Category Archives: Luke

Day 103: Mysteries of the Kingdom

1 Samuel 10-12; Luke 13:22-35

Jesus’ teaching in Luke 13 is difficult for me.

And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ (Luke 13:23-25)

I’ve always been uncomfortable that there will be people left out of the Kingdom. Did God not choose them or did they not choose God? It’s one of the great mysteries of the faith…

There is a great tension between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. How can God be 100% sovereign AND man be 100% responsible for his choices? Herein lies the mystery.

1 Samuel 10 makes it very clear that God was sovereign over Saul and chose him to be king of Israel. Saul had nothing in himself to qualify him for king except God’s grace and anointing. But Saul failed to live a life worthy of his calling. Later, God removed the kingship from Saul because of his disobedience and failure to repent. Ultimately, Saul was held accountable for his decisions.

Did God make a mistake by choosing Saul? Absolutely not!  Then why did God choose Saul when He knew that Saul would disobey?? When I can’t untangle the mysteries of God, I look to God’s character for insight… Who is God? He is Sovereign over all, All-Powerful and the final Judge of all mankind. But what else is God? He is compassionate and kind. He is Good.

Listen to the compassion in Jesus’ words…

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Luke 13:34)

He is sovereign AND we are given the freedom to choose. Somehow, God uses our sinful choices to bring about the good of his big plan. God uses Saul’s disobedience and pride to mold David into a godly leader. And God uses Israel’s rejection to open the door for Gentiles to enter His Kingdom.

When all is revealed at the end of the age – we will see that all things were weaved together for GOOD!

Day 102: Repentance

1 Samuel 7:3-9:27; Luke 13:1-21

God’s grace extends beyond our understanding. Despite the great sin that separates us from God, He is continually withholding  judgment – waiting for one thing… repentance.

In Luke, we read of Jesus exhorting the people to repent… “Repent” is one of those words that loses its meaning due to overuse! First, true repentance can not be self-manufactured. Rather, it is a work of the Spirit. “Repentance” means: To take responsibility for sin, forsake the sin and turn humbly toward God. According to Jesus, we must repent to be saved!

…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5).

The parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6-9) illustrates God’s great patience for our repentance… Even after the tree is barren, he refuses to allow it to be cut down – rather, he asks to give the tree just one more year to bear fruit. In other words, He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish.

Switching over to 1 Samuel, today’s reading ends in a cliff-hanger of sorts. It is fascinating to read of God’s sovereign ways as God leads Israel’s future king to his prophet, Samuel, via a search for missing donkeys! The author’s introduction to Saul is flattering. He is both handsome and seemingly humble.

Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?” (1 Samuel 9:21).

But over the next few days – as we read Saul’s story – we will see his independent spirit lead him to rebel against God – and when given the opportunity to repent… Saul refuses. Saul’s presumption and pride will be his downfall.

We must not be like Saul! We must pray for the grace to repent!

Day 101: God’s divisive presence

1 Samuel 4:1-7:2; Luke 12:35-59

We read today of Israel’s great defeat by the Philistines – not just once, but twice! After Israel’s first defeat, they bring the ark of the covenant from Shiloh as a desperate measure to aid them on the battle field. But God was not with them, and the ark was captured. When Eli, the priest, heard that the ark had been captured by the Philistines, he fell over and died. Eli seemed more grieved by the loss of the ark than the death of his two sons in the battle.

But something interesting happened after the ark was captured… The ark – symbolizing the presence of God – brought great calamity upon the Philistines. So much so, that the Philistines kept moving the ark from city to city trying to get rid of it – and ultimately sent the ark back to Israel!

This is a vivid picture of an important biblical principle. God’s presence can bring comfort and protection to the believer, but is the terror of judgment to the non-believer.

This is also evident from Jesus’ teaching in today’s passage from Luke… Jesus speaks of his future return to the earth. These end-time parables seem to divide people into the “faithful” and the “unfaithful.”

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division (Luke 12:51).

For those outside the Kingdom, to be in God’s presence will be sheer terror – as there will be no Sacrifice to shield them from His wrath. But for God’s children, the Sacrifice makes it possible for us to draw near to the balm of His Presence and find peace and rest!

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).

Day 100: Hannah’s treasure

1 Samuel 1-3; Luke 12:1-34

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Luke 12:34).

1 Samuel opens similarly to Ruth… with the story of a faithful family that lived during the time of the Judges. We are introduced to Hannah, and similar to many of the Bible’s heroines, Hannah was barren. But God opened Hannah’s womb and gave her a son. Her son, Samuel, would grow up under the care of Eli, the priest, and would be used of God to usher in the time of the kings.

Samuel was a mighty prophet in God’s Kingdom – but he was born to a faithful, and broken, woman.

Where was Hannah’s treasure? On first glance, you might say her treasure was her son, Samuel – or maybe her other 5 children that God so graciously gave her. But no, Hannah’s treasure was the Lord himself. She put God before her son as she offered him for the Lord’s service – and God multiplied Hannah’s sacrifice into the abounding ministry of Samuel – who would later anoint both Saul and David as kings over Israel.

Where is our treasure? I pray, that like Hannah, my treasure is the Lord!

“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
“There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:1-2).

Day 99: Kinsman-Redeemer

Ruth 1-4; Luke 11:29-54

Ruth. It is good to read the whole book in one sitting. It’s a beautiful love story which is masterfully told. Considering it was set during the time of the Judges… well, it makes the main characters seem especially inspiring. It is one of the rare narratives in Scripture where the characteristics of the hero and heroine are all positive!

Kindness is a major theme of Ruth… Ruth is kind to Naomi. Boaz is kind to Ruth. And the kindness of God provides redemption for Naomi’s family.

Another major theme is God’s care and love for the foreigner. Boaz’ kindness to Ruth was probably influenced by the fact that his mother, Rahab, was also an outsider. And the fact that Ruth gives birth to Obed, the grandfather of King David, proves that God’s purposes and plans extend past Israel’s borders!

At the end of the book, we read of Boaz, Naomi’s kinsman-redeemer, redeeming Naomi’s land and daughter-in-law, Ruth. Boaz “buys back” what was taken away from Naomi through the death of her husband and sons. He endured great cost because he loved Naomi and Ruth!

Boaz points forward to our Redeemer..

Jesus “buys back” what we have lost through death. He “buys back” our righteousness – our very lives… He endured great cost!! Why? Because He loves us!

Day 98: The state of God’s family

Judges 19-21; Luke 11:1-28

What does God’s family look like in these last chapters of Judges? Rape, murder, callous indifference and finally, civil war.

The writer of Judges ends his book with the declaration: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

God would give the people a king – but the true King would not come until the time was ready for God’s Kingdom to be established on earth.

Jesus comes and with Him comes the Kingdom!

Jesus teaches the disciples to pray in Luke 11…

“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

What does God’s family look like today? Unfortunately, we don’t look very different than the people of the Judges. We are sinners in desperate need of forgiveness. But! We are sinners saved by God’s grace!

Day 97: Proper worship

Judges 17-18; Luke 10:25-42

Somehow, God has managed to preserve his people in spite of their apostasy. Despite the constant threat of aggressors, Israel remains a nation. Yet, this nation is full of people who have no clue how to worship God according to the Mosaic law. Rather…

Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6).

The rest of the book of Judges switches its focus from the threat of foreign invaders to its own inward chaos. The author is persuading the reader that Israel desperately needs the leadership of a godly king!! This story recorded in Judges 17-18 seems cartoonish it’s so preposterous!

And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods…

And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest” (Judges 17:5; 12-13).

Since when did people start having their own personal priests?? And this priest doesn’t have an altar or a tabernacle, no, he has Micah’s shrine and carved images to facilitate proper worship. It’s all ludicrous!

But fast forward to today’s reading in Luke. At this point in history, the Jews were so absorbed with proper worship – that they had added extra laws that made the old laws seem permissive. This concern with observing the Mosaic law is obvious from the details in Jesus’ story of the good Samaritan. There was a distinction between the Priest and the Levite. Not just any Levite could be a Priest. Only a descendant of Aaron could be a Priest. I’m sure this detail was overlooked by Micah, our character from Judges ;)

But it is interesting that Jesus takes all of these religious regulations and turns them upside down. The story of the good Samaritan illustrates that it is not the “law-abiding” Priest and Levite that meet the standard of the Law – but rather it was the hated “half-breed” Samaritan who did what was acceptable – sacrificially love his enemy.

Isn’t Jesus wonderful??!! He wants so much more for His people than mere religion!! The rules only teach us we’re not good enough! Then we can look to Jesus with a desperate need to be rescued… This is proper worship! Humble, reliance on the Savior.

Mary understood. She knew that nothing was as important as sitting at the feet of her Lord. All of life could wait – Jesus was in her house!! What could be more important than that??!!!

Day 96: Strength from on High

Judges 15-16; Luke 10:1-24

Samson brings the time of the Judges to a close. His life mirrors the moral condition of the people he judged…corrupt. We do see a glimmer of faith in Samson’s life – but only after he has been blinded and humiliated…

Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judges 16:28).

God stooped and granted Samson the strength to topple the house and kill 3,000 Philistines, and in so doing, he also killed himself. But even Samson’s sacrifice was tainted, as it seemed to be motivated by vengeance instead of concern for Israel.

Today’s passage from Luke highlights one of the fundamental differences between the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, God set apart a physical nation whose purpose was to reveal God’s character to the world. The New Testament begins with John the Baptist exhorting the Jews to repent “for the Kingdom of God is near.”

John was preparing the way for Jesus. And when He came, he instituted a spiritual nation, which He called “The Kingdom of God.” Unlike the Israelites, the people of God’s Kingdom do not go to war against other nations – rather they engage in battle in the spiritual realm.

God empowered Samson with physical strength to defeat the Philistines, his physical enemies. In today’s passage from Luke, Jesus empowers the 72 with spiritual strength to overcome their spiritual enemies…

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:17-18).

We, as believers in Christ, are part of God’s Kingdom and are commanded to enter the spiritual battle – proclaiming that “The Kingdom of God is near!” If God can empower and use the likes of Samson, He can surely use you and me!

Day 95: The diverse work of the Spirit

Judges 13-14; Luke 9:37-62

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).

The next 10 chapters of Luke record Jesus’ teaching and work during his last journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27). Jesus knew what would happen. He predicted his death for the 2nd time in vs. 44. But the disciples still didn’t get it…

But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. (Luke 9:45)

The disciples would understand – but only after the coming of the Holy Spirit. Like the disciples, we also depend on the Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s word and ways!

The Holy Spirit makes an appearance in today’s reading from Judges as well. It is by the power of God’s Spirit that Samson has the strength to overcome Israel’s enemy, the Philistines.

But.

As is typical of most Old Testament narratives, the author simply retells the story without commenting on the morality of the characters. This is a disadvantage to us as modern readers, because we aren’t as familiar with the ancient culture and Mosaic law. Actions that would have been so obviously horrendous to an ancient Jew are morally ambiguous to us. There are so many instances where Samson breaks God’s law, but you have to be familiar with the laws concerning Nazarites to catch them!

In Chapter 14, he marries a Philistine, touches a dead carcass, and partakes of strong drink at his marriage feast. Nazarites were strictly forbidden to touch anything dead or to partake in strong drink. His flagrant disregard for God’s law is offensive. Yet God sends His Holy Spirit to Samson in spite of his sin. How amazing is God’s grace!

But consider this nuance in Chapter 14… On the way down to marry the Philistine woman, Samson scrapes honey from a lion’s carcass – the very lion that he killed with his bare hands. This is a picture of what sin can do to our hearts. Samson’s pride and independence blinds him to the grotesque carcass. He’s oblivious to the stench and the flies… As we are tempted to compromise God’s standards for the pleasures of this world, we must remember this image of eating honey from a lion’s carcass. All we see is the honey – and we are blinded by the grotesqueness of the sin.

Unlike Samson, we must depend on the Holy Spirit to open our ears to understand God’s word, open our eyes to see the sin in our hearts and finally, to give us a heart to obey!

Day 94: Perplexed and Amazed

Judges 10:6-12:15; Luke 9:10-36

Jephthah is a double-sided puzzle to me…

On one hand, Jephthah showed extensive knowledge of Israel’s history and seemed to have faith in the God of Israel. But on the other hand, he made a rash vow which resulted in the sacrifice of his own daughter. The law provided an “out” for rash vows (Lev. 5:4-6), so it is unclear why Jephthah would do something so horrible as child sacrifice.

I think Jephthah’s story illustrates the consequences of idolatry and apostasy on the human heart. The heart becomes duplicitous – double minded.

I wonder what Jephthah and Israel would have thought of Jesus’ words…

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? (Luke 9:23-25).

Jesus’ words are convicting… Because just like Israel, I make compromises and look to modern-day idols to fill my longings. It always amazes me to read of God working on behalf of his adulterous people. Even though God did not “raise up” Jephthah, He still used him to defeat Israel’s oppressors. But Jephthah’s half-heartedness led to horrible personal consequences. The nation also suffered for their idolatrous hearts… as Judges 12 describes civil war in Israel.

What do we do with a passage like this? I know what I do… I’m more thankful for Jesus! I’m thankful that my sin has been forgiven. I’m thankful that the Holy Spirit convicts and equips me. I’m thankful for Jesus’ life of compassion and grace. And I’m thankful to be swept up in a relationship with the living God.

Oh God, help me live a life worthy of the calling I have received. Help me to love and obey you with a whole heart!

**For commentary on other significant parts of Luke 9, such as Jesus’ first prediction of his death and/or the Transfiguration, see “Day 24: Setting the Stage”.