October 12, 2012 … Jesus Teaches

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 286

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Luke, Chapter 11 To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: Luke 11: 1-4; 9-10; 11-13; 27-28; 33-34; 42; 45-46; 52-54 : [NLT] … {This rendition of the prayer teaching which Matthew cited in his chapter 6: 9-13 is what some call “The Lord’s Prayer;” but it’s more like The Son showing how to pray to The Father, isn’t it? And in doing so, in Luke 11: 2-4, Jesus teaches first about the PRESENCE of prayer; then (in Luke 11: 5-10) we learn of PERSISTENCE in prayer; and finally (in Luke 11: 11-13) Jesus illustrates God’s faithful PROVIDENCE when we pray sincerely in God’s will.} … 1 Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us our food day by day. 4 And forgive us our sins — just as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” … 
 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. … 
11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” …  
{Some reacted critically to His teaching; but others felt drawn to His words.} … 27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!” 28 He replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” …  
{Jesus shows His followers (us) that they (we) can only see clearly through the lenses of faith in Christ.} … 33 “No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a lampstand to give light to all who enter the room. 34 Your eye is a lamp for your body. A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.” …  
{And then Jesus took on the religious establishment, who were so critical of His approach to teaching and interacting with sinners so lovingly and compassionately.} … 42 “But how terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you completely forget about justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things.” … 45“Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.” 46 “Yes,” said Jesus, “how terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you crush people beneath impossible religious demands, and you never lift a finger to help ease the burden”. … 52 “How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.” ...
53 As Jesus finished speaking, the Pharisees and teachers of religious law were furious. From that time on they grilled him with many hostile questions, 54 trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

My Journal for Today: Wow! Again, it looked good when I saw, this morning, that I was assigned, by my chronological reading editors, to only one chapter in Luke. But then I began to read, study, and meditate (as I do with my assigned reading, including using my Parson’s Commentary) on the passages in Luke 11; and now that I’ve gone through Luke’s account of these teachings of Jesus, I feel like I’ve been through one of those grilling episodes in those cop shows, where the suspect is exposed by the cops completely, having tried to hide the truth from the authorities.

First, I read through Jesus’ teaching on prayer to His followers early I Luke 11; and I realize just how shallow an ineffectual my prayer life can be (and really, IS). And most certainly, I have to come clean to my Lord this morning that my prayers are no where near as persistent as He exhorted His followers to pray.

Then I read and meditate on Jesus’ dialog with the Pharisees and Priests and how He exposed how their living and teaching got in the way of the people being able to see Jesus and what the Kingdom of God was all about; and I’m feeling pretty convicted now that – at times (prayerfully not all the time) – I’m one of those Pharisees … because I can get hung up a lot on teaching what to do in life and how to do life rather than being the living example I should be, shining the light of Christ through my life; and lead them to Christlikeness (as Paul wrote about in 1st Corinthians 11: 1).

I read through Luke 11; and I think, “Bill, … is your life singing a song like Frank Sinatra, singing My Way) – linked here;  - … or is my life singing a song like People Need The Lord - linked for your listening: ? “ …
Oh, how I pray the latter is the case!

My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to be a vessel for others to see You and come to You in faith. Amen