Being a leader is both a great privilege and responsibility. Spiritual leadership is perhaps more so, because there is the added factor of walking humbly with God while also pointing the way for others. Even some of greatest heroes of the Bible had their dark side–David’s had an affair with Bathsheeba, Moses murdered an Egyptian [Read More…]
Luke 19: Faith Changes Everything
March 30, 2011 by
As a kid, one of the first church songs I remember is, “Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he…” As an adult, I realize the story involves much more than a short guy who climbed a tree to see Jesus. The end of this account in Luke 19 reads: [Read More…]
Luke 18: Never Give Up
March 29, 2011 by
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with [Read More…]
Luke 17: Faith Requires Forgiveness
March 28, 2011 by
It is much easier to believe in Jesus than to forgive those who mistreat us. The problem is that Jesus requires both. In Luke 17, Jesus taught: “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day [Read More…]
Luke 15: Jesus Gossip
March 24, 2011 by
“1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” The life of Jesus attracted sinners and repelled religious hypocrites. The result? Something I call Jesus gossip. Jesus gossip is when people [Read More…]
Luke 13: The Narrow Door
March 22, 2011 by
It’s increasingly unpopular to believe anyone will spend eternity apart from God in an eternal hell. I would be quick to take the universalism approach, too, except I believe what Jesus says is true, including his teachings in Luke 13 regarding the narrow door. He states: 22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, [Read More…]
Luke 12: Where Your Treasure Is, There Is Your Heart
March 21, 2011 by
One of the greatest lines in the Gospels from my perspective is found in Luke 12:34. Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The context is one in which Jesus teaches his disciples that God supplies their needs. As a result, they do not need to worry, but rather [Read More…]
Luke 10: Who Is My Neighbor?
March 17, 2011 by
Luke 10 opens the dialogue that redefines our typical definition of neighbor. We think of a neighbor as the person next door, but Jesus had something else (and something better) in mind. The question: “Who is my neighbor?” The response: “The one who had mercy on him [the one in need].” In the story used [Read More…]
Luke 9: How Jesus Made Headlines
March 16, 2011 by
Our consumer culture envies the pursuit of publicity for its organization’s latest product or service. Fans camp out for the latest iPad or film release. Politicians even pay attention to the ever-changing trends in popular culture, knowing their message is impacted by what happens elsewhere. But how did Jesus make headlines? It’s an interesting question. [Read More…]
Luke 8: Jesus Controls the Storm
March 15, 2011 by
After watching numerous videos of Japan’s earthquake and the ensuing tsunami, my heart breaks for those whose lives have been lost and the loved ones they leave behind. Like many, I wonder, “Where is God?” The disciples once had a similar experience on a much smaller scale. In Luke 8, Jesus and his twelve disciples [Read More…]
