Good morning and we're at it again, letting the Lord feed us with His word. Today, we'll begin in Luke chapter 10 and move on down the road.
Luke Chapter 10
2Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
When Moses needed additional help in governing Israel, the Lord gave him 70 elders who had the spirit of the Lord on them. Jesus here, following His same routine appointed 70 disciples to go out and teach the people in the neighboring towns.
16He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Many religions have not been taught this nor care to think it is true. The Muslim or Jewish, Hindu, or Buddhist that reads this and despises it also despises Jesus Christ. Many religions attempt to bypass Jesus Christ and go directly to the Father, being ignorant of the fact that you must go through Jesus Christ in order to get to the Father. There is a sign on a church near by my living arrangement that says, "know Jesus, know life, no Jesus, no life." It cannot be any simpler put than that! The only thing many do not know is Jesus! If you despise Jesus Christ, you are despising the Father who sent Him!
17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
When the brothers returned from teaching, they were excited because the Lord gave them power even over devils with His name. Jesus said something that people have never seen. He said that He saw Satan thrown out of heaven like a bolt of lightening. No man could have ever seen this unless they were in Heaven at the time or that they were God.
Don't rejoice because of this, however, rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Jesus was also happy in spirit that the Father allowed Him to take men who had no religious ties or affiliation and turned them into men of God who can correctly teach the word of God. The Pharisees and religious experts and leaders, the wise men, was this and still is hid from them. But to the babes, it is right in their palm (v19-22).
Love Your Neighbor
25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
The question here is how can I live forever. Jesus asked Him, what is written in the law (Hebrew Bible or Old Testament). The man replied to love God and love your neighbor. Jesus told him he was correct, do this and you will live forever. Pretty simple. Jesus pointed this out in the law. To keep the law is how you love your God with all your might and how you love your neighbor. Then He followed it up with the good Samaritan story to let us know that everyone is our neighbor, not just the people who moved in next door. The world is far from this because many people would not even as much as say hello to their current neighbors.
Only Jesus and His Word
While Jesus was in the house teaching, Martha was busy getting water, preparing food and doing things women did when guest arrived. She had a sister named Mary who sat down to hear all that Jesus spoke. Martha became upset and asked Jesus to have Mary help. 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Jesus told her there is only one thing that is needful and that is to hear my words. Martha should have sat down and listened too; and when someone needs water, or food after Jesus was done speaking then she could go prepare all she needs for the Master. Make sure you are fed with understanding before you make yourself business in little chores for others.
Luke 11
Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray. Letting them know that God our Father answers prayers if you ask!
Jesus was explaining to the Pharisees that He could not cast out devils in the name of Satan because no kingdom divided against itself can prosper. And when a devil is cast out through strength or through the Word of God; it looks to come back and when it does it comes back to that person worse than before. This is why when you see a person who keeps the commandments and serves the Lord, when they are deceived and the evil spirit comes back on them, they are worse than they were before the learn about the Lord.
A classic example is the first king of Israel. He was a plain herder for his father. When the spirit of the Lord came upon him to be a king he was exalted. The evil spirits took over the influence of his thoughts and he lost his kingdom, eventually losing his life seeking witch craft and diviners for answers and not God. His end state was worse than his beginning. As Jesus explained this, a woman had something to say:
27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Blessed is the womb in which you came out of. This is indeed true as Jesus agree; but let's not focus on that because we have religions that focus more on "mother Mary" than on Jesus. Jesus swiftly told the woman that you are blessed rather if you hear the word of God and keep the words of God.
29And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
30For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
People who need a sign from heaven; like a Batman signal in the sky that says "Serve me" on it or a man speaking in tongues, or for a man to touch another mans' head (that is faking that he is in wheel chair), and the man falls out the chair kicks and half way break dance on the floor then gets up walking; if someone need things like this to believe in Jesus, that person is part of an evil generation that seeks after a sign. Jonah is our only sign that as He was in the belly of the well for three days and three nights, so will the Messiah be in the earth for three days and three nights. Afterwards Jonah went and warned the people of God, and afterwards Jesus went and told His disciples of God and the power of His resurrection. This is our only sign!
Jesus Slams the Pharisees and Scribes v38-53
44Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.
52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
Jesus said a lot and as you read it, it appears as He spoke with anger and much emotion. And the Pharisees sat there edging Him on hoping He'd say something they can use to kill Him. Jesus was accusing them of being hypocrites; because they make blind graves that people can't see and they walk on in thinking they are serving the Lord but they have just walking into a grave.
The lawyers take away the key of knowledge and don't go in and won't allow others to go in either that want knowledge. So this is very frustrating to the Lord because simple minded people will follow these types of men instead of reading the scriptures for themselves.
Luke 12
3Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
4And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
There is no secrets out here; even the secrets in your mind will be revealed on the day of Judgment. Also do not be afraid of men that can only harm the body or soul, but fear the One, which can kill you, wake you up and cast you into hell. That is who you remain afraid of.
21So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. It is far more important to be rich in the Word of God than to have six hundred thousand in your retirement account and not know the Lord. Recently, a great entertainer passed away and it is obvious that he had attain riches throughout his life. He shared many of those riches; but was He rich in the word of the Lord? If not, his entire life was in vain.
31But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Don't worry about being taller, prettier, richer, or famous. Go after the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.
Jesus wraps this chapter up by warning the disciples and all reading this to stay prepared. You never know when the Lord is going to show up for the earth or for you. So keep ready at all times and don't get caught up in the things you see in this world. You can enjoy them; but do not set your heart solely on them. Watch for the Lord and do His ways first.
Luke 13
2And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
At times we think that because natural disaster killed someone or they were killed violently, we mistake this to think they sinned badly. The disciples thought this of some Galilaeans. Jesus said that it is not because they sinned that they were killed; however, if we do not repent from sinning we could be punished in like manner. Remember, John the baptist, who Jesus said was the greatest of all born of women, died by having his head cut off. Was he a sinner or evil man? But we can perish the same way if we do not repent.
Jesus Begs the Father to Have Mercy on Us
6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
This parable let's us know that Jesus is fighting for us; but eventually we have to show up to our own fight. A man had a fig tree in his vineyard (remember vineyard is Israel, spiritual and physical) and found no fruit on it. He went to His dresser and said for the last three years I've checked on this tree and found no fruit, so cut it down, why is it taking up space on the ground.
The His dresser asked to give it one more year, he will dig about it, and give it the tools it needs to bear fruit. If it does not do it then, it can be cut down. If you are an individual that is good for nothing, like a fruit tree that doesn't bear fruit; what good are you to the Lord? Eventually, Jesus will not be able to defend you to the Father and you will be cut down.
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
This lady had been dealing with an ailment for 18 years, can we deal with something like that for that long?
12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
Jesus heals the woman and she glorified God for making her whole after all these years.
14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
Jesus said there are six days of hard work and toiling and laboring, doesn't it make sense to rest and be healed on the Sabbath day? Just imagine that, you have to have a day to rest your soul, that is what the thousand year millennium is for. Healing and resting with the Lord.
15The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
In snowy winter cities like Chicago, if a car slides off the road into a ditch on the Sabbath day, would these Pharisees not call roadside assistance, pay them, and get their car out of the ditch? So this woman who Satan has helmed up for 18 years that she has patiently waiting on healing, she is also a daughter of Abraham, isn't it okay for her to be healed on the Sabbath day? They all shut down that came against Jesus.
Get in at the Straight Gate
24Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
30And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
The children of Israel better take a hard look at what this last shall be first thing is all about. Generally people think of the poor, which are the last, will be first in the kingdom. But think about it; Jesus is speaking to children of Israel here; telling them that there are first who will be last. The children of Israel were the first family on the earth to be adopted by God. There will be some that thrust out last, if they can get in at all, but the first will be last and last will be first. Get it together and come in through the straight gate.
31The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.
32And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
The Pharisees attempted to give Jesus a scare tactic that Herod who was actually of the seed of Edom, would kill Jesus. Jesus replied as if He did not care; and I know He didn't care nor was He worried. Herod was the least of His worries of people who wanted to kill Him. The people who wanted to kill Him were the Pharisees.
Luke Chapter 14
Invite the Poor (v8-14)
Jesus tells us to be humble. When we go to a dinner or event, sit in the seats in the back; and not in the important people seats. It's better that way so in case the person that invited you sees you seated in the back and has you move up to the table with Barack Obama. It's better that way than being the person who was removed from the table for you to accommodate their seat.
Also when you have a dinner; do not invite your friends who are rich and are able to repay you with a dinner, but rather invite the poor and the lame, those who are not able to repay you; because at the resurrection of the just, the Lord will repay you.
15And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
This was an important statement. If you are able to eat bread in the kingdom of the Father, you are blessed because you have made it into the kingdom of God. You yourself, are God at that point and no longer man.
The Great Supper in the Kingdom of God v16-24
These verses cover the first and second resurrections. The Lord made a great supper and told many to come. Many people made excuses like they had a wife, so the Lord being angry had the servants go into the streets to bring the poor, lame, blind, etc and when they came; there was still room in the supper hall.
So the Lord commanded to go get all who were left in the highways and hedges, you know the people who live under the overpasses on highways, and finally the house was filled. All the people who passed up on His invitation, will not taste of His supper. I noticed a lot of rich and wealthy people passed up the invitation. Be careful on setting your heart on those things.
28For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
If you are going to follow the Lord and all the words in the bible; you first must see the cost. You do not want to start something that you are not able to finish. Not only will you have to answer to the Lord; but you will never hear the end of it from your friends and family who will mock you day and night.
Luke 15
2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Jesus did this because His mission is to recover right now. He is in recover mode; so that takes sitting with sinners. It is no different with a politician who wants the votes of African Americans, he will have to go into their communities and abode with them or at least hang out with their leaders :)
The Lord rejoices at the repentance of a sinner than a thousand who have kept the commandments. The example is given in the story of the prodigal son.
Luke chapter 16
The Faithful Steward
10He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
11If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
12And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?
The Lord gives a parable of a steward who was going to be fired and then the steward made some wise moves to keep his job. The moral of the parable is in verse 10 through 12. A man who is faithful with a little house, a beat up car, and 10 dollars at the end of his paycheck will be faithful with a big house, a Rolls Royce, and 100,000 dollars at the end of his paycheck. If you cannot be trusted with the earth and this life where things perish; how can you be trusted with the everlasting life and true riches of the kingdom of God?
Food for Thought
15And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Highly esteemed men are an abomination in the sight of God. True men of God like Moses and David were not highly esteemed; they were respected; but the esteem went to God because they were men of God. A man highly esteemed knows how God feels about him because here Jesus tells us.
17And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. It is easier for the world to stop and pass over than for one of the littlest laws to fail. So telling that little "white lie" is not all that little any more.
The Rich Man & Lazarus
24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
This is a story about how it will be. This did not actually happen yet. Two men, one rich, one a homeless beggar died. The rich man never helped the beggar and when they died they were in two separate stations in the kingdom. The rich man was in the torments in the lake of fire, the beggar was in the kingdom hanging out with Abraham.
The rich man noticed the beggar and asked Abraham to have the beggar, whose name was Lazarus, bring him only a drip of water to cool him from the flame. Abraham reminded the rich man all the good he had previously.
29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Outside of all of this there is a great gulf fixed so that the people in the lake of fire cannot come towards or to the people with Abraham. So the rich man asked if he could be sent to his father's house to warn his five brothers of the lake of fire; that it is real and a serious place of torment. Abraham told the rich man that his brothers have the Old Testament, let them read the bible.
The rich man said no, they will repent if one came from the dead. And Abraham broke the backs of every New Testament Christian in the world by saying, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, they will be be persuaded by Jesus, One who did indeed rise from the dead.
Luke chapter 17
9Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.
10So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
We should not walk around thinking we are good because we keep the Lord's commandments. If we do what we are told to do that was our duty. I can see myself boasting saying, "pat me on the back because I didn't steal anything today." There is no reason to be pat on the back; that is a duty. Now going out and converting three souls through your good works may be deserving of a pat on the back.
21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
People have trouble with this verse saying that the kingdom of God is what you make of it. It is already in you; as the verse says. But we've read in verses where a Pharisee was seeking Jesus and making sense, unlike many Pharisees, and Jesus told that Pharisee that the kingdom of God is near him. That means his understanding was getting him closer to being able to get into the kingdom of God. And this is what verse 21 means, the kingdom of God is within us; those of us who walk in the ways and laws of God. We are spiritually there in the kingdom and the kingdom in us. The moment we stop; it stops and is removed far from us.
Luke 18
Jesus gave a parable about a woman who wanted a judge that did not fear nor care about God to avenge her of her enemies. She came daily seeking justice from this judge. Finally, he granted her her desire because he did not want her to continue nagging him of this.
7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? So it is with God who is righteous, He will avenge His own people, so stay in prayer and bear with Him no matter how long it takes for Him to come around to us.
Jesus also tells a parable of being over righteous (v9-14).
How to Get Eternal Life?
18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
Keeping the commandments will get you eternal life! If Adam would have kept the commandment of not listening to Satan, no one would be dying right now.
Luke 19
2And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
Here is a man named Zacchaeus who wanted to meet Jesus and since he was a shorter man it was hard for him to see over all the crowd that was there. So he saw the direction from which Jesus was coming and climbed up a tree in the path Jesus would come down so he can view Him. This let's us know how popular the Lord was from all He was doing from God. As Jesus crossed the path where Zacchaeus was in the tree, he told Zacchaeus, calling him by name, saying come on down because I'm going to stay at your house. Imagine that.
Some thought negatively of Jesus because He abode with sinners; but He came to seek those that were lost. 10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Those are the ones He came to recover and save.
11And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. Now if they thought that the kingdom would immediately appear, I thought the kingdom of God was already within them and us? That was a spiritual statement; because we are still living in the times and kingdom of the Gentiles.
Talents and Pounds
This parable is about Jesus who went to receive a kingdom for Himself. He received it and called ten servants and gave them ten pounds telling them to occupy His kingdom until He returns. However, many of the citizens of the kingdom did not want Jesus to reign over them. Thus when He returned and brought those ten servants to see what they have done with the money he had given them. The first guy doubled his, the second guy increased it a bit as well. The Lord gave them cities to rule over, in the amount the increased.
20And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
22And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
I looked up austere and it said sever in manner, serious, rigorous, uncompromising, strict, harsh in manner, these are what describes the Lord when it comes to matters of business.
This servant knew the Lord was austere and did not bring back the Lord's money with interest. Sounds like a gangster movie doesn't it. And the Lord took the money from that servant and gave it to one who doubled the interest.
26For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
27But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
Now those citizens that did not want to follow Jesus, He had them brought before Him and had them killed. Jesus is the loving and caring and sweet God to those who love and fear Him. Those that cast Him behind them, He can and will be a very austere Being to them.
Then Jesus began His descent into Jerusalem from the mount of Olives. And when He came into the city He wept over it because the citizen did not know what was theres.
41And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Jesus prophesied that the day was coming fast upon the people of Judah that their enemies will put a trench around them and all sides and will lay them down, even to the ground because they didn't know that Cyrus and Artaxerxes only allowed them back to Jerusalem so that the Lord can have a place to come and die for the people. After the Lord dies and goes back to heaven with the Father, the curses in Deuteronomy 28 will resume and the men of Judah will be dispersed into every nation under the sun.
Jesus taught in the temples and the Pharisees wanted to kill Him; but couldn't because all the people were very attentive to listening to the words of Jesus.
Luke 20
2And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?
Jesus didn't answer because they could not answer His question about John the baptist being from God or from man. Then He proceeded to tell the parable of the vineyard, which were against the Pharisees and He told them the scripture will come forth.
18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Jesus is that Stone, who ever falls on it will be broken, but who ever it falls on, will be grind into powder. You hardly do not want to come against Jesus Christ.
Now that He spoke against them, they tried to tempt Him to say something they can hold against them, like the Caesar tax issue, the Moses and divorce issue, and the Messiah. The Lord quieted them on all of these.
This concludes our reading today, join us again tomorrow.
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