Category: Book of Luke

Humble Service

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility

Simon’s mother-in-law was sick when Jesus came to visit, but not for long.  Jesus healed her, and immediately she arose and began to serve.  To serve.  What an incredible example of humble service to God.  Jesus gave her health, and she served him.  Even so God has given each of us whatever level of health we have so that we might serve him.  That is the reason we exist – to serve him and in doing so bring him glory.  Are we using the health God gives us to serve him?

Serving God can take many forms, but most often it comes in the form of serving people.  Simon’s mother-in-law served God by serving not only Jesus but also the disciples.  Even so, we can serve God by serving people.  We can serve God as we serve our families.  We can serve God as we serve our employers (see Colossians 3:23-24).  We can serve God as we serve our church family.  We can serve God as we serve the poor and needy.  We can serve God as we serve our neighbors, our friends, and the list goes on.

But do we see our service to people as service to God?  Do we offer up our service to people as service to God?  How do we approach serving?  What is our attitude?

And are we using the health God has given us to serve God by serving people?  Or are we too busy serving ourselves?

Simon’s mother-in-law gives us a good example of humble service to God.  May God’s Spirit help us to follow her godly example.

(Luke 4:38-39)

Humble Worship

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility2 Comments

There was a lady named Anna.  She had been a widow for many years.  She did not depart from the temple, but worshiped God with prayer and fasting night and day.  Night and day.  24/7.  Continuously.  Constantly.  This speaks volumes about her heart…and ours.  How many of us can see ourselves doing this?  Her heart must have been ablaze with love and adoration toward God to sustain this constant humble worship.

Do we approach each day as an opportunity to worship God? To spend time with God in praise and prayer?  As we awake?  On the road?  In our spare moments?  As we go to sleep?  Even in the midst of many tasks, we can praise God and pray – do we?  Most of us can’t focus exclusively on worship like Anna did – we have families and jobs.  Yet even those activities can be offered up to God as worship – honoring him, serving him.

Are you ready to offer humble worship to God today?

(Luke 2:36-38)

Humble Submission

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility2 Comments

One day an angel visited Mary with incredible news.  She was going to be the mother of the Messiah.  She would bear the one whose coming was foretold throughout the Old Testament.  What a privilege!  But she is confused.  She isn’t married.  How can she bear a child?  The angel tells her it will be through the Holy Spirit.  It will be a miraculous, supernatural birth.

Mary’s life suddenly becomes very complicated.  She was going to have a child outside of marriage in a culture that firmly held to God’s law?  What would her fiance Joseph think?  And while a great privilege to bear the Messiah – what an incredible responsibility to raise such a child.

But her response speaks volumes about the character of this young woman.  “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”  She is God’s servant.  She will humbly do what God says.  She gives us an incredible example of humble submission to God. She will submit to his word.

When we come to God’s Word, do we come with the attitude: “Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”?  Do we approach the Word ready to humbly submit to his authority?  To do whatever he commands?  To believe whatever he says?  To follow wherever he leads?  No matter what?  No matter how hard?  No matter whether we like it or not?  No matter what others think or say?  Do we come to the Word, ready to humbly submit to God?

The answers to these questions will have serious ramifications for our lives.  As we approach God’s Word today, this week, are we ready to humbly submit to his Word?

(Luke 1:26-38)

Gospel Shaped Death

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

Some say there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes.  I would suggest that there are a few more certain things, but death is certainly certain.  Even though we live in denial, death could come to our door at any time of any day.  We will die.  How should we approach death – apart from the gospel?  And how should the gospel shape our approach to death?

In Luke 23, Luke relates the story of the two criminals on crosses on either side of Jesus.  One criminal joins the mockers, but the second rebukes him – “Do you not fear God?”  Presumably these two criminals dying outside of Jerusalem are Jews with an understanding of who God is from the Old Testament.  They know God is holy and just – he will punish sin.  They know God created us to live in a perfect loving relationship with God, but that we sinned against God bringing death and separation and judgment.  Perhaps they have heard Jesus warn of hell – a place of separation and judgment after death.  Indeed, do you not fear God?  You are about to die and face his judgment.  You have every reason to fear!  Without some good news we are in a heap of trouble.

But the second criminal has noticed something.  This Jesus has done nothing wrong.  The rest of the New Testament confirms his observation – Jesus was without sin.  So if sin brings death, but he is without sin, why is he going to die?  Clearly this is further than the thief is thinking, but Peter gives the answer – Jesus is dying for our sins (I Peter 2:24).  He is taking our sins upon himself, and the death, judgment, and separation that goes with those sins.  Why?  So we can escape God’s judgment and be reconciled to God.  Again, this is more than the criminal understands, but he somehow realizes that salvation is available from this man dying on the middle cross.

And so the criminal does the only sensible thing. He asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom.  He looks to Jesus.  He is trusting, believing in this man to save him.  And Jesus tells him that they will be together in paradise that very day.  By looking to Jesus, he has escaped eternal judgment and separation from God.  Instead he has received eternal paradise with Jesus.  No wonder that Paul later says that death is gain.  Why?  Because he will be with Jesus (Philippians 1:21-23).

The gospel utterly turns our approach to death around.  Instead of separation there is relationship.  Instead of judgment there is pardon.  Instead of hell there is paradise.  Instead of fear there is anticipation.

And yet that is only part of the gospel.  For Jesus will not only die and be buried, but he will be raised from the dead.  And because he is raised from the dead, those who look to Jesus will also be raised from the dead when Jesus comes back.  We will be victorious over death like Jesus (I Corinthians 15).  And we will dwell in a new heaven and earth forever with the Lord (Revelation 21).  We not only look forward to paradise with Jesus, but even more we hope in our own resurrection.  And this hope is not “I wish it were true” hope.  It is a certain hope based on the very promises of God.

Yes, there are more things certain than death and taxes.  Death is certain.  But for the one who looks to Jesus, paradise with him after death is certain.  And the resurrection when he returns is certain.  And so the gospel shapes our approach to death from fear to anticipation and hope.  May we live and die with this anticipation and hope alive in us as we look to Jesus.

What Is Your Testimony?

On By BrianIn Book of Luke2 Comments

What is your testimony?  What legacy are you leaving?  Does it point to Christ?  Does it reveal one who has been touched by grace?

Mary was touched by grace.  The angel greeted her with the words “O favored one.”  Later the angel says she has “found favor with God.”  In both cases, the word translated favor is grace.  God graciously allowed her the privilege to bear the Messiah.  Joseph too had the great privilege of raising the Messiah.

And what is their testimony?  Obedience to God.  Mary submits to God’s plan for her.  Joseph too submits, taking Mary as his wife.  Both of them obey everything required by the Law regarding Jesus’ birth.  Obedience to God.  Is that part of our testimony?

Simeon too was touched by grace.  He is given the great privilege of seeing the Messiah before he dies.  And what is his testimony?  He is righteous, just in his actions toward others.  He is devout in his relationship with God.  He has hope in the coming Messiah.  He is led by the Spirit.  He is ready to die when God calls him.  Are these things part of our testimony?

Anna was touched by grace.  Her very name means grace, and she is given the privilege of seeing the Messiah.  And what is her testimony?  She worships with fasting and prayer.  She gives thanks, praising God for the Messiah as did Simeon, and the shepherds and the angels.  Are these things part of our testimony?

Obedience, righteousness, devotion, hope, Spirit-led, ready to die, worship, fasting and prayer, thanksgiving and praise.  Do these things characterize our lives?  We too have received grace upon grace.  Do our lives show it?  What legacy are we leaving?  What is our testimony?

(Taken from Luke 1-2)

Good News!

On By BrianIn Book of Luke2 Comments

Of all the people God could have announced the birth of Jesus to, he chose to announce it to shepherds.  Shepherds watching sheep that would probably be used as sacrifices at the temple.  Even as Jesus would one day offer himself as a sacrifice.

The angel appears and announces good news of great joy.  What is this good news?  A Savior has been born!  We sin and sin and sin and sin, and Jesus was born to save us from our sins.  Again and again, the people would sacrifice the shepherd’s lambs for their sins, but Jesus came to save us from our sins once for all.  A Savior has been born.  Indeed this is good news of great joy!

Notice the response of the shepherds.  First they went to investigate.  They wanted to see this Savior.  Do we have the same desire?  To see our Savior.  To know him better?  To investigate further and deeper the glorious good news of great joy?

Second, they went about proclaiming the good news that they had heard and seen for themselves.  Do we have that same tendency?  No one told the shepherds to witness.  They just naturally did.  Are we so excited about our Savior that we just naturally tell others?

Third, they went home praising God for the good news they had heard and seen and proclaimed.  The good news of great joy filled them with joy.  Do we have the praises of God on our hearts and in our mouths?

Father, thank you for the good news of a Savior.  Grant us the desire to investigate, the passion to proclaim, and the joy to praise you.  Amen.

(Taken from Luke 2:1-20)

Promise of Christ

On By BrianIn Book of Luke1 Comment

After John is born, Zechariah breaks forth into praise (Luke 1).  What is the content of his praise?  The Promise of Christ.

First, there is the promise of hope in Christ (v68-75).  Zechariah speaks of salvation from enemies.  He speaks of the house of David – a reference to the kingship.  All of this was foretold by the prophets.  And so Christ is coming again to reign as king, to put every enemy under his feet, to bring about the paradise the prophets foretold.  What a glorious promise of hope we have in Christ.

Second, there is the promise of forgiveness in Christ (v76-78).  John will prepare the way for Jesus, making known the salvation and forgiveness of sins found in Jesus.  Through Christ’s death, all of our sins can be forgiven.  We can be clean and pure.  This is the glorious promise of forgiveness we have in Christ.

Third, there is the promise of light in Christ (v78-79).  Jesus is a light in the midst of our dark world.  Instead of blundering around in the darkness, we can come to the light.  In the darkness of our trials, we can look to the light.  This is the glorious promise of light we have in Christ.

Finally, there is the promise of peace in Christ (v79).  In the midst of a chaotic world filled with trials and hurts and losses and troubles, we need a source of peace.  In Christ, the Prince of Peace, we can find peace.  And one day he will usher in perfect peace over the entire world.  This is the glorious promise of peace we have in Christ.

May we remember the promises we have in Jesus!

Promises

On By BrianIn Book of Luke1 Comment

We live in a world of broken empty promises.  Just think politicians and advertisements.  Yet when we look to God, we find one who delivers on what he says.

In Luke 1, God promised Zechariah a son (v13).  And a son is born (v57).  Promise kept.  God promised there would be joy (v14), and they rejoice (v58).  Promise kept.  God promised that Zechariah would be mute until the child was born (v20), and after the child is born, Zechariah speaks (v63-64).  Promise kept.

We can trust God to keep his promises.  What promises do you need to cling to today?

Joy To The World

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Joy1 Comment

When Mary visited Elizabeth in Luke 1, there was an explosion of joy.  John leaps in the womb for joy.  Elizabeth breaks forth in joyous praise.  And then Mary breaks forth in joyous song.  What is this joy that they found?

First, it was a Christ-centered joy.  They found this joy in Jesus.  John leaps for joy when he hears Mary’s voice because she is carrying Jesus.  Elizabeth calls Mary blessed because of the blessing in her womb – Jesus.  Mary praises God for what he has done for her – which is Jesus.  Their joy is Christ-centered.  Where do we seek our joy?

Second, it was a humble joy.  Elizabeth asks, “why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”  She knows she doesn’t deserve this blessing, and so in her humility she finds joy in the blessing.  Mary too is humble.  She calls God her Savior – a recognition of her need of one.  She is merely a humble servant – God is the one who does great things.  As the song continues, it is the humble that God lifts up.  The proud can’t know joy because they think every blessing is deserved.  Our entitlement mentality in America keeps us from knowing joy.  But the humble, who understand that they don’t deserve any good from the Lord, can find joy in every blessing that comes from the hand of the Lord.  Every blessing is a new opportunity to rejoice in God’s grace.  It is a humble joy.

Third, it was a Spirit-led joy.  Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit who reveals to her why her baby leaped.  Galatians 5 reminds us that joy is a fruit of the Spirit.  Joy comes as we walk with the Spirit.

Finally, it was a Word-saturated joy.  Mary’s song is filled with allusions, phrases, theme, words, and forms from the Old Testament.  As we saturate ourselves in the Word, we will find Jesus.  As we saturate ourselves in the Word, we can grow in humility.  As we saturate ourselves in the Word, the Spirit can use it in our lives to bring joy.  Are we saturating ourselves in the Word?

Do we want to know joy today?  It is found in Christ and in humility, through the Spirit and the Word.  Father, help us to grow in this joy!

Favor With God

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

An angel comes to Mary and greets her with the words, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you.”  The angel continues, “you have found favor with God.”

Indeed she was favored and found favor with God, for she was given the incredible privilege to bear the Savior of the world.  This is all of grace.  The Greek word translated twice as favor is usually translated as grace.  It is by God’s grace upon her life that she received this privilege.  It was not her own works, her own goodness, her own merit that earned her this privilege.  No it was grace – she found favor with God.

And so it is with us.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have been given the incredible privilege of knowing the Savior of the world, of receiving his great salvation that he purchased for us on the cross, of being raised to a new life through his resurrection, and of having the certain hope of our own resurrection someday.  It is not our own works, our own goodness, our own merit that earns us this privilege.  No it is grace – we have found favor with God.

(Taken from Luke 1)