 Prepare to Listen. I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 14:1-11 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 2Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. 3And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, ‘Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?’ 4But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. 5Then he said to them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?’ 6And they could not reply to this. 7When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. 8‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect Jesus, an invited guest, was under scrutiny. Why do you think they all watched him closely? Another sabbath, another meal, another Pharisee and guests. All watched Jesus closely. They knew his habit of breaking sabbath rules to show mercy to the needy. Arrogantly they waited to rebuke him if he stepped over the line. Instead, Jesus rebuked them. When a man with dropsy (edema) appeared, he asked, “Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?” The answer seems obvious: YES! “But they were silent.” Jesus healed the man and sent him away. He then asked a second question: Would you save your child or ox? Another no-brainer. But “they could not reply to this” either. In response, Jesus turned their focus away from his acts of mercy to the lowly, to their acts of pride that ignored the lowly. He told a parable based on teaching from Proverbs (25:6-7). If taken superficially, the parable might seem like social advice to avoid embarrassment. But Jesus subtly focused on a specific fault of Pharisees and lawyers, who arrogantly believed they belonged in places of honor. The parable isn’t a lesson on how to get yourself exalted. Taking the humble seat isn’t “a new strategy for self-exaltation,” a way to get promoted in the sight of God and people. As Craddock notes, “Taking the low seat because one is humble is one thing; taking the low seat to move up is another.”[1] We know Jesus was calling for the former—acting with humility. We know this from his concluding words, that leave us thinking about humility: “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Echoing the words of his mother: “God has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.” How can you humble yourself, and remain humble when God exalts you? Prayerfully Respond Lord, guard me from the easy road of pride. Help me always live your harder way of humility. Amen. Live obediently. Humble yourself. [1] Craddock, Fred B. Luke. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 1990, p. 177.
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 Prepare to Listen. I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 13:22-30 22Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, 24‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. 25When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, then in reply he will say to you, “I do not know where you come from.” 26Then you will begin to say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” 27But he will say, “I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!” 28There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. 29Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God. 30Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ Have you ever wondered about this? Tell that story. As Jesus made his way to Jerusalem and the cross, someone asked if only a few will be saved. Why ask about only a few rather than how many? Or why not ask who will be saved? What did this someone want to know? Whatever it was, Jesus didn’t give a direct answer. Per usual, he refused to pander to the inquisitiveness of his questioner. It’s as though he said, ‘It’s none of your business.’ Which it isn’t. Instead, Jesus gave a stern warning. He said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.” Don’t assume you’re in, have your ticket because you’re a child of Abraham, or because you ate and drank with Jesus while he taught in your streets. It’s an alarming warning, suggesting that the answer to the question about only a few is, ‘Yes!’ But that would be a wrong conclusion. In two earlier parables Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed that grew in size to host many, and to yeast that infiltrates the entire dough.[1] In other words, the kingdom is big enough to include everyone, not merely a few, something Jesus’ audience of religious rulers refused to accept. But, as Wright notes, “The door isn’t very wide, and it will take energy and commitment to get in; no question of strolling in by chance.”[2] It’s a demanding way that requires discipline and commitment, therefore strive to enter in this life now, not after death. What do you need to do to daily strive to enter through the narrow door? Prayerfully Respond Lord, forgive me when I take my salvation for granted and fail to practice the discipline and commitment required to fully embrace and then live your kingdom values. Amen. Live obediently. Strive to enter. [1] Luke 13:18-21. [2] Wright, N. T. Luke for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 2001, p. 169.  Prepare to Listen. I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Ps 32.8)
Prayerfully Read Luke 13:1-9 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’ 6Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” 8He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. 9If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect Who are you most like—the impatient vineyard owner or the compassionate gardener? Twice Jesus warned, “but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” It was a response to the stories from the crowd about those who tragically perished, through no fault of their own. Jesus warned us all to repent, not in order to avoid eternal damnation, but in order to live now, while we can, more in line with God’s way. Repent means making major changes of mind and heart, and when followed by confession of sin it results in major changes in what we believe, how we think and how we live. It’s not a once-off act, but an ongoing, regular practice, since we so often fall off the wagon and get it wrong. “Then he told this parable” about the fig tree in the vineyard to reinforce the importance of repentance. The fig tree is a common symbol for God’s people. Luke, however, leaves us wondering about who the vineyard owner and gardener are. Is God the owner and Jesus the gardener, or is Jesus the owner and his disciples the gardener? Either way, the main thrust of the parable is that the fig tree, God’s people, has one last chance to repent. The gardener urges the owner to be patient and give the tree one more chance. Years later, Peter wrote of God’s patience and willingness to keep giving ‘one more chance.’ He wrote, “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.”[1] This parable, writes Craddock, “speaks in a similar vein: there is yet time. God’s mercy is still in serious conversation with God’s judgment.”[2] Repent while you can. What do you think the Spirit is calling you to be and/or do through this parable? Prayerfully Respond Lord, thank you for your patience with me. Without it, I’d be lost. Amen. Live obediently. Repent while you can, now and often. [1] 2 Peter 3:9. [2] Craddock, Fred B. Luke. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 1990, p. 169.  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 12:35-40 35‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. 39‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect What caught your attention, confused or surprised you in these verses? It’s a confusing passage, with two images and two parables, neither fully developed. The two images are: dressed for action and lamps lit; the parables: servants waiting for the master’s return and being alert so as to avoid theft. Two words are key—waiting and ready. The parables are a warning to his disciples that something bad would happen and would “pose a serious test for” them.[1] His death would be the serious test. Repeatedly Jesus told them he’d suffer and die (9:21-22, 44) but they refused to listen, and were so shocked they fearfully hid when he was arrested. His resurrection appearance was also unexpected and thus frightening, as we’ll read in Holy Week. We too await Jesus’ coming and the two parables are also for us today. Jesus’ promised return will be as surprising, perhaps even as shocking as his resurrection appearance was to the disciples. We too must wait, dressed and ready, prepared to be surprised. This doesn’t mean we must quit what we’re doing. It means that we do God’s work with an urgency, trusting in Christ’s return that we can’t foretell or hasten. We can only wait in readiness so that we’re not overwhelmed by surprise or fear. “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” What does this mean to you and how can you make yourself ready? Prayerfully Respond Waiting and being ready aren’t easy, Lord and take more patience than I have. Help me to keep trusting you so that I do not give up and fail you in the end. Amen. Live obediently. Be one who waits and remains ready. [1] Wright, N. T. Luke for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 2001, p. 156.  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 11:53-12:3 53When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile towards him and to cross-examine him about many things, 54lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say. 1Meanwhile, when the crowd gathered in thousands, so that they trampled on one another, he began to speak first to his disciples, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy. 2Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 3Therefore whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed from the housetops. Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect After Jesus’ sharp rebuke of Pharisees and lawyers in ch. 11, crowds gathered in their thousands. Why do you think they did so? Would you have joined them? Outside, the attack on Jesus continued. A large crowd gathered, a large crowd gathered, trampling on each other to get a close-up with Jesus. Yet Jesus seems to ignore them, speaking first to his disciples, no doubt aware the scribes and Pharisees were listening, waiting for him to say something they could use against him. As tension and opposition grew, it became clear that “anyone who wants to follow Jesus is going to have to become focused, totally loyal, ready for anything.”[1] His disciples needed to be warned: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, that is, their hypocrisy.” The problem with hypocrisy is that, like yeast, it infiltrates and affects all of life. Hypocrites live a lie and demand that we accept their lies and distortions. Beware of them, warns Jesus. Hypocrites, who prefer to do their deeds in secret, are put on notice. Jesus warns that they need to be aware that a day is coming when all will be known, nothing will be hidden. It’s easy to be taken in by hypocrites, believing their lies and distortions. This is why Jesus warned us to be aware so that we don’t support them. It’s up to us in the present moment to remain discerning and prayerful about whom we follow. But hypocrisy can also be our sin. Hence Jesus spoke to his disciples, you and me. Our lies, distortions and false living will be revealed for what it is. Therefore, we ought to live with our eyes on this future revealing and live with integrity and openness. How can you remain aware of hypocrisy in your own life and avoid those who lead people astray with their hypocrisy? Prayerfully Respond Lord keep me ever discerning to avoid being taken in by hypocrisy, and ever aware of the sin of hypocrisy in my own life. Amen. Live obediently. Beware the yeast of hypocrites. [1] Wright, N. T. Luke for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001, p. 148.  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 11:45-52 45One of the lawyers answered him, ‘Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.’ 46And he said, ‘Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. 47Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. 48So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute”, 50so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. 52Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect Jesus was an invited guest in the home of a Pharisee who silently criticized him for not practicing Jewish customs. Jesus responded with a rebuke that included the Pharisee’s guests. How might you feel and think if Jesus’ rebuked your dinner guests? A lawyer (scribe) was insulted when Jesus’ rebuked the Pharisees (vv. 37ff.). He hoped Jesus would see that lawyers were better than Pharisees. Instead, 3 times Jesus warned, “Woe also to you lawyers!” The middle woe (vv. 47-51) is twice as long as the other two together, suggesting its importance. It’s ominous, focused on death, killing prophets and apostles. The lawyers weren’t involved in their murders, but they did cover up the crime, dispose of the bodies and let the prophet’s message be forgotten. Jesus concluded with a quote from “the Wisdom of God,” perhaps a warning to both lawyers and Pharisees not to participate in his death and silence his message.[1] The 1st and 3rd ‘woe to you,’ seem closer to home. It’s easy to become rigid and expect everyone to submit to our moral principles. Without realizing it, we “load people with burdens hard to bear,” and then fail to see they need our help to ease those burdens. It has become popular in the U.S. today to censor books, taking “away the key of knowledge,” hindering others from gaining the knowledge we haven’t even bothered to learn. Woe to you, says Jesus. His rebuke is harsh because, as Wright suggest, he saw where such rigidity would lead, “to a terrible conflagration in which the present generation would pull down on its own head the pent-up devastation of the centuries.”[2] Where do you see the gospel confronting today’s popular agendas and beliefs, either yours or your nation’s? Prayerfully Respond Lord, help me to hear your rebuke today, discern where I need to change so that I follow you more nearly. Amen. Live obediently. Avoid rigidity and hindering another’s learning. [1] The quote is a summary of Jesus’ parable of the wicked tenants in Luke 20:9-19. [2] Wright, N. T. Luke for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 2001, p. 146.  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 10:21-24 21At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 22All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ 23Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect These words were spoken to the 70 disciples on their return from the mission Jesus sent them on.[1] to preach and heal in villages and towns he planned to visit enroute to the cross. What do you think their eyes saw that made them blessed (v. 23)? A common theme in Luke is Jesus’ mission to reverse circumstances in favor of the poor, oppressed and rejected. So it’s not surprising that in the first part of his prayer he thanks his Father for truths hidden from “the wise and the intelligent,” but revealed “to infants,” according to the Father’s “gracious will.” The infants are the 70 who’d experienced God’s power and thus success in their mission. Their power over demons[2] was evidence of God’s reign over all evil forces, evidence that Satan had already been defeated. Jesus rejoiced because this meant that his “journey to Jerusalem is wrapped in power, not resignation.” It assured him that the cross “will mean enthronement, not defeat.”[3] The second part of his prayer is a blessing, given privately to the disciples. “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, and ears that hear what you hear!” This isn’t about their successful mission, but Jesus’ power to use them in defeating evil. We’ve seen this too. Not as the 70 saw and experienced it, but in the death and resurrection of Jesus that now empowers us. The triumph of God’s Kingdom over evil is real, which means we can live in hope, despite the defeats and losses we experience in the here and now, both personal and national. What do you see and hear about Jesus? Prayerfully Respond Lord, you are blessed, you’ve revealed to us truth hidden to others. Help me faithfully live it. Amen. Live obediently. Live the revealed truth. [1] Chapter 10 begins with the mission of the 70. [2] Luke 10:17. [3] Craddock, Fred B. Luke. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 1990, p. 148  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 9:20-27 20He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘The Messiah of God.’ 21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, 22saying, ‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.’ 23Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. 25What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves? 26Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.’ Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect What do you think it means to be ashamed of Jesus and his words? I’ve heard a lot of ‘come-to-Jesus’ messages over the years. Mostly, they claimed life would be better, we’d experience satisfaction, freedom from sin, have answers not questions, etc. I don’t recall any evangelistic sermons on Jesus’ demands to deny myself and take up my cross. It’s as though the evangelists were ashamed of these words of Jesus, especially with ‘unsaved’ audiences. And I sympathize. These aren’t words I like. They’re too costly. But here’s the thing, they weren’t intended only for the 12 disciples. They were spoken “to them all,” and that includes us, Luke’s readers. We can’t get away from them or ignore them. They contain two basic demands. First, Deny yourself. This is far more than a Lenten practice of giving up something small like chocolate. Deny yourself, not Jesus when you’re under attack or mocked for being Christian. Second, Take up your cross. This is a voluntary act. We don’t have to do it, but we do it for the sake of Jesus. This cross isn’t a trial we’re under through no fault of ours, such as flood damage, living with cancer, and so on. Taking up our cross involves voluntary sacrifice, making ourselves available to serve God by serving people, whether we like them or not. It means putting self aside for the sake of another and their needs, for the sake of the gospel. It means, that like Jesus, we’re willing to give up all for his sake. Living self-centered, me-first lives, suggests we’re ashamed of Jesus and his costly, demanding way, and risk making Jesus ashamed of us. What do you need to do to live these two demands of Jesus’? Prayerfully Respond Forgive me, Lord, if the way I live looks as if I’m ashamed of your words. Help me live courageously and obediently, despite the cost, because that is how you lived for me. Amen. Live obediently. Courageously choose the costly way.  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you.
Prayerfully Read Luke 9:1-6 Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3He said to them, ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic. 4Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave from there. 5Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ 6They departed and went through the villages, bringing the good news and curing diseases everywhere. Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect “Take nothing for your journey.” How would you react if you were given this instruction before your journey? Every time I travel, I promise myself I will travel light. To date, I’ve always failed to keep my promise! So, I fear I might react badly to Jesus’ instruction, “Take nothing for your journey.” He sent his disciples to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, but they were travel light, in a very un-kingly way, “in complete poverty, relying entirely on what people give them as they continue Jesus’ own work of announcing the good news and healing those in need.”[1] In other words, traveling light meant becoming vulnerable, willing to submit to the people to whom they were sent. There are two important lessons in this passage for today’s evangelists, you and me. First, like those inexperienced disciples, we too must learn to same work and proclaim the same message of Jesus. Their proclamation and work was about the Kingdom, an alternate social order, nothing like we now know, that advocates, freedom, justice, health for all, not merely a privileged few. Second, we too must learn to trust God for all our needs just as Jesus did, and asked his disciples to do. Traveling light meant relying on others for support and sustenance, not lording it over the people, maintaining the upper hand. Evangelizing the Jesus Way means we remain vulnerable and open, trusting only God. What do you need to let go of so that you travel light, fully trusting God as you proclaim, by word and deed, the Good News? Prayerfully Respond Lord Jesus, I too need to learn the lesson of trusting you fully as I seek to proclaim your good news. Keep me humble and ever learning. Amen. Live obediently. Travel light as you live and proclaim the good news. [1] Wright, N. T. Luke for Everyone. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. 2001, p. 107.  Prepare to Listen. O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you. (Ps 63:1)
Prayerfully Read Luke 8:26-39 26Then they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me’--29for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Legion’; for many demons had entered him. 31They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss. 32Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. 34When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him. Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect Imagine being a participant in the story, one of the characters. With whom do you most identify and why? The before and after pictures of the man named Legion are remarkably different. Before Jesus, the man was naked, in the tombs with the dead, a terror to his community who tried, unsuccessfully, to subdue him with chains and shackles. After Jesus is a picture of a man calmly seated at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind. And yet, when they saw him, the people “they were seized with great fear.” What were they afraid of? Perhaps the destruction of a large herd of pigs, which would devastate the local economy. Except, a large herd of pigs grazing a small area was slowly destroying the economy anyway. Maybe their fear was a result of only hearing the story second-hand, from the swineherds, and not first-hand from the healed man or Jesus. Luke doesn’t say. What do you think? What would make you afraid? They begged Jesus to leave them. Without a word, he got back in the boat. When the man begged to go with him, Jesus sent him back to his home, to the people who’d chained and shackled him, who were filled with fear, commanding him to proclaim to them “how much Jesus had done for him.” Without hesitation, he obeyed. He went back to the people who’d persecuted him, becoming the first evangelist for Jesus. Did sitting at Jesus’ feet give him the courage to go back and even forgive his persecutors? How about you? How often do you sit at Jesus feet, learning from him? Prayerfully Respond Lord, forgive me when I fail to sit at your feet and learn the truth from you. Give me the desire to sit with you more and more often. Amen. Live obediently. Sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from him. |
AuthorI was 8 when I began reading the Bible. At 76 I’m still reading it and still learning new and surprising stuff. Writing on Luke’s Gospel has been challenging, surprising and eye-opening. Read with me in these 47 day of Lent and Holy Week and experience your own encounters with Jesus. Archives
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