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Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Bible Reading Reflection from Luke 15-24

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

LUKE 15

No way I am ever doing what is written in Luke 15. I know nobody who has done it dead or alive. And I don't think anyone has ever done it and will ever do it, especially the third story. Probably there were some for the first and second stories. Overall, to a modern mind, Luke 15 is a "stupid" and impossible story. But the stupidity of man is the wisdom of God! Because Luke 15 is talking about God's passion for the lost ones.

My Take:

 #1. If I have 100 sheep and 1 got lost, no way, I am leaving the 99 in the wilderness and going after just 1 lost sheep. I still have 99. 99% sheep are with me. I can afford to lose 1. 😎😅😬

#2. No way, I am going to labor that much for just one lost coin. And why would I call my friends to celebrate when I find it again. Actually, I have a lot of coins on my table. I don't care if one or all of them are lost! 😎😅😬

 #3. No way I am going to receive such a "prodigal son" in that manner. I will surely give him a lecture before or after I receive him. I might even find it difficult or might never regain my trust in him! 😬

Thanks be to God; He is not like me or any man. He loves because He Himself is love!

 

LUKE 16

—The wisdom of Jesus—

No way the manager of this parable is a good guy. He is as crooked as anyone can be. But Jesus finds something to commend him.

Lesson learned: We can find a commendable thing in everyone. We can speak well of all, if we choose. We can even eulogize the devil: the devil is never lazy! [Steve Lawson]

Also, all of us are as crooked as this manager. We wasted our life, resources, body, time, everything which God has given us. Our life here on earth is stewardship. We all failed. But this crooked manager at least learned to make friends—and that was Jesus' point.

Jesus wants us to make a lot of eternal friends, (not earthly friends) with our earthly resources. Paul Washer said that Christian missionaries are the wisest investors because they invested everything they have in the coming Kingdom.

 

LUKE 17:17

"So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?’"

Friends, I appeal to all of us to by-heart this Scripture portion. It's 17:17 of Luke. That's easy. It teaches us about gratefulness. One of the reasons why there is unhappiness in this world is because of ungratefulness. Even Adam and Eve were not rich in gratitude that they desire to eat the fruit. They could have eaten all the fruits, except that fruit. Alas!

Many times, by being in a ministry, people often ask me to pray for them. Hardly do they ever call or text me back to thank God for the answered prayer. I am not better than them. I do the same. I often send prayer requests to people and neglect to tell them back to thank God for the grace of God.

To be more pathetic: every day I pray, and I pray for even all the mundane activities of life because I cannot live alone, but the time I reflect on my prayer points in gratitude is nowhere close to being proportionate.

I am one of the nine!

 

LUKE 18

Two interesting and needful prayers man must pray.

v13 "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

Even as redeemed Christian, we need the mercy of God every moment of our life, because we always fall short before the glory of God as long as we live on this side of heaven. Apostle Paul loves to use this word for the churches.

v41 "Lord, that I may receive my sight."

Even as born-again Christian, we need to be enlightened as long as we live here on earth. Even in heaven, we will continue to be enlightened. Paul prays in Ephesians for their eyes of understanding to be opened (enlightened) to comprehend the richness of Christ. Oh! How my eyes of understanding need to be enlightened, more and more . . .!

 

LUKE 19:17

"And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’"

Was Mother Teresa truly born again? Is she in heaven or hell? Her salvation is doubtful. But I love one of her quotations, which goes like this: "Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing."

 

LUKE 20:5-8

“And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.’” [Legacy Standard Bible]

It is fascinating to know that all humans are the same. We react similarly. Those men of Jesus's days (2000 years ago), an ancient world, and us, we all have similar traits.

We love to respond "I don't know"😂 Actually, we know, we just don't want to cooperate with the questioner, or we just say when we just don't want to tell the answer. In a sense, "I don't know" means 'I won't tell you.'

Interestingly, Jesus didn't say, "I don't know". He didn't even say, "Me too, I don't know." He is careful with His word. He meant what he said, "Neither will I tell you"

 

LUKE 21:38

"And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him."

Wow!

Early in the morning to listen to Christ!

Al l- not just priests (or pastors)

Would - habit

Get up - from sleepiness

Early- earnestness, intensity

Morning- the first and fresh duration of the day

Come to Him- the delightful walk with Christ teaching

Temple- the place of learning, reverence, worship

Listen- the chief means of learning. The delight of life to know more of Christ.

Would we thirst for God just as the deer pants for the water!

 

LUKE 22:3

"And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, who belonged to the number of the twelve."

Judas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ being possessed by Satan! 😱👹 Who would have thought of that! Who would have doubted him? Yet he was.

Somebody said, "Nearer the church farther from heaven!" Whatever that may mean, even those who seem to be closest to God could indeed be farthest from God. In the story of The Pilgrim's Progress, there were some who came to heaven's gate, yes, even sailing across that scary river and climbing the hill, but they departed to hell! (p.69).

Well, Praise God that God has sealed us with His Spirit, that no matter what, He will never let us fall away utterly! That's why I love this song "He will hold me fast!" https://youtu.be/936BapRFHaQ

 

LUKE 23:31

"For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"  [LSB version, 2021]

If the righteous suffer, how terrible will the life of sinners be! If Jesus, the Holy One of God was crucified, wouldn't the world want to silence us too?

In this context, Jesus, the green tree, was crucified. The dry tree, the people of Jerusalem, were consumed in 70 AD!

"Be merciful to us even in Your judgment, O Lord, our God!"

 

LUKE 24:2-3

“And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”

What picture from Sunday School books or paintings comes to your mind when you think of the resurrection?

I grew up seeing a door of the tomb half or fully open, and Jesus leaves. It impressed on the mind that the stone was rolled away for Jesus to get out of the tomb.

Actually, it was for the weak women to come and see the empty tomb and believe that Christ has risen as He has promised before. And also, for all the disciples to come and find out and believe.

Jesus didn't need help anymore. It is the disciples that needed help! Btw, in everything God doesn't need us, it is we that need God.

Oh! I love to sing that old song, "I need Thee! Oh! I need Thee!"