Luke 9-D “An Argument Arose”

S = Luke 9:46-48 “An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

O = An argument arose (not a logical discussion but an emotional dispute)…is it possible that all arguments are about the same subject—who is the greatest? Inside, we think that we are the greatest or should be, and that pride and passion manifests itself in quarrels and conflict (James 4). Jesus knew “the reasoning of their hearts.” Jesus had complete knowledge of them and of me. He knows my internal dialogue and reasoning. His solution that day was to show that by receiving one who doesn’t help your status in the word’s eyes, you actually receive or welcome Jesus. Imagine that welcoming Jesus and the Father into our hospitality!

A = As I read this passage I am reminded of the neighborhood child that asked me if I could play basketball this last week and I said that, “No I couldn’t do it today.” I was, in effect choosing to not receive Jesus into my hospitality because I thought my agenda was greater. Jesus knows the reasoning of my heart in times like this and speaks gently to challenge my heart to open to others in order to open to him.

P = O Lord, you know my heart and the pride and foolishness that creeps in. Yet you love me nonetheless. Thank-you for the grace, and thank-you for the growth, that comes through your gentle correction. May I see your majesty as present in even the most humble of faces and in the least expected of places. May I be more available to your incognito appointments this week! Amen.

Luke 9-C "Who Do You Say I Am?"

S = Luke 9:18-20 “Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

O = Out of a time of prayer Jesus asked a market-research question. I don’t think that it was because he didn’t know the answer, but to make the disciples think about it and come to a point of decision. When observing what the crowds thought about Jesus, I have to ask what similarity Jesus had to John, Elijah, Jeremiah, and other prophets of old that they would say what they did. John the Baptist did no miracles, but he preached repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God to all people. Elijah is an easy connection since Luke specifically crafts the narrative to bring out this aspect with Jesus doing Elijah-like miracles in the same locations that Elijah once did. Matthew adds Jeremiah to the list—which makes me wonder if perhaps the people saw Jesus’ great empathy for the situation of the people or the depth at which he was grieved by the sin of his people. Why the “other prophets of old”? Perhaps it was because of his authoritative teaching and his commitment to living out the Word of God. But this question about the crowds was just a warm-up question. The real question is who do the disciples say that Jesus is? Peter confesses that he is the Anointed One (Messiah, Christ, Chosen One) of God…the One spoken of by the prophets. Peter allowed the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to him. Jesus was fully man, but not merely man. God declares the divine sonship of Jesus through Peter (Matt. 16:16).

A = Who do I say Jesus is by the way I live and speak and think? Is he just a benignly good moralist to get some advice from in a pinch? Is he a prophet pointing me back to God in repentance, or is he actually my Lord, making it possible for me to be in right relationship with God by his own suffering (v.22)? What will I see this week? What will others see in me: a spectator, a sinner scared straight, or a saint made clean and called to live in gratitude for what he has done for me?

P = O Lord, may I live in light of your love as the One and only One who could take my sins and set me free. You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God! You are my Lord! May that be apparent this week.  Amen.

Luke 9-B "Saving My Life...by Losing It"

S = Luke 9:24-25 “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?”

O = There seems to be a tendency to try to save our own lives—a survival instinct, twisted by the fall, that has us confused like someone caught in an avalanche. We don’t know which way is up; which way leads to life. When I try to take charge of my own survival, clinging to my own way of life, I actually distance myself from the Savior and the eternal life he offers. Physical life is not the whole picture and my fixation upon it is foolish. It is like my trying to save the wrapper of a drinking straw intact and as a result not ever using the straw to drink of the living water that is available to us in Christ. It ends up being a terrible loss rather than a terrific gain.

A = Why do I fear to follow Christ? Why is it so hard to give our lives away in selfless service? I can’t save my life up only for me! In some ways life is like manna. If I try to save it up, because I don’t trust God will provide for tomorrow, it ends up rotten, wormy, and maggot infested—just like my heart when I live for myself. Being a Christian involves a degree of discipleship that requires me to unashamedly trust Christ with my life. Until I see the future in Christ as secure I won’t live my life today with wholehearted abandon for Christ and those he gives me to serve. Today I must say no to myself, and to my own way of structuring my identity in Christ, and allow Jesus to do that for me.

P = O Lord, I trust you for my life—my eternal life as well as my life here and now. There is no other name under heaven by which I can be saved—especially my own! Let your love compel me and empower me to persevere in following you rather than following the crowd or following myself. Change my desires that I might passionately spend myself for you and for others rather than wasting myself on me. Amen.


This week we stepped away from the main passage in Luke 9 for a Mothers' Day message from Proverbs 31, yet Pastor Randy touched on these verses. We will return to the larger context of Luke 9 this coming Sunday.

Luke 24-A "What is this Conversation?"

S = Luke 24:13-17 “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad.” 

O = The first thing I notice in this story is that the two disciples were leaving Jerusalem, perhaps to go home, but why then? Why were they going that day, in sadness, when things were just starting to happen? Was it unbelief? Certainly. As they traveled through the miles between Jerusalem and Emmaus, they talked together, about all that had happened. They were focused on their sorrow, pain, and disappointed hopes. Could this have contributed to their eyes being “kept from recognizing him”? Certainly!

A = What do I talk about with others as I go through my week? Jesus’ words ring in my ears as I write this, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” Is it focused on my feelings or God’s faithfulness, the bad weather or the blessing of weather, the Mariners’ losing streak or the joy of baseball? Is my conversation centered on my job loss, my economic challenges, my family problems, my homework loads, and my long list of “but we had hoped…” statements? It is encouraging for me to see that at this point Jesus wasn’t blaming, sad, or self-focused, but he was still seeking lost sheep to bring them back into the joy of his plan, a plan that includes even those disappointed and emotionally wrung out souls who were bailing out and headed for Emmaus! If he went looking for them that day, I’m sure he has been looking for us today. So where does he find us? Where are we going, and what are we talking about?

P = O Lord, find me before I walk away from my trust in you. May my eyes be open to see your plan clearly and my heart open to trust you and your word when I don’t understand or I don’t see you working in my life. Help me to listen you’re your voice in my daily walk and may my experience of your grace be added to the larger story of your glory! Amen.

Luke 9-A “Take Nothing For Your Journey”

S = Luke 9:1-6 "And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere."

O = Jesus sent the twelve out on a training mission—it seems like so much of his interaction with them was intentional preparation for their mission after he was gone. He send them out with everything and with nothing. “Everything” in the sense that they had a message “the good news of the kingdom” and a mission to deliver the message. They were also given power and authority to overcome demons and to heal the sick. They went with “nothing” in the sense that they took no provisions, no possessions that might have taken their trust off of God and onto their own efforts in this new partnership. They also had no capacity to enrich themselves in the process. They were expressly warned to not even upgrade their accommodations by moving from “house to house” in the ensuing hospitality “buyers’ market” that might follow healings and deliverances. The implicit message was for them to trust God and stay on target. Why? Besides the fact that people needed to hear the message, the twelve needed to see the faithfulness of God full-strength that otherwise might have been masked by divided trust. There is nothing wrong with things whether staff, bag, bread, or money (for later on they are told to take them with them) but for this specific training mission they are set aside.

A = What training mission does Jesus have in store for me this week? Will I trust him enough to see His provision? Will I be able to return at the end of the week and report on what God has done and taught through me (Mark 6:30)? Or will I only be able to talk about what I have done? Will I get to testify about how God met all my needs in amazingly creative ways (as I did what he told me to do)? Will I see spiritual victory and physical healings? I suppose it depends on whose power in I place my trust.

P = O Lord, it is so easy for me to take my eyes off of your plan for me and the others that I will meet this week…to begin to trust my own “God-given” ability and intellect to provide for myself. Let me walk in faith this week so I can see your plan come together for us all. I know I really add nothing to the mix, but trust and loving obedience. May you move in power and authority in me and my family this week!  Amen.