damnation, and these demons didn’t want to suffer what they knew was coming. Jesus cast them into 2,00 pigs, instead. The pigs drowned.
This cost the pigs’ owner a lot of money. Jesus was showing us that people are more important than money.
Verses 40-42 – This is part 1 of the story of Jairus’ daughter. Jairus was the synagogue organizer, an important man. He knew Jesus could heal, but he also knew the Pharisees hated Him. It took courage to approach Jesus in public.
Verses 43-48 – A woman in the crowd had suffered an “issue of blood” for 12 years, and was considered “unclean.” When she touched Jesus, He knew she had done so. To the Pharisees, this would have projected her “unclean-ness” onto Jesus. Jesus called her “daughter” and proclaimed that her faith had made her well. Note: It was not some magic in His garment or some “point of contact” that healed her, it was her faith.
Verses 49-56 – This is part 2 of the story of Jairus’ daughter. For the first time, Jesus gave Peter, James a special part in His work, allowing them to go into the house with Him and the mother and father. Again, Jesus used the words, “Get up!” And she did. She also ate for strength.
In verse 58, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone. Much has been made of this order by “theologians,” but it was probably His desire to see her privacy protected so she could grow up as a normal child.
Christianity is not some mystical, magic, ethereal, pretend game. It is the very power of salvation to all who will believe.
Luke Chapter 8
The events in this chapter are found in the other synoptic gospels (Matthew and Mark).
Verses 1-3 – The “good news of the kingdom of god” (Greek: βασιλεία το θεο, Basileia tou Theou) is seen differently by different “theologians.” Some see it as the rule of an eternal sovereign God over all creatures and things (Psalm 103:19 & Daniel 4:3). It is also the designation for the sphere of salvation entered into at the new birth (John 3:5-7), and is synonymous with the “kingdom of heaven.”
For our purposes, we will use it as the totality of the kingdom over which Jesus is King, past, present and future, composed of His subjects, those who have trusted in, and only in, His finished work at the cross of Calvary, His resurrection and His soon return.
As He traveled about, Jesus had an entourage: His disciples; Mary Magdalene; Joanna; Susanna and others.
Verses 4-15 – This is the parable of the sower. The disciples didn’t grasp its meaning, so Jesus explained it to them.
Verses 16-18 – The light of which He speaks is the light of the gospel. It is not to be hidden; it is to be shared.
Verses 19-21 – Jesus had four brothers and several sisters. This contrasts with the Roman Catholic tradition which holds that these were fathered by Joseph by a previous marriage, something not at all borne out by Scripture, but a fabrication of man’s rationale.
This place was crowded, Jesus’ own mother could not get in to see Him. Jesus used the circumstance to identify His family as those who would hear Him and follow what He taught.
Verses 22-25 – Jesus calmed the storms. As one song writer, Scott Krippayne, put it: “Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.”
Verses 26-39 – Jesus heals a demon possessed man. Scripture considers demons to be bad or evil spirits who work for Satan, the chief demon. These demons were afraid of Jesus, and when He asked them their name, they replied with a term that refers to about 6,000 Roman soldiers. Demons are ultimately doomed to eternal damnation, and these demons didn’t want to suffer what they knew was coming. Jesus cast them into 2,00 pigs, instead. The pigs drowned.
This cost the pigs’ owner a lot of money. Jesus was showing us that people are more important than money.
Verses 40-42 – This is part 1 of the story of Jairus’ daughter. Jairus was the synagogue organizer, an important man. He knew Jesus could heal, but he also knew the Pharisees hated Him. It took courage to approach Jesus in public.
Verses 43-48 – A woman in the crowd had suffered an “issue of blood” for 12 years, and was considered “unclean.” When she touched Jesus, He knew she had done so. To the Pharisees, this would have projected her “unclean-ness” onto Jesus. Jesus called her “daughter” and proclaimed that her faith had made her well. Note: It was not some magic in His garment or some “point of contact” that healed her, it was her faith.
Verses 49-56 – This is part 2 of the story of Jairus’ daughter. For the first time, Jesus gave Peter, James a special part in His work, allowing them to go into the house with Him and the mother and father. Again, Jesus used the words, “Get up!” And she did. She also ate for strength.
In verse 58, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone. Much has been made of this order by “theologians,” but it was probably His desire to see her privacy protected so she could grow up as a normal child.
Christianity is not some mystical, magic, ethereal, pretend game. It is the very power of salvation to all who will believe.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
A Study in Luke Week 8
Luke Chapter 8
The events in this chapter are found in the other synoptic gospels (Matthew and Mark).
Verses 1-3 – The “good news of the kingdom of god” (Greek: βασιλεία το θεο, Basileia tou Theou) is seen differently by different “theologians.” Some see it as the rule of an eternal sovereign God over all creatures and things (Psalm 103:19 & Daniel 4:3). It is also the designation for the sphere of salvation entered into at the new birth (John 3:5-7), and is synonymous with the “kingdom of heaven.”
For our purposes, we will use it as the totality of the kingdom over which Jesus is King, past, present and future, composed of His subjects, those who have trusted in, and only in, His finished work at the cross of Calvary, His resurrection and His soon return.
As He traveled about, Jesus had an entourage: His disciples; Mary Magdalene; Joanna; Susanna and others.
Verses 4-15 – This is the parable of the sower. The disciples didn’t grasp its meaning, so Jesus explained it to them.
Verses 16-18 – The light of which He speaks is the light of the gospel. It is not to be hidden; it is to be shared.
Verses 19-21 – Jesus had four brothers and several sisters. This contrasts with the Roman Catholic traditions which holds that these were fathered by Joseph by a previous marriage, something not at all borne out by Scripture, but a fabrication of man’s rationale.
This place was crowded, Jesus’ own mother could not get in to see Him. Jesus used the circumstance to identify His family as those who would hear Him and follow what He taught.
Verses 22-25 – Jesus calmed the storms. As one song writer, Scott Krippayne, put it: “Sometimes He calms the storm and other times He calms His child.”
Verses 26-39 – Jesus heals a demon possessed man. Scripture considers demons to be bad or evil spirits who work for Satan, the chief demon. These demons were afraid of Jesus, and when He asked them their name, they replied with a term that refers to about 6,000 Roman soldiers. Demons are ultimately doomed to eternal damnation, and these demons didn’t want to suffer what they knew was coming. Jesus cast them into 2,00 pigs, instead. The pigs drowned.
This cost the pigs’ owner a lot of money. Jesus was showing us that people are more important than money.
Verses 40-42 – This is part 1 of the story of Jairus’ daughter. Jairus was the synagogue organizer, an important man. He knew Jesus could heal, but he also knew the Pharisees hated Him. It took courage to approach Jesus in public.
Verses 43-48 – A woman in the crowd had suffered an “issue of blood” for 12 years, and was considered “unclean.” When she touched Jesus, He knew she had done so. To the Pharisees, this would have projected her “unclean-ness” onto Jesus. Jesus called her “daughter” and proclaimed that her faith had made her well. Note: It was not some magic in His garment or some “point of contact” that healed her, it was her faith.
Verses 49-56 – This is part 2 of the story of Jairus’ daughter. For the first time, Jesus gave Peter, James a special part in His work, allowing them to go into the house with Him and the mother and father. Again, Jesus used the words, “Get up!” And she did. She also ate for strength.
In verse 58, Jesus tells them not to tell anyone. Much has been made of this order by “theologians,” but it was probably His desire to see her privacy protected so she could grow up as a normal child.
Christianity is not some mystical, magic, ethereal, pretend game. It is the very power of salvation to all who will believe.
Sunday, August 05, 2012
Saturday, August 04, 2012
A Study in Luke Week 7
Luke Chapter 7
This chapter is all about faith. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul says, “By grace you have been saved through faith.” In Romans 5:1 he wrote, “We have been justifies through faith.” And in Hebrews he wrote, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Faith is NOT pretend.
Here in Luke, Jesus is going to give some examples of people who had great faith.
Verses 1-10 – In Capernaum, a centurion, who had helped build the very synagogue in which Jesus had earlier demonstrated his knowledge and power, had a sick or wounded Jewish slave.
The centurion understood authority and recognized it in Jesus. He humbly relayed to Jesus that he was not worthy of having Jesus in his home, but knew Jesus could heal his servant from afar. Jesus, contrasting the centurion’s faith with that of the Jews, healed his servant.
Verses 11-17 – A woman had lost her only son. He was going to be buried outside of the city limits, indicating that he was ceremonially unclean. Jesus told her not to cry, approached the coffin…an act that would have been offensive in the sight of the Pharisees, and one which caused the pall-bearers to stop short.
Jesus told the young man (probably a boy) to sit up. He did.
When Jesus speaks, even death listens. The people we, of course, amazed and spread the news.
When Jesus gives us eternal life when we deserve eternal death, the news should spread like wildfire.
Notice that there is no mention of her faith. Jesus knows our hearts and our needs, and meets them.
Verses 18-30 – John the Baptist was in prison. His disciples told of Jesus’ healing the centurion’s servant and raising the dead boy. John sent his friends to Jesus to inquire whether He was Messiah. Jesus’ answer gave all the evidence John would need. Jesus is Messiah. He was referencing Isaiah 35: 5-6 and Isaiah 61:1.
Jesus asks the crowd questions that had obvious answers and then proclaimed Himself to be the Messiah and John to be his emissary. Luke adds a cryptic note about the contrast between those who heard and responded to John’s message and those Pharisees who rejected it.
Verses 31-35 – Jesus compared those Pharisees to children playing a game of weddings and funerals. Neither would the others’ “game.”
John led a very strict life and was called crazy. Jesus enjoyed “normal” social occasions and was called a drunk who hung with the wrong kind of people.
Verses 36-50 – A Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner, but because he was in a hurry to get to his point of trapping Jesus, did not take the time to perform the customary social pleasantries.
A sinful woman got wind of the dinner and crashed the party, sat weeping at His feet, washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and freshened them with expensive perfume.
When the Pharisees objected, Jesus told the first of 18 parables that are recorded only in Luke.
This one was to force the Pharisee to examine his own motives and to reveal that the mission of Jesus was to bring the greatest forgiveness imaginable, the one that leads to eternal life.
Jesus forgave her sins.
This astonished and angered the other guests who questioned His authority to forgive sins.
Jesus proclaimed her free of sin and invited her to go in her new found peace.
This chapter is all about faith. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul says, “By grace you have been saved through faith.” In Romans 5:1 he wrote, “We have been justifies through faith.” And in Hebrews he wrote, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Faith is NOT pretend.
Here in Luke, Jesus is going to give some examples of people who had great faith.
Verses 1-10 – In Capernaum, a centurion, who had helped build the very synagogue in which Jesus had earlier demonstrated his knowledge and power, had a sick or wounded Jewish slave.
The centurion understood authority and recognized it in Jesus. He humbly relayed to Jesus that he was not worthy of having Jesus in his home, but knew Jesus could heal his servant from afar. Jesus, contrasting the centurion’s faith with that of the Jews, healed his servant.
Verses 11-17 – A woman had lost her only son. He was going to be buried outside of the city limits, indicating that he was ceremonially unclean. Jesus told her not to cry, approached the coffin…an act that would have been offensive in the sight of the Pharisees, and one which caused the pall-bearers to stop short.
Jesus told the young man (probably a boy) to sit up. He did.
When Jesus speaks, even death listens. The people we, of course, amazed and spread the news.
When Jesus gives us eternal life when we deserve eternal death, the news should spread like wildfire.
Notice that there is no mention of her faith. Jesus knows our hearts and our needs, and meets them.
Verses 18-30 – John the Baptist was in prison. His disciples told of Jesus’ healing the centurion’s servant and raising the dead boy. John sent his friends to Jesus to inquire whether He was Messiah. Jesus’ answer gave all the evidence John would need. Jesus is Messiah. He was referencing Isaiah 35: 5-6 and Isaiah 61:1.
Jesus asks the crowd questions that had obvious answers and then proclaimed Himself to be the Messiah and John to be his emissary. Luke adds a cryptic note about the contrast between those who heard and responded to John’s message and those Pharisees who rejected it.
Verses 31-35 – Jesus compared those Pharisees to children playing a game of weddings and funerals. Neither would the others’ “game.”
John led a very strict life and was called crazy. Jesus enjoyed “normal” social occasions and was called a drunk who hung with the wrong kind of people.
Verses 36-50 – A Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner, but because he was in a hurry to get to his point of trapping Jesus, did not take the time to perform the customary social pleasantries.
A sinful woman got wind of the dinner and crashed the party, sat weeping at His feet, washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair and freshened them with expensive perfume.
When the Pharisees objected, Jesus told the first of 18 parables that are recorded only in Luke.
This one was to force the Pharisee to examine his own motives and to reveal that the mission of Jesus was to bring the greatest forgiveness imaginable, the one that leads to eternal life.
Jesus forgave her sins.
This astonished and angered the other guests who questioned His authority to forgive sins.
Jesus proclaimed her free of sin and invited her to go in her new found peace.
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