Friday, October 5, 2012

Harmony of the Gospels


104. The friend at night- Luke 11:5-10

 

-Jesus teaches His disciples about persistence in prayer to the Father with another illustration in this passage. He tells them of the friend who goes to one at mid-night with a request for three loaves for a sojourner who has come to visit. The friend needs provision for his guest and beseeches his companion at an inopportune time of bother and annoyance. The unrelenting nature of his asking is what gets the results he desires and Jesus wraps up His teaching by saying this, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you (Luke 11:9).” *Application* Do we ever feel like we shouldn’t bother the Lord with our insecurities, questions, and needs? Do we feel like He will turn us away without help or provision? Do we possibly quit too soon in our quest for answers and meaning in situations that have eluded our understanding? God tells us to be persistent. Keep coming to Him with all of your questions, needs, and concerns. Pour out your heart to Him as David does in the Psalms and other men and women of the Lord throughout Scripture. He does cares, and He does want your attention. So ask, seek, and knock and you will receive, find, and have doors opened (Luke 11:10)! Don’t quit! Endure, be steadfast, overcome, have patience, and wait on the LORD in faith!

 

Verse to Memorize- Luke 11:9

 

105. Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath- Luke 13:10-17

 

-For 18 long years a woman who was a daughter of Abraham (Jewish) was bound up by a spirit that made her back crooked, bent up double, without the ability to straighten up. Jesus freed her from her sickness by laying hands on her and she was immediately made erect again in her physical body, which brought glory to God. The problem was with the religious synagogue official who denounced healing on the Sabbath day and wanted healing only on all the other six days of the week. Jesus rebuked him and called out the hypocrisy that was present in this attitude. All His opponents were humiliated, and the entire crowd was rejoicing over the fact that glorious things were being done among them by Jesus (Luke 13:17). *Application* We should do good no matter what day it is. People are a priority and we should love them enough to give of ourselves doing everything we can to free them and help them in whatever need they have or predicament they are in. Don’t be selfish with a “better than thou” attitude of legalism.

 

Verse to Memorize- Luke 13:16

 

106. Enter in at the straight gate- Luke 13:23-30

 

-These teachings of Jesus parallel words of Him in Matthew 7, 8, & 25. He relates the difficulty of entering into the Kingdom of God when one does not “know” the Head of the House and is an evildoer (Luke 13:25, 27). The reality of Hell is delineated once again as a warning, but the hope of all the nations coming into the Kingdom is presented as a reality (Luke 13:28-29). Some of the last will be first, and some of the first will be last (Luke 13:30). *Application* Knowing God is the key to entrance into His Kingdom as we are once again reminded here in this passage. We must “strive” to enter through the narrow door of His grace and mercy with humble, contrite, and appreciative hearts of gratitude for all that He has done on our behalf. We do not save ourselves; it is a gift of God lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). But make no mistake, the one who is saved does the works of the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit living in them (Ephesians 2:10, James 2:18-26). Don’t be left on the outside looking in when it comes to the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

 

Verse to Memorize- Luke 13:29

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