Luke Devotional – Week 13
March 27 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 19:11-27, While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ 14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’
15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. 16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ 18 “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19 “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’
24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 26 “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’”
In Jesus’ world, whenever there was a story of Master and Servant, it spoke about Israel’s response to God. In this case, it was Israel’s response to God’s king, the Messiah who had come. The first two servants were found to be trustworthy in a very small matter (the managing of earthly wealth) and found to be faithful and ready for greater responsibility in the nobleman’s kingdom.
The third servant who failed to do what the master asked represented the majority of the nation who would reject Jesus as the royal Messiah. They were given this tremendous opportunity, yet because they largely failed to receive the new kingdom but continued to show loyalty to the old kingdom, judgment was on its way. On the national level, this prediction was fulfilled in the fall and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
On a personal level, it speaks the truth that what we do with God’s gifts to us, especially, the greatest gift of all, King Jesus, the Messiah, Savior and Lord, will determine the kind of judgment we will ultimately encounter for all eternity.
Prayer: Father, I choose to fully believe and appropriate Your many good gifts into my life, especially the gift of Jesus, the Messiah, who offers me a fantastic future. Amen.
March 28 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 19:28-48, After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” 45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” 47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
Jesus has arrived at His final destination. Sometimes the Lord needs something from us! The owner of the colt freely offered it to the Lord. Do we do the same? It was a joyous procession with Jesus seated upon the colt, cloaks spread upon the road, as though the red carpet was rolled out for a celebrity. The disciples praised God for the many miracles Jesus performed. With their words “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord,” they were declaring Jesus to be the Messiah! The Pharisees wanted the celebration to be shutdown. But Jesus said, if they did not proclaim the truth, the rocks would burst out in praise.
We have seen much weeping in Luke. Now, Jesus joins them as He weeps over the city because He knew what was ahead for their failure to receive Him. Jerusalem would be destroyed. If they would turn to Him, the peace of God, the destruction could be avoided. From other accounts, we understand that it was the next day that Jesus cleansed the temple from the greedy place of commerce it had become. This was an acted-out parable symbolizing God’s coming judgment. These acts put Jesus on the religious leaders’ most-wanted list. It is no wonder judgment was coming for we see how spiritually bankrupt these leaders had become.
Prayer: Father, we do not want to miss Jesus, Your peace come to earth. May we be quick to offer You praise. May we keep our temple clean for You alone are to be worshiped. Amen.
March 29 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 20:1-19, One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. 2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 3 He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me: 4 John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?” 5 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.” 8Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
Why did Jesus answer their question with a question about John the Baptist’s authority? It was at Jesus’ baptism that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the voice spoke that He was God’s beloved Son. Jesus was claiming that He publicly received his authority through that divine moment. If the questioners would have answered Jesus that John’s baptism was from heaven, then they would have had to affirm Jesus’ authority as well.
To continue the conversation of authority, Jesus re-told the history of Israel in this parable. The prophets were God’s servants who came to tell of God’s coming judgment, but they were not heard. Jesus, the Royal Son, is the last in the line of the prophets who is the rightful heir of the kingdom. The religious leaders would soon throw Jesus out and kill him because they refused to accept Him as the cornerstone that completes the building. Instead, they would be crushed by it because of their refusal to believe the message of welcome and warning. But the vineyard, the way of redemption, will be given to any and all who believe and receive it.
Prayer: Father, I believe you sent Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, to redeem me. I put all of my faith and trust in Him today. Amen.
March 30 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 20:20-47, Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21 So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 25 He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 26 They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.
27 Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 34 Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37 But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’38 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” 39 Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!”40 And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
41 Then Jesus said to them, “Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David? 42 David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 44 David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” 45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
The tricksters were at work trying to trap Jesus. Paying taxes was a huge issue in Jesus’ day. They thought if God were king, then why pay? However, Jesus brilliantly revealed they needed to give the government what it asked and God what He deserves. This answer may have had an additional message that revolution against Rome was not the way of His kingdom. The Sadducees then brought a ridiculous scenario to try to debunk the resurrection. They only read the first 5 books of the Bible so Jesus answered them from their books that resurrection is real! Jesus took his turn to ask a question. The Jewish idea of Messiah did not have the full picture. Jesus revealed that David’s Son is also David’s God by equating the Messiah with God. Finally, we discover why harsh judgment was deserved for many of the Jewish teachers in Jesus’ day.
Prayer: Father, may we have the pure hearts that do no piety for show or for praise and honor. Keep us humble in worship to you and in loving service to others. Amen.
March 31 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 21:1-4, As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
This is a rare picture of a genuine Israelite. This widow demonstrated what being a part of God’s kingdom is all about. Before she gave her last two coins, she had already given God her heart. She absolutely trusted God to take care of her needs at a time when there was no social net to catch her.
She embodied Jesus’ earlier teaching of not worrying about what you will eat or wear for God takes care of the birds and the flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow. Will not God take care of you all the more because you have eternal value? Before Jesus ever spoke this, she was living it. She sought God first and trusted all the other stuff would be provided.
In a culture of abundance, how do we even get our minds and hearts around this kind of remarkable faith? Let’s be clear that Jesus did not condemn the wealthy givers for what they contributed. Instead, He elevated the widow in comparison because she did not give a mere percentage of her income. As small as it was, she gave everything she had to live on. In Jesus’ economy, this was the kind of faith He was looking for.
The love of money was and is still the number one competitor of true faith in Jesus. Many of the religious leaders were caught up in greed and the idolatry of wealth. This story served as yet another contrast between the humble and the proud.
Jesus spoke about issues of finance more than He did prayer or most other topics. It is an area that we must recognize is a real temptation for most of us.
Unless we have relinquished all we have to God, we represent the rich in this story. Again, money itself is not a sin unless we are greedily pursuing more for the sake of padding our accounts, hoarding what we have, and failing to invest in God’s great work in the world. May we be watchful and careful with how attached our hearts are to our stuff. May we hold on to it loosely.
Prayer: Father, I admit I do not have the faith of the widow but give me the courage to hang on to my stuff loosely and freely give what I have been entrusted for the sake of spreading the good news and caring for the needy. Amen.
April 1 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 21:5-38, Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” 7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” 8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me.18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” 37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives,38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
This passage is not just about the end of time. Jesus had entered Jerusalem seeking to reclaim the temple for its proper spiritual use. His message for reform on behalf of “the poor” had been unheeded. The Jewish leadership used their positions to oppress society’s most vulnerable. They were leading in opposition to the peace that Jesus brought and was filled with pride, hypocrisy, and greed. Even when the people went out to hear John the Baptist preach a message of repentance, the leaders refused to do so. They closed their hardened hearts. When Jesus came along, they refused to receive Him even though John had prepared the way for Him to be received. These coming events were why Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He could see the horrible disaster that would occur in 70 AD.
In this passage, Luke sets the stage in verses 5-7, and in verses 8-11, Jesus summarizes His following instruction. Then He lays out the events in chronological order in three stages: 1. persecution and witness (verses 12-19), 2. the fall of Jerusalem leading to the “times of the Gentiles” (verses 20-24); 3. heavenly signs and earthly distress leading to the coming of the Son of Man (verses 25-28). These events provide the reason for the message of readiness (verses 29-36) and the conclusion to Jesus’ whole message in the temple (verses 37-38.)
Herod the Great began a reconstruction of the temple in 19 BC that doubled its size. The sun revealed the brilliance of the gold plates that covered its façade and the white marble that adorned it to the upper heights. To think this was going to be destroyed was beyond belief.
(12-19) Before all this occurs, there would be persecution. Jesus said this would be an opportunity for witness so that when they are on trial, they could bear witness to their faith. Second, Jesus said not a hair of their heads would perish. It is not a promise that no one would die but that even in death, this is not the end of life for the faithful follower of Jesus. Third, Jesus told His followers to endure these trials. They were to remain faithful through it all.
(20-24) The scene is divine judgment coming upon the city because it refused to recognize and accept the message of salvation offered by Jesus. Second, Luke writes that this destruction is the fulfillment of what had been written. Third, Jesus describes the season of Jerusalem’s fall as “days of vengeance.” Fourth, being trampled on by Gentiles recalls the role of the nations as God’s instrument of judgment against Israel. This marks a season where the Gentiles would be used by God to destroy Jerusalem in judgment but then the gospel would, also, be proclaimed among them to the ends of the earth.
(25-28) These are the cosmic signs that would follow at some undesignated time after the destruction of Jerusalem leading to the Second Coming of Jesus and the End of time. Old Testament Scriptures are the background for the images that speak of astral phenomena, distress among the nations, the roaring of the sea, and the fear of the people. For believers, this should not generate fear but confidence as we stand with raised heads, being assured that this day is for our final redemption. This is great news for all who faithfully endure in Jesus as Lord.
(29-36) Any delay of Christ’s return is not an indefinite delay. This is part of God’s plan so many more will repent and come into the kingdom. All who are faithful will be vigilant and have an expectant faith that refuses to lead a business-as-usual attitude kind of life. (Interpretation help is from Joel B. Green’s Commentary, The Gospel of Luke)
Prayer: Father, I confess my business-as-usual attitude in preparation for Jesus’ return. May I daily prepare myself, my family, and those in my network of relationships to have absolute confidence on the day of Christ’s coming. Amen.
April 2 – The Gospel of Luke
Luke 22:1-6, Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
Passover was chosen to be the festival where the salvation event for all of humanity for all time would occur. It is the most appropriate because it parallels the Exodus of the Jews out of Egypt. It was their moment of redemption and liberation from slavery. They were so badly burdened and beaten in the making of bricks that they had no place to turn for help. There was only one who could save them. God heard their cries and miraculously took them out.
So, in Jesus’ time, the Jews were once again under heavy bondage of attempting to live out the law of God and law of man. They were overwhelmed with the impossible task of perfect obedience on their own strength. Just as the quota of bricks to be made was an impossible order so was living out the quota of the law.
So, the events begin to unfold for Jesus to be their rescuer. Once again God had come to save them from their taskmasters. However, hell knew what was coming. Satan was going to pull out of the tricks to prevent this liberation of God’s people from happening. If truth be known, hell had been gaining significant ground.
Can you imagine religious leaders trying to kill Jesus? They did so out of fear of the people. They were fearful they were going to lose control! We have several hints through this gospel that such control was providing these leaders an opportunity to become wealthy. Was their greatest fear of losing out financially, or did they just enjoy the power of keeping the people under their thumb, or was it both?
While that was happening, Satan entered Judas. This is one of the saddest lines in all of Scripture. He may have been a member of a group who wanted to violently overthrow Rome. Maybe, he had become a disgruntled follower because Jesus was not the military Messiah he had hoped him to be. Other Scripture tells us that Judas was the treasurer of the group and sometimes helped himself to the funds. (John 12:6) He was a thief. He had spiritually left himself wide open for Satan to enter. Satan cannot have us unless we give him opportunity to do so.
1 Corinthians 10:13, No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Judas’ weakness was money so he gladly accepted pay to find the best time to hand Jesus over. What Jesus had spoken about so frequently was now being lived out among one of his very own. Judas loved money more than Jesus. Such a compromised heart will always lead to betrayal. May we be so careful not to leave ourselves wide open for Satan to enter in.
Prayer: Father, how tragic a story. I do not want this to be my story. Confront me of greed or any other sin that opens the door for Satan to enter for me to betray Jesus. Amen.