Luke 10:39 - “She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.”

Throughout the Scriptures, we find pairs of people who, side by side, illustrate the attitudes and choices that please God and those that do not.  Martha and Mary provide one example of this pattern.  When these pairs present a contrast between two women (Sarah and Hagar, Hannah and Peninnah, etc.), we know that it prophetically represents the faithful church and the unfaithful who are nominal believers (see, for example, Galatians 4:21-31).   continue

Luke 10:30-35 - ”….A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers.  They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.   He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.   The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “

This is a familiar story to most Christians, but many people miss the fact that it is a prophetic illustration about Jesus and how he gives salvation to an individual. The Good Samaritan is Jesus.

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Luke 16:2 - “So he called him in and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you?  Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’” 

OWNERS: When we own something, we can use it however we want.  We get all the benefits from our own property.  If we destroy or use up our own property, we feel the loss.  Most people avoid making decisions that result in the loss or destruction of their own property – people are usually careful with their own belongings.   continue

Luke 9:7-9 – “Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed, because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?’ And he tried to see him…”

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Luke 2:44-49 – …Supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.  So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.  Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were astonished at His understanding and answers.  So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you done this to us?  Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.”   And He said to them, “Why did you seek me?  Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

This is a familiar story about Jesus going to Jerusalem when he was twelve years old.  His parents took him there every year for the Passover.  They traveled with a large caravan of friends and relatives from Nazareth.  Jesus was left behind.  In the text about their search for him, we see interesting parallels to the ways – and reasons – that many people search for Jesus today.   continue

Luke 16:19-31 - …”He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead…’”

 This story begins like a regular story about a rich man and a poor man – a situation familiar to everyone – but it leads to two important points, one about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and the other about the Revealed Word of God.  

We do not know all the reasons that one went to heaven and the other did not.  We know that our eternal destiny does not depend merely on our economic status – we all know there are also righteous people who have financial resources (like the wealthy women who provided for Jesus from their own funds). 

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Luke 19:1-9 - Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

When Jesus stays in the house, there is salvation and transformation.

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On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.  But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.  Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”  He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. - Luke 6:6-10 

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Luke 5:24-26 - But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….” He said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”  Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God...

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