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Luke 11:14-12:34<\/strong><\/span> Luke:<\/strong> Jesus\u2019 teaching in Luke chapter 11 verse 23 is so important for us to understand \u2013 \u201cAnyone who isn\u2019t helping me opposes me, and anyone who isn\u2019t working with me is actually working against me.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0How does this verse speak to you?\u00a0 For me it convicts me.\u00a0 Yeah, maybe for some of my time I am helping Jesus and the Kingdom of God, but I think there is a lot of time where I am not working with Jesus.\u00a0 I am maybe indulging in some seemingly harmless trivial pursuits or material pleasures \u2013 but they aren\u2019t really working with Jesus.\u00a0 And am I then, at those times, actually working against Jesus?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I want to pray on this more.\u00a0 I do know that we are called to rest & relaxation in our lives \u2013 a time of Sabbath rest each week.\u00a0 We don\u2019t have to be frantically seeking to \u201cdo\u201d & serve Jesus 24 x 7.\u00a0 But, I do think it\u2019s possible that we can live our lives more \u201cintentionally\u201d \u2013 meaning, examine the intent of why we do what we do.\u00a0 And ultimately, is what we are doing with our time helping and working with Jesus?\u00a0 Or is it not?\u00a0 I think being intentional with our time and how we are spending our lives is so important\u2026\u00a0 because time flies as we all know.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span> Wow\u2026 Jesus goes after the Pharisees in Luke chapter 11 today\u2026\u00a0 Verses 39 through 41 are powerful: \u201cThen the Lord said to him, \u201cYou Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are still filthy\u2013full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn\u2019t God make the inside as well as the outside? So give to the needy what you greedily possess, and you will be clean all over.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I think these verses are important for us to meditate upon as well today.\u00a0 Are we clean inside?\u00a0 Or are we putting on a show and just cleaning up our external appearances for others?\u00a0 As we saw in Jesus\u2019 teachings in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew \u2013 God is very interested in the condition of our hearts.\u00a0 Our insides.\u00a0 Are our insides clean?\u00a0 Bob Deffinbaugh with Bible.org\u2019s great commentary on our Luke chapter 11 readings today titled \u201cFundamentalists in Formaldehyde\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> <\/span> Today in Luke 12:25-26 we read: \u201cWho of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?\u201d<\/em> In regards to these verses I once heard someone say that worry is a form of \u201clow-grade atheism.\u201d Which I think is brilliant! When we worry, we are in a sense doubting God. Doubting that God has the situation in control, no matter how dire it may seem. Do you worry much these days? Do you see how worry is in a sense a form of \u201clow-grade atheism\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span> \u201cAt first appearance this text seems to be warning the disciple that he might lose his salvation by denying the Savior, by his hypocrisy. This is not the case, however. There are several reasons why this cannot be the case.<\/span><\/p>\n (1) Man\u2019s salvation is not based upon his works, or his faithfulness, but on Christ\u2019s shed blood and His faithfulness.<\/span><\/p>\n (2) The Scriptures consistently teach that man did not choose God but that He has chosen man, and that the one who is saved is eternally secure.<\/span><\/p>\n (3) In our text, there is a definite change from the second person (\u201cyou\u201d) to the third person (\u201cwhoever,\u201d \u201chim,\u201d \u201ceveryone\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n (4) The unpardonable sin, referred to in verse 10, is elsewhere clearly a sin which an unbeliever commits, which terminates any further opportunity to be saved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong>\u00a0 Luke 12:2-3 reminds me of The Museum song \u201cMy Help Comes from the Lord:\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \n
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Jesus\u2019 teaching in Luke chapter 11 verse 36 is powerful for each of us to consider! \u201cIf you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight is shining on you.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 That second little clause there I think is key \u2013 with no dark corners.\u00a0 I\u2019ll admit that I have traveled through life with some dark corners.\u00a0 And it is no way to go.\u00a0 The dark corners do affect the Light really shining in you and through you \u2013 and the dark corners I believe can affect your relationship with God.\u00a0 I pray that if you know you have a dark corner in your life, confess it to God and Jesus.\u00a0 Pray for forgiveness and repent!\u00a0 God will fill you with light \u2013 a light that will penetrate and remove those dark corners in your life.\u00a0 But, you\u2019ve gotta confess them & repent of them with God\u2026\u00a0 \u00a0You know it\u2019s worth it.\u00a0 To live a radiant life, as though a floodlight is shining on you is the only way to live!<\/span><\/p>\n
Bible.org\u2019s commentary on Luke chapter 11\u2019s readings today titled \u201cEvidence that Produced Various Verdicts\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
Jesus\u2019 teachings in Luke chapter 12 verses 2 through 3 are also important for us to reflect upon in our lives today \u2013 \u201cThe time is coming when everything will be revealed; all that is secret will be made public. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I once heard a pastor say during a sermon \u2013 \u201cnobody sins in a vacuum.\u00a0 Meaning, nobody\u2019s sin does not affect others.\u00a0 When we sin \u2013 even when we are \u201calone\u201d \u2013 it affects our community in ways we do not fully realize.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0I think this is so true.\u00a0 When we sin \u2013 even what we have done or said in the \u201cdark\u201d \u2013 we hurt not only ourselves, but others.\u00a0 And God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, who\u00a0is pure Light, have heard and know what we do in the dark.\u00a0 We cannot hide it from them.\u00a0 Better to confess it to God, repent, and be cleansed by the Light.\u00a0 Then, go, and sin no more.\u00a0 Plus \u2013 it\u2019s a darn scary thought to think that what we do in the dark might be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 Live your life such that no matter what you do or what you say, you wouldn\u2019t be embarrassed to read about it in tomorrow\u2019s papers\u2026\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n
Bible.org\u2019s commentary on Luke chapter 12 readings today titled \u201cThe Hazard of Hypocrisy for Heralds of the Gospel\u201d <\/strong>is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n
Bible.org\u2019s commentary on Luke chapter 12\u2019s readings today titled \u201cGreed: The Affliction of the Affluent\u201d <\/strong>is <\/span>at this link<\/span> and commentary titled \u201cA Disciple\u2019s Perspective on Possessions\u201d<\/strong> is <\/span>at this link<\/span>.\u00a0 Also, below is a brief commentary from Bible.org on the \u201cUnpardonable Sin\u201d from Luke 12:10, which can be found near the bottom <\/span>of this link<\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n