Search This Blog

Translate

Thursday, August 17, 2023

Short Reflection from Luke 6-12

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

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟞:𝟙𝟚

"In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God."

*Went out

*To the mountain

*Prayer

*All night!

Who would like to climb a mountain especially only to pray? People don't want to even sit up on their beds to pray, forget about going to church.

Who would spend all night on a mountain in prayer? People love to sleep and sleep! Btw Luke recorded the prayerful life of Jesus and the importance of prayer more than any other writers of the Gospels.

Btw, if you want to talk or read about prayer, choose the book of Luke!

 

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟟:𝟛𝟡

"Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.'"

Indeed, such a sinful woman doesn't deserve salvation! If I were God, I would send her to hell!  In fact, I would send everyone in this group to the deepest hell, and I would put myself first! Nobody deserves salvation. Salvation is a gift of God!

Thank God, I am not God! Thank God those Pharisees weren't God. Now, that Jesus is Yahweh, a wretched man, even I am saved! And if He indeed saves me, there's nobody who is so sinful that cannot be saved! Indeed, Jesus came to save sinners, yes even of my kind!

Btw, if you were God and you wouldn't send yourself and everyone to hell, that means you were already in hell!

Heaven will not be heaven without Jesus (the righteousness of God)

 

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟠:𝟚𝟙

"But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.’"

I grew up hearing blood is thicker than friendship and even politics. People look out for relatives.

I saw a movie, Operation Chromite, (how America's 5-star General Douglas MacArthur won a decisive victory against North Korea,) the landing and capture of Incheon. There, one Korean soldier said, "Ideology is thicker than blood!" [for the Communist]

Really? Is there anything thicker than blood???

Indeed, there is. Gospel is thicker than blood. Because Jesus's blood is thicker than your blood! Jesus affirmed that in this verse!

 

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟡:𝟝𝟠

"And Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’"

I am certain that if you are about my age, you have watched The Drunken Master, a Jackie Chan starrer Chinese movie. [A friend of mine said that you must be living in Jupiter if you haven't watched that.]

In that movie, when the Master was asked about his whereabouts, he replied, "The sky is my roof and the earth is my floor" I picked up that line when I was just 7 or 8 years old and still consider it to be one of my favourite movie lines ever!

Well, The Ultimate Master Jesus Christ, our Master has a similar answer, but better and superior! And this is more famous than any movie line!

We love security, stability, and serenity. We want a good job, a handsome salary, and a decent living. Well, Jesus promises nothing. Indeed, Jesus didn't come to be a king, but to die like a criminal.

So, following Jesus is also expensive, demanding, and costs us everything. Or the other option is v25.

 

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟙𝟘:𝟚𝟘

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

What is your joy, strength, hope, and confidence? What brightens your mood, mind, heart, and soul every day?

Is it your gf/bf/spouse? Is it money/salary? Is it good food, a good place, and good looks? Is it the praises of people, achievement, and your good works? These are good and should make us rejoice. But they fade (and should) away in comparison to the fact that God has saved you.

Have you chased out demons? Has Satan bowed down before you? That's tougher than going to Mars against earth's gravity; yes, tougher than beating cancer; yes, tougher than an Olympic race; indeed, Satan is the ruler of this world. Even beating Satan is not great in comparison to getting saved from the wrath of God to come.

The greatest responsibility for a man is to get saved.

 

Those who are not joyful in life do not seriously realise the joy of salvation. Those who aren't delighted in God haven't really understood the love of God. Similarly, as I was talking to a friend this morning, those who have pet animals seriously don't realise the grandiose love of human! Sorry @Mermie and @Timothy Guwahati

Animals are food! 😎😆

 

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟙𝟙:𝟚𝟟-𝟚𝟠

"While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.' But He said, 'On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.'"

Do you notice how similar is it to Luke 8:21? Everyone wants to identify with a popular person. They want to be his relatives, classmates, friends, or from the same locality. Well, for Jesus, even the closest people, the family members, His earthly mother herself is not closer to Him than those who hear His Father's word. After all, Jesus is more God's Son than Mary's son. And we are more God's children than our parents' children.

Therefore, if you love your siblings more than your friends or neighbours, you ought to love your spiritual siblings just like that! How blessed when your siblings are also fellow God's children!

 

𝕃𝕦𝕜𝕖 𝟙𝟚:𝟛𝟜

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

There is a Manipuri song that sings, "Ukhrul da eigi thawai leihoure," Indeed, wherever whatever we treasure is, there is our heart. It can be wealth, people, popularity, or anything that holds dear to us.

Blessed are you if Jesus is the dearest thing in your life.

A friend of mine works with spice jet airlines, and no matter what, she wants that airline to prosper so that she can prosper along with them. If you invest your money in Bitcoin, I am sure you would want that Cryptocurrency to prosper. If your investment is in heaven and the kingdom's work, you will love mission, church, orphanage, etc. Btw, this is the only investment that will never fail but will secure you eternal rewards!