Today’s passage: Luke 18:1-14

Helpful thoughts:

• This unrighteous judge gave the woman what she wanted for his own benefit.  God proactively loves his children.  Instead of being annoyed by us, He tells us to draw near to Him in prayer!
• God gives justice.  He will give us what is right, which may not always be what we want.
• The Pharisee and the tax collector were both sinners.  Only one of them realized it…and that man went home justified.

Questions to consider:

1. In what way(s) were the unrighteous judge and the Pharisee similar?  What was most important to them?  How did they view other people?  Who didn’t they fear?
2. What justices should we be praying fervently for?  Do your prayers contain more matters of justice and glory or prayers of self-interest, self-promotion, and an avoidance of any hardship?  Do your prayers look more like the prayers of the Pharisee, the desire of the unrighteous judge (“Make this woman stop bickering”) or the prayer and appeal of the woman and the tax collector?
3. What must the elect come to know before they know to ask God for mercy?  How has God provided justice for the elect through Christ?  Why would our justification at the cross give God all the more reason to pursue our good to the end?

Today’s passage: Luke 17:20-37

Helpful thoughts:

• The fact that the Pharisees were asking Jesus about the coming kingdom again at this point displays more mockery than curiosity.
  • The kingdom of God didn’t come according to the Pharisees’ expectation and desires.  So, they rejected it.
• When Jesus comes again to rule and reign, there will be no mistaking it.
• Those being taken away in this passage do not refer to the rapture.  These illustrations are being compared by Jesus to times of judgment.  The ones being taken away here are being taken away to judgment.

Questions to consider:

1. Given the words and actions of the Pharisees, how do you think they would have envisioned the coming of the Messiah and the kingdom?  How was their thinking wrong and backwards?
2. If people are “eating and drinking” and pursuing the best things this world has to offer, what kind of life is their “dream life”?  What kinds of things will prove to be paramount in the heart that is longing for the kingdom of God?
3. Whose kingdom has your heart and affections?  Are you ready?

Today’s passage: Luke 17:11-19

Helpful thoughts:

• These leprous men (Now formerly leprous) were required by law to show themselves to the priests who acted as the local health officials.  The process for declaring them clean would last eight days.  These priests were about to get an eight day testimony to the deity of Christ as He approached Jerusalem for the last time in His earthly ministry.
• Nine of the ten men were overwhelmed at the prospect of returning to a normal life.  One man was overwhelmed by the prospect of being in the presence of Almighty God.  He bowed down humbly, with thanksgiving, in worship.
• All ten men were healed, so Jesus’ statement in verse 19 had nothing to do with leprosy.  This Samaritan man had been made well eternally that day.  He had put his faith in Jesus, and received eternal life.

Questions to consider:

1. When the nine Jewish men were declared clean, they would also be seen as too good for the Samaritan man.  What is the irony of his ethnicity?  Of the ten men, who was truly the child of God?
2. When Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?” what was He implying?  How many of the men should have come back and worshiped Him?
3. What was the best thing that happened to that Samaritan man that day?  Was it truly a good day for the nine Jewish men considering what they had missed?  What things matter the most in our lives today?

Today’s passage: Luke 17:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• In contrast to the pride of the Pharisees, Jesus teaches his apostles (And the rest of us) what humility will produce in us.
  • A humble teacher will be careful to ensure that his teaching is from the Bible (God’s Word alone has authority) and not his own errant opinion, which would cause others to go the wrong direction.  (“Little ones” refers to all believers.)
  • A humble leader will pay attention to himself first! (Matthew 7:5)
  • A humble believer will be willing to rebuke, not preserving their own reputation in the eyes of the one needing correction.
  • A humble believer will be willing to forgive, even repeatedly, knowing they have been forgiven of much more (Matthew 18:21-35).
  • A humble believer will realize great things don’t happen because they had enough faith, but because God is the one who wills and holds the power (Not how much faith I have, but who my faith is in).
  • A humble believer will see themselves as a servant doing their duty, not as a champion who’s master is lucky to have them.
• Philippians 3 shares Paul’s personal testimony of this transformation.

Questions to consider:

1. How does a teacher/preacher know if their teaching is biblical?  How does a listener know if the teaching/preaching they are receiving is biblical?  How does humility promote biblical teaching and learning?
2. In what way can pride motivate us to point our finger and bark at people’s sin?  In what way could pride motivate us to remain quiet when someone needs to hear a rebuke?  How could thinking too highly and/or too “lowly” of ourselves both be a result of pride? (Think, high self-esteem and low self-esteem…what is the common denominator?)
3. How does preaching the gospel to ourselves encourage humility in our hearts?  Children of God, what are we?  Whose are we? What is our calling and mission? Who is our hope? Where is our home?

Today’s passage: Luke 16:19-31

Helpful thoughts:

• A Jewish man who was rich (Perceived culturally as a blessing and obvious favor from God) died and found himself in Hell.  A poor man who had sores all over his skin (Perceived culturally as a curse and judgment from God) died and was in Heaven.  This was a shocking account.
  • Lazarus’ name means, “Whom God has helped.”
  • The rich man is given no name.  God had NOT helped him.
• “Moses and the Prophets” is a name for the Old Testament.  These people had the Word of God.  The Word of God is what we need to hear from God (Romans 10:17).
• Miracles do not produce faith.  Not even witnessing resurrection.

Questions to consider:

1. Why is the prosperity gospel and the word of faith movement an abomination?  What does it do to people?  What does it distract them from?  How does it treat God? (Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Paula White, etc.) – By the way, go ahead and read ahead to Luke 17:2 to see what Jesus says about people who teach this things…
2. How does Lazarus’ name point us back to the true gospel?  Is man’s biggest problem that he thinks too lowly of himself or too highly?  What must we realize before we are ready for the good news?
3. If God uses the Word of God to reach/speak to people, what does the Spirit (Who is God) use to reach/speak to people?  If someone accuses others of not following or being sensitive to the Spirit because they want to go back to the Bible to hear from God, what is really happening?  Who is the one who is truly sensitive to the Spirit of God (Who personally led men -inspiration- to write the Bible)?

Today’s passage: Luke 16:14-18

Helpful thoughts:

• The inspired scripture reveals to us the hearts of the Pharisees.  God knows their hearts (And ours).  Their master was money.
  • Because money was their master and they were controlled by their greed, they actively ridiculed God to His face.
• These men who were slaves to a worldly master, had changed the practices of religion in the name of worship toward God.  But man’s view of religion changes nothing of the truth of God’s holy Word!
  • These religious leaders were not observing themselves according to what God had said in His Word.  They were justifying themselves through their own logic and assumptions first and then bending and twisting the Word of God to conform to their desires.
  • “We must not bring the Word of God into the culture.  We must instead bring the culture to the Word of God.” – John MacArthur
  • It is “easier” to bring your ideas to the Bible, read it lazily, and walk away feeling affirmed than it is to let the Spirit use the Bible to take your ideas and radically change them for your growth and sanctification.  Continual surrender (Dying daily to self) takes effort…”forcing” our way.
• Jesus’ teaching about marriage and divorce is being used to illustrate his point.  The Pharisees had manipulated the words of the Law in the OT to allow themselves to divorce their wives in order to (in their mind) “upgrade” to another.  They were being selfish and sinful while calling their actions righteous.

Questions to consider:

1. How does verse 17 give us confidence in the inspiration and the preservation of God’s Word?  When we read our Bibles, who are we hearing from?  If God is the author, how should we approach the scriptures?  How should we respond to the truth found within?
2. If we are ever reading the Bible to see if it’s OK to do something we feel is probably wrong, what might we need to ask ourselves?  If we have been taught that something is right or wrong and the Bible says otherwise, who should we listen to and obey?
3. What do we see in this passage that goes beyond the external actions of people?  What did God know about these Pharisees?  Why do we do what we do?  What informs and shapes our desires to agree with God?  How can you continue to fight for that change and growth?

Today’s passage: Luke 16:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

• This parable was spoken to the disciples.  This is not a parable of evangelism but instead it teaches how believers ought to live and how believers won’t live.
• In his final act as an employee of the rich man, the manager cost his employer even more money in order to benefit himself.  This was not a benevolent act in any way.  He showed mercy to the debtors only to provide himself with obligated acquaintances after his work was done.  He set himself up to be provided for after his firing had taken effect.
  • The commendation in verse 8 is not a good one.
  • People of this world are shrewd with each other in order to meet their immediate needs/wants in a way that costs them eternally.  The sons of light (God’s children) are the opposite.  They are not shrewd for the here and now because their eyes and hearts are hoping in the age to come.
• Christ commands us to use the money of this world (Unrighteous wealth) to “make friends” who will welcome us into eternity.  This is evangelism! Our money must be used for the furtherance of the Gospel!

Questions to consider:

1. Who is your master?  Is Jesus your lord and therefore over the finances at your disposal, or is money ruling your heart? (Verse 13)
2. If money doesn’t make us “rich” (Verse 11), then what does it mean to truly be “rich”?
3. How does eternity and the promise of being a joint-heir with Christ helps us to see money differently in this life? (Romans 8:17)

Today’s passage: Luke 15:11-32

Helpful thoughts:

• This parable is often read and taught alone.  But, it’s helpful to remember that it is the third illustration along with the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
• When the Prodigal Son “came to himself” he saw himself in truth, the way God saw him.  This is a gift of God’s grace.
• The Prodigal Son didn’t earn a party and all the presents.  His father chose to give them because he chose to forgive and love his son.
• The Prodigal Son had been brought to life and was found.  The older son believed he had kept every one of his father’s commands and was worthy of being praised (Verse 29).  He had not “come to himself”.
  • Being with the father and sharing in the inheritance wasn’t enough for the older brother (Verse 31).

Questions to consider:

1. People who grew up in Christian homes but are not following the Lord can sometimes be referred to (Or even refer to themselves) as “prodigals”.  But, in truth, who must see themselves as “prodigals” and become aware of their need before they will turn to the Father in humility and ask for mercy?  Who are the Pharisees in this parable?  Who are the born again Christians?
2. What specifically did the older brother want to celebrate in verse 29?  Who did he want to celebrate with?
3. Who will we all be boasting in when we see the glory of God in eternity (Ephesians 2:8-9)?  Why is legalism so evil?  How does it flip the focus of praise in the opposite direction of where it should go?  How does it destroy churches?

Today’s passage: Luke 15:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• The Pharisees should have been rejoicing.  Jesus was willing to eat with them too.
• Instead, the Pharisees were thrilled with their own manufactured false self-righteousness.  They thought themselves superior to others who couldn’t “keep up”.
  • Though they viewed shepherds and poor women as second class citizens, they still would have been happier to hear about them finding a sheep and a coin than they were to hear of a sinner’s repentance.
• When sinners repent, there is real joy in Heaven!

Questions to consider:

1. Are there ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance?  Outside of Jesus, is there one?  What was the point of Jesus’ illustration?
2. Who “sought diligently” your repentance?  Are you thankful for their obedience to pray for and to share Christ with you?  Who might be a “lost sheep” or “lost coin” that you know and could be praying for and seeking diligently?
3. How does hearing of the joy of Heaven encourage you in evangelism?

Today’s passage: Luke 14:25-35

Helpful thoughts:

• There is no mistaking what the cross represents.  When Christ died we died.  All selfish ambition and self-preservation are contrary to what we have been called to do and be.  We are new creations in Christ Jesus.  We have a new master. (Romans 6)
• If my mother, father, wife/husband, children, siblings, friends, co-workers, or bosses tell me to leave Christ and follow them instead, I must follow Christ.  “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
• Christians are ambassadors.  Christ did not save us to keep to ourselves.  He gives us (Within the church) to each other and He gives the church to the world.  We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Questions to consider:

1. What people or what fears are the most likely to give you pause or “prevent” you from following Christ?  Why was it right to put quotation marks around “prevent”?  Who deserves our whole obedience?  Who has purchased our freedom from the bondage of sin?
2. What things would you do first and what things would you do more if/when you had victory over those fears?
3. In what ways are you adding to the good kind of “saltiness” of our church?   (Not just “official” ministries…but as an ambassador of Christ to our community)